Not poor enough to go to university.

OP

Original post by placebo24

Are you taking the piss? First of all I said every half term. Could I complain too much if it was a week? And if we can just about manage to pay the bills with a 6k per year income then you can earning over £42,000 (which is when bursaries generally cut out).

You probably have no idea what real hard times are like.

I have no doubt that it must be a struggle to pay for the bills, and I have no doubt there have been 'hard times'. However you can still go to university. That is the point of this thread.

By the way, half of my parents money is lost through tax.

Reply 23

OP

Original post by Kosovaa

The fact you have chose the title you have will attract negative attention. It's also not a very good impression as it seems you're somehow trying to show off. I'm not having a go at you but theres no need to have a contradicting title.

I chose the title because it is a good use of irony, and it's completely true. In no way is it a contradiction.

Reply 24

Stephclarkk

Everyone is going to struggle, you're not alone.
I will have moved out by the time I go to uni so I will be working (hopefully) two jobs to pay my rent at the same time as studying because the loan I will get will barely cover anything. I put off uni for a year because I was so worried about money, but why should I be at a disadvantage because you have to be extremely rich to get a university education?

Reply 25

IlluminatedRain

2

Original post by hannah60000

I hear everyone's side on this debate, but should student loans really cover one's social life?? I don't know.... :confused:

Most people seemingly want money for accommodation and food, not going out with friends on weekends.

Reply 26

Izzyeviel

19

Original post by awilson008

I don't know where you are from but in Northern Ireland half my year are scrounging the governments money so they can go out three times a week. I hardly ever go out, and when I do it's only with the money that I earn. My parents struggle to keep their heads above the water every month too, so the idea that because I'm middle class means I'm living it easy is nonsense. My parents can just about pay their bills every month never mind pay for my living costs. Of course they would provide me with the money, if they had it.

I'm not having a go at any one who was a lower household income than me, but the fact remains that you will be getting 60 quid more a week than I am, and you can go to university which allows you to do what you want in life. I believe the rich and the poor are provided for and the middle class are ****ed over.

Right, you're annoyed at the wrong people. Your parents have the means to support you through Uni but have decided to either a) squander all their money funding a lifestyle they can't afford or b) they're greedy and want to keep it for their holidays. (if they're anything like my parents, I suspect the later)

It sucks for you I agree, but whining about others is a waste of time when the real issue is with your parents.

Reply 27

OP

Original post by Stephclarkk

Everyone is going to struggle, you're not alone.
I will have moved out by the time I go to uni so I will be working (hopefully) two jobs to pay my rent at the same time as studying because the loan I will get will barely cover anything. I put off uni for a year because I was so worried about money, but why should I be at a disadvantage because you have to be extremely rich to get a university education?

I agree. Fair play to you taking on two jobs while studying. I just think I would burn out and get too stressed while trying to study full time.

I am so determined to make this work. It has been my passion for a long time to go to uni and study medicine. Why should money prevent me doing that?

Reply 28

yeahman1

Original post by placebo24

You do realise we don't get EMA anymore? Whilst all my friends can go out all the times, I can never afford it. I bet you never have to worry about being able to afford food, we do. Simple fact is we need these grants because our parents literally can't afford it, your parents are just choosing to, or not willing to sacrifice their cushy middle class lifestyle for you. But no, you're right, being poor is brilliant and my £60 every half term I get from my bursary far exceed being financially stable.

I'm sorry you're in that position and I hope you find a way to find going, but how dare you have a go at those worse off than yourself.

Aren't you an idiot. You're going to get everything paid for by the taxpayer, and the OP is really going to struggle because the government refuse to help him go to uni?

It's not his fault his parents won't help him. How dare you suggest he is better off than you with your cushy tax payer funded degree.

Reply 29

Original post by awilson008

...

I understand your predicament

However, you do currently cost your parents money don't you

>food
>transport
>school activities
>clothes

So you must cost them £200-£300 a month at the moment

So, presumably they can give you something ... probably enough to take your loan amount to the price of catered accommodation at most universities

Reply 30

Knalchemist

14

You cannot simply moan that your family are not 'poor enough'. It isn't the governments fault that your parents would rather have a bigger house, live in a nicer area, or have a bigger car, rather than helping to pay for their child's education. There is a reason your parents cannot afford to give you money, they seemingly earn enough. I come from a single parent household whereby my mother is very ill and on benefits. She can barely afford to live, let alone give me money for university.

Why don't you do what most people in your situation do, and defer your entry to next year, and save up from now until then? Or do some thinking and calculations and apply to places that offer lower accommodation costs etc.

If you got a full time job and saved, say, £300 each month from your wages you'd easily be able to save around £5k. You could use some of it for year one, and put the rest in an ISA to earn interest for the next year.

If you want to go to university, you should do all you can to get there.

Reply 31

OP

Original post by Izzyeviel

Right, you're annoyed at the wrong people. Your parents have the means to support you through Uni but have decided to either a) squander all their money funding a lifestyle they can't afford or b) they're greedy and want to keep it for their holidays. (if they're anything like my parents, I suspect the later)

It sucks for you I agree, but whining about others is a waste of time when the real issue is with your parents.

I'm not getting annoyed at any one else, please inform me where you seem to be gathering this assumption. My parents don't have the means to support me through an extremely expensive education, they are just above the threshold for a higher tax bracket, so most of their money doesn't see the light of day. They do not squander their money.

I don't see how giving a large sum of money to someone with a household income just below a certain value whilst those just above it get nothing is fair. Actually it's extremely stupid. Stop making assumptions about how my parents handle their money.

Reply 32

CJKay

19

Original post by placebo24

You do realise we don't get EMA anymore? Whilst all my friends can go out all the times, I can never afford it. I bet you never have to worry about being able to afford food, we do. Simple fact is we need these grants because our parents literally can't afford it, your parents are just choosing to, or not willing to sacrifice their cushy middle class lifestyle for you. But no, you're right, being poor is brilliant and my £60 every half term I get from my bursary far exceed being financially stable.

I'm sorry you're in that position and I hope you find a way to find going, but how dare you have a go at those worse off than yourself.

I'm sorry my parents are still paying off a heavy mortgage from 15 years ago - I didn't realise they had predicted they would have 3 sons and that they were going to be lumped 15 years later paying the rent for one of them because student finance is £200 off paying the rent per semester, not even including food and basic living costs. o.o
Most of my parent's money goes towards the mortgage, basic food supplies, keeping 2 cars barely running (TWO? What a shocker! Middle class bastards!), taxes and some pretty freakin' hefty bills. They can only very barely afford the £50 a week to help with my living costs, and I'm still struggling to recover the £250 I had to transfer from my life savings to pay last semester's rent.

All this while my mates with less well of family lives just went on a £200 spending spree on Steam.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 33

Original post by awilson008

By the way, half of my parents money is lost through tax.

WoW

Just how much money do they earn ... for this to be even be close to be true they are earning over £150 000 each

I am not feeling much sympathy at this point

Reply 34

Stephclarkk

Original post by awilson008

I agree. Fair play to you taking on two jobs while studying. I just think I would burn out and get too stressed while trying to study full time.

I am so determined to make this work. It has been my passion for a long time to go to uni and study medicine. Why should money prevent me doing that?

I am worried about 'burning out', however, like you, I want to study my passion :biggrin:

Money shouldn't be be all or end all and hopefully when I'm doing what I love I'll look back on all the stress and think its worth it.

...or else I'll probably end up an alcoholic with 7 kids and scrounging off the state like most people I know.

Reply 35

Original post by CJKay

I'm sorry my parents are still paying off a heavy mortgage from 15 years ago - I didn't realise they had predicted they would have 3 sons and that they were going to be lumped 15 years later paying the rent for one of them because student finance is £200 off paying the rent per semester, not even including food and basic living costs. o.o

But, presumably, they planned to have you and your brothers

And, presumably, they realised that one or more of you might go to university

And, I imagine that they know that they earn well above the national average

So how could they not realise that there would be a contribution required

Reply 36

OP

Original post by TenOfThem

WoW

Just how much money do they earn ... for this to be even be close to be true they are earning over £150 000 each

I am not feeling much sympathy at this point

Woops, I apologise for the huge mathematical error I just made, don't worry, it's only 40%! So much better now.

Hope you detected the extreme use of sarcasm.

Reply 37

321zero

12

I was in the same position, I ended up working at B&Q 16 hours a week (over weekends) and got by just fine.

Reply 38