Uni choice

[Tengu]

I am at that stage in my life.

I have a choice between a real proper red brick

Or a degree course at a college, however this is a tailor made course for me, and I have already made friends with the tutor.

I wanted the full Uni experience...

...But logicaly the course has to take priority...

What do you say?

 

[Macaroon]

A tailor-made degree course sounds like something to jump at, an opportunity to be grabbed with both hands. I didn't go to university, but know many who did and have young relatives and godchildren who are there presently, and I get the distinct
impression that the " Full Uni Experience " is a thing that wears thin very quickly except for those who want to drink and socialise above all else.

I went to night school for years and have attended colleges a lot as well and have found the experience positive and fulfilling, I can't imagine what I missed by not being surrounded by people who weren't there to learn.............

I'd jump at t he college place if I were you and make it the experience you want it to be; Good luck whatever you do

 

[Tengu]

Yes, Im not the drinking, partying type

 

[Ecoman]

As Macaroon says, grab the tailor made course with both hands. I have done both and I can seriously say the "full Uni experience" as you put it is not all its cracked up to be. Yes the partys are good but the hangovers stop you from getting on with why your there in the first place.

I ended up doing a generic honours degree and most of what I learned has never really been used. I wanted to learn audio and video manipulation but I had to sit through film studies, web design and marketing to get what I wanted. It was interesting and I can now spot CGI effects by Industrial Light and Magic a mile away but it has never done me any use (apart from to annoy the missus!! ).

 

[Tengu]

Yes, and you know things are going well when your Conditional offer has now got Unconditional...

 

[Ecoman]

Ooh nice one. What are you planning on studying?

 

[Tengu]

Archaeology

 

[tent peg]

for the other opinion, as a college tutor with experience of teaching delivering degree level courses in both college and uni, I say go to uni. In my opinion, uni life teaches skills above and beyond the course and the industry contacts you will make are indispensible. college can't provide a proper uni experience as the structure just isn't there.

 

[Ecoman]

See you on Arran sometime soon then

Seriously, Its a great place and very popular with for archaeology field trips.

 

[tent peg]

it's also an opportunity to choose where you want to live, rather than making do with where your family are or come from.

 

[Ecoman]

Sorry tent peg I have to disagree with you there. I chose a college course and commuted from NE Scotland to Yorkshire to do it. It was tailored to my needs and I got more from it in 2 years than I got from my Degree course in 3! I got many life experiences from doing a college course and to be honest, although Uni was great I got more out of a tailored college course.

Tengu, the great thing is that if you want to do both then you can. Do your course at college and then once you have some education under your belt you can continue at Uni on a higher qualification. There is plenty of time to party and enjoy the spoils of your education while others are still catching up.

 

[rik_uk3]

Go for the tailor made course Tengu and enjoy your time in 'the sheltered cocoon' of academia' I went late in life but had a great time, an experience not to be missed Enjoy.

 

[santaman2000]

TBH it depends a lot on where you are alng your career path already.

Tent Peg pointed out the advantages of Uni; mainly the contacts you'll make that wil further your later career if you're just starting out with no previous experience in your chosen field. Remember, your classmates can be a large part of your professional network when seeking employment.

On the other hand, if you've already been working in any given field for a few years, then you likely already have your contacts (professional network) and really only need the accademic portion of the education and the accomanying degree.

 

[bullterrier]

I'd say choose the COURSE that you will enjoy the most. I went to Bath Uni to do European studies, but the course was full of literature and economics and I hated it. I basically failed the first year, and then went to UEA and did Modern European History, which I loved. Included all the really interesting stuff you never learnt at school.
I chose Bath initially because it was the "best" for what I was doing etc etc. in other words more "prestigious" with prospective employers.
you'll be there for 3 or 4 years so you REALLY have to enjoy it. I found that in the subjects I had a real passion for I got really good marks. Funny that.
And if I had to go back to college or Uni now I'd choose nursing or something similar - practical skills I could always use, anywhere in the world.

 

[Toddy]

Archaeology is a funny thing though.
Where you get your degree is where your contact network starts. Unless you are prepared to pay to excavate, to fulfill your degree requirements, then you need those opportunities.
Especially if you wish to work in Archaeology and not just use the degree as a stepstone.

I think all of the Universities now have associated Archaeology companies; all of those companies are your only real way of finding work unless you manage to score a research post at Uni, and there it's publish or perish and incredibly competitive for posts (which will be considered on your actual work, that you need those contacts for); or you are prepared to do the backbreaking labour and travel of constant short contract field archaeology.

I've never heard of an individually 'tailor made' archaeology course before.....might I suggest that you ask if they could put you in touch with others who have gone through such a course and find out how they view it with the benefit of hindsight ?

I honestly think you should think about what you wish to use the degree to attain, and apply that to the choice you make.

In a major University you'll be one small tooth on a small cog; colleges aren't usually so large though.

I think, no, I know, this is a decision you need to justify and make for yourself. Both College and University will have career advisors who can help with your choice, but the only caveat I have is that there are hundreds of Archaeology graduates a year in the UK, and the majority do not find work in Archaeology. Over half do find work within six months of graduating, but it's not all in archaeology.
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/options_archaeology.htm

At the end of the day, what do you want to do, and mind that every Archaeologist specialises in something, and aim for that.

You only need to drink and party at Uni if you choose; it's not a requirement of your degree and having seen how the kids behave at the local College, I think they actually drink more than they do at the Universities in Glasgow.

My husband says that Universities teach you more about how to learn, to absorb knowledge and produce it when required, and to deal with people within your chosen profession than they do about the actual subject; that it's really your first employers who teach you how to be the professional that you finished your degree to be. That's back to contacts.

There is one other point; can you afford to live at either location or pay for your travel to and fro from home?
Terribly pragmatic but very real. If you can't afford to pay the bills, to eat, then it adds layers of stress onto you when you are trying to learn.

The very best of luck with whichever course you choose Tengu I hope you thoroughly enjoy it and it's a great success.

atb,
M

 

[santaman2000]

There you have it. A perfect explanation from Toddy.

I might add that there's another disadvantage of the "tailored" degree. With a more conventional degree program, the courses will usually transfer towards another field if you need to change majors before graduation; not at all an uncommon occurrence. My cousin began her Bachelor's program as a Nursing major but switched to Education after the first year and later attained her Master's degree in Psychometry. I began as a Civil Engineering major and graduated with a Bachelor's in Professional Aeronautics.

That might not be as likely with individually tailored courses.

 

[presterjohn]

Speaking as someone who was educated at college but now works at a University I would advice you to go to the college. I have no idea what Tent Peg is talking about when it comes to life skills. In my experience it is a myth. The street wise kids do teach the green kids stuff but the Uni does not and the academic staff still by and large have few life skills. Far to many of them can't even turn the OHP's on and off let alone let alone work out where one end of the Uni is compared to the other (sadly I am not exaggerating).

 

[KojakPeg]

Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester and Sheffield (four of the seven redbricks) are among the top 26 overall Unis in the country, and the other three aren't far behind. So even with the increase in tuition fees they are still a very good option, and will probably open doors for you later in life. Having said that, as you've pointed out, it does, very much, depend on which course you are taking. Bristol, for example, is in fifteenth place overall, but jumps to ninth place in mathematics and fifth place in computer science. You must also remember that when all is said and done, Unis and colleges are just businesses, plan and simple. They want you to enrol with them so that they can make money. So you need to be just as cold and calculating when you make your choice, because there's no point doing a degree course that no one wants. The final choice, of course must be yours and while the Uni experience is part of it, you've got to remember why you went there, in the first place. Otherwise you may leave without a qualification, or with one that isn't worth the paper it printed on

 

[tent peg]

Speaking as someone who was educated at college but now works at a University I would advice you to go to the college. I have no idea what Tent Peg is talking about when it comes to life skills. In my experience it is a myth.

Paying bills, cooking, cleaning, shopping, budgeting, living with other people.

Universities also foster indipendant learning and offer business support and contacts.

I'm afraid, even the best colleges in the country cannot compete with that. College courses beyond level four are just extensions of Btec courses and do not prepare you well for industry.

I have taught at uni, currently teach at college and have a son at uni in York. In my opinion, It's poor advice to suggest the cocoon of a college, for an easy life, over the chance to establish a career, where your chosen industry is.

 

[boatman]

Depends on what you want to study of course. My guess is that Experimental Archaeology might figure in your interests with its relationship to Bushcraft in some aspects. Exeter has a rising reputation in the field, see Bronze Age Boat Falmouth on youtube for example and the work of EXARC. I never had the full University experience but both our sons did and enjoyed it although neither apply what they studied in their work (computer programming and circus performing).