Is it normal to question if my degree is even worth it?

I am sure your college/university has councellors and pastoral staff you can discuss this issue with. They will know far more about the course, the career it trains you for and what you really want to do than anyone on GN can.

What you might want to consider is completing this academic year, working and revising as hard as possible to get a the best marks you can, and then take a year out. See what jobs are open to you with otu a degree and if you find one you like. How do you get ualified in it.

Having once been a undergraduate student myself. I would say that in fact there are probably far more of your fellow students feeling like you do than you can possibleimagine. Even those who appear confident nd focussed.

What you are going through now, 90% of all students go through at sometime during there studies. Been there, got the video and the teeshirt.

A degree is a commitment it does require hard work and long hours of
It's an achievement if you stick to it and no one can take that away from you. If you use that qualification to go on with your initial plan is up to you.
I did my degree as a mature student I am proud of my achievement. My circumstances changed and I went into an occupation totally different from what I had studied. It was my choice but my DD career took on a different path because of lack of opportunity in her chosen field.
You have doubt and think you may have made the wrong choice. You are nearly there now so keep your head down and carry on. You will if determined enough find the right path.

I say if you aren't enjoying it I'd pack in.
No shame in that.

I had a friend at university who ditched her degree in the spring before her finals and never regretted it.
She got work in a "risky" career - ahead of all the new graduates in the summer.

My daughter changed university (but to a similar degree) for her 3rd year. She felt the course in year 3 at her previous university wasn't offering what she expected.

I changed from joint to single honours part way through year 3 of my undergraduate degree. It meant a lot of work to catch up on what I'd missed (and several all-nighters getting the backlog of essays in) but was the right choice for me.

You could alternatively do as M0nica siluggests and see the year out. Take a break and then if you don't want to go back you will probably have already reached a "certificate" or "diploma" stage and can take that.

I should speak to someone at your university and see if they have some interesting options.

I personally think any degree is not worth it unless it leads to a profession... but thats me ....I'm a registered nurse ...I qualified before nursing was a degree subject ...but I did a post grad then a masters in a nursing speciality...I wouldn't have done them unless it progressed me in my profession

I’m sure I will get flamed for saying this, but don’t think you will get a lot of helpful advice by asking on a generalist board aimed at the over 50s. There is a lot of prejudice against higher education for its own sake on here, and also a lot of people who had good careers in the days before having a degree was anything like the norm. This means that (some of) those with degrees can feel that their scarcity should be preserved, and (some of) those without can see them as some sort of self-indulgence. It is difficult for those of us who started working in very different times to advise people about today’s employment market. At best we are looking back decades, or seeing our children or even grandchildren’s experiences at second or third hand. You really need to speak to people who are in your own field with much more recent experience than most of us have on here.

One thing I would remember is that if you drop out now you will still owe fees for the two years you have taken, and you will have nothing to show for them. You may be able to get a Certificate of Higher Education for completing the first year, and a Diploma if you see the second year out. It is worth checking that with your course leader or student welfare service, so you don’t leave empty handed.

I worked in HE for many years, and saw countless students flounder a bit in second year. The first flush of being at university has faded, and the work is harder than in first year. Also, the end seems a long way from sight. It’s quite usual to feel as you do, but also quite usual to feel very differently when you get to the final year and are concentrating on the areas you like best, writing a dissertation on a topic you have chosen etc.

Is there someone you can talk to about the areas you see as pointless? Again, your course leader is a good place to start, or a personal tutor? The chances are that it’s more a case of you not yet realising why certain things have been included on your course. They may be professional body requirements, for instance- difficult to say without knowing more about the subject area.

Is there a course you could transfer onto? It’s not impossible, even half way through, depending on the learning outcomes you have achieved to date. If they can be mapped onto another course it may be possible to do the final year elsewhere (or on a different course at the same university).

Are exams or assessments looming? Again, at this time of year it is normal to feel stress, and one of the things that employers like about hiring graduates is that they have proved that they can get through stressful times - it is one if the ‘graduate skills’ that stand outside of the subject matter.

On the whole, I think that dropping out at this stage is rarely a great idea. A year out and a second year resit will be expensive, and you would be starting again with a lot more debt than if you transfer onto the third year of another course. On the other hand, if you can afford it, then taking a year to clear your mind and maybe earning money to pay off some of the debt might be a good idea (but finish the second year if at all possible!).

Good luck with whatever you decide, but try not to make decisions based on fear of failure, or on not fully understanding the relevance of everything you are studying. Ask as many questions as possible of the people whose job it is to know the answers, so you are fully informed before you do anything rash.

It really does depend on your age and line of work. What a degree does is to help you organise items of information, synchronise them, and co-ordinate and organise your learning. These are all excellent skills to have have in the work place. Are you passionate about your subject? How would you feel if you gave up, looked back and regretted not having that BA or Bsc to your name? A Louisa mentions above one thing leads to another to progress in a profession. Once you do a Master, you really are starting to learn what autonomous learning is all about. But that is another story for tomorrow.

Do what Doodledog said.

I think all degrees are worth it. Regardless of subject, they teach you how to research, the importance of sound research and independence of thought. Discussion skills are honed in tutorials too

I dropped out of my degree course (through circumstances) after my second year and then completed with the OU a few years later. I have never actually used it to further my career, simply because of where we live. But I am always so glad that I have my BA. If nothing else, it helps you to know yourself, as well as to show others, that you are capable of study to that level and all that it entails.

There will be many times in life when you feel unsure or underconfident, it's probably just how you, and lots of others, are made.

I would find coping strategies for your self-doubt as a priority, then finishing your degree will fall into place. And if it's a waste of time at the end, at least you've achieved something big of which you can be proud. Good luck!

No education is wasted - even 2 years of a degree you never directly use again.

I'm in the camp of those who loathe the push toward "career degrees" - other than the obvious ones - study what you love. This is a terrific privilege it seems to me... to take time out of daily life to pursue something you love.
If you don't find things to enjoy on your course maybe it's simply the wrong one?

@NotSpaghetti I am totally with you! Even at my great age I would love to do a degree in social history.

A friend of mine did a women's studies degree - started in her late 60s.
I'd say, never too late!

It's quite normal to have a wobble; your fellow students may seem confident about their career path but may in fact have moments of uncertainty too.

You're halfway through - can you talk to a Counsellor about your doubts and work out why you feel like this and whether in fact you do want to continue on your chosen degree or take some time out before you decide?
If it is the thought of the debt that is worrying you, could you find a part-time job to help fund your way through or is the course too demanding to allow that?

It's a big decision to make, do find someone to talk to who can help.

An excellent post Doodledog I agree with everything you’ve said.
It is normal to have a wobble at times, several of our family youngsters have had one ( or two), especially those on courses that last 4 to 8 years before qualifying.
Only you know how you feel deep down, but ask yourself this question; how will you really feel if you leave now?
My advice to my own DCs was whatever you do make sure it’s to the very best you can make it.

It really does depend on your age

Could this be a factor too? Are you one of the youngest in your year group?

At best we are looking back decades, or seeing our children or even grandchildren’s experiences at second or third hand.

True, but those of us who have grandchildren who are the youngest in their year group can see how it might be a factor and having a year out (preferably a gap year working etc, beforehand) can be a good idea.
Obviously that does not apply here but age and maturity could be a factor.

Doodledog Great advice, follow it!

I don't know many people who are working in the field that they studied for and there are many reasons for this. I've always felt that the point of a degree is to help you know where your interests are, what you are capable of and to give you choices in your life ahead.

As others have said, some of the important things you learn have nothing to do with the specifics of the degree - doing the work for the degree widens your knowledge, teaches you to research and understand, and question what you are told. And having the degree shows prospective employers that you have the capability of learning and sticking to your guns to make things happen.

I did my degree in my early forties and only used it for a year then went back to my previous life. But I don't regret it because I learned so much.

My family have made their careers in the subjects they took their degrees in, but the thing to remember, is a degree ualifies you for a range of jobs.

A simple example. You obtain a degree in history and everyone assumes you are going to be a teacher (at least they did in my day) but actually a degree in history opens up a wide range of careers. In academia, in museums, in the heritage industry, which covers a huge range of different and diverse careers, you can work in industry, local government or in organisations thta come under the civil service.

Both my DH and I and our 2 children took different types of career paths, from academia to working in industry and banking.

I did a modular degree with the OU which took me 7 years in my forties because I was working full time and could only manage one course a year. The same year I was doing my final year I started at a local university and did a PG diploma in Counselling and an MA which took another 2.5 years.

I now still practice part time as a therapist at nearly 73. I did another year doing counselling supervision certificate/diploma so I could supervise other therapists work.

I found both degrees really interesting but still found some bits hard and sometimes boring but I never regret keeping going although doing the 6month dissertation whilst working full time nearly did me in.

I’d say keep going unless you really hate it. Higher education is hard otherwise it wouldn’t be an achievement .