An education system based upon how much mummy and daddy earn NOT academic ability?

I would love to agree with you, in the principle that "those who want to can, and those who don't won't" but life is not that simple.

You cannot any longer simply "rise to the top" if you do not have the means to do so. Many people are currently jostling to get a job because there are too few to go around. The fee loan is a very basic salary which can be difficult to utilise fully to an 18 year old who is managing their finances for the first time, some courses are intense and therefore it is not an option to get a part time job without the potential for jeopardising studies.

I'm not saying it's impossible, I'm just saying it is surely making it harder and harder for those from less privileged backgrounds?

Thank you. Finally someone who is seeing the other side of this.

Also major respect to you for your part time job, I know there is absolutely no way I could do what you are doing. Medicine is exhausting enough.

I'd actually say it's harder for someone from my background, as the really poor people get grants.

My parents have to pay high rate tax, child benefit will be cut in 2013, and pay more towards my university costs. I don't get grants or anything.

It's also buggered up my plan a bit, I was going to take a loan anyway and leave my trust fund in the bank, gaining intrest, and then pay off the loan as soon as I get out. I'm not sure I can fully pay for it myself anymore.

I still think this is much better than a graduate tax, though personally I'd favour aboloshing mickey mouse degrees like Health and Social care, Media etc (no offence to anyone taking these!) and making unis purely academic once more.

I don't think Mc Tarquinius in your sig is going to like that.

What has loan interest got to do with "how much mummy and daddy earn" when they're not the ones paying it?

It's not insulting because from going into schools which are seen to be in socioeconomically deprived areas, to talk about a career in medicine, this seems to be a prevalent attitude.

I am merely speaking as I have found.

not being able to afford each year of uni is due to not having enough maintenance money - nothing to do with fees at all.

Good point about people " in them middle" so to speak, seems they are the ones missing out :/

it's all about widening the gap between rich and poor.

Does not mean it's nothing to do with how the demographic applying for certain courses may change. You are clutching at draws.

Plus people are not going to think that, cost is cost no matter how it is broken up.

Really? I've talked to people in that situation and their expectations salary-wise were too expectant in my experience - media reports about £300k GP salaries aren't really helping!

I've never met a student (from a poor background or otherwise) who believes that doctors aren't well paid.

What? Everyone pays the same rate of interest on the loan (unless they're not earning) - their parents are possibly the most irrelevant thing to their repayments ever!

I'm not clutching at straws - if fees were free, my maintenance loan still wouldn't cover my accomodation.

If fees were £1m a year, it wouldn't either.

Obviously if repayments were like bank loans I'd be panicking because I'd have to save for repayments, but they're not, it's 9% of your income over £15k (would rise to £21k with the Browne report implemented).

'Poor students' get a £3000 grant, £3500 loan PLUS uni bursaries (can be £1000s a year from Oxbridge, minimum is £350ish).

So they have more money than everyone except those with super rich parents.

the longer it takes to repay the more total interest is paid.

the longer it takes to repay the more total interest is paid.

I study medicine also, and I HAVE to work to support myself, otherwise I quite simply wouldn't be able to afford it. I finish regularly finish work at 3am and then have to get up at 8am for uni.

The raise in tuition WILL put people off university, particularly longer degrees, as they may not be able to fund themselves through it. It would also spell an end to graduate medicine as graduates are not entitled to any fee support.

The rich will be able to pay for it, the poor will have it paid for them, it's those in the middle like me who will have to muddle their way through it.

What about those who will not have their fees paid for by their parents and are not eligible for that amount of state funding either? What about the middle classes?

And please dont say they can get a part time job, it is just not plausible particularly in the clinical years of medicine/dentistry and would even be a push in the preclinical.