More than 80% of students who graduated in the summer of 2024 said they would still choose university when asked 15 months later, according to analysis of Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) data reported by the Guardian. The findings suggest that, despite concerns about graduate jobs and debt, most recent graduates remain convinced the university path was the right choice.
Graduation satisfaction masks subject regret
While satisfaction with the decision to attend university remains high, the data reveal a notable divergence on subject choice. Only about 70% of those surveyed said they would stick with the subject they originally studied, leaving roughly three in 10 who might choose a different course in hindsight.
“Very few students say they would do something different than go to university – only about 20% of graduates say they would do something completely different,” said Matt Hiely‑Rayner, an analyst who compiles the Guardian’s University Guide.
Hiely‑Rayner told the Guardian that the figures point to resilience in the attractiveness of university study, even as outcomes such as graduate employment show signs of weakening. The analysis found that satisfaction with the chosen institution has in fact edged up slightly in the latest figures.
- Overall decision to attend university: >80% would still choose university.
- Would choose a different path entirely: ~20%.
- Would stick with original subject: ~70%.
Institutional satisfaction and subject-level concerns
The Guardian’s breakdown of institutional satisfaction placed the University of Bath at the top of the list for graduates happy with their choice of provider, narrowly ahead of long‑established institutions including Oxford. The top five universities clustered around 90% of graduates reporting they were happy with their institution, with only a 0.8 percentage point gap separating Bath from Oxford.
However, that institutional contentment does not fully translate to subject choices. The report noted higher levels of regret about specific courses even among professionally oriented programmes that traditionally yield higher earnings after graduation.
| Measure | Approximate proportion |
|---|---|
| Would still choose university | >80% |
| Would choose a completely different path | ~20% |
| Would keep the same subject | ~70% |
Implications for South African education policy and career guidance
The pattern emerging from the UK data is relevant for South Africa as we consider how to support learners making choices that shape their employment prospects. High overall satisfaction with the university experience suggests that institutions are delivering value beyond immediate labour‑market returns: students appear to view university as a formative social and intellectual investment.
But the stronger level of regret about subject choice points to gaps in pre‑tertiary career guidance, curriculum alignment with labour‑market needs, and realistic information about what different courses entail. For South African schools, universities and the Department of Higher Education and Training, the data underline three priorities:
- Strengthen career guidance in senior phase schooling so learners make better informed subject and career choices.
- Improve access to transparent outcome data for prospective students — not only employment rates but typical roles, required skills and career trajectories by subject.
- Encourage institutions to expand work‑integrated learning and modular experimentation so students can test career fit before committing to a full degree.
For parents and learners planning the transition to tertiary study, the headline message is practical: choosing to go to university remains a broadly supported decision, but the selection of subject requires careful attention to interests, aptitudes and likely career paths.
Policymakers should consider how South African higher education can mirror the strengths shown in institutional satisfaction while addressing subject‑level mismatches that can leave new graduates reconsidering their academic choices.
