In reply to Coel Hellier:
> Since tuition fees came in, the fraction of people from less-well-off backgrounds going to university has *increased*. That's because they only start paying any money for tuition fees after graduation, after they've started working, and once they have a salary above £21,000. After that the payments are set a rate they can afford (9% of the extra *above* the £21,000 threshold).
I'd argue that it's not the fees that have created the rise in university student, but the need for a degree for almost any decent job, and the perception that without a degree you almost doomed. This is especially true since the "craft" route to Engineering and management was dismantled in the 80's
> Thus it is not the case that only "the privileged" can "afford to go". There are good reasons to critique tuition fees, but it would be good if critics did not misrepresent the system.
It's not that they can't afford, it's the reliance on debt afterwards, if you are rich then it's not a problem.
> Second, I'd hope that doctors and politicians come from the top of the ability range. I think everyone agrees that society benefits from the top 20% of the cohort getting a university education.
Me too, that was my point, if tuition fees are going to put people off going then it's not an even spread of the population, it'll be the people who can afford it who end up getting educated.
> What is a lot less clear is whether society benefits from those 35% to 45% down the ability range studying at university, as oppose to learning through experience and through continuing education and apprenticeships while working.
A little harder to do since the likes of the EITB and other training schemes were abandoned.
But besides that, do you not think society benefits from having better educated people within it? I agree it's hard to quantify, but surely a more knowledgeable populous is a good thing. It might not even be the subject matter they are knowledgeable in that helps, but an ability to research, of simply study, which may help not just themselves but their children, friends or work colleagues.