From personal experience, university seems like the clear path after finishing your a-levels. The opportunity to improve your skills in a specific subject, earn a higher qualification and make your parents proud seems inviting. Or perhaps you just want to avoid adult life for another three years. Well whichever way you look at it, uni isn’t for everyone, and here’s five reasons why:

1. Expense.

Currently in Britain, the average cost for a student to study at a University is around £9,000 (for UK/EU students) and an average price for the International student would land around £12,000. With living fee’s on top of that, the average price for three years as a student could be up to £40,000. Seems like an awfully lot of money, huh? I’ve read that a graduate will earn on average 60% more than a non-graduate over the course of their lifetime, but this will definitely not apply to everyone. You could spend those three years earning £40,000 instead.

2. Too Young.

At 18 years of age, can you honestly say you know exactly what career you want when you’re older? I chose to study engineering after studying maths and physics at a-level and just plodded along the course until the end of my first year when I realised that I actually had no interest in the subject whatsoever! If you need help, talk to your connexions dude. I met many fellow students who had chosen courses for various reasons and hated it but wanted to stick with it just for the purpose of a degree. Life is too short for that kind of attitude, who wants a job they don’t enjoy?

3. You can learn without being in lecture theatres.

In a world where information is at our fingertips, you don’t need to spend thousands a year for an education when you can browse the internet and read books on virtually any topic in the world, as well as attending online courses. Of course you may not be earning a qualification but if you’re interested in working in a specific area, reading up on anything based around that topic will increase your chances of a job. Most of my time, like others, spent in lecture theatres was spent doodling or falling asleep anyway. Most of the work I did was crammed into the two weeks before the exams.

4. You can work your way up a career ladder.

Starting from the bottom and working your way up sounds scary. But I believe people who do this instead of being a student, especially those who laze around all year (me), show determination and courage and will learn just as important skills on the frontlines. Perhaps an apprenticeship is for you?

5. You don’t need to have a degree to be successful.

To put it quite simply, having a degree doesn’t guarantee you success in the world of work. You hear about them all the time; Bill Gates, Richard Branson, Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino, Simon Cowell and many more celebrities have made their millions without going to colleges. What’s stopping you? If you’re determined and focused to earn a living in something you’re passionate about, anything’s possible.

Sure, being a student means you can be scruffy, lazy and an alcoholic whilst not worrying about the amount of debt you’re in but… actually that sounds great, ignore my list!