How Much?!
The first week of Uni or School as they call it here is complete. As someone who is a sceptic of the British education system, I thought you all would want me to speak about the American system.
If you thought David Cameron and Nick Clegg fucked everyone over (which they did) by rasing tuition fees in 2010 to 9k a year, you can count you're self lucky you didn't go to college in America. The average college tuition fees in America over four years will set you back $104,108 which is eye watering amounts of money. I recently found out if I was an American studying at Tulane the total cost of living and tuition would cost over $84k per year according to their own website. Disclosure: I am paying £1200 in tuition fees for this year
This unaffordability is seen throughout all parts of uni here, I had to shell out around £250 on textbooks for my classes. To make things worse, the university bookstore was selling a book I needed for $241. A quick google search revealed that the same book was $25… personally I believe no matter how much you pay or not, public institutions should provide you with the class materials.
Now for the positives, obviously if people are spending all this money on uni the teaching is going to be of a high standard which it is and it feels like the professors are genuinely passionate. Although throughout all my classes it felt like the introduction by the professors was a sales pitch about them and what you can do with this class. Which is understandable if you are going to be in a lifetime of debt. Another difference to English uni is that there is homework set in every class for every week, obviously this is good and bad. It's good as it means that attendance is crucial and that you feel like every week of the class has use, although it does give me vivid memories of being in secondary school. It makes a change not being assessed on one essay at the end of term but it does feel like I'm 16 again having to answer quizzes and mini essay questions.
In short, American Uni so far has been a learning curve with great teaching and people mixed in. However I think it shows the harsh reality of inequality in America and reminds me of the current debates going on in England about people not being able to afford uni.
Song of the week- When the lights come on - IDLES