Thoughts on University

Going to University was never really an option for me, it was expected. From an early age, family expected me to grow into a ‘highly skilled’ profession, such as Medicine or Law. There was never a conversation about it, it was just assumed as the done thing.

Since 2009, I’d been developing websites, and I’d been getting much better. In fact, I even had a paying client or two.
Just being able to have an idea in your head, and take it to something real and tangible in such a short amount of time was exhilarating. I fell in love.

My attention quickly shifted from my studies, as I delved into this new plaything known as the Internet. I browsed YouTube, Treehouse, NetTuts+, Railscasts, and anything I could find to learn more, and when I was stuck, I’d hop onto IRC or StackOverflow and look for answers.

I never learned faster of more effectively than I did whilst learning to code, and I truly believe the amazing community on the web was definitely a big part of that.

Let’s contrast this to a University environment. Knowledge is transferred to students through uninteractive and rigid lectures. Students are then expected to be so excited by lectures that they go out and do their own research on a topic until they’ve learnt all the need to know.

That’s not how it works for me. I learn by doing, and I find lectures counter intuitive, a waste of time, and mentally draining. I do all my best work when I’ve got a genuine interest in what I’m learning, or rather I’m learning by necessity.

I see University as pigeon holing. The system inadvertently limits a students passion and ability for learning.

I’ve briefly touched on what I think is wrong with University, but what are the alternatives? Not going to University? Well, yes.

In the past University has been vital to getting high profile jobs, with excellent salaries. It also helped designate ones social classes — where people with a higher education are generally considered intellectually superior to people without it.

Thankfully, this is no longer the case. We live in an age where, thanks to the internet, a secondary school student can start building a multi-million pound business in his spare time.

Sure, in some cases, going to University will increase your lifetime earning by huge amounts. But we’re reaching a time when employers are looking for proven skills and relevance rather than a degree from a fancy sounding University.

Think about it. If you were an employer looking for your next employee, would you be more interested in the person that self-started and has been doing the job for 4 years, or the person that hasn’t actually done the job before, but learned a lot of the theory in University?

Personally, I think experience is priceless, and I would rather hire the first candidate (assuming no other information).

That being said, there are some professions where you simply can not practice without a degree. Think medicine, law and engineering.

My advice would be, before you fill out your next University application form, think about what road you’d like to walk down, and pick the best one for you. Don’t just walk down the road that everyone else picked, just because it’s the done thing.

Challenge your assumptions.
Be unique.