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

[Gameofbones]

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?

As a WC person, I'm really annoyed that other WC people have been mislead into believing that all universities and all courses are worth getting into a substantial amount of debt for.

While all universities are not equal it is far too simplistic to declare that certain universities aren't worth attending/getting into debt for. It is these universities that drive social mobility in this country and therefore have an important role to play in the HE sector.

As a WC person who now owns a film and TV production company, I get a bit fucked off by MNers who think they know everything about everything (even industries they wouldn’t recognise if they buy them on the arse) cos they went to an RG university back in the 90s.

Don't step away, just use the information on this thread to help him make informed choices.

Dd took an advertising and Editorial Photography Degree at a mediocre uni.

Graduated last May and been in full time work ever since.

Maybe this course is perfect for him but maybe not and clearing/deferral is best.

@HelloMissus

As a WC person who now owns a film and TV production company, I get a bit fucked off by MNers who think they know everything about everything (even industries they wouldn’t recognise if they buy them on the arse) cos they went to an RG university back in the 90s.

I agree, they should be ashamed of themselves. That combination of ignorance and superiority is so poisonous.

@stayathomegardener

Don't step away, just use the information on this thread to help him make informed choices. Dd took an advertising and Editorial Photography Degree at a mediocre uni. Graduated last May and been in full time work ever since. Maybe this course is perfect for him but maybe not and clearing/deferral is best.

That's assuming he's not made an informed choice. He's selected a specialist university so it's more likely he has researched this carefully than not.

@Cam2020

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?

Sorry but I agree.

And it's not lots of poshy MNetters being nasty, it's people voicing their opinions based on experience. As a WC person, I'm really annoyed that other WC people have been mislead into believing that all universities and all courses are worth getting into a substantial amount of debt for.

Sorry, but do you have direct experience of media production and this specific course at this specific college?

If not, perhaps have a bit of a reflect on whether your opinion is useful in this specific context?

I think it'd be fab if someone on this thread who works in the industry were to offer the OP's DS some work experience or similar. That'd show the doubters!

@Santastealer

Honestly the degree snobbery on here is ridiculous!

Yes it’s a lot of debt, but the kid wants to go to uni, that should be celebrated no matter what he wants to study.

After his degree he could go into a graduate scheme which a lot of major companies offer. They don’t always care what the degree is in as long as you have one.

Agree. My friend studied law, works in Asda* 10 years later. Law didn't fit with her family, which she had pretty much right out of uni. Meanwhile another friend who did a "useless" degree got into a management graduate scheme and is doing really well financially.

*Of course, there is nothing "wrong" with working in Asda, just highlighting that she's never used her degree at all for work.

TheVamp my prod co is currently working remotely (as are most and as are the broadcasters) but there’s plenty of production going on if OPs DS can get himself there/put himself up etc

*by production I mean filming.
It’s usually quieting down now, but we’re all so way way behind schedule that we’re ploughing on through Summer as best we can.

Honestly, I am a English and Film graduate (graduated a few years back) and my advice to him is don't do it. I know you have every right to be proud of him that he got in, but I honestly do regret the student debt I have incurred and am currently working in a job which doesn't actually require a degree. My degree has not really been indespensible so far in my life, and I wish I had either done my degree in a country where education is free or not done it. Adding to the fact the pandemic has irreversibly changed the student experience, it's not worth it this year. We could be in another lockdown this winter. I can at least say I enjoyed socialising and doing many activities whilst I was at uni, which your son won't be able to do, at least not in the same way! At least defer this for another year to give him more time to have perspective, save up some money etc.

*Indispensible!!!

My degree didn't really start benefitting me until recently in terms of getting me up that pay scale. I still started out near the bottom of the ladder like I think a lot of graduates do. It doesn't necessarily let you start further up the ladder, but you can climb it quicker or further.
If you'd asked me in the first 5 or 6 years after graduating I might also have said I didn't need my degree and it was a waste.
Now however I need it (even though its not related), and it would have been a hell of a lot harder to get a degree now with 2 kids to look after and pay for.

@RestlessMillennial

Honestly, I am a English and Film graduate (graduated a few years back) and my advice to him is don't do it. I know you have every right to be proud of him that he got in, but I honestly do regret the student debt I have incurred and am currently working in a job which doesn't actually require a degree. My degree has not really been indespensible so far in my life, and I wish I had either done my degree in a country where education is free or not done it. Adding to the fact the pandemic has irreversibly changed the student experience, it's not worth it this year. We could be in another lockdown this winter. I can at least say I enjoyed socialising and doing many activities whilst I was at uni, which your son won't be able to do, at least not in the same way! At least defer this for another year to give him more time to have perspective, save up some money etc.

Did you not enjoy studying books and films? That sounds like a really interesting degree.

God this thread is a disgrace.

OP be proud of your DS, he's obviously done his homework on the right university for his chosen career (unlike many MNers on here) and is doing something he is passionate about.

Sort of unrelated - why is English student debt so much more than Scottish? I'm a mature student in Scotland and worked out once I graduate I'll have around 19k worth of student debt - how do you end up with that alone in just a year?

Fees are 9250 per year and then a maintenance loan on top.
After three years it’s easy to have accumulated 50k of debt.

@Gameofbones

He has been offered a place at Ravensbourne in London.

He wants to work in production. To be honest I don’t think he really knows at this time.

I’m a bit naive when it comes to uni, I never went and was so proud of him for wanting to go.

Ravensbourne is highly respected in the post production industry....my husband went 30 years ago and has worked in post production all his working life. Good on your son.

@StormcloakNord

Sort of unrelated - why is English student debt so much more than Scottish? I'm a mature student in Scotland and worked out once I graduate I'll have around 19k worth of student debt - how do you end up with that alone in just a year?

Because fees alone in England are £9k a year. So £27k for a standard course with no rent/living expenses.

Thanks for those who replied - I didn't realise the difference in cost. That's crazy... is there any reason studying in Scotland is so much cheaper? Can people not come up here to study to save money?

I did English Literature at Bath Spa University 20 years ago. It turned out to be pretty much worthless in the job market. Bath Spa is about 100 on the ranking list while Ravensbourne is at the very bottom of the list. Media Studies was considered a joke 20 years ago, so heck knows how it's viewed now. It would be absolute madness to get into that kind of debt for that course.

@AmplifiedCell everyone could have guessed that a degree in English literature from Bath spa would be useless. A degree in media production from a specialist university is quite obviously different.

@AmplifiedCell

I did English Literature at Bath Spa University 20 years ago. It turned out to be pretty much worthless in the job market. Bath Spa is about 100 on the ranking list while Ravensbourne is at the very bottom of the list. Media Studies was considered a joke 20 years ago, so heck knows how it's viewed now. It would be absolute madness to get into that kind of debt for that course.

One of my closest friends studied English Literature at a similar ranking university about 15 years ago. Now she's a journalist doing very well for herself.

Just because your degree didn't help you doesn't mean this young man's degree won't help him. And it's not even media studies...it's media production at a specialist university! Perhaps, despite being an English graduate, your comprehension skills need some work!

@StormcloakNord

Thanks for those who replied - I didn't realise the difference in cost. That's crazy... is there any reason studying in Scotland is so much cheaper? Can people not come up here to study to save money?

Scottish students don't have to pay full tuition fees at Scottish universities. An English student choosing to study in Scotland has to pay the full fees of £9k+