University Lectures

[LongRun]

I've always wondered what's to stop someone from casually walking into a lecture room and studying?

Most Universities do not provide a swipe card system to their main function areas so what's to stop a student who doesn't want to go to his lecture by selling his seat online to someone else?

 

[Steve Sellers]

I've always wondered what's to stop someone from casually walking into a lecture room and studying?

Most Universities do not provide a swipe card system to their main function areas so what's to stop a student who doesn't want to go to his lecture by selling his seat online to someone else?

Obtaining services by deception?

 

[RedEvo]

The fact it would be illegal would stop most people.

d

 

[Nuno]

I've always wondered what's to stop someone from casually walking into a lecture room and studying?

Because it is easier to find information online if all that is wanted is information. The growth in MOOL (Massive Onlne Open Learning) on the web is very fast, and offers free learning in most subjects without the time or place constraints of a lecture.

Going to lectures leads to accreditation (by getting a degree) and casual visiting doesn't.

So there is no point, unless you are very poor and seeking warmth and shelter which would usually show, with the result that security is called to evict you.

 

[Stephen Davies]

I've always wondered what's to stop someone from casually walking into a lecture room and studying?

Not knowing when the lectures are on springs to mind.
Also, you could 'attend' for 3 years and still get no written paper qualification at the end.

And from my experience, a university education is worthless.
But the bit of paper you get at the end is worth a little bit.

So it's pointless without the paper at the end anyway.

 

[The Developer]

Because even at University, the valuable part is what you learn yourself at home after/between lectures.

 

[Christine Hough]

As a student enrolled at a university you can attend any lecture on any subject I recall. But it may not help you get your degree!

However I do think that some universities are clamping down on security and getting into the building in the first place is by swipecard. I expect this is more to do with physical security than to protect the lecture content!

 

[Fred_the_frog]

Not knowing when the lectures are on springs to mind.
Also, you could 'attend' for 3 years and still get no written paper qualification at the end.

And from my experience, a university education is worthless.
But the bit of paper you get at the end is worth a little bit.

So it's pointless without the paper at the end anyway.

Having the qualification helps you get a job, so in a way it's not worthless.

At the moment, almost everyone is going to Uni- 2 people out of my group of about 20 people aren't going to Uni. That means in a few years everyone will have a degree, which means if you didn't get a degree, you won't look as good.

I don't know how far you can really progress in 3 years if you chose not to go to Uni, but I'm guessing you'd struggle to get into the like of Rolls Royce, Dyson, BAE, etc with just A-Levels, unless they specifically have a programme open for it.

 

[MrCloser]

Quite easily done, most large lectures have various different groups attending so often won't know each other. Just sit at the back and behave and you'll be fine.

As an impoverished undergraduate I had several very nice free meals and drinks when big companies doing the 'milk round' recruitment drive would put on a lavish spread of refreshments, I was everything from a lawyer to a quantity surveyor depending upon my appetite.

 

[David Griffiths]

At the moment, almost everyone is going to Uni- 2 people out of my group of about 20 people aren't going to Uni. That means in a few years everyone will have a degree, which means if you didn't get a degree, you won't look as good.

Do you really think so? I think that there are a fair few degrees that cut no ice at all with prospective employers. Somebody with three years' work experience and a proven ability to do the job might look a lot better than somebody with a degree in XXXXXXXX studies.

 

[Fred_the_frog]

Do you really think so? I think that there are a fair few degrees that cut no ice at all with prospective employers. Somebody with three years' work experience and a proven ability to do the job might look a lot better than somebody with a degree in XXXXXXXX studies.

It depends on the type of job. For example, becoming a design engineer at Dyson. If you've got three years of experience in retail then you're not going to get the job as you need knowledge of product design and engineering. So having a degree in Engineering is definitely going to put you ahead.

However if your aim was to become a store manager of Argos then 3 years experience in retail is going to be better than a business & management degree.

It really depends on the degree you take and the job you want. There is only so much experience you can get in three years. A lot of jobs now a days don't even accept applications from people without a degree.

 

[andygambles]

It depends on the type of job. For example, becoming a design engineer at Dyson. If you've got three years of experience in retail then you're not going to get the job as you need knowledge of product design and engineering. So having a degree in Engineering is definitely going to put you ahead.

However if your aim was to become a store manager of Argos then 3 years experience in retail is going to be better than a business & management degree.

It really depends on the degree you take and the job you want. There is only so much experience you can get in three years. A lot of jobs now a days don't even accept applications from people without a degree.

It's not just 3 years though. If you also take out all higher education it can be six years of work experience.

In that time you could have been earning and worked yourself in to a well paid/senior position.

I do believe degrees help significantly in certain roles as already described. But I feel the worth is diminishing.

 

[Christine Hough]

And there is always the OU if you do need the bit of paper.

 

[Fred_the_frog]

It's not just 3 years though. If you also take out all higher education it can be six years of work experience.

In that time you could have been earning and worked yourself in to a well paid/senior position.

I do believe degrees help significantly in certain roles as already described. But I feel the worth is diminishing.

I think there is a new law now that means you have to stay in education until you're 18 (which basically means you have to do A-levels or equivalent). So the most work experience you can get at the moment (at full time) is three years.

 

[andygambles]

I think there is a new law now that means you have to stay in education until you're 18 (which basically means you have to do A-levels or equivalent). So the most work experience you can get at the moment (at full time) is three years.

Or be in workplace training.

 

[jac0byterebel]

I'd say it all depends on the industry you work in/want to work in.

From my point of view in the infosec industry, the real movers and shakers (who work for some of the big companies mentioned above) do not have a degree qualification; their real world experience is far more valuable.

Furthermore, being a graduate with a relevant degree will not exempt you from the same training program that a self-taught market entrant would also have to go through.

But like I say, that is the view from my industry.

 

So there is no point, unless you are very poor and seeking warmth and shelter which would usually show, with the result that security is called to evict you.

Are you serious ,have you not seen the modern students