I hate Journalists

when they come up with a headline that makes out that the story is about one thing...and then you read it and they've totally contradicted themselves....

See here:

Top up fees a "turn off" for students.

You'd think from that headline that fewer students were going to university this year than before top up fees were introduced wouldn't you? from the headline. Or indeed from the first few paragraphs if you read them.

But, wait! Did you say the reduction in the number of applications this year was 3.4%? and...what was last year's increase?

[due to gap year students applying early to avoid paying the higher fees - obviously the wealthier ones who were happy to pay up front and forgo the grant]

It was "at least 8%" your honour, you'll see it in paragraph 11.

Paragraph eleven. So the fact that demonstrates that approximately 5% more people are applying for university this year than applied the year the bill was passed is, at best implied, included in paragraph 11 of your article about how the bill has deterred students from applying for university.

Interesting.

I also dislike it when journalists print stuff that is completely made up about friends of mine.