Teen wanting to go to uni

Spendless

tooldle said:

Contact time does seem to be something that comes up again and again.
I studied a STEM subject and hence had a lot of lectures and practical classes. The whole concept of "reading for a degree" seems to pass many by, or perhaps has even been ditched by some.  Lectures (not lessons) are only part of the story, the rest is reading around the subject and learning independently.
My daughter is currently a second year undergraduate. The reading list she has is huge, and it does take time to work through.

Indeed, but going to Uni wasn't a big thing for my classmates when I was leaving school (early-mid 80s)not unless you were wanting a career that needed one eg teacher, solicitor. Subsequently our son is the first from our household to go and the first time I came across contact hours was when my Niece went to Uni. She'd always been clever so I did think a maths degree would be more than the 9 hours contact time she had. I had nothing to compare it to at that point, other than the 5 days of full-time school and sixth form she'd previously been doing. No, I don't think everyone uses the term 'reading for....'. I'm not entirely sure DS on a vocational degree at an ex poly has ever heard of it. I will ask. But that is quite right it's reading and independent study so can be done at night if you want, when your workplace is closed and your mates are at the pub. 

tooldle

I wasn't intending to criticise your post Spendless, more aiming to point out that expectations of more recent cohorts are often more aligned to a school type experience these days.
I'm still in STEM, and working in a University. Its not at all unusual to come across undergraduates who expect lecturers to be available to them in the same way that their teachers were. There is little understanding that teaching / delivering a module is a small component of an individuals role. 

zagfles

Use Martin's calculator https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/students/student-loan-parental-contribution-tool/

This works out how much you need to make up the maintenance loan to the full loan, which next year is about £9500, more in London. That should be enough for living costs with no need for a part time job. There might be bursaries and scolarships on top, check the the uni.

Also as above worth reading all the other good stuff on this site on student loans.

74jax

Morrigan_2020 said:

74jax said:

Morrigan_2020 said:

74jax said:

For my DD, Her 9k loan covered the course and she got minimum student loan of around £3.5k, her rent was £6k and she kept her job on that she had at 16.she worked for Clarkes so could swap between branches when he came home for holidays so never stopped working. She took as !!!!!! shifts as she could over summer (prime back to school shoes time).
I sent her £15 a week, so I knew she had something for food - I doubt it ever went on food! 

If your daughter got the minimum loan then your household income would have been high enough to essentially ‘make up the difference’.  I think that’s the general idea? 

Yes I think so. But even if she could have had more loans, she wouldn't have needed the full loan (if that makes sence) as her work etc allowed her ample money - she says she had more money then than now.... 🙈
So it's less to pay back I guess. 
It's a very tricky situation but I definately think I'd be putting my DD off for a 2021 intake... Not that she'd listen... 

Her work also meant she had to study in the middle of the night though.  She wouldn't have had to pay you back as her parents, hopefully!

She had the job right through from 16, absolutely loved it.  Even when she left uni to be a teacher she was going to keep it on for school holidays 🙈.
She's too much like me and so independent.
She preferred the library at night (hence me saying students get weird body clocks) no idea why, my idea of hell...
Her course was only so many hours a week - she was away more than she was in - all for 9k too..... 🙄

74jax

Spendless said:

Morrigan_2020 said:

74jax said:

Morrigan_2020 said:

74jax said:

For my DD, Her 9k loan covered the course and she got minimum student loan of around £3.5k, her rent was £6k and she kept her job on that she had at 16.she worked for Clarkes so could swap between branches when he came home for holidays so never stopped working. She took as !!!!!! shifts as she could over summer (prime back to school shoes time).
I sent her £15 a week, so I knew she had something for food - I doubt it ever went on food! 

If your daughter got the minimum loan then your household income would have been high enough to essentially ‘make up the difference’.  I think that’s the general idea? 

Yes I think so. But even if she could have had more loans, she wouldn't have needed the full loan (if that makes sence) as her work etc allowed her ample money - she says she had more money then than now.... 🙈
So it's less to pay back I guess. 
It's a very tricky situation but I definately think I'd be putting my DD off for a 2021 intake... Not that she'd listen... 

Her work also meant she had to study in the middle of the night though.  She wouldn't have had to pay you back as her parents, hopefully!

From the info given, sounds more like she studying in the night, due to the sleeping pattern she developed at Uni, combined with possibly discovering the place was quieter if everyone else was out socialising.
Unless they're doing a very 'full-on' course, I was quite shocked to discover how little contact time many degrees are. A lot of it is devoted to self study. Prime time shopping at Clarks is going to be summer hols when Uni is closed as already said. 

Sorry spend less.... I really should read all replies first.... You got it spot on, and put it across much better than me. 
I too could not believe how little 'teaching' they recieved...... 

Morrigan_2020

74jax said:

Morrigan_2020 said:

74jax said:

Morrigan_2020 said:

74jax said:

For my DD, Her 9k loan covered the course and she got minimum student loan of around £3.5k, her rent was £6k and she kept her job on that she had at 16.she worked for Clarkes so could swap between branches when he came home for holidays so never stopped working. She took as !!!!!! shifts as she could over summer (prime back to school shoes time).
I sent her £15 a week, so I knew she had something for food - I doubt it ever went on food! 

If your daughter got the minimum loan then your household income would have been high enough to essentially ‘make up the difference’.  I think that’s the general idea? 

Yes I think so. But even if she could have had more loans, she wouldn't have needed the full loan (if that makes sence) as her work etc allowed her ample money - she says she had more money then than now.... 🙈
So it's less to pay back I guess. 
It's a very tricky situation but I definately think I'd be putting my DD off for a 2021 intake... Not that she'd listen... 

Her work also meant she had to study in the middle of the night though.  She wouldn't have had to pay you back as her parents, hopefully!

She had the job right through from 16, absolutely loved it.  Even when she left uni to be a teacher she was going to keep it on for school holidays 🙈.
She's too much like me and so independent.
She preferred the library at night (hence me saying students get weird body clocks) no idea why, my idea of hell...
Her course was only so many hours a week - she was away more than she was in - all for 9k too..... 🙄

Do you think she would have worked so many hours and studied at night if her parents had 'topped up' her loan?  If so, fair enough, I'd be surprised though. 

This is why I disagree with student finance being assessed based on parental income.  For one thing they are adults and should be considered as such, but also there is no way to guarantee that parents will provide the intended financial support. 

princeofpounds

Morrigan_2020 said:

This is why I disagree with student finance being assessed based on parental income.  For one thing they are adults and should be considered as such, but also there is no way to guarantee that parents will provide the intended financial support. 

I'm going off on a tangent here, but when I went to university (which was recently enough to pay fees and get loans), I remember there were quite a few students with separated parents who really gamed the system. They would apply on the basis of being supported by their poorer parent, and claim that the richer parent would not support them. So they got access to the biggest loans, bursaries etc. Then the richer parent would support them on the quiet after all. Quids in. 

HampshireH

Morrigan_2020 said:

74jax said:

Morrigan_2020 said:

74jax said:

Morrigan_2020 said:

74jax said:

For my DD, Her 9k loan covered the course and she got minimum student loan of around £3.5k, her rent was £6k and she kept her job on that she had at 16.she worked for Clarkes so could swap between branches when he came home for holidays so never stopped working. She took as !!!!!! shifts as she could over summer (prime back to school shoes time).
I sent her £15 a week, so I knew she had something for food - I doubt it ever went on food! 

If your daughter got the minimum loan then your household income would have been high enough to essentially ‘make up the difference’.  I think that’s the general idea? 

Yes I think so. But even if she could have had more loans, she wouldn't have needed the full loan (if that makes sence) as her work etc allowed her ample money - she says she had more money then than now.... 🙈
So it's less to pay back I guess. 
It's a very tricky situation but I definately think I'd be putting my DD off for a 2021 intake... Not that she'd listen... 

Her work also meant she had to study in the middle of the night though.  She wouldn't have had to pay you back as her parents, hopefully!

She had the job right through from 16, absolutely loved it.  Even when she left uni to be a teacher she was going to keep it on for school holidays 🙈.
She's too much like me and so independent.
She preferred the library at night (hence me saying students get weird body clocks) no idea why, my idea of hell...
Her course was only so many hours a week - she was away more than she was in - all for 9k too..... 🙄

Do you think she would have worked so many hours and studied at night if her parents had 'topped up' her loan?  If so, fair enough, I'd be surprised though. 

This is why I disagree with student finance being assessed based on parental income.  For one thing they are adults and should be considered as such, but also there is no way to guarantee that parents will provide the intended financial support. 

Yup quite possibly because they simply  can't afford to. Affordability isn't considered I believe, just income

74jax

Morrigan_2020 said:

74jax said:

Morrigan_2020 said:

74jax said:

Morrigan_2020 said:

74jax said:

For my DD, Her 9k loan covered the course and she got minimum student loan of around £3.5k, her rent was £6k and she kept her job on that she had at 16.she worked for Clarkes so could swap between branches when he came home for holidays so never stopped working. She took as !!!!!! shifts as she could over summer (prime back to school shoes time).
I sent her £15 a week, so I knew she had something for food - I doubt it ever went on food! 

If your daughter got the minimum loan then your household income would have been high enough to essentially ‘make up the difference’.  I think that’s the general idea? 

Yes I think so. But even if she could have had more loans, she wouldn't have needed the full loan (if that makes sence) as her work etc allowed her ample money - she says she had more money then than now.... 🙈
So it's less to pay back I guess. 
It's a very tricky situation but I definately think I'd be putting my DD off for a 2021 intake... Not that she'd listen... 

Her work also meant she had to study in the middle of the night though.  She wouldn't have had to pay you back as her parents, hopefully!

She had the job right through from 16, absolutely loved it.  Even when she left uni to be a teacher she was going to keep it on for school holidays 🙈.
She's too much like me and so independent.
She preferred the library at night (hence me saying students get weird body clocks) no idea why, my idea of hell...
Her course was only so many hours a week - she was away more than she was in - all for 9k too..... 🙄

Do you think she would have worked so many hours and studied at night if her parents had 'topped up' her loan?  If so, fair enough, I'd be surprised though. 

This is why I disagree with student finance being assessed based on parental income.  For one thing they are adults and should be considered as such, but also there is no way to guarantee that parents will provide the intended financial support. 

Her 'parents' no, her dad was never going to pay for uni when he never paid to bring her up.  She would never have expected him to - or to be honest would have wanted him too I don't think, she wanted nothing from him.  She wouldn't have wanted a bigger loan, even if she could have had it either, she never used her overdraft and hates any type of debt. She worked out what she needed, got a job to make up the difference and 'spending money'. Clarks would swap her from store to store if she came home and was amazing. She worked her way up from aged 16 and left at ages 21 after a management training program. Her hourly rate was more than mine, she did so well. 

Yes I believe she totally would, like I say, when she left uni and was a teacher, she loved it so much she planned on continuing with it during holidays but covid put a stop to that plan.
She said she looks back at uni and loved it. She had 3 days of uni, 2 days of work and 2 days off, shes in touch with all uni friends and I would  recommend it to any parent who is worried about their child going . But, definately not in this pandemic.
I completely disagree with using the household income, they are independent adults with their own jobs/lives, she left home at 18 and never fully moved back, yet my household income was used for the 1st year. In the 2nd and 3rd year she didn't submit info as she worked out finances and only wanted the lowest loan, so didn't see the point in completing. 

Morrigan_2020

HampshireH said:

Morrigan_2020 said:

74jax said:

Morrigan_2020 said:

74jax said:

Morrigan_2020 said:

74jax said:

For my DD, Her 9k loan covered the course and she got minimum student loan of around £3.5k, her rent was £6k and she kept her job on that she had at 16.she worked for Clarkes so could swap between branches when he came home for holidays so never stopped working. She took as !!!!!! shifts as she could over summer (prime back to school shoes time).
I sent her £15 a week, so I knew she had something for food - I doubt it ever went on food! 

If your daughter got the minimum loan then your household income would have been high enough to essentially ‘make up the difference’.  I think that’s the general idea? 

Yes I think so. But even if she could have had more loans, she wouldn't have needed the full loan (if that makes sence) as her work etc allowed her ample money - she says she had more money then than now.... 🙈
So it's less to pay back I guess. 
It's a very tricky situation but I definately think I'd be putting my DD off for a 2021 intake... Not that she'd listen... 

Her work also meant she had to study in the middle of the night though.  She wouldn't have had to pay you back as her parents, hopefully!

She had the job right through from 16, absolutely loved it.  Even when she left uni to be a teacher she was going to keep it on for school holidays 🙈.
She's too much like me and so independent.
She preferred the library at night (hence me saying students get weird body clocks) no idea why, my idea of hell...
Her course was only so many hours a week - she was away more than she was in - all for 9k too..... 🙄

Do you think she would have worked so many hours and studied at night if her parents had 'topped up' her loan?  If so, fair enough, I'd be surprised though. 

This is why I disagree with student finance being assessed based on parental income.  For one thing they are adults and should be considered as such, but also there is no way to guarantee that parents will provide the intended financial support. 

Yup quite possibly because they simply  can't afford to. Affordability isn't considered I believe, just income

Especially if they are supporting multiple children through university/study at the same time, or perhaps have a family member with a disability/additional needs etc.