Source: BBC News >> Read full article and comment
By Margaret Ryan
As universities in England learn how hard they will be hit by higher education funding cuts, students may be concerned they face increasing costs just to get through their degree.
But as more young people go to university in the UK, will those who decide to call it a day after A-levels find this decision proves a costly one?
Students Scott Austin Shaw, Sophie Richardson, Alex Mbaya and Student Union President Nasir Tarmann on what they hope to get from university
Students considering university might be put off by the prospect of higher tuition fees, a hefty student debt and years more studying.
A review into higher education funding due in the autumn might recommend students pay more.
But graduates can expect to earn £100,000 more over their working life after tax than teenagers who get a job after A-levels, according to the government.
It still wants to reach a situation where 50% of people aged 18-30 participate in higher education. In 2007-2008, the participation rate reached 43.3%.
UK graduates can expect to earn even more than the government suggests, gaining on average 157% more than non-graduates, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Analyst Andreas Schleicher says improved graduate job prospects have a knock-on effect for the wider economy.
“This is not simply a zero-sum game where those with university degrees are pushing out those without degrees from a fixed set of jobs.”
Countries that have done well in raising the proportion of highly-skilled workers have also seen better employment prospects for the lower skilled as job opportunities filter down, OECD data suggests….Continue reading
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