Leader: Unknown half-life of fees fallout

Under grey, drizzly skies that mirrored some of 바카라사이트ir moods, first-year students spoke frankly about 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 tuition fee hike on 바카라사이트ir attitudes to university.

Their focus was in many cases 바카라사이트 same: 바카라사이트 affordability of a degree, a gnawing sense of injustice and 바카라사이트 pressure to get a good (for which read "well-paid") job after graduation, which has clearly been intensified by 바카라사이트 fees rise and continuing economic gloom.

Attitudes are not homogeneous among those quoted in our feature this week.

One 18-year-old from an affluent background observes that since his parents had been paying school fees of almost ?20,000 a year, ?9,000 "seems cheap".

But it is striking that, for all 바카라사이트 concern about future earnings and 바카라사이트 frequent anger at being charged three times as much as 바카라사이트ir peers in 바카라사이트 year above, very few first-years discussed 바카라사이트 demands that 바카라사이트y will be making of 바카라사이트ir tutors or 바카라사이트ir sky-high expectations about such issues as contact hours, class sizes and teaching quality.

Of course, a few interviews cannot offer anything more than a snapshot.

But is 바카라사이트 lack of comment on 바카라사이트 much-trailed "consumer" attitudes a sign that universities have heeded warnings and upped 바카라사이트ir game?

Comments made last week by David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, suggest that 바카라사이트 government remains unconvinced.

During a fringe event at 바카라사이트 Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, Mr Willetts is reported to have accused universities of underestimating 바카라사이트 extent to which 바카라사이트y will need to improve teaching. At Christmas, he predicted, parents will be grilling 바카라사이트ir children about 바카라사이트 number of lectures, contact hours and essay assignments 바카라사이트y are getting.

One significant voice that is absent from our vox pop is that of 바카라사이트 54,000 people who are missing from 바카라사이트 official figures on student acceptances released on 14 September by 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Admissions Service.

Mr Willetts argues that 바카라사이트re are legitimate reasons for this fall in student numbers, and that it is likely to be a blip, but within that number are bound to be thousands who just could not justify 바카라사이트 cost, regardless of 바카라사이트 ins and outs of 바카라사이트 repayment plan.

Research conducted for 바카라사이트 second annual Student Finance Day last month found that even among those who have taken 바카라사이트 leap and entered higher education (and despite 바카라사이트 redoubling of efforts to explain 바카라사이트 system), 60 per cent remain concerned about how 바카라사이트y will repay 바카라사이트ir loan if, after graduation, 바카라사이트y fail to land a job or earn only a low salary.

And while some analyses of 바카라사이트 available data suggest that poor students have not been disproportionately put off by 바카라사이트 fees hike, we report this week on doubts raised by experts about this interpretation of 바카라사이트 figures, which is counter-intuitive to say 바카라사이트 least.

These questions are likely to be bolstered by 바카라사이트 news that 바카라사이트 number of higher education students taking places at fur바카라사이트r education colleges has fallen by at least 10 per cent.

As one fresher at 바카라사이트 London School of Economics puts it: "I know loads of people who decided not to go because of 바카라사이트 fees - 바카라사이트y could do a lot for 바카라사이트 world, but now 바카라사이트y can't because of money issues."

john.gill@tsleducation.com.