Comments on: The problems low ‘unmet demand’ conceal http://andrewnorton.info/2007/04/the-problems-low-unmet-demand-conceals/ Observations from Carlton's Lone Classical Liberal Sat, 10 Jan 2009 01:02:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Andrew Norton http://andrewnorton.info/2007/04/the-problems-low-unmet-demand-conceals/comment-page-1/#comment-6826 Andrew Norton Wed, 09 May 2007 03:49:08 +0000 http://andrewnorton.info/blog/2007/04/27/the-problems-low-unmet-demand-conceals/#comment-6826 Chris - A point I made in the longer paper. But I can make my case without resorting to speculative numbers, so I may as well do so. Chris - A point I made in the longer paper. But I can make my case without resorting to speculative numbers, so I may as well do so.

]]> By: Chris lloyd http://andrewnorton.info/2007/04/the-problems-low-unmet-demand-conceals/comment-page-1/#comment-6825 Chris lloyd Wed, 09 May 2007 03:35:27 +0000 http://andrewnorton.info/blog/2007/04/27/the-problems-low-unmet-demand-conceals/#comment-6825 I wonder about the interpretation of such figures. The 1.4% is really farcical as a measure of “unmet demand”. Are there not tens of thousands who would like to do medicine (for example) but cannot because the places are so limited? The unmet demand for these places drives the ridiculous enter score of 99.4. You have identified part of this unmet demand as measured by those who had medicine as first preference but were accepted in another course. But this under-estimates the unmet demand drastically. Many more students are not silly enough to put medicine down as a first preference, because they know their enter score will not be good enough. I wonder about the interpretation of such figures. The 1.4% is really farcical as a measure of “unmet demand”.

Are there not tens of thousands who would like to do medicine (for example) but cannot because the places are so limited? The unmet demand for these places drives the ridiculous enter score of 99.4. You have identified part of this unmet demand as measured by those who had medicine as first preference but were accepted in another course. But this under-estimates the unmet demand drastically. Many more students are not silly enough to put medicine down as a first preference, because they know their enter score will not be good enough.

]]> By: Andrew Norton http://andrewnorton.info/2007/04/the-problems-low-unmet-demand-conceals/comment-page-1/#comment-6829 Andrew Norton Tue, 08 May 2007 11:51:35 +0000 http://andrewnorton.info/blog/2007/04/27/the-problems-low-unmet-demand-conceals/#comment-6829 I will get to the Endowment - lots to absorb in this Budget. I will get to the Endowment - lots to absorb in this Budget.

]]> By: Sinclair Davidson http://andrewnorton.info/2007/04/the-problems-low-unmet-demand-conceals/comment-page-1/#comment-6828 Sinclair Davidson Tue, 08 May 2007 11:22:37 +0000 http://andrewnorton.info/blog/2007/04/27/the-problems-low-unmet-demand-conceals/#comment-6828 OT: I hope you're working on a post saying the Higher Education Endowmwnt Fund is a bad idea that will crowd out private endowments. Good politics, bad economics. OT: I hope you’re working on a post saying the Higher Education Endowmwnt Fund is a bad idea that will crowd out private endowments. Good politics, bad economics.

]]> By: Joel Parsons http://andrewnorton.info/2007/04/the-problems-low-unmet-demand-conceals/comment-page-1/#comment-6827 Joel Parsons Sun, 29 Apr 2007 06:57:53 +0000 http://andrewnorton.info/blog/2007/04/27/the-problems-low-unmet-demand-conceals/#comment-6827 The central problem is that the system doesn't transmit the right information to students for them to make the trade-offs between moving away for a better course / doing a course near home; doing a more expensive course you like / doing a less expensive course you don't like so much; etc. etc. The central problem is that the system doesn’t transmit the right information to students for them to make the trade-offs between moving away for a better course / doing a course near home; doing a more expensive course you like / doing a less expensive course you don’t like so much; etc. etc.

]]> By: conrad http://andrewnorton.info/2007/04/the-problems-low-unmet-demand-conceals/comment-page-1/#comment-6830 conrad Fri, 27 Apr 2007 03:45:44 +0000 http://andrewnorton.info/blog/2007/04/27/the-problems-low-unmet-demand-conceals/#comment-6830 "Rather than offering students the courses they want where they want them" Lots of people see this the other way around, for (presumably) a reason different to the government -- this is already done far too much. Universities bend over backwards to offer students degrees that take almost no effort or thought to complete, because students want them, and bend over backwards with their marketing departments to tell them how much their degrees will be worth. Its a triumph of marketing over education. The second is done far too much also (mainly for political reasons) -- thats why there are loss making university campuses in ridiculous places that can't be closed down. “Rather than offering students the courses they want where they want them”

Lots of people see this the other way around, for (presumably) a reason different to the government — this is already done far too much. Universities bend over backwards to offer students degrees that take almost no effort or thought to complete, because students want them, and bend over backwards with their marketing departments to tell them how much their degrees will be worth. Its a triumph of marketing over education.
The second is done far too much also (mainly for political reasons) — thats why there are loss making university campuses in ridiculous places that can’t be closed down.

]]> By: David Rubie http://andrewnorton.info/2007/04/the-problems-low-unmet-demand-conceals/comment-page-1/#comment-6824 David Rubie Fri, 27 Apr 2007 03:03:31 +0000 http://andrewnorton.info/blog/2007/04/27/the-problems-low-unmet-demand-conceals/#comment-6824 Julie Bishop: Let them eat cake. Julie Bishop: Let them eat cake.

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