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Ripped off by university

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Hi,
My son was sold a worthless degree from Nottingham university.
The lecturers all on strike and minimal effort involved on their part.
My son said he hasn’t learned anything useful. Most of the time is spent reading Wikipedia pages.
Yet he’s paying 9.2k year tuition.

I visited the university myself and now understand where he’s coming from.
It’s full of unemployable and incompetent staff and students and atmosphere felt like loony house.

No idea how universities have gotten like this but I want to take my son out of it.

Any ideas of complaining or asking the university for a refund?
«13

Comments

  • elsien
    elsien Posts: 35,866 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Wikipedia? Has he not heard of books and self-directed study? It's not like school where it's far more structured.

    You can't take your son out. He's an adult. He needs to decide for himself what he wants to do.
    Has he raised any concerns with the university? Looked at transferring elsewhere? The strikes are odd days not all term.
    But there is a formal complaints process he can look up.
    All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.

    Pedant alert - it's could have, not could of.
  • Accou3
    Accou3 Posts: 15 Forumite
    edited 25 December 2019 at 1:33AM
    elsien wrote: »
    Wikipedia? Has he not heard of books and self-directed study? It's not like school where it's far more structured.

    You can't take your son out. He's an adult. He needs to decide for himself what he wants to do.
    Has he raised any concerns with the university? Looked at transferring elsewhere? The strikes are odd days not all term.
    But there is a formal complaints process he can look up.

    He said all the lecture notes are rehashed wiki content.
    I went to the university to talk with his tutor.
    I couldn’t believe what I saw ... all these so called teachers and lecturers screaming and shouting, holding wooden posts on strike.
    Didn’t feel like a place of learning to me at all. Felt horrible.
    Then I had the unfortunate experience of meeting his tutor.

    Never again. I told my son not to bother with university these days.
    But of course it’s his choice at the end of the day.

    My concern is if he wanted to leave, would he get a full refund?
    You can’t sell kids what they’re selling, it’s just not on.
  • Accou3 wrote: »
    I want to take my son out of it.
    Being already an adult, he can leave at any time of his own volition.

    However, I very much doubt he (or you) will have any success demanding a refund of tuition fees.

    Self directed learning only involves Wikipedia if the student concerned does not investigate more scholarly sources. I'm certain even the tutors you have such disdain for would help with this if correctly approached.

    I also doubt any "strikes" have caused any major disruption to his learning.
    Accou3 wrote: »
    My concern is if he wanted to leave, would he get a full refund?
    Nothing you describe would lead me to expect a refund of anything at all...
  • in_my_wellies
    in_my_wellies Posts: 1,682 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 25 December 2019 at 1:42AM
    Accou3 wrote: »
    Hi,
    My son was sold a worthless degree from Nottingham university.
    The lecturers all on strike and minimal effort involved on their part.
    My son said he hasn’t learned anything useful. Most of the time is spent reading Wikipedia pages.
    Yet he’s paying 9.2k year tuition.

    I visited the university myself and now understand where he’s coming from.
    It’s full of unemployable and incompetent staff and students and atmosphere felt like loony house.

    No idea how universities have gotten like this but I want to take my son out of it.

    Any ideas of complaining or asking the university for a refund?

    Rather a sweeping comment. In which department does he study? Perhaps university isn't for your son and he would be best to choose an alternative way forward

    My son has just graduated with a PhD at UofN having previously gained a first in engineering. He spent 7 happy years at Nottingham working hard and with supportive, hard working tutors. He was headhunted directly from uni and began work 12 months ago earning a higher salary than I retired on. He made life long friends with lecturers and post docs.

    My daughter went to Reading and then completed her Masters at Uni of Nottingham where they worked her very hard.

    Both were offered extra support where necessary and one-to-one tuition. Both say the lecturers were approachable and helpful.

    I wish you son well in finding the right path for him
    Love living in a village in the country side
  • waamo
    waamo Posts: 10,298 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Seventh Anniversary Name Dropper
    That's pretty offensive language about mental health difficulties there.
  • So you visited when they were on strike and were appalled at them holding wooden signs? :money:
  • Accou3 wrote: »
    I went to the university to talk with his tutor.


    How embarrassing for your adult son.
  • unforeseen
    unforeseen Posts: 7,380 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    My son was sold a worthless degree from Nottingham university.

    Must be a Media Studies degree.
  • JamoLew
    JamoLew Posts: 1,800 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Or Psychology
  • prowla
    prowla Posts: 13,955 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    ..or Politics
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