On Friday, August 17, 2012 9:40:22 AM UTC+1, Mark wrote:
On Fri, 17 Aug 2012 08:43:43 +0100, "Brian Gaff"

wrote:



Are Universities really irrelevant though? I never got the chance, and many

others did not either. In many ways its the short sightedness of employers

who seem to want bits of paper instead of actually wanting to see what an

applicant can do and maybe train them.

Universities should be there to teach complex stuff, but stuff which is

relevant. It needs to be funded by the people who can use the trained

people, not the poor student. If you just make it ability to pay, you get

the idiot rich kids in there, not the down to earth practical people you

need. This is why graduates have become a laugh. IE if you want a well

educated person with no common sense, employ a graduate.



I can't think of many things that makes me more angry than the way

successive governments have tried to completely **** up (and have

partly succeeded) higher education.



Not only have they devaluted it by allowing universities to offer

pointless courses such as the infamous media studies but they have

made degrees essential because everyone has one.



I totally agree with you, Brian, that we now have a system where it's

your wealth that is a more important factor for whether you can go to

university, rather than your intelligence.



AFAIK degrees in the UK (for the English) are now the least affordable

in the *whole world*, even compared to the USA[1]. A lot of the

brightest students are going to study abroad because it can be

actually cheaper. We are in danger is losing the best minds yet

again.



However good Universities and good degrees (Physics) still exist and

my son is about to start one. I hope we can afford for him to

complete it (and we're not poor).



[1] I can't recall the reference to the study but it was done *before*

the latest fee rises.


People keep saying you need to be rich to go to uni now, but I thought it was all on loans that needed no repaying until you earned 21 grand, and that were wiped out after so many years.
Is this true, or are there hidden costs than have to be payed up front ?
If its all on loans as described, is it just the fear of debt that is putting people off ?
If you go on and get a mortgage, the size of that loan would typically dwarf the student loan, and people are not scared of mortgage debt.
I suppose if you earned just over 21 grand maybe the repayments would be a problem.
What is the truth of the matter ?
Simon.