Lack of financial nous amongst young people

Oldernotwiser

SingleSue wrote: »

It was just annoying that they cancelled our course halfway through, a whole year down the pan with nothing to show for it apart from loads of books and an even bigger deficit in the bank balance.

I've just missed out the A level bit completely now and gone straight to Open University for a degree as the option to build up the A levels had gone (I don't want to be a nurse, teacher or social worker)......and not doing too bad at it either!

It must have been very annoying to have a course cancelled part way through; the 90s were very difficult time for FE.

Of course, the OU is the other reason why colleges stopped doing A levels, particularly when they began to offer shorter Certificate and Diploma qualifications; why would anybody want to waste 2 years doing A levels when they could be a third of the way through their degree?

As I said before, A levels are really not that suitable for mature students; Access courses, OU study and professional qualifications are far more appropriate for the vast majority of people.

PasturesNew

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

It must have been very annoying to have a course cancelled part way through; the 90s were very difficult time for FE.

Of course, the OU is the other reason why colleges stopped doing A levels, particularly when they began to offer shorter Certificate and Diploma qualifications; why would anybody want to waste 2 years doing A levels when they could be a third of the way through their degree?

As I said before, A levels are really not that suitable for mature students; Access courses, OU study and professional qualifications are far more appropriate for the vast majority of people.

The trouble is, if you don't know what jobs'll be out there or what you'd get in your location at your age when finished .. it's difficult to pick. I've spent fortunes on training/education (on single/low salary), without ever using any of that knowledge in any subsequent jobs.

Having the internet now would make it easier to see those choices of courses they offer. I did the OU when it was all postal and so you had to send off for info. It would have been better too if there'd been contact with other students... that film, where some woman in Liverpool does an OU course, she actually made out that you have a tutor that you visit, which wasn't the case.

I did a great summer school in 1995, compulsory. Brilliant ... except the camp bed with scratchy army blankets. University of East Anglia campus is where I went for that.

Oldernotwiser

PasturesNew wrote: »

The trouble is, if you don't know what jobs'll be out there or what you'd get in your location at your age when finished .. it's difficult to pick. I've spent fortunes on training/education (on single/low salary), without ever using any of that knowledge in any subsequent jobs.

.

That's why it's usually a good idea to get professional advice before embarking on any lengthy/expensive training. It's pretty pointless doing it on spec; you need to have researched your options first.

(You're thinking of "Educating Rita" with Michael Caine and Julie Walters.)

PasturesNew

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

That's why it's usually a good idea to get professional advice before embarking on any lengthy/expensive training. It's pretty pointless doing it on spec; you need to have researched your options first.

(You're thinking of "Educating Rita" with Michael Caine and Julie Walters.)

Yes, that's the film.

Re professional advice, I never knew such a thing existed until you said about it recently ... and now I am in the wrong country, but planning on moving over the border soon, in which case I'd track one of them down.

Oldernotwiser

PasturesNew wrote: »

Yes, that's the film.

Re professional advice, I never knew such a thing existed until you said about it recently ... and now I am in the wrong country, but planning on moving over the border soon, in which case I'd track one of them down.

Not sure which side of which border you are at present but both Careers Scotland and Careers Wales offer an all age guidance service.

MyLastFiver

Degenerate wrote: »

What's really telling is seeing her former teacher describe her as "a very bright girl" and then giving an account of her being absolutely thick. If this is how today's teachers discern intelligence then no wonder standards have slipped so far.

I know I shouldn't take the bait but what the hell.

Well done. You have understood the point I was trying to make. She is a very clever girl but is clueless about personal finance. My original post was pointing out this paradox.

Given that "understanding the main point in a simple text" is a level 4 skill, congratulations. You have shown the comprehension skills of an average 11 year-old.


Mate, lighten up.

SingleSue

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

It must have been very annoying to have a course cancelled part way through; the 90s were very difficult time for FE.

Of course, the OU is the other reason why colleges stopped doing A levels, particularly when they began to offer shorter Certificate and Diploma qualifications; why would anybody want to waste 2 years doing A levels when they could be a third of the way through their degree?

As I said before, A levels are really not that suitable for mature students; Access courses, OU study and professional qualifications are far more appropriate for the vast majority of people.

Goodness yes it was....especially when the alternative to carrying on with it wouldn't work in with my schedule at the time.

It took a lot of thought before I plumped for doing the degree through the OU, I was concerned that after so long out of formal education, I would just not be up to it, especially as I didn't have the A level to ascertain whether my intelligence was sufficient.

As it is, although I struggled in the very early months (though not due to my ability but because of the home situation), I have surprised myself and made a pretty good job of it, easily passing the required amount for OCAS...I just have the eeek thing of my end of course assignment due in in just under 3 weeks now which everything rests on!

With regards to financial common sense, my parents have always been very careful with their money, something which was passed down to me at a very early age...their mantra has always been no loans, no finance, only buy what you can afford.

This is the same thing I am passing onto my children along with other bits of information picked up from this site....I also now educate my parents better with their investments to get a better return (albeit with the help of advice from here).

So I think the parents have a bigger role to play in teaching their children financial common sense than schools, although that could be helped by a little topping up in schools.

Degenerate

MyLastFiver wrote: »

Well done. You have understood the point I was trying to make. She is a very clever girl but is clueless about personal finance. My original post was pointing out this paradox.

You're asking us to believe in this "paradox", when the simpler explanation is that she just isn't very clever at all.

Given that "understanding the main point in a simple text" is a level 4 skill, congratulations. You have shown the comprehension skills of an average 11 year-old.

Well, your "very clever girl" clearly lacks these comprehension skills, as your first post made clear. So a "very clever" 18 year-old, taught by you, lacks the comprehension skills of an 11 year-old. Maybe you're just not a very good teacher?

MyLastFiver

Degenerate wrote: »

You're asking us to believe in this "paradox", when the simpler explanation is that she just isn't very clever at all.

Well, your "very clever girl" clearly lacks these comprehension skills, as your first post made clear. So a "very clever" 18 year-old, taught by you, lacks the comprehension skills of an 11 year-old. Maybe you're just not a very good teacher?

No - I'm an excellent teacher. An she is a bright student.

But you know what? I would rather be a bright, vivacious but naive 18 year-old than a miserable old s0d like you.

Degenerate

MyLastFiver wrote: »

No - I'm an excellent teacher. An she is a bright student.

But you know what? I would rather be a bright, vivacious but naive 18 year-old than a miserable old s0d like you.

Is that how you demonstrate debating skills?