An increasing number of degree programmes teach and assess students' career management as part of non-vocational courses - for example geography - and encourage students to develop through placements, vacation work and part-time term-time work. This enables their graduates to move directly into graduate level jobs, and avoid entering graduate working life in humiliating low skilled, low paid jobs. It also helps students to avoid unnecessary debts.

Accepting a low-paid unskilled job is seldom part of a well-formed strategy for paying off debts. Graduates from degrees that prepare students to manage their careers find more rewarding better-paid jobs that pay off their debts more quickly.

Students study degrees for many reasons. Regardless of their initial motivation for joining the course, towards the end of their higher educations most students feel very capable and seek to demonstrate their capability in some sort of professional life. They expect some reward for the contribution that they make, and most often find themselves receiving a salary determined by their ability to add value through their work, and by their capacity to manage their careers.

Some degree programmes produce versatile, confident graduates keen to update their tutors about their strange and rewarding adventures as they work their way around the world. Those less well prepared by their degrees follow banal, well-worn, sheltered gap year tourist trails - nothing to write home about.

This is of course true. Students who want to consider new courses can still compare destinations of graduates from similar courses at other universities, and related degrees at the same university.

Yes, that's definitely true. You may also want to explore other issues. Assessment of teaching quality and research are available at www.qaa.ac.uk/choices.htm. You can ask undergraduates about their experience of studying at their university, and browse online guides describing the student experience. When you read the university's own prospectus or website, remember you're reading a sales document.
People choose higher education courses for all kinds of unique reasons. Nonetheless, you may avoid choosing a degree with poor job prospects by completing an outcome enquiry card and putting it into the post. Your careers teacher or tutor will be able to help you. You can expect prompt, detailed replies from courses that successfully prepare their graduates for employment, and delays, excuses and carefully chosen "example" destinations from courses that don't. Avoid spending three years of your life and £33,512 in fee contributions and living costs on the wrong course by investing ten minutes sending Outcome Enquiries to the courses you think you might study.