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Not wanting to get off topic, but this makes me totally twitch. You don't think fees putting almost every graduate into massive debt are problematic? And btw the gov white paper has just lifted the £9k cap. I really don't think the 3 things you link: tuition fees, applications to university and social mobility, are so simply connected.
In England it has actually encouraged a wider range of people to sign up. Tuition fees have increased social mobility.>
hoefla-
Yes, the debt is very problematic. It is also true that before fees, top universities were struggling to recruit from outside of the usual middle class, often privately educated elite. Fees are one solution, though a very flawed one. A better solution wasn't put on the table. perhaps someone should come up with one. And yes, I think the connection is simple: "I can get a loan to afford this now, so I'll go".
I don't expect anyone on here to agree with this, so I'll accept in advance that these views make me an evil tory, and we can get back to the leadership discussion :)
William.
Sure. BTW, after the removal of tuition fees in Scotland, the number of people from disadvantaged backgrounds applying to university dropped dramatically. In England it has actually encouraged a wider range of people to sign up. Tuition fees have increased social mobility.