|
|
Post by boris on Sept 29, 2010 9:57:13 GMT
The other factor that needs to be borne in mind when considering why there are so many more people going to uni now is that so many more jobs require degrees. My brother used to be an accountant; he got a job with a firm in Aylesbury straight from leaving school with a handful of O levels. The following year the requirement to get a job in accountancy was raised to at least one A level. A few years later it was raised to require a degree. The same process happened in a lot of other jobs (eg town planning, which is what I graduated in), and many have now extended that to require specialist further qualification post-degree.
|
|
|
|
Post by The Resurrection on Sept 29, 2010 10:24:21 GMT
Actually I wasn't referring to you. And what's with the "high horse" comment, or does that apply to anyone with strong views on anything, to your mind?The bottom line is, i think, that i am and I think i speak for a lot of people of my genration here, sick and tired of being told by a bunch of old farts in their armchairs how worthless and in effect pointless whatever qualification I have just achieved is. Its a real kick in the teeth to graft and work and put the effort in to achieve a decent grade only to be told on the nine o'clock news the same evening that the reason you got a good mark wasn't because of the work you put in but rather because the test was p#ss easy or the qualification has been dumbed down. Good post. |
|
|
|
Post by Simon Lill on Sept 29, 2010 18:15:12 GMT
I'm convinced the vast majority of students go to uni now purely to get p*ssed and laid. It's the 'holyoaks' affect. Getting a degree is just a convenient by-product that in reality doesn't mean as much as it used to as the market is diluted with likeminded graduates. If I was an employer I'd value experience, potential and character over a degree. Thanks for that. Nice to know I'm just a sex-crazed pisshead. Its also good to know my degree means sh!t too... When did you get your degree? |
|
|
|
Post by chris1986 on Sept 29, 2010 18:39:07 GMT
I'm convinced the vast majority of students go to uni now purely to get p*ssed and laid. Some do, but most of them I met didn't make it into second year. You can't tarnish all "young people" with the same brush. Some do try hard to make something of their lives. |
|
|
|
Post by sam1985 on Sept 29, 2010 19:09:24 GMT
Just listening to an interesting radio debate on standards of English amongst the young. Does it matter whether they can spell and punctuate, or speak like refugees from the Bronx, or use a multitude of annoying "likes" and "innits" in every sentence? Made me think of the annual debate about A level results and why pass rates are increasing year on year. I then, eventually, started thinking about degree standard education. We all know that close to 50% of school leavers now go to "Uni". When I was 18 it was 2%. Looking at the Times the other day, typically 65%+ of students achieve firsts or 2:1s. In my day a first was rare, and upper seconds difficult to get. So - a) What's the point of 50% of people going to University? A degree now cannot be worth as much to an employer, assuming a graduate can find one; b) Why not apply a bell curve to results, with, say, no more than 10% getting firsts and 2:1s? That would at least give the holders a premium. Seriously? I heard that mentioned as a New Labour target years ago but didn't think we were anywhere near that. |
|
|
|
Post by Lone Gunman on Sept 29, 2010 19:46:07 GMT
Thanks for that. Nice to know I'm just a sex-crazed pisshead. Its also good to know my degree means sh!t too... 2011. Hopefully. |
|
|
|
Post by Simon Lill on Sept 29, 2010 20:02:49 GMT
When did you get your degree? 2011. Hopefully. And the social life on offer didn't form ANY part in your decision to go to uni? I'm not saying ALL students go for the partying but I remain convinced the increase in applications over the years is influenced more by the idea of 3-4 years of 'fun' and less by a desire to get a degree. I don't have the figures, but I'd be interested to know how many students chose a degree based on a specific career choice they had in mind and how many graduates never actually use the degree they got. I'm only 33 and I went to college and then in to employment. I'm 100% confident that the 4 years I spent in work stood me in better stead than if I'd spent them at Uni...but...but even I wish I'd gone to Uni...and purely for the p*ssups! Maybe it's just me! :-) Good luck by the way |
|
|
|
Post by Winchesterox on Sept 30, 2010 19:28:17 GMT
I am a teacher in a comprehensive school for 14-18 years olds. We now only teach students how to pass exams and nothing else. This is purely and simply to improve pass rates. Students can get marks for their maths exams simply by the correct working out even if the answer is wrong. There are maths workshops for those who are close to gaining 'c' grades but those below 'c' are largely ignored. In English, some of the spelling in this age group is appalling, but marks are not deducted for poor spelling when in my day they were. Educational standards have gone to pot. Its all statistics to keep Ofsted happy. Just curious as I've heard it stated a lot. How is that actually done, in practice? |
|
