University - Should I go?

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Hello. I've just joined this forum and would appreciate some advice on University. At the moment, I am studying A-Levels and I am predicted A-Cs for all of them, which, if I achieve that, is obviously the required standard to be admitted to University. It's just that from what I hear about Uni scares me a bit and I am not really that keen on going. Many people keep saying that one of the main advantages of Uni is the social life (hence the stereotypical image in the media of students lying in bed all day and getting drunk at night). Of course, having AS means that this is exactly the sort of thing that I don't want to be doing, and I imagine as most students seem to be very socially developed I would feel uncomfortable in that sort of environment. Has anyone on here been to University and if so, what were your experiences, and would you recommend it or not?

Regards,
Geordie

Have you got any particular school in mind? I'll be going to a big state school in the fall, and in those kinds of places you can always find a group that accepts you or, just "get lost in the crowd".

Here is an old axiom that I remember from my college days:

"3 things can be done at college - Sleep, Work, and Party. 2 of which can be done successfully."

Of course, you can replace party for socialization.

What they mean is that you have to give up one of the 3 things in order to be successful (and actually in the business world, there is always a cost for some sort of action).

In this case, you say that you do not want to party/socialize. That is good because the cost to you will be less than someone who values the 3 things with equal priority.

HI Geordie.

Question #1 - Why do you want to go to a university? What will having done so do for you? Will it help you find employment? If not, can you really afford to be saddled with the tremendous debt attending can bring (if you have to pay for it)? Or, if you are fortunate to be wealthy enough to not have to worry about that, will it give you some other sort of benefit that justifies the time and cost (both financial and in effort) attending would entail? (Let's leave those "for intellectual development, becoming a 'better' person" arguments aside here.)

Question #2 - Have you researched the university in question? Is it the kind of place you'd want to go? I do realize that the systems in various countries differ, but I would think that if there were any sort of choice available to you as to which institution to attend you might want to look at both the academic programs AND the social atmosphere at each of them.

Comment - It's possible to attend a university and never have a social moment. It's also possible to party your brains out. I did my undergrad work at what is now considered one of the top "party" schools in the US. I went to classes, went to the library, went to my job, and went home. I did stop in the pub on campus on Friday afternoons and had a Guiness or a Bass and a pretzel before going to one specific class (which was the best way to survive that class, it was painfully boring). So, I occasionally spoke to others in the pub. And I occasionally spent time in the "women's center" on campus. They had a sofa, on which I could crash for a nap when I needed to. I'd have some small-talk with people in there (a bit on the militant feminist side for my tastes), but nothing more.

So, it can be what you make of it regardless of where you go. Problem is figuring out what you want and then making it happen.

Very best of luck to you!

I really think it depends on the college. The college I'm in now has a reputation of being a party school. It's not an environment I fit into very well because I cannot relate to people who drink all the time. Make sure you find this out first before you go.

Even if you end up in this type of environment, you can get into a program (like music or social work) that will accept you.

I would highly recommend going to university so you have a skill. In America, a college degree is the key to a better job and more wage-earning potential. Social life, definatly not.