This year I started a Masters Degree which I've fully funded myself and I have to say the experience has changed my perception of University.
In 2012 my University will be raising fees to £9000 an year from about £3500 for Undergrads. Times have changed its not just because I'm older but the whole University experience is different. A cheap student pint costs £2-2.60, rents on average no matter what part of the country you live will be £100+ a week with Halls themselves probably costing more. The town where I study on the weekend is dead which is largely due IMO to students not really be able to afford to leave home to go on the p.iss. The Uni itself rapes students for what ever pennies they have. A few things really grate me about being back here (other than the students themsleves) is on my Undergrad we use to get all the class notes / handouts provided for us by the lecturers but not now. Printing per sheet at the Uni is 5p a go and I can assure you this per year equates to £3-400+. I have many anal gripes like this whether its from charging students for condiments in the canteen area, poorly designed facilities incapable of handling the capacity of students to lecturers moving the lectures around on a weekly basis to suit their own personal needs.
The students themsleves though this might not mean anything to some of you youngsters just don't seem to be able to just sit down and just open a book. The library is full of skinny jean wearing w.ankers playing with facebook. There is nothing more annoying than when you are trying to do some peaceful study and all you can hear is the tap tap tapping of keyboards or listening to the tinny sound of someone's Ipod
I am 32 and I have come to the conclusion that I would seriously consider twice about letting my children go to Uni as I think its a waste of money. Some of my peers from 4 years study came here £25-30k of debt and it will probably sit around the £35-40k mark when they are done. I put the average student debt at around £20-25k per student studying for 3 years. So for students graduating from my Uni in 2015 they'd be saddled with £25k in debt and their parents would have stumped up £27k to send them here.
Part of the reason I started a Masters was to give myself an edge to potential employers as the amount of people with Undergraduate degrees nowadays dilutes there worth (so in essence you probably do need to do 4 years). Now I have the privilage of actually have degrees in things that make me employable and are recognised but IMO about 70% of what people study at Higher Education leads to no direct career. If your thinking about going to Uni now or sending your kids to one think very carefully about what you are doing. Consider appenticeships, find a sponsor even or try working your way up through a company and 'doing it the hard way'. If your a parent ask your child to consider the Open University as an option you'll soon find out how much your child is committed to actual study then and not p.issing your £9k up a year. I guess what I'm saying is I would seriously question the value of the majority of Uni courses nowadays and if you think your child should be allowed to do 'what they want to do' don't be frightened of stepping in and telling them 'fair enough but your not getting anything out of me for doing that particular course'.
Knowing what I know now if I was 18 and looking to start a degree in the present day I would not do it, I'd probably apply to an Engineering company and start an apprenticeship and later consider the Open University when I'm mature enough to commit to such a course.
Anyway I just wanted to get that off my chest I know a few of you like a discussion on here.... [Post edited 1 Jan 1970 1:00]
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