Student costs in London

[Behemoth]

DonkeyApple said:

It was merely an example of the disparity.

Yeah, maybe choose better examples next time if you want to support your arguments and not sidetrack threads with edge-case minutiae

o/p Imperial is truly world class for computer science and I'd support your offspring going there if they can take the heat. It's not going to be an easy course. As for finances, for the right applicant it's an investment that will almost certainly reap long term rewards. If your son thinks money grows on trees, then redirect his thoughts quickly or suggest somewhere that suits his politics / mindset. Maybe Surrey? I think CS is well regarded there. Look at the league tables for graduate employment for the course, look at drop out rates (ICL is tough and will not hesitate to kick poor performers out, as do Kings). Count your pennies. Sit son down and talk about budgeting, cost of living. Lots of difficult "if you want to go here, I support you but you have to do this" talk. Best of luck! Look on the bright side, at least he isn't wanting to do Philosophy & Modern Dance @ East London Uni

[Behemoth]

Countdown said:

He says that, other than Oxbridge, ICL is the best University for the course that he wants to do (Computer Science) and has the best employment prospects. I've suggested that the class of degree you get is probably more important than where you get it from but he disagrees.

Long story short, he's absolutely right

[DonkeyApple]

Behemoth said:

DonkeyApple said:

It was merely an example of the disparity.

Yeah, maybe choose better examples next time if you want to support your arguments and not sidetrack threads with edge-case minutiae

It's a perfectly valid example of the cost at the top end. In fact, it's pretty cheap for taking someone out for a full evening in that area. Everyone else has appreciated the context in which all the remarks you have decided to nitpick over were made.

[Behemoth]

DonkeyApple said:

It's a perfectly valid example of the cost at the top end. In fact, it's pretty cheap for taking someone out for a full evening in that area. Everyone else has appreciated the context in which all the remarks you have decided to nitpick over were made.

you have continued to nitpick & digress, dear DonkeyApple. End of discussion pretty please I keep trying to refer back to the o/p's issues but am obstructed at every turn

[Ozzie Osmond]

matrignano said:

Had I had the means, I can honestly say I would have loved to have that lifestyle as a student!

Ah yes, Miss Money-Sterling rides again!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3HvchF49AM

[DonkeyApple]

Behemoth said:

DonkeyApple said:

It's a perfectly valid example of the cost at the top end. In fact, it's pretty cheap for taking someone out for a full evening in that area. Everyone else has appreciated the context in which all the remarks you have decided to nitpick over were made.

you have continued to nitpick & digress, dear DonkeyApple. End of discussion pretty please I keep trying to refer back to the o/p's issues but am obstructed at every turn

No you are not. I've not disagreed with anything that you have said as you have basically been confirming what I alluded to. All I have been doing is asking why you have been choosing to nitpick and be obtuse on a couple of my points. But I do agree that you have decided to just make an issue out of nothing for god knows what reason do will leave this well alone.

[Vocal Minority]

driverrob said:

Simes205 said:

Same here.
I traded off travelling in from zone 5 and paying £180 per month rent to having a £70 a week room in zone 1 next door to college...., in 1992!

1992? - youngster. My termly grant would have only covered you for a week

K'inell.....GRANT?!

[Kateg28]

Behemoth said:

Countdown said:

He says that, other than Oxbridge, ICL is the best University for the course that he wants to do (Computer Science) and has the best employment prospects. I've suggested that the class of degree you get is probably more important than where you get it from but he disagrees.

Long story short, he's absolutely right

My son is in his first year of a CS degree but his results were really not what we expected so he had to go to his second choice which was totally based on it's rowing prowess (and it is arguably in the top 5 in the Country for rowing) as well as lower grade boundaries. He was never going to get the grades to get into ICL so never looked at it.
He is loving it though so that might be the main point. As long as your son loves wherever he goes.

As for costs, is costing approx. £500 pcm over his student loans but his accommodation is epic.

[idiotgap]

What is the male:female ratio at Imperial now?

When I entered the computer science department in 1993 it was 7:2, so there weren't a whole lot of £300 dates to be had. I defected to UCL after a year, which was fabulous.

[Zingari]

Revisitph said:

Zingari said:

This is worth a read if you haven't seen it and was the reason I wont be paying the tuition fees etc up front:

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/students/student-...

I think the argument is valid except that, in the OP's son's case one would hope that someone doing computer science won't spend their post-uni life working as a barista in Costa or similar low wage employment and will therefore need to pay it all back with interest. Also, if the new style government takes, for different political reasons perhaps, the sort of approach that the Lib Dems were proposing and both prevents higher earning graduates from paying of their loans early and charges them a higher interest rate then the higher earning graduates would be doubly hit.

That, mainly the first reason, is why we did pay upfront, and it could be that in the OP's case it might be a good idea as well.

So the OP is going to pay the tuition fees and all the accommodation/living costs? Fair enough. Can be done but I chose not to for a variety of reasons even though I can easily afford it.

There is the risk that some students dont complete their degree and drop out so rather than pay on the go you could pay at the end. I'll no doubt help out post degree once my daughter understands the liabilities of being an adult, which in fairness she has grasped early on and is not afraid of work or being independent.