University Studies

University Studies

The common belief is that university studies, even at the undergraduate level, lead to better job and career opportunities. But is this true?

Graduating from university is quite a challenge. A university education demands time, effort and, of course, funds. While it is possible to obtain a student loan, the loan has to be repaid eventually. University graduates, and even dropouts, keep paying off their student loans for many years after their university studies. In fact, many students graduate with debt as high as $100000!

But is it worth it? One article surveyed employers asking whether a university degree was an important factor for new hires. Interestingly, most employers stressed the importance of work experience over academic achievement.

Indeed, the author of these lines once worked in a law firm. The law firm was large enough to have customer service agents answering incoming calls instead of secretaries or receptionists, Long story short, all the customer care representatives held undergraduate degrees. Is it really worth it to commit thousands of dollars and four years of your life to work as a customer service officer?

A wise lion in front of the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. Photo by Elena

Obviously, a distinction must be made between the different types of degrees. A medical or law degree, or other professional majors, do lead to prestigious jobs. But a liberal arts degree in, say, psychology fails to open many doors on the job market.

A surprising fact about the relationship between wealth and institutions of higher learning can be observed reading publications such as Forbes. Many of the world’s self-made billionaires did not complete their studies. How did they do it? Well, if I knew I would be one of them!

An alternative avenue that can be taken by those lacking academic credentials is going into business. Opening your own business can be very challenging, but also very rewarding. If a business is successful, sky is the limit in terms of money. What’s more, being your own boss gives you job security and the freedom and flexibility to set your own hours.

On this note, we hope you enjoyed this short essay and we welcome any comments or questions you may have. Thank you for reading!