Many people these days struggle when it comes to choosing whether or not they should go to university. Some ask their parents or older siblings. Some ask their friends and some their teachers. Essentially, the only person you need to ask is yourself.
I'm not going to lie, the tuition fees are more than they used to be a year ago but that doesn't mean that higher education is out of the question for you. I myself decided this year to go to university and not once did the price ever come across my mind.
The first thing you should remember is that none of the fees need to be paid up-front. There are tuition fee loans as well as maintenance loans that are available to you. These don't need to be paid back until you are earning over £21,000. Even then, all are cancelled after thirty years. Weather you may think so or not, many people never get to pay back their full amount as they are already written off.
There are also maintenance and disability grants that are available to those who are eligible. These do not have to be paid back. To find out if you are eligible then I suggest you talk to a personal tutor or a university representative in your college or sixth form to find out more. There's also more information on the Student Finance websites (depending on your region).
So there's the finance out of the way. Another reason you may think about going to university is to ultimately get a better job than what you would have without a degree. University allows you to develop and enhance the skills you may have learnt at college or sixth form. These skills will allow you to better yourself and stand out in the career path you choose to follow.
I'm currently studying Broadcast Journalism and have already learnt many new skills in my first year of the course. A lot of people talk more about the parties and nights out but in reality that's not 100% of the truth. Yes you can go out with your friends and have fun but still university is a time to learn independence (which means budgeting).
You'll learn to manage the money you do have to pay for you accommodation, your utility bills and your food. Once you've got the essentials out of the way only then should you think about partying. Some of you may be thinking that what I am saying is a load of cobblers but trust me; I've seen so many people that have been raiding the bank of mum and dad because of unexpected expenditure that should have gone towards the essentials.
With above in mind I still advise you enjoy yourself. Things will get easy over time so I would say don't make any hasty decisions before Christmas break however, do consider things very carefully. Yes assessments and exams may seem difficult but don't take it to heart. It's a higher level of learning, which means that you won't necessarily know everything or understand everything but there will be lecturers and student support and advisers who can explain these things to you further. After all it is part of what you're paying for.
Another point would be choosing the university and course that's right for you. This is where I would strongly advise that you go to open days and meet students that study at that particular university. There's no point choosing a certain university if you don't feel that you are going to enjoy yourself. The best way to find out is from people who are already there.
Now I'm not saying that university is right for everyone but what I am saying is that university is a big opportunity and I advise anyone that is thinking of going to go. It's an experience in itself and I would never look back on the choices I have made so far.