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Original poster

Is my son going to get in all this bloody student debt for nothing?

224 replies

Gameofbones · 17/07/2021 21:17

We are a very low income family. Ds is set to go to university in September. I’m really proud as he is the first one out of my lot to go.

Now I’m seeing headlines suggesting new lockdowns in September.

He has secured the maximum amount of maintenance loan which with course costs is about £18.5k a year.

I can’t believe he is going to get into all this debt if he is going to have to ‘do uni’ from home!

We are so tight for space, not sure how he is going to manage it.

If your dc went to university last year did they get money back. How did it work?

OP posts:
HarebrightCedarmoon · 18/07/2021 06:50

@sskanky

Christ. He shouldn't get in that debt to study media. No one in the industry rates media studies degrees. What does he actually want to do with it. What university is it?
That's absolute nonsense, while it's hard to get any job in media, it won't harm your chances to getting into the industry by doing a media studies degree. Students should study what they enjoy, above all, and media is one of the most vital and relevant areas that pervades our everyday lives. I'm afraid there are some outdated prejudices on this thread which you would do best to ignore, OP.

As for starting in September, I'd be looking into what the cancellation and withdrawal options are in detail now, and thinking about deferring. But then Covid does not appear to be going away, so it could be the same in Sept 2022.

mumonthehill · 18/07/2021 06:58

Congratulations!! My ds started uni last September, has it been fantastic no, but he has enjoyed. If your ds will enjoy the course, enjoy meeting new people, make the most of it then it will be a positive experience. Many of us have done degrees that we may not have used however that does not mean going to uni is a wasted experience. Encourage him all the way.

MonsterKidz · 18/07/2021 06:59

Could he apply for part of the loan now to cover the fees and then if they stay online he won’t be saddled with the debt of the maintenance loan part?

TheVampiresWife · 18/07/2021 06:59

Fucking hell some of the replies on here!

OP, DD graduated last summer (well, she finished uni, there was no graduation). From January to the start of the pandemic there were strikes at her uni and she was barely there because of them. Then the pandemic hit and the rest of her course was done remotely. So over half of her final year (and her dissertation) were all done at home. She did get a refund though - for just over £100. As it was she got a first anyway and yes it's totally fine to brag and be proud of your DC's educational achievements, whatever people on MN think. We're a low income family also (only DH working, I'm disabled) and DD also took full maintenance loans. She lived at home though so at least she didn't lose money on accommodation like a lot of her course mates. She did an English degree at a Russell Group uni and starts teacher training in September - some people said an English degree was worthless but her career is on track, so just goes to show.

Lots of luck to your DS, I hope uni life is brilliant for him Smile

Saltyslug · 18/07/2021 07:02

Can he defer and ha e a gap year volunteering in a relative industry? Also earn some cash, get some life experience.

Pixxie7 · 18/07/2021 07:10

I think the government will do everything they can to keep schools and universities open.

hangonamo · 18/07/2021 07:41

It would be very unlikely that he wouldn’t need to retrain after his degree and would probably need to pay for it.

That may be true if he wants to do a law conversion course or whatever, but I've worked in tv and radio for 20+ years and if that's the industry he ends up in, this is completely wrong.

Weebleweeble · 18/07/2021 08:01

According to wiki Ravensbourne is a specialist uni 'Ravensbourne University London (formerly Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication) is a digital media and design university, with vocational courses in fashion, television and broadcasting, interactive product design, architecture and environment design, graphic design, animation, moving image, music production for media and sound design.' it has been up and running since 1959.
It only has 2,500 students. Bristol uni , for example , has 30,000. People here criticising it are making bad assumptions - it appears to be specialist and shouldn't be compared with big unis. Students putting off a year due to Covid are going to have double or more, the number of graduates to compete with when they do finally get on the jobs market.
I would, if he were mine, be advising him to go for it, it sounds amazing with a whole range of subjects, get stuck in and ,hopefully, as he graduates , covid will be a thing of the past and the world will be booming - an ideal opportunity for a keen media employee.

avocadotofu · 18/07/2021 08:16

I think it's amazing that your son will be the first in your family to go to university. You are right to feel proud. It sounds like a great specialist uni so I'd go for it. I think he'll have a wonderful experience and broaden his horizons. I think there is value in education itself and it depresses me that people only seem to think about education in terms of employment. He can always go on run do a masters and specialise in something else after his degree. I'm sorry people are being so unkind.

Pearlypinknails · 18/07/2021 08:41

If you're still reading OP there's a brilliant Facebook group called WIWIKAU where people will be able to answer/help.

I think Rave is well regarded in the industry.

I hope he has a great time.

HforHotel · 18/07/2021 09:14

That's a hell of a lot of money for a degree that isn't going to hold much weight. Also, as an HR Director, I've overseen grad recruiting for the past 20 years. I've never heard of the university.

A degree is a barrier to entry for many professions. However, it isn't about having any degree... it also needs to be from a credible institution and awarded at a 2:1 or above. IMO he would be better off looking at clearing to find a place at a higher- placed university.

Bryonyshcmyony · 18/07/2021 09:18

@HforHotel

That's a hell of a lot of money for a degree that isn't going to hold much weight. Also, as an HR Director, I've overseen grad recruiting for the past 20 years. I've never heard of the university.

A degree is a barrier to entry for many professions. However, it isn't about having any degree... it also needs to be from a credible institution and awarded at a 2:1 or above. IMO he would be better off looking at clearing to find a place at a higher- placed university.

I really do wonder if people are who they say they are on here.
Nitgel · 18/07/2021 09:20

I have never posted on mn about my sons degrees as they would disregard them. However it has enabled them to get better jobs in the real world than they would not have otherwise. It's still a fact that companies want degrees to get in the door. Not everyone wants a professional career.

Bryonyshcmyony · 18/07/2021 09:23

Presumably you don't have any creatives in your business? I mean, how can you actually be a director of human resources and not heard of Ravensbourne?I presume what you mean is that you think Oxbridge and Bristol are the be all and end all.

HforHotel · 18/07/2021 09:23

@Bryonyshcmyony I'd like to say I'm also a dr based on my awesome self-diagnosis of medical symptoms on Google 😂

But alas I only know HR. Many many years of it. We have tens of thousands of new grads applying for a few hundred places every year. It's not media. In any case, I've never come across the university mentioned by the OP.

Nitgel · 18/07/2021 09:23

And well done to your son op. I am hoping things will slowly improve.

AbsolutelyPatsy · 18/07/2021 09:24

oh the media snobs, ignore them op

Bryonyshcmyony · 18/07/2021 09:24

Well it's media specialist so not of interest to your firm, that doesn't mean it should be discounted.

Fwiw the people I know who have been some of the most financially successful work in film and TV. Its a massive, massive industry.

AbsolutelyPatsy · 18/07/2021 09:25

i echo the facebook group, What I wish I knew about University, or something,
many posters there will be in the same boat

AbsolutelyPatsy · 18/07/2021 09:25

i mean i echo the suggestioin!

southeastdweller · 18/07/2021 09:30

@Bryonyshcmyony

Presumably you don't have any creatives in your business? I mean, how can you actually be a director of human resources and not heard of Ravensbourne?I presume what you mean is that you think Oxbridge and Bristol are the be all and end all.
Ravensbourne is a relatively small and niche university and largely unknown so I can understand why someone - even a HR manager - would never have heard of it.
CastawayQueen · 18/07/2021 09:31

@drpet49

Media degree is worthless in the real world.
Again, a vocational degree in media production (which is what OP’s son is doing) is worlds away from a generic ‘media studies’ degree which is an academic study of media without a strong practical component
lilly247 · 18/07/2021 09:31

I think the replies on this thread are absolutely disgusting!!

Ignore the negativity OP around his subject choice!! I can't stand people who automatically assume that because the uni subject isn't law or something that it's worthless.

I went to university to do drama (yes.. a 'Mickey Mouse degree'). My parents just told me to study what I enjoyed and it would all work out... so I did.

My degree gave me really strong skills in writing for an audience (because I had to write a lot of plays) plus confidence to speak in front of people. Because of this I secured an job after university in business development, specifically grant proposal writing to secure the company new business/income. I couldn't have got that role without my degree and I beat many other applicants. Because of my degree I was really confident to do presentations in front of many people (skills that my peers, who didn't study drama didn't have) and I shot through the ranks very quickly.

Fast forward ten years and I'm now high up in business development for a huge national company. I love my job and have learned so many skills.

So PLEASE ignore the people who are implying that he won't get far with a media degree. They really don't know what his future holds!

CastawayQueen · 18/07/2021 09:32

Also as pp have mentioned th point of the thread is student debt.
And it’s not a loan rather a graduate tax so really your son isn’t losing anything by going ….

Crepescular · 18/07/2021 09:37

@Obakarama

Rubbish some of you are spouting. Ravensbourne is excellent and very well regarded. Of course pandemic will compromise the experience but lecturers are working flat out to make it work.
Nah, Ravensbourne is shit in every criteria that universities are judged on. Waste of time going there. Waste of money too.
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