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FISCAL POLICY

Why go to university?

The economics of higher education

The decision of whether to go to university is one of the biggest many young people will face. Over the past five decades, numbers attending university in the UK have been rising, and with that, a burgeoning number of courses have emerged. With thousands of courses at over 100 institutions, how do you decide what to study and where? Elaine Drayton explores the issues

You can find answers to the questions in this article at www.hoddereducation.co.uk/economicreviewextras

Traditional economic theory tells us that students will rationally weigh up the costs of attending university against its expected benefits to decide whether to pursue a university degree. One part of these costs is financial — tuition fees, costs associated with living away from home and spending on books and equipment. There is also what economists call the ‘opportunity cost’ of attending university, that is, the wages and experience that could be gained by working instead of continuing with formal education.

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Population growth and structure

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