Growing UK University Tuition Fee's

pimento

My son is running up a healthy student debt and says he will probably get a 2-1 degree next year. His university used to be a polytechnic (I think) but his subject (Politics) is an OK one.

I'm glad he went. Aside from the degree he will end up with, it's taught him some independence, he has met people he might never have met and is generally having the time of his life. If he'd stayed at home he might have got a job, he might not.

As to the debt, I've told him not to worry, when me and his dad fall off our perch, his inheritance will clear it.

OP, I'd encourage your son to take any opportunity to study. It's something that cannot be taken away from him. You never know, his employer may not be someone like heretolearn.

Dunroamin

Pupnik wrote: »

Should I ever have children I will be looking at their university options on a case by case basis to determine whether university is right for them or not.

I should certainly hope that you won't be doing this for any future children but encouraging them to do their own research and make their own decisions!

kingfisherblue

My daughter wantted to teach from a very young age. She knew that she would have to go to university for a degree, but she didn't want to run up any debt or leave home. She could have commuted, but there was still the issue of debt.

She decided to look for work and start to study with the OU. From there, she could make further decisions about what to do the following year. She was on JSAfor two months, then started as an agency worker in a healthcare assisitant post. She loves it, so she decided to have a career change.

She worked for the agency for two and a half years, but then found a good job earlier this year. She loves the retirement village where she works, she is paid quite well for her age, and she attends training sessions. She is also able to access additional training that is not directly associated with her job, but can be paid for, or partially paid for, by her employer. OK, so it isn't enough to study a degree, but this isn't what my daughter wants now.

She has the opportunity to advance in work, and there will always be older people needing care. She is looking towards the possibility of management in the future, but is happy to learn the job from the lowest level to start with.

She has no debts, has her own car and although she lives at home, she comes and goes as she pleases (but still has to contribute to the household chores, as well as paying her board). She seems to have a happier life than her friends who are currently coming to the end of their university degrees - I don't think any of them have jobs lined up, and at least a couple are staying in their university town for the summer because they have bar jobs.

Going to university is just one option. Finding what the right option is for the person concerned is more important.

Murphymycat

I would suggest studying with the OU because you can pick and choose what to study, study in your own time, pay as you go, live at home, there are some loans and grants available. You may be able to get part time/casual work to help while you study. The OU isn't included in most of the league tables but the academic standards are extremely high. A lot of employers are realising just how much effort it takes to get a degree like this. I know the fees seem high but employing world class academic staff does not come cheap

Good luck with whatever you do

doodoot

OP, the best way to get advice is for you and your son to go to open days at Universities in your area.

There will be student advisors there to answer questions about funding options, advice about applying to Student Finance for loans/grants and also scholarships/bursaries if it appears that you earn too much for him to apply to Student Finance.

And please don't be put off by people's opinions about ex-polytechnics-turned-Universities, as I and my husband have recently graduated from one that has higher student satisfaction and value for money courses than many of the Russell Group Universities.

As others have said, if he is granted anything from Student Finance he will only start paying it back when his wage hits the level that the Govt sets - currently it is £25,000 (someone on £450 per week will pay approx £12-15 per week).

Hiccups_2

heretolearn wrote: »

why not take a look at Oxford and Cambridge.

I don't mean to put a dampener on this but getting into Oxbridge is extremely difficult and is about more than just being academically gifted.

More than half of Oxbridge intake is privately educated (a selection pool of only 7%). The schools (both public and private) that are successful in getting their students to Oxbridge usually prepare their candidates rigorously for the interview. There are even companies these days who provide lessons in getting through an Oxbridge interview.

The state school system simply doesn't provide the level of support needed, unless the school happens to be one of the best in the country or is a funded grammar school.

Going to Oxbridge may have meant something under the old system, when every bright child would have the opportunity to go to grammar school, but now it is just a reflection of our two tier system. It is not a level playing field and most employers probably know this already.

Going to Oxbridge is not a guarantee that you are the cleverest or would make the best employee. Oxbridge graduates can be the products of a spoon fed education, turning out to be surprisingly lack lustre when they get out into the real world and have to stand on their own two feet. Just take a look at the omnishambles that is Westminster to see what I mean.

Whilst I would tend to agree that there is a difference between universities and how valuable employers would consider their degrees to be. It is not a be all and end all.

Bright students do go to "less well respected" universities, perhaps because they did not receive good advice when they were applying or just because they want to be close to home. A good employer with half a brain would not write someone off on this basis and let's face it your degree becomes just a line on your CV after a few years of relevant work experience.

I would say that subject choice is a more important consideration.

For the OP's son, it's not clear whether he even knows what he wants to do when he's older? Picking the wrong subject and then discovering that it's not for him could prove to be a waste of time and expense. However, he has the right attitude for university if he's not going into it for the "university life".

One possibility, could be to look into apprenticeships that offer the chance to study for a degree on a part time / sponsored basis whilst working?