FCE Reading 2

  FCE READING 2 – CHOOSE FROM THE SENTENCE A-G THAT FITS EACH GAP (1-6)

Everyone tells you the same thing - work hard at school so that you can go on to study at a university or college. It seems to be sensible advice. After all, the more qualified you are, the better chance you have of getting a good job, right? Higher education is always a good thing, isn't it?
Firstly, it depends on what you're planning to study. In terms of being employable when you graduate, the different branches of medicine, including dentistry, are probably the safest choices. Some studies show that close to 100% of graduates in these fields found a job within six months. 1
On the other hand, if it is your dream to study history or sociology, you need to be aware that, at the moment, you are less likely to find a job if your degree is in either of these subjects. 2 Once they graduated, many were unable to find work. Others were forced to undertake more years of study or retraining in order to enter the job market.
Degrees related to business and management are among the most popular at the moment, which means there is a great deal of competition for places both at university and at work. So you may not find a place on your chosen course and, if you do, you will graduate with the same qualifications as thousands of other people. To avoid this you might consider studying more specialised subjects such as waste management or environmental management. They may not be your first choice but they are among the newer kinds of courses on offer which could well lead to a good job. 3
Because, let's face it, not everyone is suited to another three or four years of study. Some people are better off not continuing their education. 4 In addition, your family's financial circumstances might make it difficult to go away to study. Furthermore, some people simply can't afford the expense of it all.
This brings us to the all-important subject of money. The average graduate with a bachelor's degree owes in excess of £15,000 and this figure is increasing every year. If one also considers the fact that he or she typically has to wait at least three months before he or she starts earning, you can see that spending those extra three or four years actually earning money can make quite a difference. 5
Of course, despite all this, there are still many benefits of studying at degree level. 6 And graduates usually get paid higher salaries. In the end, the advice to work hard at school is sound advice. No-one in their right mind would tell you to do the opposite. Leaving school with good qualifications will at least give you more options. What you do with those options is up to you.

A However, you have to ask yourself if it's worth spending several years of your life studying something that is less than ideal for you.
B If you can find a job at 18 (or, why not, at 16), then you could end up being much more financially secure.
C Law graduates were similarly successful, so if these subjects are really what you want to study and you can get a place on a course you are lucky.
D These include people who suffer terribly from exam nerves, and those who find academic work really difficult.
E This would mean moving to the other end of the country or even to a different country altogether.
F A degree that is not in demand is practically useless, as many recent graduates have found out to their cost.
G A large number of employers look for some evidence of higher education.

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