The holy grail of university education.

Sheel

My brother is going to Uni for the first time this year........



















He's nearly 58 :T He's had a very successful career as an accountant (chartered) and has only just started to feel he's not enjoying his work as much so has decided to go to Uni in NZ where he emigrated to last year.

studentphil

SmileBeHappy wrote: »

I go to uni, i have always planned to go to uni... most people here do... its normal.

I need to go for my course, it is just a requirment, and so i go, for me it is a meanss to an end, the money is a lot, but still, its quite good fun.

No point going if your not needing it... I suspect i would have gone anyway though, have a fun 3years

Why the "its normal"?

It just makes it sound like a middle class finishing school.

Where does all this normal come from?

speranza

Hapless wrote: »

Once someone reaches 18 they are no longer a child, they are legally an adult and therefore no longer dependant on me. I will support my child financially until their 18th birthday and become an adult.[/B] If the government want people to continue to financially support their children through education then they age of legal adulthood should be raised.
Everything I have done, I have done on my own. it has made me determined thay my children should be as independant as possible. I will always be there for moral and emotional support, that sort of help never ends. Financial? Sorry, I would have spent 18 years paying for everything for them in that respect once they are of age they are on their own. No loans, no bank of Mum and Dad, no covering missed mortgage payments, no deposit for the first house or flat.

I don't think I've ever read such mean, bitter, unsupportive statements on this forum before. You really sound like you can't stand being a parent at all, like it's just something to get over and done with so you can move on with your own life. I wouldn't be at all surprised if your kids decide to use the independence you've "instilled" in them to get as far away from you as possible. :rolleyes:

poet123

studentphil wrote: »

Why the "its normal"?

It just makes it sound like a middle class finishing school.

Where does all this normal come from?

I think maybe what the poster means is that if you move in a particular circle of friends it is maybe the norm to have likeminded friends. My son's both have a large circle of friends but out of each of their groups only 1 from each age group has not gone to Uni. It is worth noting that both these lads have got excellent jobs without going to Uni first......but both are now studying for a degree as theri employers demand it to progress further. Most of my friends kids have all gone to Uni....so it is the norm in some areas/circles,whether that is a middle class thing I am not sure. May have more to do with parental education/expectation and encouragement.

anewman

speranza wrote: »

I don't think I've ever read such mean, bitter, unsupportive statements on this forum before. You really sound like you can't stand being a parent at all, like it's just something to get over and done with so you can move on with your own life. I wouldn't be at all surprised if your kids decide to use the independence you've "instilled" in them to get as far away from you as possible. :rolleyes:

I agree with what you say. However, some people come from single parent families with minimum income, like myself, who never had any possibility of financial support from parents. *BUT* if someone is earning plenty of money, and their child's financial support is reduced because of this, for a parent to withold money so they can buy what they want, for example a new car etc etc is selfish. At that age though I would say they should have a budget and if they can get away with calling up mum and dad 10 times during the year needing money and getting it (probably to spend on booze - but may say text books, lol), they'll probably never learn the value of money.

studentphil

poet123 wrote: »

I think maybe what the poster means is that if you move in a particular circle of friends it is maybe the norm to have likeminded friends. My son's both have a large circle of friends but out of each of their groups only 1 from each age group has not gone to Uni. It is worth noting that both these lads have got excellent jobs without going to Uni first......but both are now studying for a degree as theri employers demand it to progress further. Most of my friends kids have all gone to Uni....so it is the norm in some areas/circles,whether that is a middle class thing I am not sure. May have more to do with parental education/expectation and encouragement.

You could be right there, but just going because everyone else does doesn't seem much of a reason. At my ex school only 45% 5 A-C GCSEs let alone went to university, so it was far from normal there.

poet123

I don't believe my son's friends chose go to Uni becuse every one else does,rather that they see the value in terms of salary increases,life experience and social interaction(!) that uni brings.

We pay accomodation/tuition costs for our sons, and for books(I buy them via Amazon so it is spent on books!). They pay living costs from student loans and have never asked us for more. The higher spending one has a part time job,the future MSE'R lives comfortably within his means without using his overdraft at all. So although we pay what we consider the necessary costs we are by no means an easy touch.

studentphil

poet123 wrote: »

I don't believe my son's friends chose go to Uni becuse every one else does,rather that they see the value in terms of salary increases,life experience and social interaction(!) that uni brings.

We pay accomodation/tuition costs for our sons, and for books(I buy them via Amazon so it is spent on books!). They pay living costs from student loans and have never asked us for more. The higher spending one has a part time job,the future MSE'R lives comfortably within his means without using his overdraft at all. So although we pay what we consider the necessary costs we are by no means an easy touch.

Okay, but in salary terms going to university might be worth it.

poet123

??????????? that's what I said!!

anewman

poet123 wrote: »

I don't believe my son's friends chose go to Uni becuse every one else does,rather that they see the value in terms of salary increases,life experience and social interaction(!) that uni brings.

I think "salary increases" from a degree are debateable. I've found although I've had interviews for jobs with wages just over £20k, a wage I could never have dreamed of without a degree, competition is always high and I never got the job, and the degree also seems to be a reason for the supermarkets etc etc to not consider me as an employee.