Student loans - do we have to pay it back?

[Acidmouse]

In an ideal world young adults would walk into trades, apprenticeships, good jobs from 15-16 but its not the case anymore. The governments have shaped the way it is now so its not really the students fault. Most of which are thick as fuck and can't handle proper science degree's so they do what amounts to advanced A'levels that cost the government alot less than they would be doing nothing at home on the dole.

When i left school there was 'some' choices, it seems now there are very few.

Paying back any student loan kicks in when you are earning X amount, people not paying it back until then is their business.

[Jon MW]

Bottom line is that the UK needs graduates and the economic gains from increased productivity affect everybody positively.

Media studies, History, English lit, Latin, greek etc.

why should I have to pay for people to study them?

Not heard this one before...maybe they should be on claiming benifits instead

But they will be after they come out of uni as all their degrees a are pointless. Unless of course they go for a job for which they don't need their degree, in which case.."why am I paying for them" is a valid question. We need more science students, not media studies.
I have no problem paying for people to go to uni but it would have to be a course which actuallyhas some benefits. If the UK is short of scientists we should be encouraging people to stud something in the science area.

If we were short of journalists or other muppets wanting to work in the media we should pay for that, until then I maintain that paying someone 19k to go and do media studies is wasted money. Especially when the budget of every dept is being slashed by approx 25%, I reckon this is an area that we can save a bit of cash on.

Nominally the degree shows the capability for learning, so you don't need to have a degree in what your job is. In practice a lot of degrees like a lot of the media studies ones are objectively easier and a bit pointless (but it's a lot easier to expand university places with degrees like that rather than ones that need more highly qualified,highly paid academics).

The other part about culture is right, not the people who leave with an arts degree and get a job in tv production - the ones who get the 'cultural' degrees then stay in academia. The value of this is subjective obviously.

[pleno1]

[X] I just graduated from University
[X] I studied Journalism
[X] Fuck the haters
[X] HU 4 my loan?

[StuartHopkin]

[X] I just graduated from University
[X] I studied Journalism
[X] Fuck the haters
[X] HU 4 my loan?

What would you like to be when you grow up?

[DMorgan]

I have never understood why we now have close to 50% of the population going to uni.

Its nowhere near 50%.

In 2006 only 58.5% of people passed 5 GCSEs


The figure is about 35% at the moment but thats set to fall when the cuts come in

95% of them are doing media studies..

Hyperbole is fun

[pleno1]

[X] I just graduated from University
[X] I studied Journalism
[X] Fuck the haters
[X] HU 4 my loan?

What would you like to be when you grow up?

I currently write for a magazine (using my degree) and got a full time job yesterday as a financial adviser in a small firm in Newcastle. (a job I'd have no chance in hell getting if i didnt go to uni) How about you?

[pleno1]

And although my course was more specialised, do any of you actually know what media students actually learn?

[DMorgan]

And although my course was more specialised, do any of you actually know what media students actually learn?

 

[Bongo]

I remember one of them telling me that the Truman Show was genius and I'd never understand it because I hadn't studied it.

Why's that I asked?

'Because his whole life isn't real - it's just a TV show!' was the answer.

[DMorgan]

You are taking out a loan, your intention therefore has to be that you will pay it back when you can. Otherwise it would actually be a gift, no?

I took out a loan and agreed that when I had £15k a year of earned income I'd pay it back. I haven't neglected any of my obligations whatsoever.

[pleno1]

I know personally although over 50% of my modules were aimed at specifically journalism, I did study PR/Marketing/Law/Multiculturalism, giving me a good grasp of different knowledge, which enabled me to get a job in my first interview post graduation, which is basically unheard of.  

[Girgy85]

[X] I just graduated from University
[X] I studied Journalism
[X] Fuck the haters
[X] HU 4 my loan?

What would you like to be when you grow up?

I currently write for a magazine (using my degree) and got a full time job yesterday as a financial adviser in a small firm in Newcastle. (a job I'd have no chance in hell getting if i didnt go to uni) How about you?

Good work on the job mate

[Jon MW]

You are taking out a loan, your intention therefore has to be that you will pay it back when you can. Otherwise it would actually be a gift, no?

I took out a loan and agreed that when I had £15k a year of earned income I'd pay it back. I haven't neglected any of my obligations whatsoever.

To give you an example Boldie.

If you had an interest free mortgage which included in it's terms and conditions that you didn't have to start repaying it for 10 years, but after 1 year you won enough to pay it all off - would you pay it off early?

I'll reiterate the important part you need for a rational decision - "interest free"

[Girgy85]

You are taking out a loan, your intention therefore has to be that you will pay it back when you can. Otherwise it would actually be a gift, no?

I took out a loan and agreed that when I had £15k a year of earned income I'd pay it back. I haven't neglected any of my obligations whatsoever.

And get a job!!

[pleno1]

[X] I just graduated from University
[X] I studied Journalism
[X] Fuck the haters
[X] HU 4 my loan?

What would you like to be when you grow up?

In answer to your initial question; I want to learn about business working in a smaller private firm where I will get lots of guidance/education, I'm just starting to purchase shares in a spread betting style, hopefully both of the above will impress potential employers and when I am a little older/more experienced I can be a trainee stock broker for a big firm in London or perhaps somewhere outside the UK. Does this suffice?