So the reforms ended up saving barely anything for taxpayers, but costing students much more, leaving universities the beneficiaries.
What worries Steve Smith, head of Universities UK, which represents vice-chancellors, is that the Lib Dems might block the reforms, leaving universities with a huge shortfall.
It said too few poor students achieved the right entrance grades, leaving universities competing with each other to get them to take up places.
They risk leaving universities unaware or unprepared for the wealth of exciting and rewarding opportunities available away from the high street: in film, theatre, television costume and the broader creative industries.
Martin Birchall, managing director of High Fliers, said: "This very significant increase in graduate vacancies at Britain's top employers means the job prospects for graduates leaving universities this year are the best they have been since the sart of the recession seven years ago".
As the cars ran off the production lines in Detroit, rising numbers of graduates were leaving universities to become part of an expanding middle class.
