Students.

[pren]

I've been following this thread with some interest.

I went through Uni 2000 - 2003, following a Criminology & Criminal Justice degree. At the time of choosing my degree, I have to say I had no particular desire to follow a career in that field. I think I only took that course because I'd studied law and sociology at A level and found it really interesting.

My studies were funded by the Student Loans Company. At present I owe them around £9,000. This is repaid when I start earning over £1500 per month, at a rate of 15% of whatever I earn over that level. If I make £1501 in a month, I pay £0.15.

Since graduating, I have repaid £75 as I've never had particularly well paying jobs. At present, I'm working as a furniture maker/assembler for a caravan company. A good use of my education? No.

With hindsight, my decision to go through University was ill thought out. At the time, university was seen as a way of continuing the fun lifestyle I'd found as a 6th former. Repaying the student loan was never a major concern of mine at the time. I remember being told that it wasn't a big deal and that it would only be repaid at a low level over a long period. I think this was from one of the reps from the SLC.

Since graduating, I have never used the knowledge I gained at Uni. In this sense, it was a waste of my time and money. However, the social education and personal development I gained was invaluable. I came from a small town where the majority of its inhabitants were very much of the same mould. Anyone who didn't fit into that mould were considered as strangers. In this category, I'd include non-whites, homosexuals, liberals etc..

University forced people together who would never normally meet. I found that most of my preconceptions of different social groups were totally unfounded. I've met some of the people from my town who didn't go to uni. They're still exactly the same as when I left them. Insular, bigoted and generally a bit thick.

I believe that everyone should be given the chance to be removed from their 'comfort zone' in early adulthood and made to test the preconceptions they have grown up with. Should this necessarily be a university degree at the expense of the taxpayer? No. Can this social expansion and personal development of young adults have a price put on it? Again, no. I'd find it very interesting to see some violent criminality figures illustrating any divide between those who went to university and those who didn't. I'd expect to see a very low percentage of those who attended uni to have a record of 'yobbish, loutish' behaviour.

My time at uni has taught me to keep an open mind and be accepting of others. I've made some lifelong friends and have learned some extremely valuable 'life skills' that I don't think I could have learned anywhere else.

yes, I spent a lot of time drinking and getting stoned. Yes, I ate my bodyweight in potnoodles and was generally unhygienic and unhealthy. I also spent a lot of my time involved in very worthwhile activities that expanded my education in ways no degree course could. I volunteered for and then ran the student support service, Nightline for 2yrs. I think this counted for the bulk of my personal development, making me the person I am today.


I think I've rambled enough now. University is valuable to society, not just in turning out our future doctors, lawyers, engineers etc, but to turning out our future 'model citizens'. If we deny them this for the sake of money, where does that leave us? Financially rich yet socially bankrupt? perhaps.

 

[gnu]

Was it Ronald Reagan who said that college gave him the chance to play football for another 4 years.

 

[Digit]

In this thread for instance a lot of middle aged blokes who are probably fairly successful, are bemoaning having to pay for the meagre education of Florists and others. in fact any state provision for those they see as somehow lower than themselves - doing "lightweight degrees" etc etc.

What a fatuous load of crap! Lower than themselves? My father was a labourer. If the florist's eduction is so meagre perhaps they should save the fees and get a job instead! Fairly successful? Well I own my own house, my car, 10 yrs old, my motor bike, 30 yrs old and I'm on a state pension.
When you hand your cash across a counter you expect something in return, what do you get for funding holistic studies?
Please explain?

Roy.

 

[RogerS]

.....what do you get for funding holistic studies?
.....

Roy.

A nice massage ? :wink:

 

[Jacob]

....what do you get for funding holistic studies?
Please explain?

Roy.

Don't be lazy. Go and find out yourself and tell us what you come up with. :lol:

 

[Digit]

In other words you're dodging my question. You have already in fact stated your view on holistic studies which is why I chose that. You were agin it!
In other words you object to funding those 'lightweight degrees' that you object to then castigate others for making the same stance.
There's a word for that!

I can get a better one from the local massage parlour Rog and no degree involved! (Is there?)

Roy.

 

[Noel]

Guys, two in particular, stop the baiting and trying to wind others up.

 

[Digit]

I'm not trying to bait anybody Noel nor wind anyone up as it happens.

Roy.

 

[Noel]

In the 2 posts I dumped from your goodself and Roger I think you were.

 

[Digit]

You, like Mr G, are entitled to your opininon Noel, that does mean that I was attempting to do what you assumed does it?
A perfectly sensible debate where people don't keep changing their view point from one side to 'tother would suit me well.

Roy.

 

[big soft moose]

When you hand your cash across a counter you expect something in return, what do you get for funding holistic studies?
.

you get to keep the little blighters off the dole for three years - thus enabling the government to show lower unemployment figures, then when they graduate they can get jobs for which ten years ago you didnt need a degree.

 

[Jacob]

In point of fact these freaky holistic therapists make a bomb and are quite likely to be paying back their student loans pronto, and then repaying the community through income tax. I've got some friends who went into it (mid life career change, massage, crystal healing, other bollix) and they are now filthy rich and don't talk to me anymore (I'm a dogmatic sceptic!)
If that's what "holistic studies" entail of course. It might be something quite different. Why don't you find out as you are all so interested? instead of just bleating on about it!

 

[Digit]

Why don't you find out as you are all so interested?

I'm not, I simply pointed out that earlier you dismissed it as a lightweight then castigated the rest of us for the same stance.
Now you've changed tack yet again.

Roy.

 

[big soft moose]

it appears that some "holistic studies" courses do basically comprise learning crystal therapy and other such bollux - why you need a degree for that is anyones guess

however other holistic studies courses are the study of various subjects along the tenets of holistic education described thus

Holistic education is a philosophy of education based on the premise that each person finds identity, meaning, and purpose in life through connections to the community, to the natural world, and to humanitarian values such as compassion and peace. Holistic education aims to call forth from people an intrinsic reverence for life and a passionate love of learning. This is the definition given by Ron Miller, founder of the journal Holistic Education Review (now entitled Encounter: Education for Meaning and Social Justice). The term holistic education is often used to refer to the more democratic and humanistic types of alternative education. Robin Ann Martin (2003) describes this further by stating, “At its most general level, what distinguishes holistic education from other forms of education are its goals, its attention to experiential learning, and the significance that it places on relationships and primary human values within the learning environment.” (Paths of Learning)

The concept of holism refers to the idea that all the properties of a given system in any field of study cannot be determined or explained by the sum of its component parts. Instead, the system as a whole determines how its parts behave. A holistic way of thinking tries to encompass and integrate multiple layers of meaning and experience rather than defining human possibilities narrowly.

eitherway its a load of lightweight sh!te which imo shouldnt be tax payer funded as a degree course

 

[Digit]

I spotted a report today informing us that hence forth exam papers will be marked down for poor spelling and grammar.

Roy.

 

[pren]

I spotted a report today informing us that hence forth exam papers will be marked down for poor spelling and grammar.

Roy.

This was the case in my exams at Bangor Uni 10yrs ago. 5% of the final mark was spelling and grammar. Allowances were made for those with learning difficulties.

Where did you see the report?

 

[Digit]

Daily Mail and here...

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Politi ... ph_Reports

Roy.