University is, undoubtedly, one of the best times of your life. Sure, at the time, that dissertation can seem like the Everest of challenges in your final year. But as someone who writes nearly two dissertations worth of content (Bookmaker Offers) every week, that university dissertation would seem the equivalent of a holiday right now.

Looking back on it, I don’t think I ever truly appreciated the amount of free time I had during university. Sure I did do a lot of matched betting which helped me pay off my student loans, but I could have done so much more! What was great about it though was the fact that I studied and made money without sacrificing, what I believe to be the most important element of university, learning to get along and socialise with others.

University brings together a vastly different demographic to anything you may have experienced before, regardless of your background. Rich, poor, black, white, etc. University is a melting pot of many and varied people and it encourages you to see things through other people’s eyes and gives you a more rounded perspective on all walks of life. In my personal opinion, this skill is as valuable as your degree…..which in the working world seems to be holding less and less value. However, when the two are combined it gives you a leg up in the working world that you wouldn’t otherwise have.

I am a complete believer in these skills and opportunities being open to everyone and the other day I read something in The Times newspaper that made my blood boil. I’ll simply start by quoting the paragraph:

“Almost one in ten students from disadvantaged backgrounds is dropping out of university after the first year”. It goes on to state that the recent increase in yearly tuition to £9,250 per year directly correlates with the sharply rising dropout rates.

I was fortunate enough to be at university when tuition fees were capped at £3,000 per year. Then, I used matched betting to pay off the total of £9,000 in tuition fees plus the maintenance loan. In fact, last week I looked back at my old record keeping (yes I used to do everything manually) and found I’d made nearly £25,000 over the course of my 3 years at university using matched betting. Whilst I did matched betting only casually and hardly at all during the summer, that would still leave a current student short, in terms of paying off their fees (with the rise to £9,250 per year in tuition).

How angry this increase in cost vs the advantage a degree offers nowadays, makes me is a story for another blog. However, it baffles me that universities aren’t willing to help students in every way possible to tackle these levels of debt. Yes the tuition loan goes straight to the University, but it is the maintenance loan that provides students the opportunity to avoid digging themselves into a debt hole in the first place. When I was at University, it was the maintenance loan which gave me the platform to double/triple it's value during the course of the year. UK Students need to know about this to at least give it a go and have a shot at tackling this mountain of debt!

If 8.8% of undergrads from poorer homes are not returning to university for their second year because they simply can’t afford it, this is a big problem for not just university but society in general. Now, student loans are something everyone receives, but they alone do not pay for everything, especially nowdays. Matched Betting with Heads&Heads is not ‘the’ answer to this problem. However, if those 8.8% are willing to put a couple of hours in a night on matched betting from their first year onwards, we know they’d have the means to stay. Currently, our average monthly member earns £740 per month. This equates to £8,880 per year and that can be the difference for some between being part of that drop out figure or not.

Matched betting is an industry that Universities find hard to trust. This is sad and highly regrettable for them, because it will only serve to erode their own finances. Heads&Heads aims to change this and show the good we can do for students worried about the debt that is incurred at university. Anyone who has given Heads&Heads half a chance, at the very least, understands how the money is made and how it can be done without risk. The more awareness we can give to students about this service, the more likely universities are to listen to what we have to offer and that is something which everyone will benefit from.

Heads&Heads has a free trial where you can try two offers for free. So if you know any students, either about to go to university or who are on their summer break, share this with them so they can at least have a go.

Nearly all who try our first two offers end up signing up for our premium membership and becoming part of our community. If you are a student and wish to join us, you can get your first month for just £1, by entering the code below on the payment page.

Code: H&H-STUDENT