Is going to University worth it?

When five percent of the population went to university, being a graduate meant something. Today, the value of a degree is measured by the combination of the three factors: the quality of the course, the status of the institution and the class of the degree. Of these, you need at least two out of three to make it.

Sadly, too many young people are being wooed to read meaningless courses at institutions that are more concerned with funding than teaching. They are being sold a dream of a graduate premium that simply will not be there for them.

One of the positive aspects of student loans for university tuition fees is that it forces young people to invest in themselves by making a financial commitment to their studies. A prudent sixth former should research the employment rates for their chosen course weigh those up against the living and tuition costs that they are going to incur. Furthermore I expect students to demand better value for money from their universities in terms of the teaching and learning that they have to offer.