David Shingler's Stream of Consciousness

After having twelve months away from studying, I am now looking into it again with the intention of diving into a Masters in Music Business. However, in an era where knowledge is just a click away, I’m starting to question whether a traditional formal education is still relevant. As someone who pursued a music degree, I often find myself reflecting not only on what I learned, but how I learned it and whether it was worth the time, effort, and financial cost.

During my studies, I learnt more about writing essays, citing sources, jumping through academic hoops and meeting deadlines. And if I’m being honest, the actual subject matter often took a backseat to these formalities. This got me thinking: what did I really get out of my formal education?

The Positives

Structure and deadlines kept me on track which during the last level of my degree I really needed due to my lack of self motivation. Having it there made me know what I should be doing, even if I did leave it until the last minute! University also taught me how to think critically and organise my ideas, skills that have crossed over into everyday life.

Depending on what you study, you also have access to experts in the field and resources. For me, it was having access to software that I wouldn’t be able to afford and someone who had the skills to show me how to use it properly. I was also able to attend one of the finest performing arts colleges in the UK during my residential in Greenwich, London and had access to experts in the music industry plus top level gear in their rehearsal rooms. On top of that, I was also able to socialise and network with my peers. Some of which have remained good friends to this day.

The main takeaway from having a Bachelors Degree is, whether you like it or not, it can unlock opportunities in your chosen field. No matter how much experience you have, sometimes you need that little piece of paper to get your foot in the door.

The Negatives

It’s expensive as f*ck!! Long gone are the days of the local education authority paying for your degree or universities charging next to nothing for you to study. In the UK, a degree typically costs around £9,500 per year which if you’re using a student loan to fund, could leave you paying it off for decades. This also doesn’t take into account any type of resources that you need to buy yourself. During my studies I had to get recording gear, a new laptop, books, DVD’s etc. which didn’t come cheap.

As mentioned above, I became a pro at writing essays, referencing sources and passing assignments; but that’s not what I intended to go to university for. Uni often teaches you how to succeed academically, which is great, but not practically. I genuinely cannot remember anything from my fifth module, even though I absolutely aced it.

Pretty much everything I learnt, I could have done myself using a number of online sources. There are so many YouTube tutorials out there and I often found myself using these during my studies. In this day and age you can find pretty much anything online and it would be a hell of a lot cheaper than going to university.

For me, something I always question – is a degree even worth anything anymore. There are so many graduates every year, a degree doesn’t feel like it makes you special. Degrees used to be a golden ticket. Now, a Bachelors might not set you apart unless it’s paired with experience.

Is It Worth It?

Honestly, who knows! I guess if you’re aiming for a job in medicine, law, teaching etc. then yes, you have to have one so it is worth it. However, going into creative fields, real world experience may count for just as much as a degree in your chosen field.

Do I regret doing my degree? No. I just wish that I had learnt more real life skills than academic practices. University can be a great experience and the answer of whether to pursue a formal education is different for everyone. Will I go back to studying and aim to get a Masters? Well, that’s a story for another blog post!