I note that there is currently a scramble for university places following the A level results yesterday. I was reading the dead-tree version of DT yesterday while on the ferry back to Dover and there was an entire supplement devoted to places still available, though most of them were at the third-rate former polys. To begin with I found it quite amusing to think some students waste time and money on Accommodation Management. Then I discovered that you could do a degree in Embroidery at Nottingham Trent – a skill I learned at my mother’s knee, along with Knitting. It reminded me of the rude slogans shouted by the students of the University of Nottingham whenever they had a match against Trent, according to my son.
After a short while the entertainment value wore off – round about Greenkeeping, I think – and I was simply sad to see what Blair had reduced our education system to. An absolute travesty!
I’m quite tempted to phone up Trent to ask at what stage of the course they introduce the hard bits like chain stitch or french knots.
Boadicea's Chariot 
G’morgen, Sheona! Pity the old-fashioned apprenticeships died the death in the UK. German education and industry still thrive on them.
Btw, it’s worth bearing in mind that ‘clearing’ this year accounts for the 10% of places not yet allocated: definitely the dregs.
I agree about the apprenticeships, Janus. It used to be the case in Germany that those who left school to take up an apprenticeship had to continue classes in German and maths until they reached the required standard.
It’s just sad to think of all the kids whose careers have been spoiled by Blair’s stupid ideas. Plumbers we need, but how many media studies graduates?
Has that extreme liberal thinking gone now? Do all youngsters still have to believe they are ‘as good as everyone else’ to the extent that they can have degrees and mega-wages and stardom?
I saw one article somewhere about a “University” that was offering degrees in Fashion Buying, I mean, what can you say?
On a better note, it appears that more people are applying for course in the Sciences and Maths, thanks to Bryan Cox and his TV series. Still not enough people applying for proper Arts courses, though. Also still many applications for Law degrees, unfortunately. Just what we all need, more lawyers!
Agree with Hugh, there should be many more apprenticeships and, the corollary, far fewer pseudo-degree courses.
Can I claim my degree in Fashion Buying? I’ve been doing it for years now. It was very disheartening to see the decline in numbers of students taking foreign languages at A level.
I do wish the newspapers would get their stories the right way round though. These pupils who have As and A*s and no university place knew this before they sat the exams. They had received no conditional offers, whether they got top grades with sprinkles or not. One girl had received no offers from any of the medical schools, who all insist on interviews. This suggests she is not the sort you would ever wish to find at your hospital bedside.
Sheona: yes, there are university programmes in fashion buying. Fashion is one of the most in-demand programmes at my university.
Sheona – hence my point about the no. in clearing. The vast majority of deserving students are fixed up in adavnce of the results being announced. Those who wait choose to do so or are simply not offered anything that they fancy. Clearing represents the last possibilities available.
And thus clearing shows us quite clearly what an appalling number of Mickey Mouse courses are on offer for those who have been conned into thinking that they must have a degree of whatever quality at any price.
I give you that embroidery alone is a travesty, but the fibre arts degree of a couple of Northern Unis are incredibly rigorous. I know two people who graduated from same, they had an incredible course, very highly technical and an enormous breadth. It was nearly as bad as engineering for sheer content.
As usual, it is the difference between the good unis and the crap polys.