University was once seen as the guaranteed route to a better future, but new research suggests that certainty is beginning to unravel. According to a study released today by Invicta Vita, the women-led career advancement and conflict resolution firm, UK parents are now evenly split on whether university was a worthwhile decision for their children: 44% say it was the best decision they ever made and 44% say it was the worst.
The findings underscore a growing generational tension between expectations and outcomes, particularly in today’s tough graduate job market. While degrees still hold symbolic value, many parents are now questioning whether the traditional higher education model delivers real-world career results.
The findings also arrive at a critical moment for the UK’s higher education sector, where UCAS admissions have already declined by 5% year-on-year. For parents, the doubt signals a growing shift in mindset, from viewing university as a non-negotiable milestone to questioning its value in a world where young adults were sold degrees as a guaranteed route to career success, only to graduate burdened with debt and facing a saturated job market that doesn’t match their qualifications.
“It’s a sobering moment,” says Georgina Badine, founder of Invicta Vita. “We’ve long encouraged university as the default path to success. But now, families are wondering: was it worth it? And what do we do when the degree doesn’t deliver?”
The same study also found that over half of UK parents (52%) have actively searched for jobs on their adult children’s behalf, and one in six have “pulled strings” to help secure employment. One in three parents have delayed retirement due to adult children still living at home and struggling to find work, placing emotional and financial pressure on both generations.
These real-world consequences were part of what inspired Badine to launch Invicta Vita. A former banker, she left the corporate world after witnessing widespread workplace inequality and burnout, and began informally supporting friends and colleagues in their career paths. Today, Invicta Vita offers tailored career support and conflict resolution services, backed by a team of expert mentors with experience in leadership, coaching, mental health, and communication.
“University will still be the right choice for many,” says Badine. “But we need to stop treating it as the only choice. Young people deserve more flexible paths to success, and better support in navigating them.”
Image by Freepik
