I mean what is the point? iii

I can’t say I care as strongly as you do about fees, but it does concern me that people seem to be making a lot of serious decisions as to what’s ‘best’ for us, without actually taking the time to ask us if we have an opinion on the matter. Not that anyone ever did to begin with. But with the fees issue, my biggest concern is where on earth they expect all these so-called highly paid graduate (c)

jobs to come from once they start churning out higher and higher proportions of graduates. I mean, I had an interview for a graduate position last week – I was informed that not only had there been over 330 applicants, of whom the company was interviewing 28, but that of those 28 only between 2 and 4 would actually be offered a job. Then they pointed out that graduates were the lowest (c)

qualified people they recruit. In this field (science) soon we’re gonna be lucky if we can find a job when we have a PhD behind us! That’s assuming, of course, that living in poverty and accumulating debts for another four years is something we can all afford to do.Anyway, I admire your conviction 🙂

my view on all this has changed somewhat since living in the US. it seems now that Britain has never had it so good! (she says comfortably knowing that she only had one student loan for 500 quid, now long since paid off and in fact even received a grant plus fees paid for all four years of university)

I’m not entirely sure what’s going on, but if you’re upset, it must be valid. I don’t like to see therumtumtugger upset. *HUGS*

Similiar things are happening in Australia regarding fees too, and dont even talk to me about education in Canada. It makes me burn in anger that these men and women got great educations for FREE and now demand that others pay for it – thus making uni almost impossible to afford.

It just makes you feel yet again that this entire country is set up to make the rich people richer, and the not-rich people pay for the rich people.

I loathe politics. Why can’t someone sane run the world for a while? *sigh*

It just seems that Blair has got away with everything this week.

As the expansion of higher education continues, more people will pay larger amounts of money for a poorer level of education and less chance of benefit when they graduate. ‘Widening access’ to higher education, as Tony calls it, will still exclude 50% and deter people who don’t feel they can take risks with money and debt, especially the poorer ones. Truly, Tony’s incompetence knows no bounds.

what concerns me is the idea that graduates earn more and walk into a high paying job because of their degree. You and I both know this is untrue. It’s taken me 3/4 years to find a job that paid a decent amount and that I enjoyed. BUT I’m unsure about where I stand on the fees thing generally. (cont)

I’m more furious and outraged by the lack of criticism levelled at the government from the whitewash that was the hutton report.

I kind of agree with you on this situation and I might write an entry soon about this. I think I’ll sprinkle it with something I read in the Times about how EU students are ripping us off as well. The funny thing is a) Tony said he wouldn’t do this in his manifesto b) its the middle classes that get hurt: the working classes will get some aid, the upper classes don’t really care but

if your parents hold some job like a teacher or middle manager in some company the following will be happening: higher mortgage payments for property, extra savings because your endowment has a shortfall, paying for childcare, paying extra for your pension (because of removal of dividend tax credits/destruction of final salary pension schemes) you’re being hit from all angles!

Mmrff. I feel stupid having nothing to say to this, as you are clearly (and righteously) upset. But I am a Yank, who though quite politicixed in my own way, knows zero about all of this. I wanted to say thanks, tho, for the note! Yes, I think theMoor recommended you to me. Your fiction is amazing and I hope to see more.

Ryn: Yes, I do know Bookcrossing.com, and even registered, though I love my books too much to let them go! But what a good idea to use it in National Book Day, I shall have to let that occupy some of my thoughts now!! After going to buy some food, however, seeing as I can’t manage to make tea from a frozen loaf of bread and a tin of peas!