UK University Tuition Fee Concerns

Interesting point, lucky for me it's going to be a while before I have to worry about it, but I wonder what are the alternatives?

Could it be Private Tuition? by any chance? Tell me that wasn't a self promo John

Hi diggersjohn33

Although his academic tutors will throw up their hands in horror at what I'm saying, your son needs to think longer term than just the next stage of his education. If he doesn't have a clue what he wants to do career-wise in the medium-term future, then he's very liable to make the wrong decisions about his future study and qualifications.

Schools tend to promote the university route only because (a) that's what they know most about; and (b) parents have tended to rate the schools according to the percentage of their pupils going on to university. The university route may fast track your son's progress in the occupation(s) that appeal to him - or may take him in the wrong direction.

His other options include going through the study / work experience programmes leading to qualifications set by the appropriate professional body; and undertaking work-based learning (NVQs) up to and beyond first degree level. If he chooses the degree route, your son can choose a conventional UK university (for full or part-time study); UK distance learning (OU can't be bettered in my view); or study overseas in a country (eg the Netherlands) where the fees are much cheaper and the tuition is in English.

Would strongly suggest you ask your son to do a bit of careers research in between his college work assignments! The librarian in his college library will be only too pleased to show him the careers guidance software he can access for free, to start him thinking about his future. Encourage him to use the results of the software as a starting point only - he should ask for a one to one session with the careers advisor to explore his thinking further.

Good luck! Linda

I think this is going to a growing issue that young people will be facing so thanks for raising it!!

HA no. I should change that actually.

He's a pretty good student, but I don't know whether 'all paid' scholarships are a possibility. What he wants (what he says anyway...) is the paperwork, not necessarily the whole 'university lifestyle'.

I was looking long distance learning courses such as this: HNC in Business Distance Learning Online Course

Similar to OU? Can save plenty of

I'm just glad I got mine whilst I could...

Re "thoughts" (about the distance learning option) ...

Distance learning suits those who can self-organise and self-motivate.

Very extroverted people can't knuckle down to it very easily (they wander off after half an hour's work looking for someone to talk to ).

The quality of the material is particularly important in distance learning as contact time with the tutor and fellow students is so restricted.

I did my first degree at a conventional university and my second through OU. I enjoyed both but they were different experiences.

I think that depends on your son's personality as a learner. If your son is an auditory learner, he might not enjoy or learn something from online schooling as there are no lectures or personal interaction involved in it. If your son is a read-write learner, meaning he prefers getting information from what he reads, enrolling in an online school would be a good choice.

Distance learning could be a viable option - especially if he does a more vocational course, what is he looking to study?

A business course of some description, he's not 100% sure what area to focus in quite yet.

Since last logging in I requested a pack to be sent and it arrived this morning. Seems rather flexible. Best of all, no set 'term time'. A course can just begin any time of the year... He'll love this I'm sure!!