University fees

[Bmthmum]

What does everyone think of the lifting of the cap on how much universities can charge for fees? At least the politicians got their education for free... Am starting to wonder why I bother telling my children to work hard etc etc as we won't be able to send all three to university anyway!!

[magwich2]

I think they should close down two thirds of the universities and then have free tuition and grants at the remaining ones.
Alternatively they could allow private schools to give out degrees because I would rather spend £12000 pa on a good day school going up to age 21 than give the money to some second rate university with 8 hours tuition a week.
Oh, and no foreign students AT ALL.

[Looking for help]

I think they should close down two thirds of the universities and then have free tuition and grants at the remaining ones.

I think effectively that is what will happen ...except the bit about the free tuition at the remainder

[mike1880]

You'd have to be a multi-millionaire ex-company director or someone who's education through public school and Oxbridge was funded entirely by wealthy parents to imagine that this will be anything other than utterly disastrous.

I think it means it's pretty certain that Mrs 1880 and I will turn out to be the last generation of our families to receive a university education (that flirtation with higher education was short and sweet, wasn't it?). There's no way I'm going to attempt to assist 2 kids through university at the same time as trying to provide for a delayed retirement - not after this lot have dug even deeper into my pension pot than Gordon Brown did. And the huge debts they'll incur will easily wipe out any advantage that might accrue from being a graduate, so there certainly won't be any incentive for them to fund themselves.

Mike

[daughter]

I am as shocked and horrified as everyone about likely tuition fee rises. I have 3 DC all I would hope will go to university. We have budgeted/struggled to put them through secondary indies ... like many we can't afford to meet fees out of income alone so have not touched mortgage repayments or other future planning that we may have liked to have done to meet fees. We have always made it clear (or hope we have) that they will need to mainly fund themselves through uni taking loans, working etc. Bad though the likely situation is it does still look as though they will be able to take loans - doesn't it?
Just heard a couple of prospective students for 2012 on the radio they were so lacking in reasoning, communication and critical thinking skills that I can't help but think that if they don't go , as they suggested it will be no great loss to Universities. In saying this I am in some way agreeing with what Magwich has said - I think.

[hermanmunster]

yes heard one father saying that all his son got for the 3k fees at the moment was a library card - somehow I think he was missing the point of University.

[mad?]

You'd have to be a multi-millionaire ex-company director or someone who's education through public school and Oxbridge was funded entirely by wealthy parents to imagine that this will be anything other than utterly disastrous.

Indeed, like the majority of the cabinet who 'some people' elected.
And yes, magwich2, way way way too many universities and graduates whose expectations and debt burdens have been unrealistically raised. As that hilarious unemployed graduate on The Apprentice said 'its, it's shameful, that's what it is!'

[blessedmum]

Oh, and no foreign students AT ALL.

I take an offence to this. I was a foreign student. My education was funded entirely by my parents from indie boarding sch in the uk till I graduated from Uni. In my Uni days, foreign student were not allowed to take on any job at all and all my accomodation, housing allowance and food was funded by my parents from abroad.

I have since graduated, pay more tax than I can ever imagine, fund indie education for my kids and expect to continue to do so till they graduate from Uni. I have never taken anythg from the govt. I work very hard and believe i contribute positively into the society.

So do a lot of my friends that were foreign student. Just to make the clear, Foreign students invest in this economy and it will be a shame to stop that.

[mike1880]

Indeed, like the majority of the cabinet who 'some people' elected.

I'm already feeling entirely vindicated in my pre-election belief that the Conservatives had absolutely no policies that I could support. Much good it did me...again! This is what happens when you vote for rich ex-public schoolboys, I'm afraid, they just have no comprehension of (and probably not much concern for) the lives of ordinary people. They really do seem to be going all-out to be a one-term government!

I hope the ones I did vote for will find the courage to fight for their supposed convictions - but I have very little expectation that they will...

Mike

[mad?]

I hope the ones I did vote for will find the courage to fight for their supposed convictions - but I have very little expectation that they will...

Mike

ditto!