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Higher education

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

Original poster

Choosing DC's Degree Course & University

116 replies

MessyandLost · 06/12/2022 20:33

DS's school will support him with A-levels and applications for university. However, they don't provide any direction or information about the courses and universities so basically we have to do all the research on our own.

His prediction for GCSEs is all 9s. He is very bright. So I believe there is almost nothing he cannot do but only if he knows what he wants to do...DS has no idea what he likes to do and what is available out there yet. He definitely needs help from experts.

How does your DC know/decide what they want to do at university? Does their school invite people from universities and experts in wider areas so DC get to see and hear their stories? I feel DS needs this kind of experience...

We are of course thinking to visit some universities but DS needs to be more informed so could narrow down his targets... I am seriously thinking to move him to a school with better support after GCSEs but if other schools are equally rubbish about providing information and experiences the move would be just a waste... I don't know if his school's attitude is normal or outrageous...

I feel totally lost... Any advice would be greatly appreciated...

OP posts:
DingDangMerrily · 06/12/2022 20:36

Well a start would be to know what a levels he will be studying and which are his favourite subjects. Then does he have any out of school interests e.g. computer programming, art, etc

sheepdogdelight · 06/12/2022 20:39

DC's school has Unifrog. They help the students through the UCAS process.
It's largely left to them to make decisions and choices though.

CaptainCreepsBourgeMobile · 06/12/2022 20:39

Does he want to go to university?

qwerdi · 06/12/2022 20:41

You shouldn't feel lost and don't need to do the research. HE needs to do it for himself.

He's one who will be attending uni so he's the one who needs to make the choices, not you.

UniversityLost · 06/12/2022 20:42

Thank you...😭

He has already picked a-level subjects. We tried to pick academic subjects to keep his doors as wide as possible. He knows he has no interest in medicine and probably no engineering as he wouldn't do physics for a-level.

That's all we sorted and know so far...😭 I checked the website of local universities but there are so so many courses... He can try to stick to a neutral subject so the degree won't close too many doors but ideally I would like him to spend his three years on the course he really loves and enjoys...

TeenyTomTilly · 06/12/2022 20:44

qwerdi · 06/12/2022 20:41

You shouldn't feel lost and don't need to do the research. HE needs to do it for himself.

He's one who will be attending uni so he's the one who needs to make the choices, not you.

Second this. If he's so bright why can't he discover his path by himself. I'm sure he knows what subjects he likes and can then research into jobs based on those subjects.

CoffeeBoy · 06/12/2022 20:45

Has he checked the websites of different unis? When I was his age I was ordering every prospectus under the sun and reading them cover to cover to decide what I wanted to do!

Original poster
MessyandLost · 06/12/2022 20:46

It's largely left to them to make decisions and choices

This is what I probably wanted to know also. So... his school's attitude is pretty normal and it is not so silver spoon-feeding. If so I think it is no point of moving him as he is at least happy there...

OP posts:
Turmerictolly · 06/12/2022 20:47

There are so many combinations of degree out there. Wait until he starts A level and see which one he enjoys and is good at. Start visiting some of the uni open days as we discovered courses we'd never heard about and he'll get a feel for whether he wants a city or campus uni. Ds school has subject talks, alumni coming in to discuss their career path etc. The other thing that was quite useful was doing the Morrisby profile test, usually offered in Yr 10.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 06/12/2022 20:48

UniversityLost · 06/12/2022 20:42

Thank you...😭

He has already picked a-level subjects. We tried to pick academic subjects to keep his doors as wide as possible. He knows he has no interest in medicine and probably no engineering as he wouldn't do physics for a-level.

That's all we sorted and know so far...😭 I checked the website of local universities but there are so so many courses... He can try to stick to a neutral subject so the degree won't close too many doors but ideally I would like him to spend his three years on the course he really loves and enjoys...

'We tried to pick academic subjects'.

How about allowing him to think for himself?

HoumousTheMouse · 06/12/2022 20:51

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn at the user's request.

Dreikanter · 06/12/2022 20:52

So what A level subjects has he chosen?

What does he enjoy doing?

Schools really can’t tell your DS which courses to look at. 40 years ago I was sending off for as many uni prospectuses as I could and working out train and bus timetables.

Now that everything is online it’s so much easier.

POTC · 06/12/2022 20:54

He needs to do it but he can wait until after he's done his gcse exams!
It's perfectly normal for a school not to do anything at all before gcse regarding uni, in sixth form they will usually support the students who want it with writing the personal statement.

BotterMon · 06/12/2022 20:57

Crikey - back off! Let him decide when he's ready. FWIW my DD was fixed on a subject she'd loved from a young age and had a place to study it, but after a year out spent travelling after A's as was only 17 when she took them, she completely changed her mind and went to a completely different uni to study a different subject.
If you DS hasn't even done his GCSE's yet, he's got 2 years before he needs to decide and a lot can change in that time.

surreygirl1987 · 06/12/2022 20:57

Actually, I can relate to this. I was very intelligent and top of my year easily, but had no input from my school. Now I work in a private school and I see the staggering difference between what the kids I teach get, and what I got. These kids get person 1:1 interviews with careers advisors, careers talks, tailored networking events, all sorts.

I not only had no idea what I wanted to do, but no idea what the options were really. I know people are saying he should do his own research, but the Internet is a very big place, and it's hard to know where to start if you don't know anything about it! Even harder if the only people you know personally didn't go to uni or have 'professional' careers - all my parents' friends were hairdressers, mechanics, and builders. We didn't know anyone with a middle class profession other than a couple of teachers.

I ended up choosing subjects I most enjoyed, then did English at uni as my best subject, then became a teacher. I love it, and did a masters and PhD as well, so I've hardly underachieved, but I do feel like I fell into teaching rather than choosing it, as I just didn't really know what options there were and didn't know where to start finding out.

Could you go to a University open day, and pay a visit to their careers' office? Someone there may be able to help. Ordering uni prospectuses might help too. It's good he's started to narrow it down by what he's not interested in, but there are still endless options. Does he have a real passion for anything in particular?

Whycanineverever · 06/12/2022 20:59

My daughters school seems very proactive. They help with uni stuff, including extra support groups for oxbridge admissions with visits and talks.

In their open evening talk there was a sixth former who is doing a day a month with British Airways with other sixth formers from schools across London.

In y11 they are having regular visits from companies to talk about careers in their organisations to help them decide on what they want to do post 16.

They are a fairly high performing comp in south london.

sailingsunshine · 06/12/2022 21:00

It would really help if you could say which A levels he has chosen. For example to do economics at some RG uni's you need A level maths etc.

carefulcalculator · 06/12/2022 21:00

You need to help him to make these choices HIMSELF.

Choconut · 06/12/2022 21:00

He hasn't even done his GCSE's yet, why are you even thinking about this? One step at a time, honestly. Just let him decide what he wants to do for A-levels right now and worry about uni's later.

Dreikanter · 06/12/2022 21:04

Even my DS’s country comp is getting in a wide range of people to talk about their careers - doctors, lawyers, scientists, engineers, etc and have lots of links to unis for online presentations.

Way more than my comp in the 80s - I only remember the armed services dropping by with their “you too could be windsurfing in the Med on your days off” recruitment videos .

Original poster
MessyandLost · 06/12/2022 21:14

What surreygirl1987 says really. I would like to help him make the right decision for himself. Or at least I would like to try to help rather than doing nothing and just watching him suffer alone.

Also being intelligent and knowing what they want to do are totally different things. DC with no academic interest could know what they would like to do from a very young age and vice versa.

The reason why I am thinking of this is he may need to change schools after GCSEs. It'll be too late to think of it after GCSEs. We've already missed a boat for private school applications.

I just don't get people instantly jumping in to say I'm making all the decisions etc. DS came to me for some advice and I am just trying to be a mum. No crime.

OP posts:
Rummikub · 06/12/2022 21:16

School should provide access to a careers adviser. Or you can approach national careers. They have a decent website including a careers quiz.

I would ask him to explore and research different ideas. Without pressure.

lots of ways to do this eg talk to different people about their jobs

Look for work experience/ voluntary work

is he interested in earning lots of money or is this not a motivator?

Original poster
MessyandLost · 06/12/2022 21:17

By reading some posts saying their DC's schools get people to talk about their careers... it sounds like we seriously need to consider changing schools.... DS's current school is adamant that they wouldn't do it.

OP posts:
DingDangMerrily · 06/12/2022 21:17

A few people are saying he has two years to decide but he really doesn’t. Uni open days are in lower sixth so applications can be made at the start of upper sixth. He needs to have an idea of which department he wants to visit at the open days to see which one will suit him.
He can wait till after his GCSEs though.
I also don’t see the problem with helping him, I have been talking to my dc since they were early high school about the subjects they do well in and enjoy, where that could lead career wise etc. We have also done a few city breaks in potential university towns. Children need be shown what opportunities are out there that might suit them, they only know about the world you show them.

Rummikub · 06/12/2022 21:19

MessyandLost · 06/12/2022 21:17

By reading some posts saying their DC's schools get people to talk about their careers... it sounds like we seriously need to consider changing schools.... DS's current school is adamant that they wouldn't do it.

They are meant to. Ofsted check this too against benchmarks re employer or HE engagement.