Over half of all graduates (52%) say they can’t put a cost on the experience of university because of the value it has brought them in life, with two thirds (65%) saying they would do it all again because of the lasting bonds of friendships they formed.
The research of over 1,000 graduates by Opinion Matters and Leeds Beckett University found it was recent graduates who were the most positive, with 56% of 16-24-year-olds saying the experience was beyond any cost.
Carried out ahead of this year’s A-Level results, as thousands of young people head off directly to university or go through Clearing, the research set out to discover where former students placed the most value from their experience.
It was the long-term value that university delivers which was the consistent theme, with 82% of all graduates saying it was valuable in preparing them for their chosen career (85% among 16-24 – year-olds) and 85% in preparing them to manage personal challenges throughout their life. 80% also said they found the practical experience they gained valuable through the likes of internships and placements.
Most tellingly, 70% of all graduates said they’d recommend university to friends and family.
The results found that graduates of all ages, including those from the most recent years, felt that the personal and professional relationships and the opportunities it helped to develop were invaluable in their lives.
Additional key findings included that 65% would go to university again because of the lasting personal friendships they made, with 41% saying they found their best friend at university.
Nearly a quarter (23%) met future colleagues and almost 1 in 5 (18%) met their future partner or spouse, which rose to 26% amongst 25-34-year-olds. 50% said that the most positive lasting impact university had on their life was teaching them independence and personal growth.
On the professional front, 57% said they couldn’t put a value on the professional networks that university helped them build, which rose to 69% amongst the most recent graduates. 60% said graduating university got them get their first or a subsequent job.
In terms of building a professional CV, 54% of graduates were able to include the overall academic achievement as a demonstration of their skills, with 32% able to add references, 32% awards or honours, 29% gained internships or work experience and 27% were able to have real hands-on experience in their chosen careers.
Commenting on the research Tracey Lancaster, Deputy Vice Chancellor at Leeds Beckett University, said:
“With the next generation of school leavers exploring the option of going to university after their exams or through Clearing, it’s hugely important that they are given a balanced picture of the opportunities that it can offer to help them make the right decision.
“So, we wanted to ask graduates, recent and past, what value they placed on their experience and where it has benefitted them.
“The positive news is that most would go to university all over again because of the lifelong friendships and professional relationships that they built during that time, and recent graduates are the most positive about how invaluable they are. What’s also clear is that the value continues for a lifetime beyond graduation with consistent results across the different age groups and across both personal and professional benefits.
“In terms of preparing students for the world of work, equipping them to manage the challenges that life may throw at them, teaching them independence, and giving them real hands-on experience, there can be no better education.”
For more information about Leeds Beckett University, please visit: https://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/
Source: Survey of 1,000+ graduates by Opinion Matters in July 2024