Was there a thread like this before? It seems very deja vu for some reason
Anyway, I think a degree is necessary in life for most people. These individuals mentions are extremely rare, there will always be one or two people to be a success without higher education, but they are generally the rare exception as opposed to the rule. I think - for the majority - who leave school they'll need a degree to succeed, because its just not possible for all of them to be rock-stars or entrepenours or executives, and to be sucessful without an education you need talent, smarts and/or sheer luck. I'm not saying a degree is necessary to succeed - there's plenty of proof it isn't - but if I was one of the millions of ordinary folk would I want to take a million to one chance? Probably not.
I would add degrees aren't the
only option. I advocate getting any form of education, not just a degree . . . so a person can get an apprenticeship, NVQ, work-based training, etc. and I think that these are very good alternatives. I'm just against leaving college/school with nothing and going 'hey, I'll be sucessful somehow', because it's a very naive thought, and so few people do succeed . . .
As for the EMA! Ugh, I think that should probably be means-tested according to each individual, because - let me tell you - so many students who had it misused it, and so many who didn't have it very much needed it!
At college so many students were using that £30 and regular £100 bonuses to get CDs, clothes, have nights out, go to parties, clubs, pubs . . . Most of them could walk to college or have a parent give them a lift (not for transportation), and the college provided most materials or again the parents did (so not for materials either), and for those students who
were broke the college was able to help with free field trips or discounted trips. There
were students who needed it, who used it for the bus or train or to buy literature books or go on history field trips etc., but it wasn't many. So I can't blame the government for taking it away, but - as said - it isn't fair for the students who
do need it, so I think something needs to be in place, and I think perhaps (rather than going on parents' income) they should examine each individual student instead and their individual needs, and give money according to that. The system wasn't fair, but taking away support altogether isn't fair either.