How students are mis-sold the benefits of university

University is, and remains, a goal which most families dreams of. My parents, neither of whom went to uni, were thrilled that I did so. Everyone wants their kids to do well, and many defined that as graduating from a decent uni and making the most of their lives. But there’s an awful lot of dire courses out there, which serve neither students nor society. It’s very easy for those who didn’t have to pay for their fees to talk about the non-economic benefits of university and how it shouldnt be thought of as a financial transaction. We’re past that stage now. When a student has to stump up £40k for a degree, via a government loan, it is a financial transaction. And right now, there is a danger that ministers are exaggerating the benefits of this transaction.

Fraser Nelson / The Spectator