Home Home, Law & Money
If you need urgent support, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. To contact our Crisis Messenger (open 24/7) text THEMIX to 85258.

College, EMA and New Jobs

2»

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    xsazx wrote: »
    But hey I'm just bitter as my parents make me pay for all my school costs out my own money and don't qualify for ema


    Sorry, what money? I'm sure you just said you don't have a job!

    And Franki, I agree the income boundries are probably wrong, like you say - some families just can't support their children through education. That is fundementally why I think the EMA is a good idea. If you hadn't had the gumption to work your way through college you would have effectively been 'forced' into leaving education for full-time work, which is exactly what the EMA ought to prevent. You unfortunately slipped through the cracks and had to tough it out. You made it though, so try to just feel proud at yourself (because you deserve it) instead of bitter over others.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    katralla wrote: »
    Sorry, what money? I'm sure you just said you don't have a job!

    And Franki, I agree the income boundries are probably wrong, like you say - some families just can't support their children through education. That is fundementally why I think the EMA is a good idea. If you hadn't had the gumption to work your way through college you would have effectively been 'forced' into leaving education for full-time work, which is exactly what the EMA ought to prevent. You unfortunately slipped through the cracks and had to tough it out. You made it though, so try to just feel proud at yourself (because you deserve it) instead of bitter over others.
    I guess so. But I still think the whole system is flawed. I know it's unrealistic, but they should find a way of assessing everyone's financial situation instead of basing it entirely on income and assuming mummy and daddy will fork out for books, folders etc.

    I agree that EMA SHOULD be to stop people being forced out of education when they actually want to study, but atm it's about tempting more people into education so that they get money just for turning up and not really doing very much. Which is wrong imo.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I dunno if that's such a bad thing though. Sometimes it takes stublimng across learning something you find interesting before you are interested in learning more.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    katralla wrote: »
    I dunno if that's such a bad thing though. Sometimes it takes stublimng across learning something you find interesting before you are interested in learning more.
    That's true, but I still think it would be better to do it the other way around.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I think its more to do with if you come into financial hardship, those with better off parents are more likely to be able to help out, whereas those who earn less are less likely to be able to help them out, which could end up with the kid saying 'fuck it, i'll go and get a job' and then they get stuck. It's all about increasing social mobility which we don't have alot of as the gap between the rich and poor is getting bigger. This is just getting into a bitter debate now.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It's not though - it's about the government wanting more people to go to college, and trying to bribe them into it. All the adverts I've seen for EMA are like "GET PAID TO GO TO COLLEGE!!". And if it's about people coming into hardship and not being able to pay for college stuff, why is it £30 a week? I know NOBODY who spends £30 a week on college stuff. And why bonuses? I didn't get any "rewards" for going to my lessons, I just got told "actually no, you can't get EMA, you have to work your butt off for nothing while people around you get rewarded for attending college just as much as you did". It's not fair, no matter what you say about it.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hmm. Fair enough be angry at the system (which I agree is flawed) but I think it's pointless to go all accusatory because if money was offered to you then it would be hard to turn down. No point being bitter towards people who receive it.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hmm. Fair enough be angry at the system (which I agree is flawed) but I think it's pointless to go all accusatory because if money was offered to you then it would be hard to turn down. No point being bitter towards people who receive it.
    I'm not bitter towards the people, except the ones who take it completely for granted and spend it on shit then complain they're skint, I'm bitter towards the system.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    yeahh ok it just didnt look like that earlier on that's why i said but if you dont feel that way it's cool
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    lacrymosa wrote: »
    My brother did. He had nothing left once he'd spent his money on travelling and his lunches (because my Dad couldn't afford to give him lunch or travel money). His bonuses got spent on books and whatever else the college wanted him to buy which was quite alot what with the course he was doing.

    I wouldn't brush all people that receive EMA with the same brush. There are people out there that genuinely need it.
    Well fair enough, your brother is an exception to the people I know. I know that some people genuinely need it, but I think the criteria for whether you get it or not is flawed. I would have found it so useful to get even the lowest amount of EMA so that I wouldn't have had the stress of work while I was trying to pass 6 different subjects, but because it's based entirely on income I didn't get it, even though my mum could barely afford to pay for my bus pass even when I got 25% off because Colchester was the only place I could do my course (in fact she couldn't afford it, just like she can't afford to subsidise £200+ of my uni rent because Essex County Council decided that my parents earn too much to let me have enough student loan to even cover that).

    I maintain that the whole system is flawed. And like I said, I'm not bitter about the people that get it - although it may come across that way - I'm just bitter about the whole system.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    xsazx wrote: »
    Save up all my birthday and xmas money, put it in the bank and spend it when I have to .... people with EMA have the privlidges to spend this money on stuff of their choice because their course costs are well and truely covered, ours aren't.

    Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha . Oh dear. My sides have just split. You ARE joking though right?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Where do you get 'your' birthday and christmas money from and who pays for the car that your Dad drives you about in?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Well, seeing as your family can afford to support you through education, ain't no need for you to get the EMA then, is there?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yes, it does actully mean they should, and yes they do pay for you. You've already said you have no other income apart from your family and 'friends'.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    xsazx wrote: »
    lol they CAN but I still pay for the majority of the stuff I need myself.

    No you don't.
    xsazx wrote: »
    Just because they CAN doesn't mean they SHOULD...
    Yes they should.
    xsazx wrote: »
    if they had to people on very low incomes could support their child through education, doesn't mean they should though
    How's that then? By selling the family pet horse, or by getting up a few hours earlier and giving their kids a piggy back to college?
    xsazx wrote: »
    I don't see what the hell my parent's incomes have anything to do with the grants/money I'M given because they aren't the onces financing my education...... why should it be one rule for some and another for everyone else?

    Well, quite. Why should your family have a big house, and mine a small one? Why should your 'rents be on a better income than me? Is it because they just work a bit harder?


    ha ha ha ha ha ha. Grow up love. And, try to demonstrate a bit of the super genius intelligence you're go on about!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    xsazx wrote: »
    yea right you stalk me for everything I purchase with my money now do ya? :rolleyes:

    Sorry, what money?

    xsazx wrote: »
    because they work damn hard for it? You work yourself to where you are in life....
    POYFLSH

    xsazx wrote: »
    can't actually be bothered to argue any more you're just being stupidly patronising and it's not worth my time typing

    snort
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    xsazx wrote: »
    lol they CAN but I still pay for the majority of the stuff I need myself.

    Just because they CAN doesn't mean they SHOULD... if they had to people on very low incomes could support their child through education, doesn't mean they should though

    I don't see what the hell my parent's incomes have anything to do with the grants/money I'M given because they aren't the onces financing my education...... why should it be one rule for some and another for everyone else?

    Aren't you in a private school though?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    xsazx wrote: »
    why the hell does it matter that it's money I've saved up myself or money I've earnt in a job?? I don't physically have time for a job because my course is so demanding so I have little other choice

    It is part of my point about people who can afford to continue their education, and people who can't or would be put off because they and their families have an immediate need for them to earn money.
    xsazx wrote: »
    fancy not using acronyms so I have a clue what you're on about?

    I didn't think you were interested in my reply, it means Pissing On You From Laughing So Hard.
    xsazx wrote: »
    and you're saying I need to grow up?

    Yes, because I think you don't understand how other people live and connecting with the rest of the world might benefit you in your growth as a person.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    xsazx wrote: »
    did I say the system was a bad idea? no... I said if people are going to get rewards for staying on (and that's what it is) then it should be given to everyone not just a select few because afterall everyone has course costs, not just those on low income

    Well, I disagree, just as other benefits are means tested, so is the EMA.

    xsazx wrote: »
    lol yeah what ever you say :rolleyes:

    All I'm saying is grow up.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Children, Children, Children.

    When you've quite finished bickering..... :rolleyes:

    Some people need EMA, some don't. Sadly it doesn't always tie up with the income thresholds. The same problems exists with higher education funding.

    Possibly a better system would be one where by the colleges/6th forms/schools cover far more of the costs. If paper, pens, stationary, textbooks etc were provided, and travel passes funded then it would get rid of the 'need' for EMA for kids from low income households, it would mean that everyone got the same equipment and resources as far as their education was concerned, and would probably cost less.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Although, that's not the EMA is for though is it? If it were, surely the recipients would get stationary vouchers like pregnant women get milk tokens? They get money so they can spend it on what they want, not what others think they should spend it on.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Either way - this is a forum for advice as opposed to general debate - so if people want to start arguing they'll find the reaction will be much harsher than in p&d.

    If people want to debate EMA I'd suggest starting a thread over there - but usethis thread to provide some advice for Ashlee
Sign In or Register to comment.