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Higher education

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

Original poster

Uni course selection for y12 if they just don’t know..

37 replies

O2HaveALittleHouse · 31/03/2023 22:13

My DC studies maths, FM, physics and economics and hasn’t a clue what to do at university.
Economics seems to be out but enjoys physics and maths equally. Physics, maths and (general) engineering are all being considered but with no clear favourite. The school is hopeless with career guidance outsourced to a woman who visits once a year!
No predictions yet but I’m guessing A(star), A(star), A(star),A roughly.
Any idea how I can help nudge a decision along? A year out is not being considered though it wouldn’t be a bad thing.

OP posts:
mybeautifuloak · 31/03/2023 22:15

Look at the course modules in the uni websites. That may help

BeatriceLacey · 31/03/2023 22:46

Could your DC go to some open days and have a look at the subjects he/she's s interested in? It took my DS until about June of Year 12 to decide on which course - one of his subjects was by then a clear favourite. He has similar A level choices to your DC. Also it's maybe worth thinking about whether your DC enjoys Maths for it's own sake or enjoys the practical application of Maths.

neslop · 31/03/2023 23:28

My DC did Natural Sciences having done exactly those A levels. Suited them well as they liked both maths and physics but didn't really know what they wanted to specialise in at that stage. Ended up discovering a love for Earth Sciences and now doing PhD in that.

Ellmau · 31/03/2023 23:42

Could he get some engineering work experience?

Boosterquery · 01/04/2023 00:45

I would also suggest going to an open day at a good university and attending any talks on maths, physics and engineering degrees. If your son is shy of asking questions at this type of event, I think it's fine for you to be the one to ask questions like, "What advice would you give to a student struggling to decide whether to do maths or physics or some sort of engineering degree?" NB I know there will always be posters on MN who think students should not require any parental assistance with the uni application process. I disagree.

Boosterquery · 01/04/2023 00:54

Maybe also worth getting your son to think about whether there have been any subjects covered in his A level courses that he has particularly enjoyed or enjoyed less. Even if your son doesn't see which degree his likes or dislikes are pointing towards, a helpful person at an open day might.

Plateglass · 01/04/2023 03:02

Pay £80 (if I luck can) for your DC to sit the Morrisby careers test. DC complete it online (takes around 3 hours). MN recommended the Morrisby as offered in top private schools (Eton et ) but not in my DC’s state comp. DC had no clue what to study and Morrisby really helped…

Plateglass · 01/04/2023 03:03

If I luck can = if u can!

Piggywaspushed · 01/04/2023 07:23

I only know this via MN but I am fairly sure a gap year before starting a maths degree is not considered a good idea and some universities actively discourage it.

Don't worry about him not knowing yet - loads of year 12s, unless they have very definite aspirations (eg medics, nursing) don't have much of an idea at this stage.

Get some prospectuses, organise a few visits - and things begin to fall into place.

Original poster
O2HaveALittleHouse · 01/04/2023 08:37

Thank you all for your input which is very logical and fair.
My child is a girl - I wasn’t hiding it but I’m not sure of the acronyms here and I get mixed up! It’s probably irrelevant other than many of her friends are on the med/humanities route so there is no chatter about her type of subjects.

Its a good point about university open days. We had been following the usual wisdom to pick the course, then tour the unis to choose the place but I guess we don’t have to do it that way. Might be exhausting getting around all three options per day though!

She went to one uni last October but when they asked a bunch of students how they chose their subject, many had somewhat fallen into maths or physics in particular because they didn’t know what else to do! The school was invited to Oxford as an access day but it wasn’t course specific. She is hoping to do some upcoming trips in June.. If she can bear it, I might go with her to help guide her.

@neslop I never thought of Natural Sciences, will point her towards that!

How have I never heard of Morrisby?! That’s a really good suggestion and she could do it over the holidays quite easily.

Thanks for all the advice which I will also share with her.

OP posts:
Original poster
O2HaveALittleHouse · 01/04/2023 08:38

I also didn’t realise that a gap year before maths isn’t desirable! I know nothing..

OP posts:
LIZS · 01/04/2023 09:00

UCAS has a filter to narrow courses down. The school may use a platform like Unifrog to manage the application and choices. Often they have ex pupils back in summer to talk about what they are doing.

QuillBill · 01/04/2023 09:06

If she did engineering she would have a ready made career as there's such a shortage of engineers.

RandomExpletive · 01/04/2023 09:19

Plateglass · 01/04/2023 03:02

Pay £80 (if I luck can) for your DC to sit the Morrisby careers test. DC complete it online (takes around 3 hours). MN recommended the Morrisby as offered in top private schools (Eton et ) but not in my DC’s state comp. DC had no clue what to study and Morrisby really helped…

Our experience of Morrisby wasn’t great. DCs school offered at a discount. It seemed to be like the 11+ all over again, slotting in choices depending on whether you showed an English or Maths bent. DD, who is off the charts on the NVR/spatial side = nothing.

Literally, nothing. I can’t remember the wording but it was along the lines of “umm creative perhaps? , not our area. Come back when we can pigeonhole you into Maths or English” 😂😂

vivaespanaole · 01/04/2023 09:23

Joint honors? A very quick google suggests that Liverpool, Manchester and Bristol do it.

Maybe work out pros and cons of that?

Delphigirl · 01/04/2023 09:24

Agree with going to an open day and poking around different departments, talking to different students and prods, to see if something grabs her interest; My dd went to an open day to look at geography in a uni - at the door were people saying “come look at our landscape architecture degree, best in Europe”. She had never thought about it. She went, stood in the department looking at the projects and it was a revelation for her - couldn’t wait to get started. Had a fab time and it has kickstarted for her a very enjoyable and lucrative career.

I also agree with thinking about what modules in her studies she has particularly enjoyed - GCSE as well as A levels. So if she really enjoyed geography and a volcanos module, maybe earth sciences or something like mining engineering is worth a look. But also think about whether she has particular out of school interests which might lead her in a particular direction, or a way of living which she wants to pursue. A mad keen sailor or surfer who loves the sea who wants to incorporate that into their working life might think about naval or coastal engineering. A kid who dreams about a big city life with a very high standard of living might think about what degree would make her employable in the City, or in FinTech- probably straight maths, but maybe something like MORSE at Warwick.

Scottishskifun · 01/04/2023 09:46

OP there is a massive shortage of female engineers and within engineering there is a good range of topics depending on her interests from civil, mechanical, chemical or process engineering.

Suggest going to a open day to a uni which has a good engineering dept and seeing if it's something she is interested in.
Career options are good and varied for engineering from wind farms to banking etc.

There are also a number of scholarships available for women in engineering check out Society of Women's Engineering website if she is interested

Piggywaspushed · 01/04/2023 09:53

Sorry that I did default male! When I typed I thought to myself, I think OP wrote DC or DS ,and didn't go and check...

Delphigirl · 01/04/2023 09:53

Agree with @scottishskifun, go to a good strong engineering uni which is local to you and have a poke around. If you are in Scotland maybe Strathclyde. In north west - Manchester. In Midlands - Sheffield. In South - Southampton. Southwest - Bristol. Also look at earth science (all these are strong except Strathclyde, look at Glasgow instead), physics and maybe architecture, but be led by her.

Delphigirl · 01/04/2023 09:55

Also computer science - if Bristol have a look at their “with innovation” degrees and if Manchester she must go and at least look at the comp sci dept…

Piggywaspushed · 01/04/2023 09:56

Unifrog mentioned upthread is great if the school has it. That's how DS2 discovered the very niche degree he applied for and other similar options.

Revengeofthepangolins · 01/04/2023 10:04

With those subjects and grades she is in a great position. I recommend hunting out taster days or lectures, even if not at universities that arent yet on her list, to help her get a feel for what she fancies. As pps have said your range is physics, maths, hard natsci (as opposed to natsci with biology) or engineering, and all the bits in between. (Assuming econ definitely out). Plus outliers like Astro physics etc

There are virtual ones too eg eng.ox.ac.uk/virtualopenday/the-course/taster-lectures/

elevenplusdilemma · 01/04/2023 10:07

Attend lots of uni open days for inspiration but if nothing stands out, then maybe consider other options besides uni?
A friend's son who had similar A level subjects and good grades is doing a degree apprenticeship in some sort of engineering. He's 20 now (in his second year of the scheme) and earning a good wage. He will have a degree and a guaranteed job at the end of it plus the opportunity to study further for a masters (whilst being paid of course).

cosmiccosmos · 01/04/2023 10:12

Look at the Swansea uni engineering summer school. A chance to look at different options.

https://www.swansea.ac.uk/science-and-engineering/courses/engineering/summer-schools/

Ichosetheredpill · 01/04/2023 10:18

I’d suggest a year out. Encourage them to go and do voluntary or paid work they’re interested in which might lead to a course/career. It might be that they find they do a few years work, get some experience and then go to uni. I was pushed onto a course I didn’t want at 18, dropped out at 19 and worked for a few years then went back to uni aged 23 having laid the foundations of what is now my career/MSc. DH did similar but set up his own business straight from college. He went to uni at 30 and did an MEng in four years because it was relevant to his business at that point. There’s soooo much pressure on them to decide in Yr 12 and its not the right path for everybody.