Benefits of University!

TLDR

• Since the Labour plan to increase university access in the 90’s university student numbers have more than doubled with the target of 50% of students nationally attending university reached

  
  

• Degree inflation has closed the gap between the impact of having a degree and not having one, rather more than ever the University the degree was achieved, and the opportunities students took while studying set students apart.

  
  

• For many especially in less connected areas outside of cities University is still worth it but it is important to know why you are going before making the decision.

  
  

• Practise networking early, talk to professors, career advisors and other students across disciplines and societies

  
  

• Get involved with societies, networking groups and promote the interesting projects and essays you do in your work.

  
  

University is often seen as the de-facto next stage for school leavers, especially for those in sixth form. There is an argument for other options apprenticeships, starting work early etc. However, for this blog Liam discusses University, why it is seen as the natural transition and why this often taken for granted progression damages student experiences at university.

University shouldn’t be taken for granted

For many university is taken for granted, if you are reading this blog, you are likely attending university or are thinking about it. Perhaps everyone in your immediate family went to university and the benefits of the system are easier to see. You could also be the first in your family to ever go to university dealing with issues of identity and class struggle that can come from that change. I’d argue whatever your expectations of university are before going, they are probably out by a few orders of magnitude.

The networking potential, social and cultural capital and job opportunities available at university are often untouched by most students that pass through these institutions. Which is a shame because for most people university provides a platform to forever change the trajectory of your career, social experience and provides one of the greatest forms of social mobility available.

As more people have got the opportunity to attend university it has become harder for a degree alone to make someone stand out. Due to this people look at the debt (which is not insignificant) and the mixed earning potential and conclude that university isn’t the promise of a career that it used to be.

I think this is true, universities are producing far more graduates than they are high paid jobs and graduates often want high paid jobs (either off the bat or if they are more realistic within a few years) to in part justify all the money and time they spent getting their degree. My sector I am joining as a graduate is technology consulting, and between the accounting and professional service firms and the technology and strategy consulting firms a significant number of students both apply and land roles with these firms.

The relative high pay, prestige and exposure to clients and industries draws students in. I didn’t know what consulting was (does anyone) until it was suggested to me as a career based on personality traits of openness, extraversion and analytical problem solving from a bright network test. My university had resources, and a wealth of people way more educated on the sector than me to help me get there and its likely yours does or will too.

These resources and networks shouldn’t be taken for granted, they should be used and passed forward because university is a time in your life where you have a lot of freedom and a lot of social standing, businesses have a lot of time for student who don’t know anything yet because they are learning and have a lot of potential. The same cannot be said for graduates or those who do not attend university.

Talk to your professors and careers team

One of the best ways to gain immediate benefits from university is to introduce yourself to your careers team (please do this you are paying so much money, use the services) and your professors (do this, maybe even do this first). The careers team introduction strategy is discussed a lot and obvious, so I won’t touch on it much here. Careers teams also have guides and introductions on how to contact them at most universities so take advantage of that in your first year especially.

Talk to your university professors! (they might be lonely and make you a cup of tea). Seriously, university professors are some of the most well-connected people in your institution and even when they aren’t they are connected to someone who is, you don’t often become a professor without having to embrace or begrudgingly learn strong networking skills.

Start the conversation with what part of your subject interests you (it better interest you if you are doing it for three to four years) and what career paths you might be looking at. Or even what you like about the campus or feelings on starting university. Not only will they offer a different perspective, but many universities have temporary roles for students in specialised fields the roles are just hard to find unless you know someone on the inside, willing to root for you.

Even if you are reading this in second year or final year still talk to your professors first of all you will need they soon when dissertations and final projects start coming into the mix and second so few students keep in contact with their personal tutor or professors after first year that it will help you stand out. If you want to benefit from university talk to your professors.

Chase opportunities and make your own

As discussed above university isn’t the golden opportunity it once was, or at least this golden opportunity doesn’t have guaranteed results anymore (if it ever did). Instead chase those opportunities be rigorous and driven in both your academic attainment and early careers hunting. If you are eligible join the 93% club, bright network or other networking groups both within your university and online.

These groups can help open doors to careers your university alone can’t. If the reader is specifically interested in consulting and its many permutations these are the top networking groups and resources I would recommend, 180 Degrees Consulting (most universities have them and if you don’t why not start a branch), Blackmont Consulting group and Forage (tonnes of online internship content from businesses across technology, finance and consulting).

Don’t just chase opportunities make your own, if you work on an interesting project in your degree talk about it. If you feel you have insight to share on a degree and don’t hear a lot of people talking about it talk about it. Even if a lot of people are covering your degree on LinkedIn, who cares? Still talk about it, the finance bros have got this part nailed down, start a LinkedIn page, start a blog or a website and show off what you are learning and developing at university.

Linked to this idea is not cutting your legs from under you by being hesitant to apply to opportunities. You may not have all the skills; you may not be the right candidate. It doesn’t matter, most opportunities I’ve had at university I’ve learned while doing them and the even those I wasn’t successful with the process of applying helped build my skills and experience in that area. If you want to benefit from university chase the opportunities and dig for them.

Pass the lessons and benefits forwards

Last of all, especially if you live in an area where university is regarded with a mix of disillusionment and contempt (this is my experience back home in the industrial ruins of Kettering, Northamptonshire) share the lessons and benefits you receive from university with other students.

Prospective students and current students. Use Linkedin (I know, I know it can be a weird cringey space) to promote your degree, or career interests or even a society you get involved with (committee or just regular member). It will put you in a good light with recruiters and allow you to transcend from another student of the degree to an active engaging member of your field.

In you want to benefit from university, consider all the things you wish you knew before you started and share them with people.

Last of all, if you want to benefit from university find a balance between friends and your future.

Don’t overcomplicate it and enjoy your time, it’ll soon be over.