Should I discourage my kids from going to Uni?

minerva_windsong

patchwork_cat wrote: »

Slightly off topic, but I am very concerned at how many Uni's are coming out with the £9K fees. I feared it, but hoped that it might remain Oxbridge that charged the full £9K, but just heard that Leeds Met are charging £9K and that a lot of the Russell Group are also doing so. Out of 16 so far stated what they are charging 13 want the full £9K. Does anyone else think that it will be the death nell for some.

To be honest now I think the overwhelming majority of universities will charge the maximum, because there may end up being a perception of not wanting to appear 'cheap' (ie not as good as other universities) by charging less. Which is very saddening but kind of inevitable.

Plans_all_plans

If they're not going to get into a top 20 uni, tell them not to bother. I would also discourage them unless they need a university education in order to go into a profession. I went to a top 10 uni for 3 years and am in 12k of debt at the end of it - I had a fab time, BUT I'd discourage my child from doing the course I did because I don't have a profession out of it. If I had my time again I wouldn't go unless I was going to qualify as an accountant, lawyer, doctor etc.

If your kids just see uni as a 3 year doss, or they don't know what they want to do in the long run, or they just want to go cos all their friends are going...discourage them A LOT.

[Deleted User]

of course they'll all charge the maximum. Failure to do so will shout 'this university isn't as good as any others'. It's poor economics.. often people will ignore 'cheap' things because they think they are not as good as the expensive things.

Do you think Manchester university wants to tell prospective students it isn't as good as Oxbridge, through it's pricing structure? Of course not. Only the very rubbish unis will price themselves lower (since the price is immaterial.. over 30 years of a repayment loan, who cares about a few grand?)

euronorris

I haven't read all of the thread but....surely this is a decision for each child to make themselves? Whether it works out well or not, it's their choice to make (and mistake to make if it so happens).

By all means, talk about the facts of today's work market, and the potential pitfalls and earnings in their chosen field, but I wouldn't recommend discouraging them against it. You may well come accross as having no faith in their intelligence or ability and that can be far more damaging, IMO.

euronorris

shop-to-drop wrote: »

It will be worth looking into some degree courses in other european countrys where fees are £2 - £3K many are taught in English so that's not a problem.

Very good point. Depends on the subject of course (Medical for example are still around 11k per annum).

See here for Netherlands as a starter for you: http://www.nuffic.nl/

clearingout

Blue22 wrote: »

Not if the student is studying for the 'enjoyment' and satisfaction of studying. But if they are studying with the expectation of entry into a specific career, then the outcome of previous students must surely be a consideration?

I get your point. I'm a graduate of 'Iberian Languages' (or actually, of New World Languages but that's just semantics!) and for the last 12 years or so have worked broadly in trust and foundation fundraising (essentially making applications to the likes of the lottery, Comic Relief, Children in Need etc. etc.). Did I need to have studied languages to be successful in that field? No. Does my job description have 'educated to degree level' in it? No. But I am a successful fundraiser, having raised some ££££millions for charities working both in the UK and abroad. It was my ability to speak Spanish that got me my first job - the ability to communicate effectively with the people we were supporting in Latin America. I am successful, I believe, precisely because I learnt a whole host of written and oral communication skills and understanding of people, places, and how it all fits together as a result of spending years living abroad and studying for a degree. I now consult which, as a single parent, fits around my other commitments. When I went to university, did I envisage I would be here some 20 years later? Nope! Was my education a waste of time? If you're judging me by whether or not I have a 'graduate' job, then yes, clearly it was. Personally, Spanish poetry got me where I am now. I don't regret it.

Amusingly, I'm jacking it all in and going to train as a teacher in languages. But that's another story!

patchwork_cat

ringo_24601 wrote: »

of course they'll all charge the maximum. Failure to do so will shout 'this university isn't as good as any others'. It's poor economics.. often people will ignore 'cheap' things because they think they are not as good as the expensive things.

Do you think Manchester university wants to tell prospective students it isn't as good as Oxbridge, through it's pricing structure? Of course not. Only the very rubbish unis will price themselves lower (since the price is immaterial.. over 30 years of a repayment loan, who cares about a few grand?)

Manchester may be a Russell Group, but it is not Oxbridge. It is exactly what I feared and I am very concerned, who is going to go into teaching or graduate jobs for local govt.?

Oldernotwiser

patchwork_cat wrote: »

Manchester may be a Russell Group, but it is not Oxbridge. It is exactly what I feared and I am very concerned, who is going to go into teaching or graduate jobs for local govt.?

Why not?...

Isis_Black

I am a mature student studying psychology! i went in with tons of debt already from having a family and a house but i havent let it worry me and the student debt even less as it doesnt have to get paid back until i earn £15k if i ever get a job, also the repayments are so low thats even less to worry about.
Why not encourage your child to go to uni especially if they want to do it? but plaese let them do the course they want not the one you want, i see many on my course who are doing it as it is what mummy and daddy wanted them to do but they wanted to do a different course but mummy and daddy wouldnt support them in it! so its better for them to be on a course they have no huge interest jsut to please mummy and daddy?!
I have the full support of my husband and he is backing me all the way and he would have supported me no matter what course i had chosen, i chose psychology as it is of great interest to me as i would like to go into forensic psychology.
There is also the fact that with the degree they could go work elsewhere in the world with better chances! i would love to go and work in new zealand if i can.
people need to worry less about the cost of uni and to jsut go for it and enjoy it, but the younger the better tbh as its geared towards the young lol I will let my kids go if they want to and will support them in what ever they choose to do, but if they dont want to go to uni then again thats thier choice. the main thing to do with kids is to support them no matter thier choices, they have to live thier life to the full and if mistakes happen then so be it! life is full of mistakes but some of those mistakes are very useful :rotfl:

[Deleted User]

patchwork_cat wrote: »

Manchester may be a Russell Group, but it is not Oxbridge. It is exactly what I feared and I am very concerned, who is going to go into teaching or graduate jobs for local govt.?

It doesn't matter - they can't publicly price themselves lower than Oxbridge or they might as well put a big poster over the Arndale Centre saying "Manchester Uni is quite good, but not the best."

Pricing is part of marketing. No one wants to be the 'budget price' uni