Did your parents bug you about going to uni? Have they given you their own (slightly biased) reasons for starting study?

If they didn’t go to uni, they probably see a uni education as a chance for you to progress further than they did. If they did go to uni, they may have the same reasons, but then they’ll start reminiscing about beer pong and how they met each other at a pub crawl until your eyes glaze over and you get a chance to walk backwards out of the room to escape.

The real question is, do you know why you should go to uni?

Let’s be honest… as exciting as meeting other people’s expectations (or 3 years of beer pong) might sound, it’s your life and your future, so you want to be confident that you’re making the right decision.

Fortunately, a lot of study has been done on why people start uni. One report compiled by Times Higher Education (THE) questioned over 62,000 students about their motivations for starting at university.

Luckily for you, we read all 62,000 sticky note answers (trust us 😉) and we’ve compiled the top 5 right here.

Whether you’re heading towards the end of high school, or you’ve been out of education for a while and are thinking about how to advance your career, uni can be a great choice. Here are some awesome reasons.

OUR TOP 5 MOTIVATIONS TO GO TO UNIVERSITY

Uni study doesn’t limit itself to teaching you the ins-and-outs of your particular degree. You’ll graduate with skills that you can apply across all sorts of careers. You’ll learn creative and critical thinking skills, analytical skills, study skills, writing skills… the list goes on. 

Students indicated that being challenged and intellectually stimulated was high on the list. It makes sense. Career satisfaction is important, and you’re more likely to enjoy working in a challenging, stimulating environment. A uni degree can give you more career options, which could make it easier to find a job that will continue to challenge you (Psst… see choice). 

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We offer one-on-one appointments with our prospective student team to discuss career options, pathways, and course and entry requirements.

Landing the career of your choice is going to be much more satisfying than having to take a job out of necessity, which could be why pursuing a particular career is a strong motivation for many students. You may be starting uni straight from school, or heading back to uni later in life. Either way, education can help you pursue your dreams.

Continuing learning through life is highly satisfying, and a great motivator for many students. They want to keep developing and growing… like baby Groot into teenage Groot… Seriously though, the chance to grow and develop keeps a lot of people happy. How about you? Don’t just answer “I am Groot”.

If you’re passionate about a subject, chances are you’ll want to pursue it and build a career in that area. University study can help you do exactly that. Studying something they’re passionate about is the number one motivator for many students.

See the full results of the THE survey.

Of course, any list of motivations is unlikely to push all your buttons, but if you are considering going to uni, our goal at Flinders is to help you succeed. We’d love to talk to you about your own motivations and how study at Flinders can help you reach your goals.