too soon to think about uni?

Former Member

im in my fist yr at sixth form and ive already started considerin which uni i want to go to and wot course to do! firstly do you guys think im rushin it a bit (considerin i hav 2 apply in sept) and secondly do u hav any advice for how and where to choose?
thanx x

Former Member

I don't think that you're too early at all. I started thinking about it at about the same time, maybe even having one eye on university when choosing my A-Level options.

In all honesty, the process of choosing uni, course, and applying is an absolute pain. I was lucky in having a fantastic Sixth Form Head who knew what was needed.

Some things you might want to consider;
1. Do you really want to go to university? Most people do, but its not for everyone..
2. What do you enjoy doing, in terms of subjects? That's usually a good start.
3. #2 assumes that you don't have a vocational course in mind, e.g. Medicine, Dentistry, Vet.Sci. or Law, or something...
4. Try the UCAS website, they tend to have good advice. You can search for courses, or by region, or unis.

There's loads more to say, but I'll try and keep it short... Essentially, the best thing you can do is ask yourself what you want to do, how far from home you want to be, or that kind of thing. Then try UCAS. The site will help you through.

Quite a few people here ar in the same boat as you, or maybe at university. Never know, you might find that you want to go to the same uni, or do similar course, and get good advice that way.

Hope this helps! <IMG alt="image" SRC="smile.gif" border="0">

Former Member

thanx alot! ive already chosen the course and where id like to go but its like 'its not until 21 months' so im thinkin perhaps im rushin thngs and bein silly! i have no clue of how im doin at college or the sorta grades im gonna get so perhaps i shud slow down??

Former Member

Not at all. Right. Ok.

What do you want to do and where?

Former Member

dual honors criminolgy and psychology at keele!
ru at or plannin on goin 2 uni?

Former Member

That's specific! Blimey!

Ok, fair play to you for knowing what you want to do. Have you looked for the course online, at Keele's website. That might give you an indication of the grades required. You've done this already, haven't you?

Oh dear.

Yes, I am at uni. I'm a first year, in my second term... and have just finished exams. Oh joy.

Former Member

ive done it all - looked at all the possibilities , eradicated the ones that sound crap or dont suit (and this is all in the last three days) i need 3 b's its got a good reputation for psych and its not in a big city - i dont think id cope!!

wots it like? ru living there?

- thanx 4 puttin up wiv me!!

Former Member

I have to say, I'm not at Keele.

Did consider it, actually, for my course, but didn't apply in the end. Can't remember why.

I think the next thing for you to do is to talk to your teachers, maybe get an indication of what grades you are likely to be on course for. I think that they will be pleasantly surprised that you've taken the initiative like you have - I think it's really sensible, not to mention a damn good idea.

So, well done you!

The next thing to consider, if you're really in to advance planning, is something called the section 10. This is part of the application form, which describes your interests and why you want the course - a personal statement. Assuming everything else is equal, it can really do you lots of good. Its your chance to sell yourself to the uni, I guess. But that's a bit far ahead, maybe.

I don't mind putting up at all. I don't have the experience of some of the others in a lot of things, but I have done this, so if I can help, then it's great...

Former Member

thanku! u seem like an actual nice person (dont seem to find many on here)!! well thats sommat to think about cos i really dont do well in sellin myself - im confident in person but not on paper! so theres sometin for me to work on!! i swapped colleges uc so i havent been at the sixth form long! i think i caught up okay and im doin okay now so hopefully! but im only doin 3 a/s levels - do u think that will matter?

wot u studyin?
u seem very reluctant 2 giv owt away??

Former Member

I don't seem to want to give much away. Hm.

Very well, since you've been so nice! I'm a first year reading Geography, at Jesus College, University of Oxford.

The reason that I don't like saying that is that people will presume that I am an Oxford stereotype - geeky, or stupidly rich.

Well, maybe geeky. <IMG alt="image" SRC="smile.gif" border="0">

No, I don't think that Oxford is like that. I just don't like defending it randomly.

I can't say what AS levels you'll need, or how many. Provided that you get grades, I don't know how many you have to take. I did old A-levels; A/S are a bit of a mystery. Best advice is to talk it over with teachers or careers advisers at school, if you have them. They'll know much more about it than me, and be up to date on what A/S are needed etc.

What A/S are you doing?

Former Member

dont worry i dont think ur geeky!! i think its great im gettin advice of someone so clever!!
good 4u!!
i wudnt mind goin someone so prestigious myself (i dont think thats words the rite one) but they dont do my course and id hav to work doubly hard to even try and get results that they'd consider!!

eng combined
law
psych

Former Member

Its as much down to luck and hard work as actually being clever!

Your A/S choices sound pretty good for the course, actually. I can't think of much that will stand you in better stead.

In terms of the Section 10, often the best thing is to write it and get others to constructively criticise it. That helps. Selling yourself on paper is difficult, but hey, you're an English student - if you can write critical essays (I never could, honestly!), then about yourself shouldn't be too bad!

Former Member

well thanku very much and i hope uni goes well for u!

perhaps i'll see u round the boards soon

xx hippychick xx

Former Member

You're more than welcome. Hope it all goes well for you, and that you're posting from Keele when you get there!

Former Member

Well DJP you've pretty much nailed it on the head!

All I say is that being in the 1st year of Sixth Form now is the perfect time to think about university.

I didn't really start to think about university until about May last year. Like DJP i had some really good advice from the student services guy at College who got me on my way.

Anyway, Good Luck! <IMG alt="image" SRC="smile.gif" border="0">

Former Member

Well, now is a good time to think about it, but speaking from experience, I changed my mind about 6 times.
I wanted to do everything from primary school teaching at Sunderland to english at York, and economics at LSE. Now I'm doing combined honours in social sciences at Durham, so you never know where you're going to end up because the next year of sixth form will probably shape you as a person and you're ideals and beliefs and indeed your wants for the future will change.

Good luck, hope you do whats right for you when the time comes.

Former Member

dude the earlier the better cos then you can research what you want to do, get some work experience if you want, go to open days, and stay ahead of the game

when i was in year 9 i was already getting prospectuses from unis hehehe *feels like a freak*

good luck

Former Member

Despite all of what I said, even I think that Year 9 might be slightly too early.

Former Member

even I think that Year 9 might be slightly too early

yeah i know! i shudder when i think about it, but i was bullied in secondary school, so uni was like my ticket out of there

Former Member

Yeah if they want three A-levels at B grade then 3 A/S levels wont count..

It works like this, to help people get a broader range of knowledge and to have some formal qualifications if they drop out after a year, they split the traditional 'a level' into two formal parts..In year one you do your A-S exams..then in year two..you do Alevel exams..together the results give you your combined grade which are full 'traditional' style A-Levels.

It's also good because you can resist any A/S levels you feel you did bad in <IMG alt="image" SRC="smile.gif" border="0">

Good luck,

Phil.

Former Member

thinking about uni early - thats a bloody good idea in my opinion. I started looking a bit late really and then applied to loads of unis i didnt actually want to go to in the end.
my tip for the day is to go and check out various uni's before applying to ucas, i wish i had. U can tehn see what the campus or uni is like, where u might be living etc and then u can make far better informed decisions about the uni when u do apply. I was lucky in where i chose in the end as i love it and the people i have met.

it was also mentioned that some recommendations for unis were suggested?
it really depends on what u want. Unis in the town/city = good for shopping + nightlife usually, but campus unis are good for meeting loads a people as everyone tends to live close together in the first year- which is where to make ur friends.

frag

Former Member

I only did 3 AS levels and am now doing the same ones at A2, and I've done okay thru UCAS.
I think its great you've got a good idea about what you want to do. I wish I had thought more about applying earlier. Maybe you should get in touch with the universities to see what they say. I'm not sure if you can apply a year earlier or not.
Good luck with your course and application anyway.