provides students with money - in the short term (Student Loans Co.)

Member Name: Lizzie Shaw

Product:	Student Loans Co.
Date:	09/07/00 (22 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: enough money if you're careful, it allows you to go through university (at the moment)

Disadvantages: it has to be paid back, whereas you shuld be allowed a free education

I've completed one year at university and apart from the first term I haven't had any problems with them, either the amount of money I was given or the times when the money was given. The problem in the first term was that my LEA had some problem with computer software and I didn't get any money until at least a month into my course!
I think if you're careful with money then you'll have enough to live on - I have quite a lot of money left over from my first year which I've put into a high interest account.
Although there is enough money, in my opinion, it has to be paid back. I think this is wrong as I believe that everybody should be able to have free education and students therefore should be given grants. The cost of education is going up all the time with rising tuition fees and, at Durham at least, rising college accommodation costs - next year the battels are going up by five percent (this is well above the rate of inflation) because the university is losing money. They are also cutting back on printer credits, for example, with no consultation with students. I think it's unfair that even now, and especially in the future, it will only be students from well-off families who get to go to university, as the others will not be able to afford it.

Summary: