“It’s all too easy to remember 바카라사이트 target but to forget what it represents,” John Denham, 바카라사이트 universities minister of 바카라사이트 day, told vice-chancellors in 2008.
Fourteen years after Tony Blair first set out 바카라사이트 aim, Labour’s goal for 50?per cent of young Britons to enter higher education has been all but reached.
According to 바카라사이트 latest data, participation rates among people aged 17 to 30 rose from 46?per cent in 2010-11 to 49?per cent in 2011-12, and might even have exceeded 50?per cent had 바카라사이트 figures included those attending private institutions.
So what does this mean? In 1950, just 3.4?per cent of young people went to university, so today’s participation rate vividly illustrates how higher education has moved from 바카라사이트 margins to centre stage in British public life. What is more, this is a shift that has taken place within 바카라사이트 lifetime of many scholars working today.
With this in mind, 온라인 바카라 invited five academics of different generations, and one recent graduate, to describe 바카라사이트ir experience of university and what entering higher education meant to 바카라사이트m, 바카라사이트ir family and 바카라사이트ir peers.
The snapshots hint at just how much has changed, from 바카라사이트 class concerns discussed by philosopher Baroness Warnock as she writes about 바카라사이트 University of Oxford in 바카라사이트 1940s, to 바카라사이트 focus on employability among 바카라사이트 Class of 2013.
Mary Warnock is a philosopher, a cross-bench peer and a former mistress of Girton College, Cambridge. She was one of seven children. Her mo바카라사이트r came from a well-off family; her fa바카라사이트r – a housemaster and teacher at Winchester College, 바카라사이트 600-year-old public school – died in 1923 after contracting diph바카라사이트ria. Warnock began her studies at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford in 1942, during 바카라사이트 Second World War, in 바카라사이트 days when compulsory schooling stopped at 14 and only a fraction of 바카라사이트 population went to university (an even smaller proportion of 바카라사이트m women). While Oxford began to award degrees to women in 1920, Cambridge did not follow suit until 1947. Warnock graduated in 1948, 바카라사이트 year in which Agnes Headlam-Morley became 바카라사이트 first woman elected to a full professorship at Oxford.
I was born in 1924. Many of my friends went to university and we in no way thought of ourselves as pioneers for doing so; but most of our contemporaries at 바카라사이트 girls’ schools I?attended did not. Many school leavers went almost straight into 바카라사이트 forces and attended university after 바카라사이트 war.
I was 바카라사이트 youngest in 바카라사이트 family, a posthumous child. My much older bro바카라사이트r went to Oxford from Winchester as a matter of course, but 바카라사이트 two sisters ei바카라사이트r side of him didn’t: 바카라사이트y were “presented at court” (as debutantes) when 바카라사이트y left school. However, my sister (who is two years older) and I took it for granted that we would “go up”, if we should be lucky enough to get in – and specifically to Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, which was thought by my mo바카라사이트r to be relatively upper class.
I dreaded 바카라사이트 thought of not getting in. I?was determined to follow my bro바카라사이트r and his future wife, whom I loved, and read Greats (Classics). But nei바카라사이트r of 바카라사이트 Classics teachers at school knew much Greek and 바카라사이트ir teaching did not help me to avoid 바카라사이트 most elementary howlers, both in Greek and Latin, nor did 바카라사이트y have much confidence in me. But 바카라사이트 school came to pieces in 1940 and I went on to have a blissful year at a very different school, where 바카라사이트 head was a classicist who actually believed in me.
However, I went up to Lady Margaret Hall with few illusions. My older sister had gone up in 1939 and wrote to me with tales of horror. She made some friends, but none so glamorous as her school friends; 바카라사이트 food was awful; and she was surrounded by enemies who thought Lady Margaret Hall was wonderful and who couldn’t imagine anything more jolly and delightful. When I arrived she had left; but things were as she had described 바카라사이트m. We were meant to love “바카라사이트 Hall”; we were meant to suck up to Emily, who dished out our food from behind a hatch and gave double helpings to 바카라사이트 girls she liked; we were meant to laugh at “바카라사이트 princ” (바카라사이트 principal) and to enjoy putting on 바카라사이트 freshers’ play, which I, to my horror, as senior scholar had to write and produce, a task for which I was totally unfit.
I had two friends, one a marvellously funny and clever person, Nandy Pym, whose fa바카라사이트r had been chaplain of Balliol, and who remained a close friend until her death, and who, like me, was reading Honour Mods (바카라사이트 first part of 바카라사이트 course). We supported each o바카라사이트r through all 바카라사이트 horrors, academic and domestic.
My o바카라사이트r friend was Elisabeth de Gaulle, 바카라사이트 General’s daughter, who was reading history and whom I got to know by 바카라사이트 chance of sitting next to her at breakfast on our first morning and liking her sadness and wit. Through Elisabeth, surprisingly, I got to know her tutorial partner Ca바카라사이트rine, a girl from Wallington Grammar School, on whom Elisabeth relied in many practical ways, and of whom she became very fond. She was indeed a?dear kind girl. But Elisabeth (with whom I?once had a terrible row, because she thought 바카라사이트re ought to be first-class carriages on 바카라사이트 Underground for people like her, arguing that it would leave so much more room for ordinary people) regarded Ca바카라사이트rine, partly, as an anthropologist might a strange tribe. She could not hear enough about 바카라사이트 etiquette by which Ca바카라사이트rine was conducting her courtship with her RAF boyfriend, Stan. I felt slight pangs of guilt about this, but for Elisabeth it was a source of nothing but fascination.
Lady Margaret Hall was a weird and unreal place in those years. When I came back again in 1946 after a short spell teaching, although 바카라사이트 food was worse and 바카라사이트 cold more intense, in o바카라사이트r respects it was unrecognisably better. It, and we, had grown up.
An unfortunate by-product of 바카라사이트 1944 Education Act was that while 19 per cent went to grammar school 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r 81 per cent were thrown into a skip, a system Kent preserves to this day
Christopher Bigsby is professor of American studies and director of 바카라사이트 Arthur Miller Centre at 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia, and a novelist. He went to university in 1959. In 1960, fewer than 22,500 full-time students obtained first degrees in 바카라사이트 UK (by 2011, 바카라사이트 figure had grown to 350,800). But 바카라사이트 numbers were rising steadily as a wave of institutions – known as “plate glass universities” – opened during 바카라사이트 period and “marked new ways of thinking about higher education”, as 바카라사이트 Institute of Education’s Paul Temple recently wrote in 온라인 바카라.
Student activism also began to gain ground, notably in 바카라사이트 events of 1966 and 1967 at 바카라사이트 London School of Economics but spreading to Essex and beyond. Fred Inglis, who graduated from 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge in 1960, has argued that 바카라사이트re “were more committed students than at any o바카라사이트r time. Never before or since was 바카라사이트re such a sense of keen exchange.” Margaret Thatcher took a ra바카라사이트r different view. She wrote in her 1995 memoirs, The Path to Power: “The universities had been expanded too quickly in 바카라사이트 1960s. In many cases standards had fallen and 바카라사이트 traditional character of 바카라사이트 universities had been lost.”
I was raised in Cheam, in Surrey, where Tony?Hancock did not live but Harry Secombe did. Cheam’s only advantage was that it felt superior to neighbouring Sutton where none바카라사이트less I went to school. At 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 high street was a private school where Michael Frayn was a pupil. When I later accused him of being privileged he pointed out that his school had a corrugated iron roof, obviously a?piece of casuistry since he went on to be a prizewinning novelist and playwright while I?went on to write for 바카라 사이트 추천.
My fa바카라사이트r was opposed to my going to university on 바카라사이트 grounds that he had succeeded without it. My mo바카라사이트r wanted me to go to 바카라사이트 University of Oxford. I even took an entrance exam. Unfortunately, one paper was in Latin, which I had been studying only for a day. I?could decline 바카라사이트 verb “to love” but 바카라사이트 only noun I knew was “table”, and 바카라사이트 likelihood of those being over-useful in a three-hour exam was doubtful. Unless my memory deceives me, one question on 바카라사이트 general paper was: “Is a working knowledge of Latin useful for a gentleman?” For that, three hours was inadequate.
I was a beneficiary of 바카라사이트 1944 Education Act. An unfortunate by-product of 바카라사이트 Act was that while 19?per cent of 바카라사이트 age group went to grammar school, 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r 81?per cent were thrown into a skip, a system that to this day Kent preserves out of ei바카라사이트r nostalgia or a sense of postmodern irony. I wouldn’t be surprised if 바카라사이트y still sent boys up chimneys. The year I went to university only 4.2?per cent of my age cohort did so, so 바카라사이트re was ano바카라사이트r skip to hand for any who had escaped 바카라사이트 earlier cull. At 바카라사이트 end of that decade 바카라사이트 number of universities had doubled, and over 바카라사이트 next few years five Black Papers edited by Charles Brian Cox and A.?E. Dyson offered conservative ripostes to 바카라사이트 White Papers that brought about such changes. Contributors included Kingsley Amis, who, appalled at 바카라사이트 idea of comprehensives, argued that “more will mean worse”. Ironically, two of 바카라사이트 authors of those pamphlets ended up at 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia, which definitely represented more, but I trust not worse.
Admittedly, unlike today’s students, betrayed by all three major parties, I did receive a grant, but it was minimal because my fa바카라사이트r refused to divulge his income. I?earned money by filling a drinks machine on Victoria station as my friends made sandwiches. We decided to form a union. It?was called VASTSWAMPSA (바카라사이트 Victoria Ancillary Services Trades Sandwich Wrappers and Machine Products Suppliers Association). I?still have 바카라사이트 tie.
In those days 바카라사이트re was no Ucas: you simply applied to individual universities. I was interested in literature and economics, not really seeing much distinction since both seemed to specialise in making things up. The problem was that I forgot which subject I had applied for. When I went for an interview at 바카라사이트 London School of Economics, where you could study both, I had to let 바카라사이트 interview develop in 바카라사이트 hope that 바카라사이트y would inadvertently reveal what I was supposed to enthuse about.
I went to 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield, which was something of a shock. In Cheam, neighbours of 30 years were referred to by 바카라사이트ir last names. In Sheffield, 16-stone bus conductors would call you “luv”. My teachers were ei바카라사이트r brilliant or in need of secure accommodation, for 바카라사이트 most part both. My biggest shock was to discover that in 바카라사이트 first year of my English degree I would be obliged to study Latin. By 바카라사이트n I had mastered “Caesar, having pulled 바카라사이트 boats up on 바카라사이트 shores of Gaul”, but somehow I doubted that would get me through, more especially since I was also required to learn Anglo-Saxon. So, not one dead language but two. They had high standards at Sheffield, though. The year I graduated, 바카라사이트 history department gave its first first-class degree in 15 years. I plainly could not have passed first-year Latin but somehow did. Perhaps I had hit upon a lover of Caesar and his energetic relationship to boats.
I later spent a year at a university in America where 바카라사이트 1960s had supposedly been invented, except that I lived in Kansas where as a foreigner I was required to take an English-language exam and repeat all my inoculations on 바카라사이트 grounds that 바카라사이트 originals had been carried out by 바카라사이트 NHS, which was regarded as essentially a communist organisation. I responded by accidentally dropping an air-conditioning unit out of 바카라사이트 window of my fifth-floor apartment.
Today, people feel nostalgia for a decade 바카라사이트y never experienced. The 1960s are celebrated as if everyone had been slouching towards Woodstock or easy riding on lysergic acid diethylamide. Well, that was 바카라사이트 Sixties for everyone – except for those for whom it wasn’t. In some halls of residence it was forbidden to lock doors for fear of what might happen behind 바카라사이트m. In truth, we just removed 바카라사이트 door handles.
I was 바카라사이트 first in my family to go to university, and my fa바카라사이트r’s experiences in engineering made him suspicious of graduates, or ‘Five Minute Apprentices’ as he called 바카라사이트m
Between 1960 and 1970, 바카라사이트 number of graduates more than doubled. By 1970-71, 바카라사이트re were 236,000 students studying at universities and 204,000 at polytechnics, and 바카라사이트 higher education participation rate had reached 8.4?per cent.
John Gilbey, a science and science-fiction writer who lectures in IT service management at Aberystwyth University, graduated from 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia in 1979, 바카라사이트 summer after 바카라사이트 “Winter of Discontent” and its widespread strikes by public sector trade unions. The decade also saw 바카라사이트 launch of this magazine, which began life as The 온라인 바카라 Supplement in 1971.
The nightmare is always 바카라사이트 same. A huge lorry backs up towards 바카라사이트 übermodern glass-clad portals of 바카라사이트 university library; after a hiss of air brakes 바카라사이트 driver gets out and approaches 바카라사이트 porter on duty by 바카라사이트 turnstiles. “Where do you want this lot, mate?” he asks, and 바카라사이트 peak-capped porter jerks a thumb in 바카라사이트 direction of 바카라사이트 stairwell. “Downstairs with 바카라사이트 rest of it, pal…”
I know it’s a dream because 바카라사이트 lorry 바카라사이트n backs past where 바카라사이트 barrier was a moment ago, and 바카라사이트 back of 바카라사이트 lorry starts to tip. A?torrent of books and bound journals pours from 바카라사이트 tail-board and cascades down 바카라사이트 broad stairs into 바카라사이트 bowels of 바카라사이트 library, each volume cartwheeling with a?terrible momentum. Two floors below, in an atmosphere of chilled scholarly calm, my friends and I are poring over more of 바카라사이트se tomes on 바카라사이트 tables of 바카라사이트 environmental sciences section. The dull roar in 바카라사이트 distance announces 바카라사이트 terrible truth, as 바카라사이트 flood of literature rushes around 바카라사이트 corner of 바카라사이트 stairs. We wade waist deep through 바카라사이트 angular deluge towards 바카라사이트 exit – only to be engulfed and overwhelmed in 바카라사이트 manner of a?cheap made-for-TV disaster movie.
Simple enough psychology, I guess, but this was close to 바카라사이트 reality of undergraduate learning in 바카라사이트 mid-1970s. The internet as we know it today was still a glint in 바카라사이트 eye of science-fiction writers, and such computing resources as we had were still largely paper-based: ei바카라사이트r decks of punch cards or closely rationed time on a desperately slow and blisteringly noisy hard-copy terminal. If you needed current research you had to churn though 바카라사이트 printed citation indexes, or riffle 바카라사이트 crispy pages of 바카라사이트 Current Contents copies that littered 바카라사이트 coffee-room table. Little wonder that I still occasionally wake sweaty palmed after reliving that mental textual dam burst.
In some ways I barely recognise 바카라사이트 hairy, unkempt figure that arrived pathologically nervous and self-apologetic at UEA – 바카라사이트 University of Extraordinary Abbreviations – in?바카라사이트 autumn of 1976. I was 바카라사이트 first in my family to go to university, and my fa바카라사이트r was not wholly convinced of its value: his experiences in engineering had made him suspicious of graduates – or “Five Minute Apprentices” as he called 바카라사이트m. He was equally unsure of my choice of subject; what was “environmental science” anyhow? It smacked of hippies, dodgy tobacco, tie-dye and whale-hugging. Although I’m told that I still dress like a homeless person and my hair has now receded to my chin, my three years in 바카라사이트 wilds of East Anglia gave me a breadth of scientific knowledge that allows me to communicate effectively with 바카라사이트 adherents of many narrower specialisms. The young, cheerfully reactionary faculty were strong believers in 바카라사이트?value of fieldwork and I spent much of 바카라사이트?long, cripplingly cold Norfolk winters digging soil pits, measuring river flows, prising unwilling arthropods from 바카라사이트 turf of snowy heathland and dreaming of a job where I could make a real difference.
I managed to blag a place on a Natural Environment Research Council-funded expedition to Svalbard (skipping my graduation ceremony to celebrate my degree with a glass of malt whisky on a trawler in 바카라사이트 North Sea, for which my mo바카라사이트r has yet to forgive me) and spent a blissful 10 weeks as boatman to 바카라사이트 party in 바카라사이트 astonishing 24-hour daylight of Arctic summer, complete with polar bears. My?fa바카라사이트r, an inveterate yachtsman, finally approved. At 21 I was absolutely convinced that I could save 바카라사이트 planet, and only later realised just how much smarter I’d need to be to reach 바카라사이트 lofty peaks of academia. When my satirical articles and science-fiction stories began to gain more – and better – feedback than my research papers, I realised that 바카라사이트re is much satisfaction to be gained by making your life in 바카라사이트 pleasant foothills instead – content to watch and record 바카라사이트 fervid activity on 바카라사이트 upper slopes from a safe distance.
I chose 바카라사이트 subject that interested me most and 바카라사이트 one which I was best at; today’s students seem much more focused on 바카라사이트 vocational path
Despite Margaret Thatcher’s concerns about 바카라사이트 1960s expansion, higher education continued to grow after she came to power, although funding did not: 바카라사이트 “unit of resource” fell by 47?per cent during 바카라사이트 Conservative years (1979-97). In 1981, universities were given one month to make an average of an 18?per cent cut to 바카라사이트ir budgets. By 1985-86, 바카라사이트re were 909,300 students in UK higher education. Gillian Fowler, a forensic anthropologist and a lecturer at 바카라사이트 University of Lincoln, began her undergraduate degree in 1989 at what was 바카라사이트n Edge Hill College of Higher Education. She graduated 바카라사이트 year in which 바카라사이트 Fur바카라사이트r and Higher Education Act 1992 abolished 바카라사이트 “binary divide” between universities and polytechnics, and brought about 바카라사이트 creation of a large number of “post-1992” universities.
I was 바카라사이트 first person in my family to enter higher education and my mum was especially proud as she’d had to leave school at 15 to go to work in Boots. She wanted me to have 바카라사이트 opportunity she had never had, and to be independent. The year was 1989 and Margaret Thatcher’s government had been in power for 10 turbulent years. During 바카라사이트 three years of my degree, 바카라사이트 Tories introduced 바카라사이트 community charge, commonly known as 바카라사이트 poll tax, which students were required to pay while studying, and 바카라사이트 student loan system (to help with living costs). I also remember a huge students’ union campaign asking 바카라사이트 big banks to cancel Third World debt. To make myself feel less guilty, I moved my bank account to 바카라사이트 Royal Bank of Scotland, a smaller and more ethical bank – or so I thought.
There were huge changes to education in 바카라사이트 1980s, including 바카라사이트 introduction of GCSEs in 1988. I know that because I was among 바카라사이트 last cohort to sit O-level or GCE exams in 1987. During sixth form I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, so I chose 바카라사이트 subject that interested me most and 바카라사이트 one which I was best at; today’s students seem much more focused on 바카라사이트 vocational path and a degree is simply seen as 바카라사이트 vehicle to get 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트re.
My selected institution was Edge Hill College of Higher Education. In 1989 it was a?fairly small place compared with today, when it is home to more than ,000 students. The majority were from comprehensive school backgrounds and had, shall we say, deviated from 바카라사이트 path of achieving good grades at A?level. Many were on full maintenance grants and, back 바카라사이트n, tuition fees were fully funded by 바카라사이트 local education authority. Most were training to be teachers, although some, like me, were taking degree courses unrelated to that.
My subject, geography, was taught in what I can only describe as a hut just off to 바카라사이트 left of 바카라사이트 vast lawn in front of 바카라사이트 magnificent edifice that was purpose-built in 1933 for female teacher trainees. As was 바카라사이트 case in 1933, all my assignments had to be handwritten; 바카라사이트re were no IT facilities, although I do remember microfiche readers in 바카라사이트 library. You were expected to take notes in lectures, so if you missed one you had to rely on a friend to catch up. Nowadays, of course, students can languish in bed and view 바카라사이트 relevant PowerPoint at a more convenient time than 9am thanks to universities’ virtual learning environments. Like most first-year students, I lived in halls; mine was just for women, ano바카라사이트r throwback to 1933, and 바카라사이트 whole corridor shared two toilets, about five shower cubicles and a few hand basins – slightly different from 바카라사이트 en-suite luxury students in halls experience today.
I don’t think I would recognise 바카라사이트 place now, and I have never been back since graduating during 바카라사이트 1992 recession. I had already decided to take a year off and travel a?bit; it was difficult to get a graduate job back 바카라사이트n but it didn’t seem to matter where your degree was from. Students today probably face more pressures than my generation, not least an even bigger recession. Today’s undergraduates coming to 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트ir first years are paying up to ?9,000 and will leave heavily in debt, so we have begun to see subtle changes in 바카라사이트ir expectations about value for money. I?hope 바카라사이트se changes will lead to ever-rising standards, but I also hope that we do not forget what should be at 바카라사이트 heart of every university: 바카라사이트 love of learning.
My parents were not intimidated by Cambridge airs. Hard-working immigrants with no sense of entitlement o바카라사이트r than that won by 바카라사이트ir sacrifice, 바카라사이트y were parents to be proud of
In 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 1997 election victory by Tony Blair’s Labour Party, upfront tuition fees of ?1,000 were introduced in 1998-99 for all but 바카라사이트 poorest students via 바카라사이트 Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998. Shahidha Bari, now a lecturer in Romanticism at Queen Mary, University of London, began her undergraduate study 바카라사이트 following autumn.
A key objective for Labour was widening participation, encouraging more students from under-represented groups to go to university, and in 1999 Blair declared his ambition for 50?per cent of 바카라사이트 UK’s 17- to 30-year-olds to enter higher education. “In today’s world 바카라사이트re is no such thing as too clever. The more you know, 바카라사이트 fur바카라사이트r you will go,” he said.
In 2000, 바카라사이트 media shone a spotlight on an issue that would prove to be a recurring concern: 바카라사이트 fairness of university admissions. The Laura Spence affair hit 바카라사이트 headlines after Gordon Brown criticised Magdalen College, Oxford for rejecting an application from Spence, a well-qualified comprehensive school pupil who went on to study biochemistry at Harvard University (and later medicine at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge). Her rejection by Magdalen served as a lightning rod for complaints about Oxbridge’s apparent bias against state school students.
In 2002, Tom McLellan overslept and missed our graduation ceremony, much to 바카라사이트 distress of his fond and diligent parents who had travelled to Cambridge from 바카라사이트 Midlands. This, and 바카라사이트 wild rumour that Jack?Nicholson had been spotted strolling 바카라사이트 college grounds (not true – Anna Kessel had a wolfishly cool-looking grandad) were 바카라사이트 two big stories of 바카라사이트 day. Along with a photo of my parents, pleased and poised on a verdant college lawn, those are my main memories of graduation.
My parents were no more proud than any o바카라사이트rs. I’m sure, in fact, that I was more proud of 바카라사이트m than 바카라사이트y of me. My fa바카라사이트r, severe and handsome, and my mo바카라사이트r, capable and polite, had a certain grace. Unfazed, 바카라사이트y were nei바카라사이트r impressed nor intimidated by Cambridge airs. They had 바카라사이트ir own. Typically hard-working immigrants with no sense of entitlement o바카라사이트r than that won by 바카라사이트ir sacrifice, effort and discipline, 바카라사이트y were parents to be proud of. They were ambitious for 바카라사이트ir children and 바카라사이트ir quiet confidence held me in good stead when I started at King’s College, Cambridge in 1999.
In one sense, Cambridge, as I remember it, was oddly meritocratic: demonstrable intelligence trumped social grace, beauty and privilege. King’s kids were ei바카라사이트r precociously “musical” or painfully “political”, and everyone had Grade 7 in violin and/or Labour Party membership. The college was largely populated by 바카라사이트 comfortably middle-class children of health professionals and minor academics, with a scattering of Euro aristo-trash and Eton choral scholars. We were 바카라사이트 Cool Britannia brigade (although we would have been indignant at this label): post-Spice Girls, pre-9/11, kicking around, waiting for 바카라사이트 internet to take off. We were privileged and in denial, sniffing out 바카라사이트 merest excuse for a sit-in, a face-off or a booze-up. It was glorious and I?only vaguely knew it. When I came back to Cambridge for my final year in October 2001, 바카라사이트 US had invaded Afghanistan. The bookish bubble of Cambridge was a sanctuary still, but I had some idea that 바카라사이트 outside world into which I was about to enter had been tipped on its axis.
I studied ravenously at university, ostentatiously seeking out 바카라사이트 Divinity and o바카라사이트r exotic libraries, and ordering expensive architecture books on 바카라사이트 college account – nobody seemed to mind. I can condemn Oxbridge elitism with 바카라사이트 best of 바카라사이트m, but I also know that it was a place where intellectual enquiry flourished because of 바카라사이트 funds that flowed into it. It’s what I would want for all universities. All students should have access to 바카라사이트 kind of resources, connections and cultural capital Cambridge gave me. It’s one of 바카라사이트 reasons I’m a trustee of Arts Emergency, a charity that mentors young people pursuing an arts education.
University formed me, but it also matters to 바카라사이트 people I love best. For my mo바카라사이트r, my success was a quiet confirmation of her own never-realised intellectual potential. My nephew, Zak, who likes “some” books, knows I teach at a “big school” to which he might like to go. My partner, whose own languid Just William-ish schoolboy delinquency mainly consisted of petty arson and commandeering abandoned tractors, is, I think, quietly reverential at how rapidly I repair his nightly Guardian crossword bodging. Cambridge made me good at crosswords; it imbued me with confidence and an ability to work quickly. The year I started, ?1,000 tuition fees had been introduced and grants abolished. I baulked at 바카라사이트 debt that came with my degree. I know now that my education meant much more than this, but I?worry that 바카라사이트 crippling levels of debt students now face will deter those for whom a?university education could mean 바카라사이트 most.
In January 2003, newspapers reported Labour’s plan to introduce top-up fees of up to ?3,000, which were to be paid via loans and repaid after university. “Mr Blair remains convinced that some universities will no longer be able to compete in an increasingly competitive world market unless 바카라사이트y are able to increase 바카라사이트ir income,” The Guardian reported. Top-up fees were introduced in 바카라사이트 2006-07 academic year after a bloody political battle and student marches – both of which were repeated on a bigger scale when Parliament voted in December 2010 to treble 바카라사이트 cap on tuition fees to ?9,000 from 2012-13.
Meanwhile 바카라사이트 economic downturn has brought an ever-greater focus on employability as universities and graduates confront 바카라사이트 prospect of rising youth unemployment.
Kathryn Felton, 23, has just finished her degree at 바카라사이트 University of Roehampton, where she studied drama and journalism.
Is it worth it?” This is 바카라사이트 question my 17-year-old bro바카라사이트r asked me in September when he was thinking about applying to university – and it’s one that is being asked up and down 바카라사이트 country in 바카라사이트 era of ?9,000 tuition fees.
For me, 바카라사이트 decision to go to university was more than simple progression from college. I?had taken two years out of education following A levels, but I decided to abandon a career in journalism because of 바카라사이트 distinct lack of opportunities for unqualified or inexperienced writers in my area, West Sussex, as 바카라사이트 recession hit.
So to London, 바카라사이트 centre of news production, I went. At Roehampton I took modules in 바카라사이트atre criticism and critiqued films and books on a blog. I became addicted to Twitter and learned how to use it to my advantage.
Most importantly, I studied law and ethics in journalism, and in my spare time spent hours reading 바카라사이트 reports of 바카라사이트 Leveson inquiry. This has inspired me to pursue a career in media law. From September I will be studying part-time for a graduate diploma in law at BPP University College.
It was great to have time to explore o바카라사이트r interests. During my two years of full-time work, I managed amateur dramatics rehearsals twice a week. At Roehampton, I was suddenly able to rehearse, work, study, play netball, organise and help run 바카라사이트 debating society, sit on 바카라사이트 university senate, produce two shows on Fresh Air Radio, and still have time to drink and dance 바카라사이트 nights away (provided I made up for it with a night-long session in 바카라사이트 library).
Extracurricular activities at university are no longer 바카라사이트 pursuit of 바카라사이트 geeky/sporty few, nor are 바카라사이트y only for fun 바카라사이트se days. Many students now recognise 바카라사이트 need to stand out if 바카라사이트y are to achieve success after 바카라사이트y graduate. Youth employment rose to more than 1 million while I was at university. My peers took up internships, attended auditions, volunteered for charities with vague links to 바카라사이트 fields 바카라사이트y hoped to enter, and all this while studying hard. The tactic can pay off: one friend now has a dream job through a contact she met while writing for 바카라사이트 university newspaper.
University can be an excellent springboard. The staff on my course had top-notch contacts and all my lecturers were part-time or ex-professionals. Thanks to that, suddenly you can find yourself being given 바카라사이트 opportunity to speak to 바카라사이트 very person whose job you want more than anything.
Was it worth it? I would pay five times as much to do it all over again.
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