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Secondary education

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Original poster

Anyone else's Y12 dc have no idea what Uni degree they want to do?

21 replies

SasherinSuite · 20/06/2016 12:12

DS is doing Maths, Biology, French & Spanish AS levels with a view to dropping Spanish for A2. Given that he has no idea how well he's done until August and that he needs to start thinking about what Uni course he wants to apply for in september he is starting to panic that he doesn;t know what he wants to do.

Anyone else's dc feeling the same?

OP posts:
Foxyloxy1plus1 · 20/06/2016 12:32

Does he really want to go to university?
Does he have any leanings towards a particular career?

It doesn't have to be university necessarily. Apprenticeships perhaps, or a trainee management programme if he has an interest in something.

BackforGood · 20/06/2016 12:42

Signing in.
dd finished her GCSEs, knowing exactly what degree she wanted to do and what career she wanted after that.
However
Has been completely thrown by her Yr12 work and is now completely lost - doesn't think she is good enough to do what she wanted, doesn't know where to start with alternatives.
We went to an open day at one University on Saturday, but she was just a bit lost there - no subjects really appealing Sad

claraschu · 20/06/2016 12:48

My son didn't know what he wanted to study, so he ended up going to University in the US, where you can take lots of different classes for a couple of years before choosing a major.

The UK system assumes that you are ready to specialise when you choose A levels, or even when yu choose GCSE subjects. This system is great if you have a subject you are very interested in, but if you like lots of different things, it can be very stressful to make a choice so early.

Helenluvsrob · 20/06/2016 12:49

DD2 has absolutely no idea. She's doing history English (lit) and music to A2 having chosen to drop maths after the AS .

She keeps toying with the idea of history/music joint hons but this week has been all english looks great as they've been given a book list to read round that she thinks she'll love.

I think she needs a gap year. I'm worried she'll jump in because everyone is..

She's DC no 3 and you'd think I knew how to handle this by now but I don't! The others knew by now.

I have said if she wants a gap year she needs to at least do a UCAS application this year as the school will hold her hand through the process etc even if she turns down offers and changes her course completely needing a re application. Also that she needs to work for part of the year and then travel within what she has saved up. She also needs to keep studying in some way.

I think she'd got put off by too many exams really.

Original poster
SasherinSuite · 20/06/2016 22:18

He wants to go to uni but it's finding the right course to do. He's veering towards business/finance/economics but he's worried about all the written work, he's definitely more a numbers person. I've told him a gap year can be very useful if he uses it to his advantage. Also taking one year out now could be better than doing the wrong thing at degree level.

Interesting about studying in the us. How did he know where to apply?

OP posts:
prettybird · 20/06/2016 22:53

Alternatively, think about a Scottish Uni.

Even though you apply for a specific subject (or joint subjects), you're actually admitted to a Faculty and provided you've got the appropriate exam passes, you can totally change the subject choices once you get there, provided there's room. at least, you could on my day Blush

At most of the Unis (all of the "Ancient" ones) you actually study 3 subjects in 1st year and can then choose any two of them to take forward to 2nd year (provided you've passed the end-of-year exams of course Wink) and then as long as you've done well enough take one or both of them on into the two "Honours" years.

Downside is that the degree takes 4 years.

If you're in the Arts Faculty you also have to do a 1st Year subject in 2nd Year (at least, you did at St Andrews when I was there a looooong time ago) and you can even repeat a year so that you can take the 1st Year subject to Honours because you enjoyed it so much Wink

claraschu · 20/06/2016 22:56

I am American so he has been there quite a bit, even though he had always lived in England. If your son is interested he could read up on it a bit- it would certainly be an adventure...

Original poster
SasherinSuite · 21/06/2016 11:59

That sounds really good prettybird. He had looked at Edinburgh so maybe this would be worth exploring more.

OP posts:
TeenAndTween · 21/06/2016 12:09

DD won't be going to university, but that is even worse, as it means that this time next year she will be entering the world of work.
Which would be fine if only she knew what she wanted to do ...

lacebell10 · 23/06/2016 12:54

You can do BSc in finance or economics which are more number and statistics than a BA

cestlavielife · 23/06/2016 16:16

lthey dont have to go to uni.

ook at apprenticeships so its salaried learning on the job .
eg www.gov.uk/guidance/civil-service-fast-track-apprenticeship-who-can-apply

For the project delivery scheme www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-fast-track-apprenticeship-fast-track-programme/civil-service-fast-track-apprenticeship-project-delivery you must have 2 A levels at grade D or above, or equivalent, in addition to your GCSEs. (Or you expect to have these qualifications by 31 August 2016.)
For the digital technology scheme you must have 2 A levels at grade C or above in a STEM subject, or equivalent, in addition to your GCSEs. (Or you expect to have these qualifications by 31 August 2016.) You can check which subjects qualify as STEM subjects.
You cannot apply for an apprenticeship if you have a degree.

HSMMaCM · 23/06/2016 16:20

DD wants to go to uni but isn't sure what subject yet. She's going to wait for her AS results and have a think from there. I've told her it's ok to take a year out at work while she has a think about her future, rather than jumping onto the wrong course.

Zodlebud · 23/06/2016 16:54

If he is considering accountancy / business consultancy / tax then have a look at doing AAT at an accountancy firm instead. I did a biology degree and on graduation got a contract at a big London firm to become a Chartered Accountant. I could have done the same thing after just two years of AAT and been paid at the same time instead of racking up debt. I think the AAT students actually made better accountants actually.

However, there's a lot to be said for moving away from home and experiencing University even if, like me, you end up doing something totally unrelated to your degree. I just chose my degree based on what subject I loved. I had a blast and am so glad I went (apart from the in hindsight debt thing......)

US universities are EXTREMELY expensive. There are a number of scholarships available to bring it down but there are far fewer available for "internationals" than US citizens. Here's the link for costs at University of Michigan - a great university but by no means "major league". You fall under the "non-resident" bracket if you do not live in the state of Michigan. Eye watering!!!!!!!

admissions.umich.edu/costs-aid/costs

YokoUhOh · 23/06/2016 16:58

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Essexmum69 · 24/06/2016 18:19

There are "american style" degrees available now in the UK and across europe, they are generally called liberal arts and sciences or something similar. DS had 2 offers this year from UCL and Birmingham but there are others. We also looked at University College Utrecht which does one taught in English and is much cheaper than US.

N21mummy · 24/06/2016 19:58

How about trying a banking internship in the summer to see if that career path suits? The school should have done a lot of work by now about careers guidance and getting him to research different careers and courses by now (I'm a careers and work-related leader in a secondary).
Perhaps he'd look into studying a language and business or economics. I did French and Business at Edinburgh many moons ago and it's led me on a varied career path. I'm sure the course has changed since I was there but Edinburgh's business school is rated very highly internationally.

YokoUhOh · 25/06/2016 03:42

Sorry, gave wrong link in my deleted message:

sacu-student.com

Excellent for undecided Year 12s, and informative for parents too.

WilfSell · 26/06/2016 14:04

Lots of universities offer foundation years now, in sciences and humanities/social sciences. If they're willing to take the risk of a four year programme then best bet might be to choose a university with an appropriate range of degree subjects and then apply to a place for the lead in foundation programme. You can also still combine subjects at many universities, including across faculties.

disclaimer: I work at a key provider university for FY/dual subjects Grin

My son really isn't sure what he wants to do either, and we're encouraging him to take a gap year

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