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Higher education

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

Original poster

Dd wants to drop out of uni 1st year maths degree

53 replies

hhsa · 09/04/2021 20:15

As you know uni students have had it hard this year with online studying. She wants to drop out. Need advice on what she can do next. Maybe apprenticeships? Dont know where to turn for advice.

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Original poster
hhsa · 09/04/2021 20:39

Is there any point to completing the year

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Einszwei · 09/04/2021 20:45

What does she want to do? It would be good if she could stick it out to the end of this year, just so she has the credits, as long as she feels able to.

FanSpamTastic · 09/04/2021 20:57

There are some degree apprenticeships in say accountancy with the larger firms. See something like this?

You can find information on UCAS too.

Original poster
hhsa · 09/04/2021 21:38

What do you mean by credits?

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Standrewsschool · 09/04/2021 21:50

What’s the reason for dropping out? Is it the course? Location? Student life? Depending on the reason, is where you go to next.

I know someone doing an accountancy apprenticeship and love it. All the main accountancy firms run schemes.

A friend’s daughter dropped out at Christmas a few years back. She ended going to another uni later and getting a degree in a completely different subject. What my friend learnt, after the initial shock, was to support her dd. Friend wasn’t initial happy, but realised it wasn’t her life, but her daughters. In the end, everything worked out well.

article

Article including information about leaving university.

article 2

thesandwich · 09/04/2021 21:50

nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/
Also see Gov.uk apprenticeships and also kickstart schemes.

Original poster
hhsa · 09/04/2021 22:12

She doesnt want to do maths degree anymore also has no idea what to do next. Maybe look for an apprenticeships or a job.

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sendsummer · 09/04/2021 22:50

If an university degree experience is stripped back to mainly the study part,, often in isolation, it is not surprising that some students like your DD re-evaluate what they are getting out of it. If her mental health is robust enough I would also suggest that she finishes this year and any exams whilst also exploring what else might be worthwhile for her to do next..

titchy · 09/04/2021 22:54

Finish the year. She should be able to leave with a Certificate of Higher Education if she passes the whole first year. Gives her the option of topping up to a full degree later if she wants.

5pot6pot7potmore · 09/04/2021 23:07

Why did she chose maths in the first place? Maybe she just opted for the wrong course, and could consider switching. She'd have to repeat the first year now, obviously.

Maths at University level is rather different to A-level, and can be a bit of a shock with the level of abstraction required. Did she ever consider engineering or physics, or perhaps economics?

Nannyamc · 09/04/2021 23:19

We are in different times and different world. My two ds started out this way. Both threw it in after a year. Thought it was the end of the world. Both served electrical apprenticeship and are earning a great living and love their jobs.
There are loads of opportunities just down a different road

Original poster
hhsa · 09/04/2021 23:32

Thank you for all ur replies. I understand that she should atleast completely this year. Maybe she will feel different if they are allowed face to face learning soon.

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Original poster
hhsa · 09/04/2021 23:33

She chose maths as she did well in A level maths. I thought she would be interested In accountancy. But later changed her mind.

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Embra · 09/04/2021 23:39

Accountancy? This is most boring subject you can imagine ! But do look at ai, applied maths in all forms like big data, finance, teaching. Depends what appeals most definitely not drop mid year.

5pot6pot7potmore · 09/04/2021 23:50

Did she do better in/enjoy more pure or applied maths modules? Did she do Further Maths?

Original poster
hhsa · 09/04/2021 23:58

She didnt donfurther maths. It was just A level maths.

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Piggywaspushed · 10/04/2021 07:16

Bear in mind that apprenticeships aren't a magic wand. Depending on where you live there may be loads of great ones, or there may be very few (she could look into degree apprenticeships at her/a uni perhaps). Obviously, uni has been very weird for her this year but some students have developed a bit of tunnel vision and don't necessarily realise other things are running differently too. I have heard of lots of apprenticeships being deferred or even cancelled , or lots of apprenticeships also working in an online/ socially distanced fashion.

You need to get to the heart of what it is she is not liking and what it is she can see herself doing. It can't just be 'an apprenticeship'. She needs to know in what or she could find herself in the same position.

I do think a lot of focus on STEM in the last few years has led many young people to choose the wrong A Levels and the wrong degree for them and then find it all very hard and/or unstimulating.

Standrewsschool · 10/04/2021 07:24

@Embra

Accountancy? This is most boring subject you can imagine ! But do look at ai, applied maths in all forms like big data, finance, teaching. Depends what appeals most definitely not drop mid year.
Not necessarily. There are several strands of accountancy. I know someone doing a Transactions degree apprenticeship. It’s more business orientated.

EY apprenticeships

ZaZathecat · 10/04/2021 09:27

My son dropped out after 1st year of uni, he hated the course and the uni.
He got an apprenticeship in the city (office admin) which really helped him with his confidence and he saved lots of money living at home.
He is now is his first year of a totally different degree course at a different uni, and loves it.
What I mean to say is Don't Worry! There are lots of possible paths to take, and sticking out your original degree course is not necessarily the best one.

NotDonna · 10/04/2021 10:24

It has been a blooming tough year! Has she had any careers advice or taken the morrisby tests? Mine have found doing the tests incredibly helpful.
www.morrisby.com/
Ridiculous comment @Embra!
OP Please don’t rule out anything (including accountancy) because someone thinks it’s boring. It could very well suit your daughter perfectly.

LauristonLane · 10/04/2021 10:46

In my experience I would listen to her now and make plans - I know you are.

One of my DC's has completed a degree that he hates and has only said now that he wished he'd made changes much earlier.

He has his degree which is good but doesn't want to work in the field, didn't do very well in terms of achievement and is now looking at the age of 26 to study further. All seems a bit of a waste now that he's working in a supermarket! I wish he'd talked about it more during his degree and made changes.

Could your DD finish this year and transfer to year 2 of another similar course, perhaps even one with a year out in commerce? Maybe worth her talking to her own uni first to explore/rule out options.

Original poster
hhsa · 10/04/2021 11:20

Just read all your replies and some very good advice. I will sit down with my daughter and talk to her and make some plans. Thank you

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Sooverthemill · 10/04/2021 11:23

She should talk to the university. Her tutor and her subject tutor. They may have advice. It may be that everyone finds this first year hard getting everyone to same standard from different courses. But ending after one year isn't failing

Original poster
hhsa · 10/04/2021 13:48

She says theres no point doing the degree and wasting the money student debt if she is not going to use the degree after.

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Original poster
hhsa · 10/04/2021 13:49

It's just been difficult as they not attending uni so they cant really talk to the advice team or counselling etc.

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