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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Dropped out of uni final year -two weeks to go!!

41 replies

cantmakesenseofthis · 05/06/2016 16:30

Last year I posted about my DS who was ready to quit uni with a year to go. He is/was on a 4 year course with a year abroad. He said that he had come to the realisation that a degree was not necessary for what he wanted to do. He wants to be a writer! After much discussion he decided to return for the final year. This week he rang me to tell me he has dropped out two weeks before his final exams. He says that he wishes that he had had the balls to walk away from uni at the point that he realised what he wanted to do in life and now he feels unshackled and free. He says the pressure of revising for something he no longer wanted was too much and he insists that a degree is not necessary in todays world. I am struggling to understand why he didn't just complete the damn thing and persue his dream. He has managed to secure a job and plans to continue writing. I wonder if he will get any recognition/certificate for the years he has done and whether he is able to transfer credits at a later date. I am horrified at what he has done, cannot understand it and am fearful about his decision making ability. I know I should step back now and I will but I cannot understand how my seemingly bright DS threw away a degree from a Russell Group uni with such wild abandon.

OP posts:
JugglingFromHereToThere · 08/06/2016 19:39

Glad it seems he's in a good place with this.
Sounds like a plan!
There are many paths through what can be life's great adventure.
I wish him and you well as he sets off in a slightly new direction.

Good to know too that he has gained credits and an award from being on the course and could transfer these towards completing the course if he should choose to do so in the next 5 years. He should have a fair idea of how things are going within that time frame so that he could pick up that option if it felt right at some point. Or lots of other interesting things could open up going forwards.

2rebecca · 08/06/2016 23:09

I would be disappointed. Unless he's doing a maths degree then surely he can practise his writing skills in his essays and exams? Writing isn't a special thing divorced from every day life. Agree it sounds as though he knew he'd fail so bottled the exams. Hope he does well but it does seem a waste of money but it maybe enabled him to decide on a clear career path.

notagiraffe · 09/06/2016 08:16

I work with professional writers. Of all the ones I work with, including several household names, only one earns a living from writing alone. The rest supplement their incomes with teaching at unis or Adult Ed colleges. For which they ^all needed to do degrees and further degrees and PhDs in order to secure part time work that left them free to write for a couple of days. One well known author I know does shift work still between novels, in semi-skilled professions, but the rest are all academics.

I still think it's a massive shame he gave up so close to the goal. He'll need a hell of a lot of stamina and resilience to make it as a writer - it's a career that is absolutely riddled with rejections and set backs, even for the most successful. But it's good that he's happy and pursuing something he wants to do. And in work. Good luck to him.

Autumnsky · 09/06/2016 12:51

I can understand OP's frustration, It's not ideal. However, it seems your DS has a clear goal at the moment, and have a job to support himself, which is good thing. And his University experience may benifit his future writing, so won't be a completely wasting.

cantmakesenseofthis · 09/06/2016 12:58

I am desperately holding on to the positives. He has a job paying just over £20,000 so no loan repayments and he can still complete as long as he does so within 5 years. But I am still so bloody furious. His actions are so short sighted! He says he is prepared for all the knock backs that will happen with his writing venture but he feels he needs to do this. All very laudable BUT .................

OP posts:
insan1tyscartching · 09/06/2016 14:24

Ds got his degree and Masters funded by Local Government so I'd imagine there will be the same opportunities in the Civil Service or there was anyway when I was a Civil Servant. It won't be a disaster,he has secured employment with clear progression opportunities, he will get the opportunity to complete his degree or transfer to another funded for him and if he's happy with his choice that's the main thing.

ThenLaterWhenItGotDark · 09/06/2016 14:30

Good on you for being furious! (I was thinking this was going to be another thread full of cotton wool wrapped grown men being mollycoddled because they do something unutterably stupid)

I bet, as others have said, he suddenly realised he was going to do crapola in his exams.

Fingers crossed that the job is all he is hoping it's going to be.

Decorhate · 09/06/2016 17:36

When I was at uni a friend's older brother was repeating his final year for the umpteenth time. Think was a STEM course that was very sought after. He eventually threw the towel in, got a civil service type job & did an English degree by night. Still does the job & writes a bit too. Don't think he ever had regrets. Apart from perhaps not doing it sooner.

OP was your ds' degree totally unrelated to what he now wants to do? I think I remember your thread from last year...

cantmakesenseofthis · 09/06/2016 20:59

His degree was not related. His mind is set that he doesnt need a degree now or later. To be perfectly honest he has been kicking against a degree from day one. He was doing it because that was my expection. Lesson learnt. Wont be doing this with DS2. He has always said that I was completely brainwashed by the system and having a degree is all a huge con unless you wanted a particular skill based career. I wasnt having any of it and sent him off to uni. What a huge mistake!

He says he has no intention of completing a degree now later or ever.

OP posts:
purplebud · 09/06/2016 21:10

Maybe he won't need a degree. He has a job, aspirations and a plan. He's happy with his whole life stretching out before him.

JugglingFromHereToThere · 09/06/2016 21:29

Good that he has 5 years to think about it though, that's a bonus?
And a diploma for the work he has already put in?

cantmakesenseofthis · 07/07/2017 14:47

Update
I am no longer furious. My son is happy and writing. He has successfully pitched his work to an agent and is now working on one of many redrafts oft his work. He has little money but gets by. Best of all he is happy with what he is doing and with no degree he feels he has a point to prove, I bet that keeps him burning bright.

I

OP posts:
gonegrey56 · 07/07/2017 18:54

Well that is great . What matters is that he us doing what inspires and motivates him . There are many ways forward in life, and he has found his. Thanks for updating op. Must have been a tough few months for you but glad all is well !

fussychica · 08/07/2017 10:06

Thanks for updating. Glad that things have calmed down and you are both in a better place.

Lottie2017 · 08/07/2017 10:24

Could he transfer his credits and look at a Creative Writing degree? This way, he can continue writing and get professional feedback on his work and also make some contacts. This would also mean that his degree is not completely wasted. Just a thought 😊 I am currently working on a postgraduate Creative Writing degree and the feedback on my work from professional writers has been so helpful.

Lottie2017 · 08/07/2017 10:35

Sorry, just seen it's an update 😊 great news that he is doing well.

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