I got into Uni

[Aaron]

This is somewhat off-topic, however I'm pleased with myself: I got into a Bachelor of Commerce [Finance and Economics Majors] at University of Wollongong! This is the only place that it'd be recieved with politeness, so ignore me being off-topic. I'm trying to decide whether to do Economics of Accounting as the second major though; what you guys think?

[StreetlightRock]

I'd do economics, but only because I love the stuff. Everyone I know who does accountings hates it. Congrats tho. I was at the Wolly uni the other day actually - they have these great movie nights, $4 (Aussie) for 2 movies. Erm, yea.

[McP3000]

Congrats on Uni, but Wollengong is the worst uni name ever

[guitrguy]

Congrats on Uni, but Wollengong is the worst uni name ever

good things its actually not named Wollengong

[Give me Beer]

I always find it strange when I hear people saying they "got into university x", here in Belgium you just enroll where you want, as long as you graduated high school in a relevant "career" it's all good.

[guitrguy]

I always find it strange when I hear people saying they "got into university x", here in Belgium you just enroll where you want, as long as you graduated high school in a relevant "career" it's all good.

Thats the problem, places like the US make education a commodity. At least Aus. gives students a full interest free loan.

[Give me Beer]

University is still expensive here, but not so expensive that you have to borrow money, it's quite cheap compared to the US or the UK though. Matriculation is about 600€ a year, and you still have to pay your books and if you do not commute, your accomodations, which can be between 150 and whatever you want to pay a month.

[guitrguy]

US community colleges are more expensive than that.

[Give me Beer]

Yea, see, we have this system of taxes here in Belgium. ;) My mom and dad both pay about 50% taxes you know, we do expect something back for that.

[guitrguy]

True, I'm just sad the US can't put more focus on higher education. Its not like they don't have the funds to do so.

[CarnageFairy]

^well if I was giving half my paycheck to the government they'd damn well better be paying for my college, and a lot more to boot.

Otherwise, well... http://tinyurl.com/ypx6lu



600 euros comes to about $880 american. You lucky Belgian bastards.

[Give me Beer]

Well, I don't have to pay when I go to the doctor? How 'bout that? Well, okay, I do, but I get reimbursed by the state. I know what you mean about the higher education though, they just passed a new financing law for universities, and it's total BS. Worst thing of all is that it was passed by a "socialist", socialist my ***, liberal in disguise that's what he is.

[guitrguy]

What does it do?

[Give me Beer]

It will mean that universities will receive money for how many students enter the first bachelor and how many students pass their courses the following years, which I personally think is a really bad idea. I mean, giving universities money for every course that a student passes? Also, deliberated courses do not count, so a university will not get money to "deliberate" you. There's some **** in there about "credits" to make sure people don't keep studying forever, but which in my view is very dangerous for penalizing students that make a wrong start. Then there is the entire financing acording to how much research you publish, which is complete BS since humanity departments do not publish pieces in internationally recogised magazines as much as science departements, and in fact, are usually more intersted in publishing books and the like, which is time consuming and doesn't get you any financing. So basically, humanity departments are going to get f'cked as far as funding goes, not to mention that it's incredibely marketed orientated to introduce that. There is not enough money pumped into education compared to what they were going to do, it's a bad system for minority students and arts are undefunded in the new system. Also, they want to make master-after-master a whole lot more expensive (from 5000 up to 25 000€, thank you Bologna). It's all in line with the commodisation of universities here in Europe and with us going the way the US has gone, which I find very troubling.

[guitrguy]

Thats ridiculous. Education is tool to help society. Money should not be made off the process.

[Give me Beer]

Yeah, and the proposal comes from a ****ing socialist, imagine that. A guy that used to go to school with my dad (actually they even got expelled together for publishing a satirical paper about their teachers, he graduated from the same high school that I did) and that used to be a member of the Revolutionary Trotskist Student Movement ... Yea, my mom and dad were dirty leftists in the 70s, they still are really.

[ringworm]

Yea, see, we have this system of taxes here in Belgium. ;) My mom and dad both pay about 50% taxes you know, we do expect something back for that.
thats what some swedish nbhrs of mine told me their country was like, great programs, but they were taxed to death

and why they moved here

[Give me Beer]

Eh, I prefer it this way than the US way though, I mean, good health care but only if you can pay for it? Our tax system does depend on how much you earn though, although it is still quite a lot compared to the US on every part of the ladder.

[ringworm]

i see them frequently, they just a have a few pro's about there vs here

mostly how parents can take a year off with a newborn vs only a few months here


they absolutely love the US and have begged a few relatives to come over

[Give me Beer]

I'm sure some people might like the way the US works, especially since the ycome from sweden and lean more to the liberal side of the scale (European liberal, not US liberal).

[guitrguy]

lol US liberal, is barely even liberal.

[ringworm]

different strokes fo different folks :)

[Give me Beer]

lol US liberal, is barely even liberal.

I like it when in debates on a very conservative forum, I get called a "liberal", since I would never in my life vote "liberal". And then I realize they think "liberal" means "left" and then I laugh because our government includes the "socialist" party and has at times (long ago now though) even included the ... communist party!

The socialists are a bunch of twats as well though, and the communist party, well the Stalinist-Maoist one is just a bunch of morons.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andr%C3%A9_Cools lol

[guitrguy]

That seem to be the only radio show host in the US can rebutt anything. Rush Limbaugh for example, the only thing he really says is how bad "liberals" are, and half of what he is saying is the word liberal.

[PerpetualBurn]

University of Wollongong

I lol'd.

[CarnageFairy]

Yeah, I can definitely see some benefits to the whole big government thing. Personally I think our government is too big as it is, and I can't imagine having to fork over that much money to uncle sam every two weeks.

Sounds cool and all, but in-state tuition really ain't so bad. :)

[guitrguy]

Yeah, I can definitely see some benefits to the whole big government thing. Personally I think our government is too big as it is, and I can't imagine having to fork over that much money to uncle sam every two weeks.

Sounds cool and all, but in-state tuition really ain't so bad. :)

It is for me. My dad makes good money, but I have 3 brothers, and the top 3 (including me) are a year a part. So its impossible to put all three of us through college. I have to rely on small scholarships and my wallet. When I transfer to architecture school, I'm going to be disgustingly into debt because of student loans.

[YDtoad]

It is for me. My dad makes good money, but I have 3 brothers, and the top 3 (including me) are a year a part. So its impossible to put all three of us through college. I have to rely on small scholarships and my wallet. When I transfer to architecture school, I'm going to be disgustingly into debt because of student loans.

Mississippi has some of the cheaper state colleges in the US, I'm pretty sure. You could also save a lot of money starting out at a community college.

[guitrguy]

I'm spending a third year at the CC on the coast, and really i'm just taking electives now because I can't afford to go up to Miss. State yet.

[CarnageFairy]

Yeah, I guess I'm lucky.

Oldest of two, earned over 50 credits at the local community college and when I go to a 4 year next year to finish up I have an apartment lined up so no extra cash for room + board.

I'm still gonna have some student loans of course but my family is gonna help with what they can. This whole "interest-free" thing sounds mighty nice though... :eek:

Austraya or bust!

[guitrguy]

Yeah, I guess I'm lucky.

Oldest of two, earned over 50 credits at the local community college and when I go to a 4 year next year to finish up I have an apartment lined up so no extra cash for room + board.

I'm still gonna have some student loans of course but my family is gonna help with what they can. This whole "interest-free" thing sounds mighty nice though... :eek:

Austraya or bust!
I'm basically in the same boat. I still have yet to line up an apartment.

[dei]

I got into a community college.

[Aaron]

Thanks for the comments guys.

Australia's system is pretty well thought out. If you earn under a certain threshold [$41k currently] you can defer to total cost of the loan, but if you earn over it then you pay a certain compulsory amount of extra tax [ie. You earn $45k so you pay 5% of the loan per year, if you earn over $47k it's 7%...].

Sucks to be me though; I'm 21, earn $53k and am studying this year but have a $205k mortgage to pay off, lol. I guess I have unusual circumstances.

[Futue te Ipsum]

True, I'm just sad the US can't put more focus on higher education. Its not like they don't have the funds to do so.Just causes more people to take courses like media studies, history and english at **** unis.

[Give me Beer]

That's a very cynical view to take, strange that you're okay with accumulating those huge debts that I've heard students in the US amass during their studies.

[bradc1988]

Congrats.

Although Wollongong Uni ftl, Usyd ftw.

Oh and commerce is incredibly boring.

[Aaron]

Haha cheers Brad. I live across the road from UOW and commute to Sydney, so it's a bit hard to juggle.

[Futue te Ipsum]

That's a very cynical view to take, strange that you're okay with accumulating those huge debts that I've heard students in the US amass during their studies.It's not ok, but then neither is the situation in england where people are going to uni for a 3 year party rather than an education, getting funded by the government for it whilst the top 5 universities are forced to get 50%+ international students to come close to breaking even.

[monkeysonmars.]

it is a party

[Give me Beer]

It's not ok, but then neither is the situation in england where people are going to uni for a 3 year party rather than an education, getting funded by the government for it whilst the top 5 universities are forced to get 50%+ international students to come close to breaking even.

Now of course we can speculate which population overall gets the better "education" and to be honest, I'm not sure that it would be the US. ;) Although that might have something to do with the highschool system. :0

Then again, we are talking about the UK ... ;)

[griftadan]

Thats the problem, places like the US make education a commodity. At least Aus. gives students a full interest free loan.

US does that too, my roommate has one

anyways i'd recommend econ over accounting if you want to keep your sould

[Aaron]

Haha. My only concern with economics is that, although it'll have huge potential to apply the knowledge in work, it won't on it's own lead to any career paths. I mean, how many people are there that go from uni to being an economist..?

[MAthiAS]

Haha. My only concern with economics is that, although it'll have huge potential to apply the knowledge in work, it won't on it's own lead to any career paths. I mean, how many people are there that go from uni to being an economist..?
Tbh you shouldn't worry all that much about this... lots (and lots) of people end up doing something outside of what they majored in.

[Rams]

Haha. My only concern with economics is that, although it'll have huge potential to apply the knowledge in work, it won't on it's own lead to any career paths. I mean, how many people are there that go from uni to being an economist..?

Econ doesn't just lead to an economist. My friends who were econ majors are now doing I-banking and consulting. If you were to be worried about anything, it should probably be the saturation that the major has gotten recently. Just about everyone who has no idea what they are doing end up doing econ, for one reason or another. Right now it leads to jobs that are in demand, but as the number of majors increases, I wonder if the opportunities will follow.

[guitrguy]

US does that too, my roommate has one

anyways i'd recommend econ over accounting if you want to keep your sould

They do, but you have to meet their paper standards, which being 21, mean that I can't get one. My dad, on paper, makes enough on paper that my brothers and I don't qualify. As far as I know, Australia makes it available to all students.

[1338 h4x0r]

I am eligible for massive amounts of aid under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The last twenty years of shіt have finally paid off.

I believe that is what is called an 'epic win'. :)

@guitrguy - I was in a plight like yours until recently; maybe something good will come up along the lines of grants or scholarships. It's darkest before the dawn I guess.

[Aaron]

Well I work in banking already so I must've skipped a step there, Rams. lol.

[PepsiMetal]

Yeah, I can definitely see some benefits to the whole big government thing. Personally I think our government is too big as it is, and I can't imagine having to fork over that much money to uncle sam every two weeks.

Sounds cool and all, but in-state tuition really ain't so bad. :)

I think it's about how the government spends money as well.

You don't see Sweden, Belgium, Finland, etc... waging wars and stuff, plus their foreign policy is fairly neutral as well, so they kinda don't make any enemies with it.

For the way we're doing, we definitely need a smaller federal government.

[1338 h4x0r]

You don't see Sweden, Belgium, Finland, etc... waging wars and stuff, plus their foreign policy is fairly neutral as well, so they kinda don't make any enemies with it.


Yeah, well they're Euro-fags. :p

[Futue te Ipsum]

Doesn't really matter what you do, really. You'll still be a pen pusher in a boring job.

[guitrguy]

Doesn't really matter what you do, really. You'll still be a pen pusher in a boring job.

at least I can buy more crack :D

[wartomods]

So you guys know what liberty is, my country has a socialist party in government (social politics), and has a comunist parti in parlement, as well the non alignated leftists bloc... and two other parties, one sligtly to the right, but still center, and one more to the right

[Give me Beer]

I think it's about how the government spends money as well.

You don't see Sweden, Belgium, Finland, etc... waging wars and stuff, plus their foreign policy is fairly neutral as well, so they kinda don't make any enemies with it.

For the way we're doing, we definitely need a smaller federal government.

For the full pictures, we do have troops in Afghanistan under the NATO force that operates there, as well as troops in Lebanon and Kosovo, small contignent in Congo and we're sending troops to Darfur at the start of next month.

But they don't do like, warfare ****, more like peacekeeping and all that jazz.

[Aaron]

Doesn't really matter what you do, really. You'll still be a pen pusher in a boring job.
Wow, thanks for your interesting and useful input there. I really hope I utilise it in my studies in the coming few years. Following the MX-sarcasm bandwagon is so 2007. :rolleyes:

To those who made sincere comments, thanks.

[1338 h4x0r]

Doesn't really matter what you do, really. You'll still be a pen pusher in a boring job.

Boring is subjective.

I'm sure there are plenty of things I like that you find stone cold boring.

[Futue te Ipsum]

Boring is subjective.

I'm sure there are plenty of things I like that you find stone cold boring.I'm sure you do. As I'm sure you'd find what I'll do to be stressful, often disgusting and emotionally crippling. I was just in a bad mood :p

[Aaron]

Bad moods make the world go round. No hard feelings... or is there :naughty:

[nowhesingsnowhesobs]

Well I work in banking already so I must've skipped a step there, Rams. lol.
there's a difference between banking and I-banking

[1338 h4x0r]

I'm sure you do. As I'm sure you'd find what I'll do to be stressful, often disgusting and emotionally crippling.

Being a clown at kids' birthday parties?

[Aaron]

there's a difference between banking and I-banking
The "I"?

What do you mean?

[pedro durruti]

The cost of tuition here in the US is really the only possible deterrent for college, at least for me. I have to take out tons of loans for school and it really makes me want to drop out, because it might be easier to learn without having to pay so ****ing much, although probably less efficiently and systematic most of the time. Do you have to be a citizen in most European countries to get cheap access to schools?

[Smokey D]

Either you or your parent(s) have to be a taxpayer in the respective country, I think. You might be able to get special scholarships or deals if your school is part of an exchange deal.

[Aaron]

Update; Now enrolled in my first two subjects:
Macroeconomics 7,
Introduction to Management

[1338 h4x0r]

Either you or your parent(s) have to be a taxpayer in the respective country, I think. You might be able to get special scholarships or deals if your school is part of an exchange deal.

I know that in Sweden, for example, even foreigners can get a state-funded university education. However, cost of living and learning the language are up to you. :)

[Oriah]

I f*cking hate school!

[tablespoonful]

There's ways in America, or Cali at least, to get most everything paid for, which is what I'm getting: everything paid for.

[Kingofdudes]

Meh, I dont have jack **** paid for. I got a mediocre scholarship through the school, got really lucky to land another scholarship for a little bit of money, but I still have to work my *** off to make ends meet. Some states are really good about providing for their up and coming students, but I was very unfortunate with the 2 states I reside in.

edit: crap I just went on a bitch fest :/

[ThePinkPanther]

my sister goes to a $35,000 a year university but only pays like less than $3,000. Its not really hard to get financial aid, grants, scholarships, and loans. Just dont go to an expensive school and get loans for it when the job you'll get afterwards will take a long time to pay off.

[Virus278]

By the end of my four years at college I'm going to owe $10,500 and my mom's going to owe $41,000. I also have a student loan of $19,000 which will become a grant if I graduate with a B average in 4 years.

[Give me Beer]

The cost of tuition here in the US is really the only possible deterrent for college, at least for me. I have to take out tons of loans for school and it really makes me want to drop out, because it might be easier to learn without having to pay so ****ing much, although probably less efficiently and systematic most of the time. Do you have to be a citizen in most European countries to get cheap access to schools?

I don't think you would need to be a citizen, but if you want to take the cheap courses, I do think knowing Dutch would be a prerequisite if you want to take any Bachlor courses at my university. If you want education over here, without doing the exchange thing, then you would need to know either Dutch or French.

I do remember that when I was studying at the Universidad Publica de Panamá my enrollment fee was about 25 dollars, lol. :0

[Futue te Ipsum]

If it makes you guys feel better, even though I'm paying barely anything in university bills, 6 years of central london accommodation is still going to knock me back £30k+ ($60k+). Not to mention transport costs because it's impossible to get anything near the uni for less than £10k per year.

I should've stayed at home for uni :p

[tablespoonful]

You guys should have gotten registered as independents (which makes you dependent on govt.) and then the $$$ would have flowed in.

[Aaron]

^ I am, and earn too much.

[Danish]

my sister goes to a $35,000 a year university but only pays like less than $3,000. Its not really hard to get financial aid, grants, scholarships, and loans. Just dont go to an expensive school and get loans for it when the job you'll get afterwards will take a long time to pay off.

It's not hard for some people, but not everyone is in the same social location. I mean, I've never got a scholarship, didn't qualify for gov't loans. But I'm lucky enough to have parents that could afford to pay my tuition. Then again, I go to an Ontario university and tuition costs $5000/year, which is less than the US.

I mean, just to get into a $35,000/year program in the US one has to have crazy high marks, which would qualify anyone for scholarships.

[Iskandar]

I know that in Sweden, for example, even foreigners can get a state-funded university education. However, cost of living and learning the language are up to you. :)Eh, most Swedes know English and Swedish is pretty easy anyway.