For years there has been a big debate around whether it is better for school leavers to

go to university or college, in some quarters there is definitely a line of

thinking that university is far superior to college but is that really the

case? Often the view of one or the other is shaped by the experience

of the parents of the potential school leaver and if mum and dad were

university graduates it’s easy to see the benefits of that particular route and

show it as a role model since it worked out for them or alternatively if no-one

in the family has ever studied beyond high school then they may not see the

benefits.

Practical Uses: Job Applications

Your qualifications will make up a good part of any job application but it’s a big

debate in the employment world what is more important between qualifications

or experience? This is not a simple question and it often might come down

to the employer and the job role, there are some jobs that definitely need a

certain certificate or qualification and that is beyond question then but every

job advertised will pretty much have more than one candidate with the minimum

level of educational experience, so it’s key to emphasise your experience, even

the specifics of what you achieved at university or college.

What Is The Difference Between The Two?

Essentially the big difference between college and university is the level of qualification

that you can achieve with college offering courses with lower amounts of academic credits and universities offering higher level courses, there is some overlap, of course. But it’s important to look at the specifics of each individual course and each type of course, you should research what is an HNC in comparison to what you would get out of a university degree.

Extra Expense: Is It Worth It

Is the extra time and expense going to university over college really worth it? Well

that really depends on the students aims, if they are looking at what will make

them most money then the right university course could have the best chance of

a good return on investment if that is the measure of success you are using.

But it may be the case that the student has various ambitions with financial

success being only one part of it, of course everyone wants to be comfortable

but once that threshold is reached it is important to know what the aim is and

choose the correct course and educational institution to match up to that.

It’s even more important to realise that post-graduate courses have an even bigger cost.

What About College Degrees

It’s true that these days you can gain a full degree from a college as well as a

university and that begs the question is a degree from a college as good as

a university degree. It will carry the same level of academic credits and in

theory is the same however the main difference will be the academic prestige

associated with which employers may view the qualification.