Best way to pay off student loans?

[Whorty]

The horrible cynic in me thinks HMG wants people to die before retirement age as that helps alleviate the funding issue. Obviously they still have to pay lip service to wanting to fix things like obesity, smoking, drug and alcohol addiction but it's obvious they're not all that bothered.

Absolutely the case .... smokers 'cost' the NHS a fortune ... but they save the exchequer far more with tax receipts from fag sales, and dying earlier so less pension payout.

If smoking really cost the government money they'd have cancelled it by now.

[SueEllen]

You only answered the first half of the question.

Your answer for the second half is very harsh and a disincentive for bettering yourself. Education isn't all about getting a well paid job.

I did answer your question what part of "If you can get a student loan for it" did you miss?

If you drop out now or fail your final module then you still have to pay your loans back once you earn enough.

Also like with student loan repayments there will be a repayment threshold.

[vetran]

so this graduate tax, if I get a foundation degree do I pay the same percentage as a Doctorate? etc.

[SueEllen]

so this graduate tax, if I get a foundation degree do I pay the same percentage as a Doctorate? etc.

The percentage you pay increase with each year on degree level education you spend.

[edison]

because they would all go abroad?

Go abroad to study or work? The options are a bit more limited these days for both.

[edison]

That is because it is a proper degree.

Most computer science courses are little better than training courses for Java and SQL.

I think you may have a point.

I've started looking into Oxbridge for my son who is quite likely to want to do Computer Science or Maths or closely related subject. Only looked at Cambridge so far in detail (mainly because mother in law worked there) and the Computer Science course there looks incredible. I'd guess that it stacks up well against MIT, Stamford and Harvard.

Shame is, only 160 students can get into Oxbridge each year for Computer Science.

[edison]

In the UK loads of people do not work in their first degree subject area so yes it would be fair.

It used to be about 50%, not sure what it is these days.

[d000hg]

In the UK loads of people do not work in their first degree subject area so yes it would be fair.

That is because it is a proper degree.

Most computer science courses are little better than training courses for Java and SQL.

I don't think that's true. But if they were, they might be more useful - it's quite possible to get a CS degree with barely any programming skills. University courses are not generally intended to be vocational training*, they are higher education. Many of the top universities shy away from making their courses directly applicable to a job because that would tarnish the 'pure academia'.

*obviously exceptions to varying levels like engineering, medicine, law, education.

[TheDude]

I don't think that's true. But if they were, they might be more useful - it's quite possible to get a CS degree with barely any programming skills. University courses are not generally intended to be vocational training*, they are higher education. Many of the top universities shy away from making their courses directly applicable to a job because that would tarnish the 'pure academia'.

*obviously exceptions to varying levels like engineering, medicine, law, education.

That is what I meant - top CS degrees are math heavy and there are few programming modules - especially language specific programming modules.

[SueEllen]

I don't think that's true. But if they were, they might be more useful - it's quite possible to get a CS degree with barely any programming skills. University courses are not generally intended to be vocational training*, they are higher education. Many of the top universities shy away from making their courses directly applicable to a job because that would tarnish the 'pure academia'.

*obviously exceptions to varying levels like engineering, medicine, law, education.

What's not true?

I actually had a period when I asked people what was there first degree for a few reasons. Also someone on here about 10 years ago pointed out it was rare to find someone over 50 with a CS first degree. I found a lot of people had first degrees in STEM subjects and some of them had programming on their course even though IT isn't just programming. I found that it is more likely that someone in their 20s had a CS first degree working in IT but even then it was about 50/50. I discovered that chartered/certified accountants had degrees in a wide range of areas and even a good number of lawyers have first degrees in other areas.

Unfortunately I can only find the 2014 figures which state 50% of people don't work in the area they have their first degree in.