Is student debt not only a national disgrace but teaches young people that debt is ok?

Question

http://www.student-debt.org/0007press_release_studentdebt_latest_research.asp

Answer 1

I have noted the answers from the contributors supporting student loans and never have I read such complete rubbish!!!

Whilst I do respect their right to have an opinion, it is clear to me that those opposed to free higher education either did not go to uni because they either were under achievers and did not have the grades or simply made excuses as to why they should not go to uni.

Education is a right, not a privelidge!

Where do you think doctors and teachers, engineers and architects come from?

For example, if your child needed a life saving operation who would you want to perform the surgery? A qualified surgeon or someone with a passing interest in first aid?

You have a machinist operating a milling machine thinks he's an engineer when all he really actually does is set the thing and push some buttons. i.e a button pusher! having an ONC or HND is is not enough to be an engineer.

The stupid governments we have had in the last 20 years or so have got rid of grants and plunged students into debt, and when you consider the polititians responsible for this farce all received grants themselves yet have taken it away from the youngsters of today. HOW DARE THEY!

The current government encourages immigrants to fill jobs because of a skills shortage in the highly skilled professions because we don't have people qualified enough to do the job and all the uneducated members of our society do is agree that our home students should have to get into debt to fill these vacancies in the future. God knows how many of our best and brightest kids will refuse to go to uni because of the debt they will get into. It is an unnecessary loss

If these young people do get higher paid jobs then they will pay more tax and national insurance anyway.

I have batchelors degrees in mechanical engineering and law. (BEng & LLB) and a masters degree (MSc) with 20 years experience in mechanical and aeronautical engineering.

The BEng and MSc I paid for myself and worked at the same time but the LLB I had to take out a student loan.

Yes, student loans are a national disgrace, however I am of the view it teaches youngsters that debt is inevitable.

Answer 2

Here in scotland, we get our tuition free. If a student can be supported by parents or by a part time job then no debt is incurred. However, most can apply for a student loan to cover living expenses. This is then repaid at an interest rate that is next to nothing once you are earning around 15K per year, and then its only about a fiver a week. Most graduates who get a job will earn more than those who did not go to uni (except tradesmen of course who earn gazillions just on call out charges!) so I consider this a slightly higher tax rather than a loan.

Answer 3

It's hard to understand the info that you gave as it doesn't seem to compare to non students. Fair enough most students do have a lot of debts but this is because Britain turned on them and told them that they would have no sponsorship for tuition about 7 years ago. If a person wants to go to University they are forced to take the loans or work part time jobs which may make their grades suffer in the long term. I think we need to support our students more especially when it comes to science based fields. Without properly trained doctors we will suffer and I would rather my tax money went towards them than on another nuclear warhead that we can never use.

Answer 4

I think you're right. However what is the solution - free education for all? If so who pays for that? What about the sheer waste that could incur when people don't turn up for lectures or really care about studying? There are bursaries, but if you define anything by set crieria there are going to be deserving and undeserving people who get the bursary or miss out - that is discrimination for you.

It is incredibly difficult, talking from the perspective of someone who got through Uni on a bursary, but I worked hard all the way through as I knew how lucky I was to be there more or less debt free.

However it seems in society you are always in debt for something, if it is not your mortgage, then it is for your monthly bills just to survive. How do you solve it? By getting big cor porations to realise there is more to life than making big bucks. Likelyhood of that ever happening? Hiding to nothing.

Answer 5

Student debt is not something that a person would want; however, the funds gained allow one to gain an education they might otherwise never have access to. Debt is an education all on its own. Debt, if properly controlled, opens doors that other wise may have never opened. Education would be the first example. Debt can also teach mathematics and financial management. Debit aides it establishing credit worthiness, by borrowing and paying back the funds. There is nothing wrong with debit, our country and way of life thrives on it. The problem is when debit is mishandled.

Answer 6

Sorry bud, but waaaaayyyy too many kids these days will put off earning a living and paying tax whilst they attend college and then university doing courses worth just absolutely frak-all to society, and if they have to pay for it, I'll vote for that.
It should be free if they are studying sciences, medicine, engineering - subjecdts of value to the country, but if they want to do "Media Studies", and essentially watch Big Brother and write about it, then screw 'em.

Answer 7

I think it's an unfortunate consequence of the government's policy of forcing young people into higher education when it's not appropriate for them to be there. If they reduced the number of people going into higher education and selected the people who would most benefit from it then we could do away with loans and bring back bursaries and grants...too bad that would involve selecting on the basis of talent, ability and aptitude, something the current administration finds utterly repugnant.

Answer 8

NO - if a kid leaves Uni owing a few grand, this can only be a good thing..... They have to go out and get a job in order to repay the debt, rather than sponging off the government for the rest of their live's.

Answer 9

Right. The penny's dropping at last.

Answer 10

ywah make the lazy bleeders go out and get a job