Is university education really worth it? Thoughts for Christian parents

Right from the outset I need to acknowledge my privilege. I had a decent state education which gave me the opportunity to go to university in a peer group where that was a common next step post A-level. I had grown up in a family where both my parents had enjoyed a university education and funding was such that it wasn’t a barrier to my choice of whether to attend or not.

I studied English and Drama, a choice I made because they were subjects, I enjoyed and was reasonably good at (plus nothing else really appealed). I started university with no idea of what I wanted to do after gaining a degree.

I was an arts student and as such enjoyed, in my second year, nine hours of contact time with a lecturer and an additional 20 hours reading or guided study. In contrast, my now husband was a science student and the minimum number of contact hours he had whilst at university was 20. Cue hours of debate over who worked harder…Only on a handful of occasions were lectures cancelled.

In terms of future career, my BA Hons in English and Drama prepared me for everything and nothing simultaneously. Everything in the sense that it was a valued qualification, where I’d gained knowledge and skills, but nothing in the sense that there were no direct next steps obvious to me beyond teaching (which I knew wasn’t for me).

Of course, university gave me much more than just a deeper education. It was a great way to leave home gradually, explore and experience independence and more. However, as I entered my third year, I became envious of friends studying physiotherapy who had been training to do a specific job who were able to move much more easily (it seemed to me) in to a job (with a decent salary even with additional training).

And the costs today are eye watering.