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[C797]College And University Admissions

by Clint Cora, Cli

Finished college or university (or about to graduate) and still don't know what type of career you want? If your communications skills are good, then maybe you should consider a career in sales. Okay, before you dismiss this idea, let me expand on this because we are not talking about door to door or even retail sales here. We are talking about a much higher level of sales at the corporate business level.

These high level selling jobs usually require a college or university degree so they are quite respectable positions at companies. Sales people at this professional level are well trained and usually very specialized in their fields. The pharmaceutical sales field is just one such example.

Depending on the industry and company, selling could be done to either consumers in the general public or other businesses. Sales people who deal with the general public include stock brokers, insurance agents and real estate agents. Sales people who sell to businesses include advertising services to companies, equipment and raw material supplies for manufacturers.

Selling can be done on a local territorial basis or even internationally. Think about the sales people who would be responsible for selling airplanes to the world's airline companies for example. One can appreciate that in order to sell specialized products or services as complex as airplanes, extensive technical training would be required as well as study in sales psychology. This is certainly not an occupation for those without an education or communications skills.

Professional sales people in many fields also act as a consultant for their customers or clients because of their expertise. In fact, part of professional selling is to help customers solve their problems by providing useful solutions to them in the form of either products or services.

The money that professional sales people make is also very respectable with many bringing in six figures per year. After all, major businesses depend on their sales forces to bring in the company's revenue so the sales representatives are compensated well.

Sales is not for everyone but many graduates would definitely be qualified for this field. If your communications skills are above average and you are looking for a respectable job that pays well, consider a professional sales career.

Very few other careers over the same type of benefits such as high potential income, lots of freedom or independence, opportunities to travel and be in a position to help or counsel customers. Also, since verbal communications skills are used, professional sales people will seldom have to be stuck in the same office environment all working day.

Given all these perks, it is surprising why there isn't more college and university graduates who think about sales careers as options. But perhaps this will change when more and more individuals are finding out about sales after a few career changes from boring office jobs to more dynamic positions in the sales world.

So if you are a college or university graduate or soon to be, do some research and perhaps talk to some professional who are already working in the sales field (example, pharmaceutical sales reps) and ask what they think about their chosen careers. It just might open up some roads for you.

The government also wanted to reduce the social inequality in higher education. Students from the upper strata of the society had an 80% chance of receiving higher education, while students from the lower income group just had a 20% chance of reaching the university campus.

These two issues were effectively addressed by the government. And the revised fee structure is the result.

The Revised Fee Structure

Initially, every student paid a flat fee of ? 1,175. This fee structure was abolished. Students are charged varying fees. The maximum amount charged is ? 3,000.

How Justifiable is the New Fee Structure?

The government says that graduates earn more. Their access to higher education moves them up the social ladder. It is only justifiable that they contribute towards the growing cost of their education.

But this fee structure has created a problem for many students. They are contemplating the necessity of higher education. The revised fee structure is proving an effective deterrent. A survey of 7,000 students has found that 27% of them were less likely to opt for a higher study due to the revised rates.

1 among 4 bright students feels that the high costs of university education are preventing them from studying further.

The high fee has practically brought down the number of students opting for an education. Many colleges experienced a 5 to 13% reduction in the number of applications received.

The government with its new plan was targeting the poorer sections. But they were unsuccessful in this aspect.

Students from the lower income group feel that a university education leaves them with zero earnings till they complete their course.

Further, the grant money makes them debt-ridden. They are in debts even before they have started earning.

How fair is a system that fails to achieve its target? If the facts and figures are supplemented with long term evidential proof, the revised fee structure will be subject to much contemplative debate.

Should the UK government provide more assistance?

Some people feel that a well-educated work force is an asset to the economy. So it is the government that should invest in higher education.

Increased governmental investment might translate to an additional contribution by the tax payer. Governmental assistance is already being offered to the students in the form of loans and grants.

Maintenance Grants and Loans

Students are also eligible for grants. Those belonging to families that earn less than ?17,501 can receive a grant of ?2,700 per annum. And students whose family income amounts to ? 37,425 need no grant. All the applicants who belong to families that earn incomes in between these two limits get varying amounts of grants. 50% of the students are eligible for some sort of a grant.

Students are also eligible for maintenance loans. The interest rates are inflation-linked. Linking the interest figures with rising inflation rate ensures that students are only repaying their borrowed amount in real terms.

Do Poorer Students get Fairer Access?

The revised fee structure was meant to increase the students from the lower income group. The government wanted 50% of 18 to 30-year olds in the colleges and universities by 2010.

But current figures from Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) revealed a completely different picture. The percentage of children from lower income families accessing higher education has fallen.

Students from the lower economic strata numbered 28.6% the previous year. Their number has reduced to 28.2%.

The number of applications for the university courses also fell significantly.

The new policy of the government seems to show signs of failure. However, the long-term implications are unknown. This policy is due for a review in 2009. If the figures mark no significant change, the new fee structure proposed by the government would be abandoned.

The short-term negative indication could be due to student ignorance. The governmental grants and loans are relatively unknown in spite of the vast publicity. 9 out of 10 students were not aware of these. The new fee structure implemented by the government is a step in the right direction. It might just be a matter of time before the success rates are evident.

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About Author

Both Clint Cora & James Walsh are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Clint Cora has sinced written about articles on various topics from Careers and Job Hunting, Tax and Careers and Job Hunting. . Clint Cora's top article generates over 27100 views. to your Favourites.

James Walsh has sinced written about articles on various topics from Small Business, Binding Machines and Divorce and Infidelity. James Walsh is a freelance writer and copy editor. If you are a UK or Overseas student applying for a place in a UK University, to stand out from the thousands of others, it is essential to have striking. James Walsh's top article generates over 368000 views. to your Favourites.