Bad advice turns poor students off university

By Rebecca Ratcliffe. A lack of information in schools and negative media coverage following the introduction of £9k tuition fees is putting the less-wealthy off.
Students from poorer families are put off applying to university because they aren't being told about the grants and bursaries which are available.
Those receiving free school meals are far more likely than private school students to be hesitant about taking on increased tuition fees, while across the board there is a lack of knowledge about the cost and benefits of higher education, according to a survey carried out by the Centre for Economic Performance (CEP).
Professor Sandra McNally, who oversaw the research, says myths surrounding tuition fees need to be debunked before inequalities in university access worsen.
"It doesn't come as a surprise that people from lower economic groups are put off by higher fees, but the reason we have loans, bursaries and grants available is to make university accessible. It's a concern that this message isn't getting across."
"University isn't the right choice for all students, but noone should be put off applying because of short term financial concerns."
The CEP, which surveyed 12,000 teenagers, says negative media reports following the rise in tuition fees, as well as a lack of information in schools has increased students' anxiety about paying for university.
"Often schools' main focus is on getting students through exams – but what young people do after school is also very important."
McNally is calling for teachers to be given the time and incentives necessary to provide students with balanced advice about the pros and cons of university.
Liam Burns, president of the NUS, agrees that funding must be in place to ensure students have access to careers advice, adding that the student finance system is already unhelpful.
"The complex and confusing structure of financial support makes it almost impossible to work out in advance what a student is eligible for to help them meet living costs."
"No matter how much NUS is opposed to the changed system it would be a disaster if any student was put off going on to university because they misunderstood it. But there will always be problems with a system that puts a price tag on education and requires students to make decisions about whether or not they can afford to go to university."
Applications to British universities dropped 7.7% this September, when the tuition fee rises were first introduced.