Scarlet's Education Thread

[Scarlet Pimple]

Naelifts--another somewhat controversial  situation over here  concerning free education prompts me to ask about  what happens in the U/K?

Education in Canada , and the States, is free only up to graduation from High School. After which, as far as I know, you have to have a rich dad or you work as much as possible because it's all fee-paying thereafter if you choose to go on to University. Grants are probably available to students,  though, from private institutions and often students who are good at sports can qualify for bursaries in US Campuses if U.S. Universities want them for their sport prowess and  the ongoing prestige of the particular University viz-a-viz their prowess in the sports arena.

Going to  University in Scotland was free when I left the Academy in 1955.  Is it still completely free or what?

Government sponsored assistance to aspiring students after they leave school is, or should be, a given for all children  because it's an investment in the future of the country as well. That's something that I wholeheartedly agree with and  in a T.V. documentary that I saw recently it was stressed  that some countries are  now definitely seeing this expenditure of tax dollars as being vital to their future progress and growth.

To me it's a no brainer but unwise expenditures by Governments stymies that common sense idea since they simply then don't have the funds  available. e.g. the United States who, just a few years ago, used trillions (that's right not billions but trillions) of tax-payer dollars to bail out the proliferators of the ruinous ponsie schemes pandered through the New York Stock Exchange and the CITY (Wall Street) brokerage houses and banks who defrauded the average citizen right, left and center but completely escaped jail just because the Government  panders to the rich and famous and cried crocodile tears into their hankies that "The City is too big to be allowed to fail."

Meanwhile, a huge number of people lost their houses and defaulted on their mortgages, house prices fell drastically to absolutely historically low levels together with bankruptcies and misery everywhere in the United States and ,back at the ranch, approximately 85-90% of the overall wealth in America is (i.e. continues to be)  owned by a very low percentage of people, perhaps 5-8%. of the total voter population. i.e. Same old, same old.

And that's why the brutally frank Donald Trump and down-to-earth barn-stormer slike Bernie Sanders  (neither being pro-establishment entities) are looking more and more likely to dump the Hilary Clintons and the Jeb Bush's in favour of a complete sea-change in American politics since anger and resentment has risen to the surface of the volcano politic and is about to explode in a fiery crescendo IMHO.

Ops, sorry, guys and mods -a bit off topic but ...watch this space.

[Scarlet Pimple]

O K Mantis.. Mea Culpa. 

But, is University education in Scotland still free? Please advise at your leisure.

[Alex MacLeod]

University education is free to residents of Scotland. I believe those resident outside Scotland pay  something like £8000 a year. It is not free in England and I believe the cost to be around £9000 a year. Studentsin UK can apply for loans to help with costs. These can be repaid when person is earning over £23,000 a year I think.

[Scarlet Pimple]

• Thank you, Alex. Just the information I need to pursue something important.

1. As for costs I suppose it depends on how wealthy daddy is or how much the parents have put aside over the years to pay for their children's education.
2. A prevalent rumour here is that you wont get into medical school anyway unless your papa or mama is, or has been, a doctor. But whether that refers to privilege or the fact that few ordinary people can afford the rather lengthy training periods involved without a wealthy parental background is open to question.

[Alex MacLeod]

If it wasn't for free higher education in Scotland I would not have been able to put my three kids through university. Ones now a banker. Ones a laboratory chemist. The third graduated last year in physics but is going on to do doctorate.

[Scarlet Pimple]

Wow!  Brilliant success story. You must be very proud, Alex.

[Caley Mad In Berks]

Scarlet

My daughter went to Stirling University in the early 90s.   She chose it because it was one of the few universities in the UK offering a Japanese degree at that time. (Nowadays there are several)..  I was very happy with her choice as it gave me several more opportunities to get back up to Scotland, and sometimes catch a Caley match (just before ICT came about).  And, at that time tuition fees were FREE, for everyone.  Last year, her eldest son went off to Uni.  He would have liked to follow her footsteps and go to Stirling, but would have had to pay £9000 tuition fees, even with his Mum's connection with Stirling, and me,his Grandad, being a born and bred Scot. So, in the end he went to Souhampton, and his brother aims to follow him there later this year. Admittedly the tuition fees are the same, but travelling costs are negligible compared with getting to Stirling regularly. So it was a 'no brainer'.  Although I don't disagree in principle with Scottish universities charging 'non Scots' tuition fees, it is a pity they don't use the same nationality rules as the Scottish rugby team for determining nationality.  Then my Grandson would have gone there.  

[Charles Bannerman]

2 hours ago, Caley Mad In Berks said:

it is a pity they don't use the same nationality rules as the Scottish rugby team for determining nationality.  Then my Grandson would have gone there.  

Along with half the population of the Antipodes!!

[Scarlet Pimple]

Interesting riposte C.M. in Berks. Always something comes up to spoil the apples in the cart eh?

My kids are  coming up to retirement. My son has about 6 years to go as a very experienced veteran and well-thought-of Vancouver City bus driver. Right now it appears that with no mortgage lingering in his rear view mirror, he will have at least a comfortable retirement with a very satisfactory pension arrangement .

My daughter has had an astounding career here in Canada as a travel insurance executive, then head of the British Columbia Tourism Board or something, then in charge of the Rocky Mountaineer scenic railway venture which has now been operating with great success for many years and finally a successful entry into the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as a civilian officer assigned to duties which include the  collating of evidence from murder sites for emplacement into North American data base. Recently she was awarded  a citation  by the supreme Court of B.C. for a presentation she made to the court explaining the reasons why paper should be done away with in the records of court cases to be replaced with digital filing. In this case the  matter then went to the Canadian Supreme court for ratification and inclusion throughout Canada and that's quite a feat. Not only does it  speed up processes but it saves a ton of money in paper and trees. 

All this without a formal University education. Just common sense, brains and hard work I think, plus an ability to communicate effectively. Meaning? Well, you don't actually need a University education to make a difference in a progressive modern country but it can certainly help to push you along wherever you go. But first name terms  and no boot licking  is a sea change from Britain and promotes a healthy environment leading to opportunity and growth.

In Canada , if you have the ambition, the capacity to work very hard and an ability to communicate  and get along you CAN do very well-- there is no stifling of initiative, it doesn't matter what you did before or what mistakes you made  or whether you were fired from your last job or not.No one really cares a hoot. Step on someone's toes in Britain and you could be finished for a very long time. e.g the banks, but not here. ..you fall out and move on. You just get into  another job where people are more interested in giving you a chance to assist them rather than worrying about your potential faults and this offers a capacity for you to grow, contribute and earn a good living. Mind you, if you mess up then there are ramifications so I have preferred the self-employed, INDEPENDENT route where if you don't work you don't eat , But, if you can hold your own in business, then you can also grow mentally and emotionally and become more self-reliant and nobody tells you what to do or what to think . So you sink or swim and that's it. This is a huge country with a very small (36 million) population so the challenges are enormous but hold great potential for any likely lad or lass who wants to make a contribution  .