University fees

[Shadow]

I was sad to hear today that Newcastle University had joined Durham and others in charging the maximum possible in tuition fees despite us being told that Universities could only do this in "exceptional circumstances"-yet another load of rubbish like so much we are told

I think many pupils will be considering whether its really going to be worth going now.Twenty seven thousand pounds is one hell of a debt to start out in adult life with-with no job guarantee at the end of it

[nicknackpaddywhack]

Apr 14, 2011 14:22:31 GMT 1 Shadow said:

I was sad to hear today that Newcastle University had joined Durham and others in charging the maximum possible in tuition fees despite us being told that Universities could only do this in "exceptional circumstances"-yet another load of rubbish like so much we are told

I think many pupils will be considering whether its really going to be worth going now.Twenty seven thousand pounds is one hell of a debt to start out in adult life with-with no job guarantee at the end of it

My son went to Buckingham Uni and came away with £19000
worth of debt .....What realy annoys me is he has done bugger
all with what he learnt.....He is manager in a shop in the metro centre

[Jazz]

Similar story, Nick....son went to Birmingham City Uni, studying journalism but now works in a call centre. Still, the way things are now, he's lucky to have a job at all I suppose.

[Ann1]

I think the problem these days (makes me sound about 110!!!! ;D) is that everyone and their uncle goes to uni now. When I was in school - a couple of years ago - it was only the really "brainy" kids that went, so they could afford to have it for free. Now anyone who wants to, and has a couple of A levels, can go! So the uni's cannot afford to do it for "free" anymore. Unfortunately the outcome will be, instead of kids going to uni on merit, it will now be on whose parents has the biggest wallet!! Maybe it's time to go back to the "old way", that only the top percentile of school pupils get a uni place.

[Deleted]

The whole higher education system, like so many other things these days, is run as a business......................

Degree courses which should last two years or at the most three now run for far longer than they should. Is it any wonder Universities want to keep students on their books when it is costing £9k in fees to be there.

Do the maths and then wait for the first of them to close it's doors because it cannot complete..................

CWL

[Fairscup]

Apr 14, 2011 22:19:30 GMT 1 Jazz said:

Similar story, Nick....son went to Birmingham City Uni, studying journalism but now works in a call centre. Still, the way things are now, he's lucky to have a job at all I suppose.

Sorry to hear that Jazz. On the brighter side may I suggest they need a decent sports jounalist at Thompson House.

[Shadow]

Lol-even a decent journalist I reckon Fairs after some of the articles Ive read recently in the main section

I think money or position has always been able to buy itself a place at University.The year before I was taking my A levels and holding offers to Universities dependent on grades Prince Edward sailed into Cambridge with his C and D grades

My cousin was accepted into Oxford-but he needed 3 grade A's-which he did achieve :)I missed out on my University of choice-Birmingham as it happens-because I didnt achieve the required grades and had to resit-changing my mind and going to Goldsmith's college in London the following year.

I think the reason that it seems that so many are going to University now is the fact that so many Polytechnics changed their status years back-Newcastle Poly,Sunderland Poly and Middlesborough Poly all did that-becoming Northumbria,Sunderland and Teeside universities respectively.Certainly in my day the entry requirements for these places was lower 2 A levels as opposed to three and the possibility of doing HND courses for a year-then transferring to a degree course making it four years rather than the standard three.I wonder if thats not still actually happening now also .

Teeside announced this morning it will be charging nearly the maximum-£8,500 per year.

Should Northumbria and Sunderland do this also I think we'll be left with Northern pupils being forced to look further afield

Or not look at all.

My cousin achieved something fantastic for some-one who came from a working class mining back ground,comprehensive school educated and he has a very successful career in the States now.I was talking to my aunt recently and she was saying should he have had to start with that debt its highly unlikely he would have gone to college-twenty seven thousand was a mind blowing amount to them and they would have been completely put off.

[nicknackpaddywhack]

Apr 15, 2011 9:15:28 GMT 1 Ann1 said:

I think the problem these days (makes me sound about 110!!!! ;D) is that everyone and their uncle goes to uni now. When I was in school - a couple of years ago - it was only the really "brainy" kids that went, so they could afford to have it for free. Now anyone who wants to, and has a couple of A levels, can go! So the uni's cannot afford to do it for "free" anymore. Unfortunately the outcome will be, instead of kids going to uni on merit, it will now be on whose parents has the biggest wallet!! Maybe it's time to go back to the "old way", that only the top percentile of school pupils get a uni place.

Good post Ann ....Spot on. A levels- GCSEs -University they have all been undervalued
Saying that i beleive my son would of went to uni regardless
as he is one smart cookie .He took the 3 sciences and
achieved stright As which got him to uni and came away with
a degree in law he had all these grand plans which just faded away

[Shadow]

Because of the Polys changing to unis nick

See the post above yours

Hey bright lad you have there-Birminghams a good uni and Laws a hard degree

[Jazz]

Apr 15, 2011 10:05:29 GMT 1 Fairscup said:

Apr 14, 2011 22:19:30 GMT 1 Jazz said:

Similar story, Nick....son went to Birmingham City Uni, studying journalism but now works in a call centre. Still, the way things are now, he's lucky to have a job at all I suppose.

Sorry to hear that Jazz. On the brighter side may I suggest they need a decent sports jounalist at Thompson House.

Funnily enough, Fairs, he did do a stint at Thompson House at the sports desk as part of his course. He did a two page spread in a Saturday's Chronicle on some Newcastle East End junior football competition. Before he finished, John Gibson invited him up to the Press Box to watch a home match. He met one of the very recent signings, think it was one of the South Americans.....who thought he might be one of the regular football commentators which gave him a bit of a buzz!

[Jazz]

I just have a feeling, with my son, that he enjoyed the "social" side of things more than the "hard work" side! Never mind! ;D

[Deleted]

In an interview comedian Mark Thomas was asked which person does he admire the most.
He replied Nick Clegg! How he can wake up every morning, look in the mirror without getting a gun and shooting himself in the head has to be admired.

[Banshee]

Its like we are going backwards. only a few will be ale to go to Uni. I did my degree in the last year that there was a grant. I wouldn't have been able to do it otherwise, but I was still forced into getting a loan to subsidise the grant, which was standard at the time. people don't realise that those on grants also had to get uni loans on top. and now still paying that off some 14 yrs later. (£150 a month.) When I went on to Durham Uni some years later, I got in luckily under a bursary, so don't have to pay that back.
My life did change tho thru going to Uni. I think back to where i was, and whereI am now. It was a great stepping stone for me.
The trick is find the right degree, otherwise you will find yourself having put in 3 yrs of study for nothing.
I think too much emphasis is put on the degree itself as a be all and end all. Schools should be advising pupils on going for vocational degrees that will result in it being a means to a job at the end of it, and not just an achievement in itself.

[Ann1]

I agree bansh, about vocational degrees. However I still think only the "brainiest" kids should go to Uni. That's how it was when I was in school and there were no tuition fees. I think that because so many go now, they have to charge, otherwise Unis would close through lack of funds. It should go on merit, not who can afford it. Quite a few "poor" kids from my school went to Uni, because they had the brains to, not because they had money. Also, there weren't any daft degree courses either!!! The way it's being done now is, you can get to Uni if you're rich and thick as a plank!!!

One thing it might do, is weed out those who are going to Uni "for a laugh" or have nothing better to do, or "perpetual" students, who seem to go from one course to another!!! Mind, it still won't stop the "rich" ones though

[Shadow]

See Northumbria have announced fees on a par with Teeside.

So more than 30 have now set fees at or just below the maximum.It doesnt surprise me in the least-clearly theres gonna be the perception that should you charge less than other places you are somehow not quite as good and I do think there is an element of trying to keep up with Oxford and Cambridge which it was obvious were gonna charge the full amount.

Only winners here are the banks-all these students paying back loans for x amount of years.I was reading that even when students are repaying the payments are not covering the interest-currently at 1.5 per cent but it looks as if this may rise.And for those below the threshhold well that all well and good-but interest is added from the day you get the loan until the day you pay it back in full-which could be a good many years since graduates are already struggling to find jobs.