Students' Opinions on Various Forms of Public Support

Abstract

This article is the next in a series of presentations of the results of a study of students attending public and non-public colleges. It presents analyses and conclusions concerning young people's opinions and evaluations of the public system of material support (particularly the newly introduced bank credits for students) as well as their level of information in this area. A discussion of the inequalities and barriers to higher education due to level of education and family residence was presented in the previous issue of this journal (2/16/2000). As will be demonstrated, young people are very poorly informed about the available forms of public financial support and tend to be critical and suspicious of such new Solutions as bank credits. The present system of material support for students is very limited. Young people who go to college tend to count on themselves and their families if they have sufficient educational aspirations for their children and can afford to help. Despite these drawbacks, the number of higher educational establishments and demand for their services are increasing because young people are ambitious and determined and are aware of the instrumental value of a college degree. However, existing barriers are blocking access of many potential candidates to the universities and colleges o rto the most prestigious ones whose degrees are more widely recognised and open the way to better jobs.