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In some parts of the UK, you mean :-) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-23279868 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-23279868

awfycooper 12y ago
This is why it's a god send if you have a Scottish relative of some sort when you grow up poor in England. A couple of friends of mine used this exact loophole in order to further their education when they had to leave high school.
sambeau 12y ago
This isn't such a simple story. The current Scottish Government has been widely criticised by opponents for using cuts in the College budgets to fund their free tuition policy for Universities. As colleges and universities are, sadly, still stratified by class in the UK this could have a detrimental on effect for social mobility in Scotland. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-23871169 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-2387...
- brianmcc 12y ago
  Interesting point. Genuine question: you don't feel that basically free degree courses are, with some individual cases to the contrary, sure, still a massive net benefit to social mobility?
  - sambeau 12y ago
    Opponents argue that it is of a small net benefit to the middle classes and those who do well at school first time round. They suggest that those who require to use college to gain entrance to university and those who cannot afford to be supported through four years of higher education (grants and loans being unable to cover living costs) are left out (along with young people who simply want to learn a trade) in favour of those that can afford it. I, however, was very careful to not bring personal politics into this ;-)
    - brianmcc 12y ago
      Fair enough. FWIW I think we do need more of a focus on vocational training, apprenticeships, and that degrees-for-all isn't the right direction, per se. But I must admit I hadn't really been too aware that some folks were losing out in the "no tuition fees" thing. Never black and white is it...

awfycooper 12y ago

This is why it's a god send if you have a Scottish relative of some sort when you grow up poor in England. A couple of friends of mine used this exact loophole in order to further their education when they had to leave high school.

sambeau 12y ago

This isn't such a simple story. The current Scottish Government has been widely criticised by opponents for using cuts in the College budgets to fund their free tuition policy for Universities. As colleges and universities are, sadly, still stratified by class in the UK this could have a detrimental on effect for social mobility in Scotland. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-23871169 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-2387...

brianmcc 12y ago
Interesting point. Genuine question: you don't feel that basically free degree courses are, with some individual cases to the contrary, sure, still a massive net benefit to social mobility?
- sambeau 12y ago
  Opponents argue that it is of a small net benefit to the middle classes and those who do well at school first time round. They suggest that those who require to use college to gain entrance to university and those who cannot afford to be supported through four years of higher education (grants and loans being unable to cover living costs) are left out (along with young people who simply want to learn a trade) in favour of those that can afford it. I, however, was very careful to not bring personal politics into this ;-)
  - brianmcc 12y ago
    Fair enough. FWIW I think we do need more of a focus on vocational training, apprenticeships, and that degrees-for-all isn't the right direction, per se. But I must admit I hadn't really been too aware that some folks were losing out in the "no tuition fees" thing. Never black and white is it...