To think that anyone can get in university nowadays?

[Darkdecent]

I know a woman who's studying to be a social worker and while I don't think for one minute she's stupid I certainly wouldn't put her down as uni material.

For example, she was a strong supporter of Alfie Evans parents and was outraged when they turned his life support machine off.

Do they just let anyone in certain universities now or am I underestimating her?

Your opinion on the Alfie Evans case will be decided by your ethical values, not your IQ. I know very bright people on both sides of that argument. So you are BU to think that is an indication of intelligence.

I do agree that there are some people at uni who don't seem suited to it though. Does anyone apply and not get a place anywhere at all (even through clearing)? I don't know anyone who didn't get in anywhere. Which is nice for the applicant, but really some people must be applying who aren't suited. So if everyone gets in...

Now there are many people I went to school with, who went to uni, and are working for NMW. They're highly unlikely to ever pay off their loans for studying.Just another massive waste of government money

Yep, that's me and you know what, I don't give a shit ? My job spec insists on a degree and the full time wage is below the threshold for repayment. That's 60k they will never get back.

My employer? Oh yes, it's the government.

I teach up to A level. I am seeing students now who really can't cope with A level study but we hand hold, support and spoon feed them to a D or E and they get v low or unconditional offers for uni, or they go onto a foundation course. I do think their parents end up spending £££ on courses that are really just kicking the problem down the road. Ultimately, on the job training, apprenticeships etc and a genuine acceptance that academic qualifications do not make you a 'better' employee or person would be a much healthier approach and stop a generation of not so academic young people feeling like they are constantly failing or not good enough. Many of those students mentioned above are brilliant at sports, so could coach, or work in their family business, or organise school events with efficiency and success. They aren't useless but are square pegs being forced into round holes which, due to tuition fees, simply open wider to fit them in. Many do drop out or get to the end with a v poor or no degree.

I presume that OP’s reference to Alfie Evans referred to the people motivated by emotion and desperation to keep him ‘alive’, rather than accepting his condition meant he could not survive. Which was both tragic and understandable but ignorant of the medical facts. I mean, doctors and nurses were being attacked on their way into the hospital...

I thought this was going to be a thread on how some universities accept students with very low offers.

However, Opinions on life are not a reflector of academic ability. You are definantly underestimating your friend. I presume she is an older woman, ie. not 18-21, so she should be applauded for asking the decesion to return to education and improve her qualifications.

@finkploydthethird but why do you accept that? You can get more money doing jobs that don't need degrees.

I don't think Alfie Evans is a good example for your argument but I agree in principle, YANBU. I'm a teacher and have seen plenty of pupils toddle off to University when they have scraped through school by the skin of their teeth, and often with plenty of support. How on Earth they will manage at University I have no idea, I know of 2 former pupils who started last year and have already dropped out.

Part of the problem is lots of pupils (academic or not!) are pushed towards University by parents, peers and the school itself at times. They don't always have enough information about other options imo.

BatleyTownswomensGuild
Worryingly, some of them interview for teacher training and some of them get onto courses.

There's widening participation and then there's dumbing down. Widening participation would involve reaching out before university application time, helping close educational inequality gaps, if someone is borderline but from a disadvantaged background they could be given a contextual offer if they show academic potential, maybe have foundation years etc.

Dumbing down is giving unconditional offers to academically mediocre and lazy students and taking anyone to get bums on seats. At 6th form we see our lazy students slack off once they've got their unconditional offers because they don't need to work to get into university.

I always thought you needed 3 A levels ? Certainly my DS did when he was at RG uni .Anyway taking your point ,surely would be difficult to accept "anyone" without some sort of FE ? Must be a struggle to keep up when you are there ?

Universities are now a business, if they got too fussy about who they accept, they would have no "customers"

WTF? You want to deny people further education based on their beliefs?

Why? Do you feel threatened when others get a degree?

Also what @HugeAckmansWife said.

@Darkdecent that was emphatic.

Because I enjoy my job and I'm not motivated by money. I can pay my bills so why not?

@finkploydthethird good for you.

I was denied access to university as I am deaf and they couldn’t provide the support I needed so I essentially couldn’t get in. I’m sure plenty of other disabled potential students are in the same boat so on that basis YABU.

Sometimes the universities are so keen to fill places that they will take people who really aren’t up to it.

A friend of a dd gained places twice, at less prestigious unis. She had some GCSEs and a BTech, as I recall, but having helped her more than once with school/college work, I knew that while certainly bright, she wouldn’t be suited to academic subjects, at least of the type where essay writing was a major factor - which was the sort of course she applied for.
Both times she lasted just one term at this unis.
As far as I can tell, she was pressured to apply by parents for whom it was a status thing, but who never helped her with any of it, e.g. choice of course or modules, etc.

Universities are now a business, if they got too fussy about who they accept, they would have no "customers"

They have always been businesses. The only difference is that now the customer pays a larger proportion of the bill themselves.

You are right in one sense - anyone can get into the open university (as long as they can get a loan/pay). But not everyone can pass or get a degree at the end.

The womans in question Is 28 and did a foundation course. I do hope she passes but i fear not, from her facebook posts she isn't overly bright.

But everyone knows that not all universities are equal.

A 2:1 in history from Middlesex or Bedfordshire is in nowhere the same as a 2:1 in history from Edinburgh or Durham.

@Frariedamin that's awful. How do unis get away with this. My dn has loads of support for her dyslexia.

Frariedeamin
Disability is different to academic ability though.

Universities should absolutely support students with disabilities to attend if they are good potential students and it's outrageous that you were denied access.

That's different to universities, usually lower ranking, non-reseatch driven ones, begging people to attend regardless of academic aptitude.

There's widening participation and then there's dumbing down. Widening participation would involve reaching out before university application time, helping close educational inequality gaps, if someone is borderline but from a disadvantaged background they could be given a contextual offer if they show academic potential, maybe have foundation years etc.

Oh yes! That would be great.

I know someone who got on what is considered very difficult course, with nearly 1/3 less ucas points than original reqs were. Barely scraping through. Will get 2:2 at best but it's VERY competitive career and he still thinks he will come out of uni and get into the most competitive bit of already competitive career choice. That's where people with the first from RG unies go. Not 2:2 from ex polly...

But everyone knows that not all universities are equal

Not everybody does though.