Wrong Uni Course

Former Member

For a while now, I've been considering the idea that I may have made a mistake with my original course choice - Oh dear.

Since it was too late to make ammendments to it, I left it and considered clearing. For fear of losing my place at the Uni I wished to attend I decided to accept my Firm choice anyway, because I wasn't entirely sure I wanted to change.
I'm still not.

But for a variety of reasons I think I may not be able to carry out my course. And I also think I might not enjoy it.

What are the chances of changing course within the first few weeks of arriving? I intend to just stick it out for the time being, on the small chance that I'll actually enjoy it.

If possible, the course I would change to would be from Biology to English. I have A-grade A levels in Biology and Eng Lit. I hoped this would show a broad range of skills etc etc etc. and maybe a suitability in another course.

My problem is that I'm a general person, academically, and I have never known in which direction I wanted to go.

Do I stand a chance, and who should I talk to?

Former Member

Hmmm, I'm not too sure of the rules with this sort of thing, but you should be assigned a mentor or personal tutor once you arrive at uni. I would go and speak to them about how you feel. Are you sure you want to change now? Or would you rather see how the Biology course goes first?

But go and speak to someone as soon as you get there, at least then you'll know what options are open to you. You could also go and find someone from the English department to find out more about the English coursem and whether you'd enjoy it more than Biology.

Good luck anyway - and enjoy Freshers Week

Former Member

I would contact the uni as soon as possible and try and see if you could change. Unless the course you wish to change to is completely full or you don't have the grades needed (but it sounds like you have), I'm sure it's fairly easy to change. However, english is a very popular course, so I would contact them now rather than leaving it till you get to uni. You could see how biology is, telling them you may want to change, and then stay or change after a few weeks. They don't want students on a course they don't enjoy as that increases chances of dropping-out, so I'm sure they'll be happy to try and help any worries you have.

Which uni is it?

Former Member

If its only within the first few weeks most unis if they have spaces on the course will swap you about, if you think you've made a mistake theyll help as best they can to sort it out for you. Contact them as soon as possible to find out what your options are, good luck.

Former Member

Thank you for your responses

The Uni is the University Of Manchester, so I hoped they'd have a lot of courses - and quite a few students dropping out - I know that's an evil thing to say!

My biggest worry about Biology is the amount of animal experiments in the course: I'm a vegetarian, and so this is quite a sensitive issue with me, and during the application process they tended to gloss over this with me - but when I received a welcome pack it stated I'd be expected to take part in all practicals, and the book went on to detail living tissues being involved, but not specific details on what they were!

If this wasn't a problem for me, I'd be likely to go ahead with the original course - and as I'm quite a broad student, English would be most likely to be my second choice.

And, to make matters easier I don't have any ideas on what I want to do after my degree!

I know I should have prepared myself better!

Former Member

Re: Wrong Uni Course

Originally posted by Alan
What are the chances of changing course within the first few weeks of arriving? I

well...at my Uni, you can change courses within the first THREE weeks of term...after that, its too late, and you are stuck. I have changed my subjects before like that on more than one occasion. I guess different unis have different rules, but it should be something like that

Former Member

Ooh, that sounds excellent!

I guess it's a case of waiting to see what happens. Thanks!