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GrahamKennedy wrote:

Reliant121 wrote:The spirit is fine but there are elements of the spending review that have me really very worried. Namely the university fees. If I get high enough grades to get into one of the top 20 universities, one of which is just 20 miles down the road, I could be paying anything from £7000 (nearly $11,000) to £12,000 (nearly $18,500) Per annum depending on the course to go to uni. It's effectively turning education into a mortgage.

I don't mean to sound unsympathetic, but what does going to one of the top 20 universitites do to your future earning potential, as opposed to not having a degree?

Its more the fact that there are very few universities I can afford to get to. My parents cant afford to pay out for me to live away from home, and I certainly don't want any more debt than I will already have so I have a choice of either Southampton or Portsmouth (maybe Winchester if I stretch a bit). Ultimately, no, I can get a degree anywhere and it will be fine.


As to UK external opinions, the average earning of someone who gets a degree and gets down to what I would probably end up being anything from £22,000-£33,000 a year ($31,000-$50,500 roughly). having anything up to a £48,000 debt is hardly going to help. Seeing as how our cost of living (IE food, heating etc) are much higher here than the US (I read somewhere it was about 25% higher), the fact that the housing market usually requires at least a 10% deposit on a house, which in my region is averaged at £256,151 ($404385.584) giving out around a £25,500 deposit required at minimum, $40,500 roughly in US money. personally, I feel that all adds up. I have no idea how much it costs for a US earner to do university, but I also imagine there are far more opportunities for those without degrees to get jobs, which are reserved really for retail and the Creative world here.

The point is, that a family such as mine that brings in around £40,000, because of taxes, because of inordinate mortgages on an actually very cheap house, because of various other factors simply can't afford that level of money. And unfortunate for me, I am virtually useless at anything vocational meaning I stand little chance of succeeding in those areas.


I admit, post-posting, that I am panicking somewhat. Being very very very harsh, the cost of uni in the states really isn't that important, as I have to think of me and how my future shall be affected. I am pretty set on being a secondary school teacher (yeah, I know, I'm mad) but the cost of getting there is...very high. The inordinate degree of loans may mean I can never own my own house purely cause I wont be able to save for the deposit.

Foxfyre wrote:

Deepcrush wrote:Thank God for GI:Bill and low budget colleges...

At least for those of us not getting into MIT...

That will be me in August of next year using the new GI bill and going to a local college to get a degree. Then using troops to teachers for a teaaching cert.

Sounds like a good move. I like the idea of putting soldiers in classrooms.

Kid : I don't have to do any of that work!
Soldier : No you don't, but you want to.
Kid : Why do I want to?
Soldier : Because I (smack's kid across his head) do this if you don't.
Kid : OH!

Reliant wrote:*snip*

I'm not saying that it's not a concern for you, nor did I mean to imply that. I was just pointing out the disgusting pace of the costs of higher education in the U.S.A.

I suppose. I have no idea how easy or how well paid someone without a degree is in the USA, but I know that the pay rates drop incredibly sharp here.

Right now, most people who get a degree still start off at minimum wage. Some get lucky, but most don't.
A degree might help you get a job, but it won't do anything to help you keep it either.

stitch626 wrote:Right now, most people who get a degree still start off at minimum wage. Some get lucky, but most don't.
A degree might help you get a job, but it won't do anything to help you keep it either.

A degree will help get you in the door, or as my dad is fond of saying "Who you know gets your foot in the door. What you know keeps you there"

In Hawaii, we've got people with degrees working as security guards, lot attendants, and as assistant managers of fast food resturaunts.

Mark wrote:In Hawaii, we've got people with degrees working as security guards, lot attendants, and as assistant managers of fast food resturaunts.

I'm pretty sure, what with the economy down and people trying to return to school, the markets are being flooded with degrees...

Sonic Glitch wrote:

Mark wrote:In Hawaii, we've got people with degrees working as security guards, lot attendants, and as assistant managers of fast food resturaunts.

I'm pretty sure, what with the economy down and people trying to return to school, the markets are being flooded with degrees...

And a lot of them are useless liberal arts degrees.

stitch626 wrote:

Sonic Glitch wrote:

Mark wrote:In Hawaii, we've got people with degrees working as security guards, lot attendants, and as assistant managers of fast food resturaunts.

I'm pretty sure, what with the economy down and people trying to return to school, the markets are being flooded with degrees...

And a lot of them are useless liberal arts degrees.

Like my Political Science and History degrees (I'll be getting)

Hey, they aren't useless. Without people with degrees in History who would teach the next generation of history majors?

Tyyr wrote:Hey, they aren't useless. Without people with degrees in History who would teach the next generation of history majors?

Deepcrush wrote:

Tyyr wrote:Hey, they aren't useless. Without people with degrees in History who would teach the next generation of history majors?

It's true. Assuming university education doesn't go the way of Texas ... In which case I will most assuredly never find a job.