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Higher education

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

Original poster

How did your dc chose their degree, and (answer honestly) has it proven to be the right choice?

103 replies

LimitIsUp · 26/07/2022 15:27

Just that really

Interested to know how your dc decided what they wanted to study for a degree and whether they think they have made the right choice, since ds is currently drawing a blank

OP posts:
RampantIvy · 02/08/2022 20:50

DD first wanted to do biomedical sciences, then changed her mind and wanted to do medicine. She was unsuccessful and took a gap year (where she worked, volunteered and traveled) to visit more universities and look at various biosciences degrees, and decided that she did want to do biomedical sciences after all, at her first choice of university for medicine.

She has just graduated with a first and is taking another gap year to regroup and recover physically and mentally (she has CFS and has found the degree work very intensive). She will work and travel during this year and then apply for a masters.

She has no regrets about her choice of university and loves the city where she studied.

thing47 · 02/08/2022 22:09

DD2's first degree was biomedical science too, and a lot of the people on her course were using it as a backdoor route into medicine, which they are now studying.

That was never her intention, but then she did a Masters and around half students on her course turned out to be medical doctors looking to add a speciality to their general knowledge!

DD2 'upgraded' for her Masters but enjoyed both universities she went to.

GameBoy · 02/08/2022 22:16

DS1 chose a STEM subject he studied at A level and was clearly passionate and interested in. Enjoyed it, graduated and is now working in related industry.

DS2 - no idea, but knew it would be a creative/humanities subject, not tech/STEM.
Got offers for Graphic Design then changed his mind, took a gap year and reapplied for a humanities (think music/ drama type) subject.

We were of the opinion that it was more important that he went off to university to study something that was at least related to the direction of travel of his likely career, even if it turned out that it wasn't a 100% match.
That seems to have been a good plan as he is mostly enjoying his course and very much enjoying uni life and independence.

Strikesagain · 07/08/2022 10:05

They both chose on my recommendation, they weren't kids who had a burning desire to study any subject, but really wanted to go to uni - I know them best, understood their strengths and interests. One dc found it a very close match, the other had a wobble but has found his feet and is now enjoying his course.

Original poster
LimitIsUp · 08/08/2022 12:31

"@LimitIsUp I would gently suggest that if your DS is struggling to decide what he is passionate about doing, he might be better off working/volunteering/travelling first rather than rushing to university."

I have suggested this to him - you know what he replied? (and he was joking but half serious) "I don't want to go to University as a 20 year old virgin" - he was at an all boys grammar school. He said he is waiting for university as an opportunity to reinvent himself and find new friends that he is more in tune with.

In the mean time every suggestion for a degree subject is met with a 'meh'

A poster asked re his A levels: Biology, Chemistry and Psychology (and he has a Core Maths A/S from end of Y12). He doesn't want to do any of these A levels for degree but might consider psychology (but isn't everyone doing psychology these days?)

Thanks to everyone who has posted

OP posts:
Solasum · 08/08/2022 12:45

@LimitIsUp how about a language course/ holiday camp work overseas/ backpacking as an interim measure.

Don’t carefree young people travelling meet plenty of others, especially if hosteling? Quite easy to avoid being a 20 year old virgin if that is what he wants

diian · 09/08/2022 08:09

Get on the 'Workaway' website. DC did that, travelled and decided during the gap year what they wanted to study and applied whilst abroad. They ended up studying a language at uni that they had not studied at A level.

Would your DS consider: pharmacy, ophthalmology, dentistry, physio, occ therapy, bio med etc?

DitheringDan · 09/08/2022 16:24

'how your dc decided what they wanted to study for a degree and whether they think they have made the right choice'

Well, DS picked a technical subject, pitched his PS at it, chose from the fairly small pool of universities that would take his modest achieved grades...

...then the day before the UCAS submission date, decided it really wasn't what he wanted and that he would love to do modern languages, despite not one MFL A-level. Midnight rewrite of the personal statement!

It's been brilliant. He's had a ball.

cantkeepawayforever · 09/08/2022 16:36

Ds studies the thing he loves with a ridiculous passion. Not a school subject, or a conventional academic degree - though he will get an equivalent to a BA/BSc - but something he was willing to plot the difficult path to from the age of 16, and to work at 51/52 weeks if the year. Doesn’t lead to a well-paid job, but makes him incredibly happy.

DD was more logical - a vocational degree that combines her interest and ability in art and science/Maths. Again not a school subject. She has taken a while to settle, and may not eventually find employment in the most obvious field it leads to, but does find it really interesting now. Is also keeping up her extra A-level - a MFL - to keep further options open.

thing47 · 09/08/2022 16:38

You can't tease us like that @cantkeepawayforever! You have to tell us what your DCs are studying. I'm intrigued.

cantkeepawayforever · 09/08/2022 16:41

Haha! Dd is pretty obvious, and a fairly common route for Art + Maths / Physics. Ds is at Conservatoire, on a non- Classical music course.

VanCleefArpels · 09/08/2022 20:25

Older DC - no idea on career path so chose subject that was best at at school. Now mid 20’s and in a career very loosely connected to subject but which valued the good degree from RG Uni

younger DC chose an aspect within one of their A levels and has just started in a career directly relevant to that subject, degree not strictly required for this job but the fact they have it was a bonus

bruffin · 09/08/2022 20:32

DD wanted to work with children with SEN since she was about 12. She did an Occupational Therapy degree and is now an OT and loves it

DS was always a bit geeky and loved maths and science . Started a Mechanical engineering degree but really didnt enjoy it and dropped out.
Got a job in pharmaceuticals and now doing a apprenticeship degree in pharmaceuticals

Fruitygal · 14/08/2022 07:24

@LimitIsUp is your son looking to do uni in 2023 and about to start year 13?

He could do a course like Warwick have in Global Sustainable development ? Think that’s what it’s called. It kind of applies some of his A level subjects but looking at problem solving and bigger picture … I’d go to two or three unis now -open days are available in august and early September. See what he can find that interest him.

mine -3 of them - 2 chosen been and graduated - one waiting for results

DS1 - chose to study his 4th A level last minute choice for a degree as he liked it so much. Also did a MSc in it now has a graduate starting job in industry which suits him.

DS2 - was going to do history as loved subject at a level but then realised he’d get very little contact time at uni or structure. Igor him to write down everything he liked watching reading etc on a list on his notes bit of his phone for 3 weeks. A degree came up from those notes (knew nothing about it) we went to look at courses. It was practical with lots of structure. He graduated loves it and lot stopped working since.

Fruitygal · 14/08/2022 07:25

*not stopped working since!

Newnormal99 · 14/08/2022 07:37

@clary

Sounds like my DD - she has just finished Y10 and just loves English Lit. It just seems to come easily to her and she loves reading and discussing the books. She is already sure that she will do that for A Level and then degree.

She is also thinking about Classics as another of her A Levels.

Sprogonthetyne · 14/08/2022 07:37

Me not my DC, but think of a career then pick the degree he'll need for it. Do not pick a degree that's interesting but doesn't actually have many jobs I that field. That's what I did so ended up as a very over qualified shop worker for years.

Faeriepath · 14/08/2022 09:58

Dds best subjects at secondary school were MFL but she was also v good at maths. Liked history but hated writing essays. At 6th form she chose maths, physics and a mfl. Was not feeling the love for languages at 6th form level and went for physics as she wanted to do a more applied subject.
No regrets. Don't think she will necessarily become a career physicist, but has made the right choice.

pointythings · 14/08/2022 19:17

Both my DDs chose their degrees out of a passion for the subject and chose their A levels to facilitate it. They both knew from age 15 what they wanted to do.

KittyMcKitty · 14/08/2022 19:23

@LimitIsUp my dd is also doing the same A levels - Biology Chemistry and Psychology. She / school always just assumed she would do Biosciences but she came to realise that wasn’t really her passion. She thought about Psychology for a while but finds a lot of that quite dry. She’s realised that what she enjoys is looking at why people / societies do things and how to effect change. She’s applying for Sociology and Social Policy type courses.

my eldest is doing Philosophy and Politics- had no real idea what he wants to do post Uni - enjoys both of these and is an argumentative so and so with a strong sense of social justice so it seems right up his street - basically arguing with long words!

User639921 · 14/08/2022 19:28

DS was good at and enjoyed maths so he chose to do Physics as it was a bit more varied than maths, he was happy with his choice, he went on to be an accountant

Onthegrid · 14/08/2022 19:48

This is a hard path to help DC on.
Both mine were advised to go to RG universities and to study their strongest A level subject and both got into their first choice.
One DC thrived, got a 2:1 and then went on to a masters in a specialist field that will form their career path.
For the other it was completely the wrong choice, far too dry (academic/boring) a course which resulted in basically a MH crisis and a drop out. They are now back at a decent uni doing a more varied and interesting degree. With hindsight DC was not ready for uni and not sure enough in their choice to go and the experience they are having now is world's away from attempt 1.
Whilst I understand your DC reasons for not wanting a gap year, going into uni as a 18 year old fresh from school isn't always the experience you expect

Ingles2 · 14/08/2022 19:59

I think your child should do the subject that interests them most, .. as long as it's an academic subject ,...so can be used for lots of careers going forward.
my eldest picked Economics as he had no idea what to do with Maths/Bio/Chem, didn't enjoy the degree so much, but found it easy enough and got a first. Is now about to join Top 4 accountancy and is really excited at the opportunities that are being offered to him.
Younger son loved physics at A level, started on Theo physics, has now transferred to joint maths with physics.. definitely prefers the maths, not keen at all on the physics .. academically doing ok but struggling with his MH
Basically you just want them to study something they enjoy, have some fun, make friends.. number 1 goal should be happiness imo

Faeriepath · 14/08/2022 20:25

Yes agree v much with your last sentence Ingles2

Delphigirl · 14/08/2022 20:38

I think it is really important to understand your dc’s learning style and strengths. So for DC2, he is a straightforward academic learner, he really enjoyed one a level (politics), knew he wanted to do it at uni, and it has been a good choice for him. BUT although on paper he looked like an obvious oxbridge applicant, he knew that he did not cope well under extreme pressure of deadlines (has ADD) and the reduced terms and workload of oxbridge wouldn’t work for him. So he went to another RG and has gone on a year abroad and huge success with firsts every year so far.

DC1 however - she is dyslexic, full extra time, very bright/high iq but severe processing difficulties mean even with extra time exams are awful for her. She started looking at geography degrees and I was thinking “I just can’t see her sitting in lecture theatres and libraries cramming for timed exams”. One uni sent an email to all those who registered for geography open day an email saying “have you thought about landscape architecture?”. And that just clicked. So we went to look - best dept in uk (arguably Europe), creative but rigorous, lots of practical fieldwork, no exams, all assessed coursework which is done at own speed - she loved it. 2.1 from RG, also did Erasmus semester abroad - got a job, did masters part time, then professional exams - if you told me at 16 she would be professionally qualified at 24 earning 60k+ I would have laughed in your face.

so think creatively. DC3 is like DC1 but scientific so has chosen a very hands on oceanography course with lots of coursework and fieldwork and only 10% times exams in the degree. I am sure he will do well. You have to match the kid’s strengths, learning style and interests with the course and the uni. That requires a lot of research and a bit of luck for some kids. Others could go pretty much anywhere and do anything.