It is madness
I don't understand how anyone is supposed to be able to afford it without getting into debt for the rest of their lifes. Maybe you can study in Spain, where it still is free (or almost)
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Wed 27 Apr 2011, 9:41, 3 replies, latest was 15 years ago)

I don't speak Spanish,
which is a major drawback unfortunately.
(Bear Pookie The Frankly Challenged. Halloween is coming to town., Wed 27 Apr 2011, 9:43, Reply)

Yeah, it might be a problem
well, then, I don't know what to suggest. I wouldn't want to get into such a debt myself at the moment.
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Wed 27 Apr 2011, 9:50, Reply)

Silly Aber, education isn't for poor people
if they got educated, they might start thinking they had the same rights as rich people. Imagine the chaos!
( The Light in Chains don't touch the Pope's boner, Wed 27 Apr 2011, 9:52, Reply)

the problem isn't anything to do with rich or poor.
It's a societal failure to understand that higher education is not some right everyone has. It is a right of intellectual priviledge, not financial. If we accepted that, stopped trying to get everyone who can tie their fucking shoelaces together into uni, then we wouldn't have a HE system that cannot be supported by the state.

That, and the tories, of course.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Wed 27 Apr 2011, 9:58, Reply)

the rich poor thing is stupid anyway
when it comes to this. A large proportion of people won't pay up front, but use loans, so it makes no difference what your circumstances are before you go to uni, you are still in the same boat.

My folks are reasonably high income middle-class, and as such I was screwed at uni because I get the max fees (at the time) and minimum loans etc. Poor people were a shitload better off than I was.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 27 Apr 2011, 10:00, Reply)

And stop reproducing!
Who's going to pay for our pensions. No, wait, if they have no education, they have no good jobs, they're on benefits... I see a flaw on this plan.
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Wed 27 Apr 2011, 10:01, Reply)

It would still be free here
if we weren't so ridiculously obsessed with getting 50% of the population into higher education.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Wed 27 Apr 2011, 9:55, Reply)

^this
fucking stupid
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 27 Apr 2011, 9:57, Reply)

Yes
I don't know why it's so importanta that almost everybody has to have a degree. There are really good jobs, well paid, safe and stable that don't need a degree. My brother didn't study a degree, and he's got a job for 4 years now, happy as a bunny, with a fixed income. My sister study a degree and she's on permanent search of scholarships to pay for her next year's research; can't afford a house or even holidays.
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Wed 27 Apr 2011, 10:03, Reply)

I would say that of my friends half of the most successful ones
didn't go to uni.

I'm glad I did, not least because I met Mrs V there, but because it's hard to get into civil engineering without having done so these days.

If I were to go through it now though I'd seriously consider an apprenticeship or something instead.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 27 Apr 2011, 10:05, Reply)

I agree
I like my job and couldn't have got it without a degree. However, I wonder what would have happened if instead of listening to my mother and got into Uni, I would just done what I wanted and keep writing. I wouldn't have met Mark, probably, but I don't think I'd have done too badly.
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Wed 27 Apr 2011, 10:24, Reply)