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University Baffled

BillieTheBotBillieTheBot Posts: 8,721 Bot
edited March 27 in Work & Study
Britain has a huge choice of university courses. Good if you know what you want to do. Bad if you don't know for sure. How the hell did people here make sense of it all? So many courses in so many universities. How the bloody hell am I meant to make sure that I make the right choice? I've just done something on the UCAS website called The Stamford Test. (Some kind of test that works out what subject areas may be best for study) The results that came out for me were: General Medical, Psychology, Social Studies / Social Science and Politics Based.

I agree these are the best subject areas for me, but when I looked into these, that's when I was daunted. Looking under Psychology on the UCAS site gave me 15 results, including things like "Human Psychology" and "Psychological Science". How the fuck am I supposed to make the right choice when I've got such a stupendously large number of courses to choose from?

Frankly, all this is rather off-putting. But if I don't go to university, that means I'm going to have to re-think yet again, wasting more time. That would make things worse. All I've been thinking about for eight months of this year is killing myself. I don't want to go back to that, I want to get on with my life. I've got 260 points according to the tariff calculator, which I am reliably told means I could apply for a decent range of choices.

In terms of careers, I'm thinking of doing something based in Psychology, but am unsure if this is a possibility as I didn't study Psychology for A-Level. (I damn well am wishing I had done now)

So, how did you choose your course? And for those at uni, or those who have completed their studies, would you say that you made the right choice?
Beep boop. I'm a bot.
Post edited by JustV on

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    There is no way beforehand to tell if you have made the right choice. Im currently applying for law as I think it is the best choice for me compared to other subjects. Im still not entirely sure if I want to do anything law related as a career, but I know that a law degree at a good university will provide me with transferable skills and a good qualification to work in a wide variety of fields. At the end of the day the decision is down to you and you alone as only you can know what you want/are inclined towards. All the best with it.

    p.s I'm sure you don't need to have done psychology A level do it it at uni. In fact please correct me if im wrong but many uni's would rather you hadn't done psychology A level, much like many uni's rather that you don't study A level law.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If something doesn't grab you you're looking in the wrong area.

    I knew I wanted to do the law, but I hadn't thought of doing politics too as joint honours. I found it out by seeing it on the UCAS directory and by doing research with university prospectuses.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    .
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by girl with sharp teeth
    Careers in Psychology are not that easy to come by. If it's something you really want then i suggest you do some serious research beforehand.
    Hmm, good point. What I want is not strictly a career in psychology, but I would like to work in the health sector. I'd like to help others in this respect. So, looking at my other choices (General Medical, Social Studies / Social Science, Politics Based) I think that this could be of some assistance. At last, I've discovered something I might be good in. Oh, the relief!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hey,
    It is good that you are researching into it, with a perspective as to what you want to do in the future. There are a huge number of courses to choose from at different universities up and down the country. Generally, there is very little difference between those which appear to be very specific courses "human psychology" ; and those with a more broad title "psychology."
    Since some courses are offered everywhere, think about where you would like to study?
    But if I don't go to university, that means I'm going to have to re-think yet again, wasting more time. That would make things worse. All I've been thinking about for eight months of this year is killing myself. I don't want to go back to that
    - Honey, it's really important that you want to go to University for the right reasons; and not think of it as All-or-Nothing: "if I don't go to university I can't do anything else."
    University is a lot of hard work (granted, except for the 1st year :D) You need to have a real commitment to it, otherwise, you might find that the stress of university could make other underlying problems worse.
    Thinking about what you want to do; what you are good at; what your strengths and weaknesses are: is never wasted time : generally speaking, it is better to take a little more time and be sure in yourself you've made the right decision, than jump in head first and make the wrong one.
    I guess another thing you could think about to help you decide is whether you want to do your degree in a very acedemic subject - like "psychology"? or something more vocational which would lead to a specific career at the end of it - for example "social work"?
    Another thing is phone up some of the universities you are interested in and ask them for their prospectuses and course info. - it will help narrow down the choice - don't just rely on the ucas handbook.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by otter: It's really important that you want to go to University for the right reasons; and not think of it as All-or-Nothing: "if I don't go to university I can't do anything else." University is a lot of hard work (granted, except for the 1st year :D) You need to have a real commitment to it, otherwise, you might find that the stress of university could make other underlying problems worse.
    I suppose the question that is being asked here is why I want to go to university. A perfectly fair question, after all. I'm fed-up of spending all my time being around the same people, doing the same things. I fancy doing something different. I've got a huge appetite for learning. I'm so damn curious! I want to learn for myself and get some independence out of an experience such as university.
    Thinking about what you want to do; what you are good at; what your strengths and weaknesses are, is never wasted time: generally speaking, it is better to take a little more time and be sure in yourself you've made the right decision, than jump in head first and make the wrong one.
    Well, I discovered that for myself at college. Some of my subject choices were good, (English Literature and Sociology were subjects I enjoyed) my choice of History was bad and I still don't know why I started doing Computing Studies for A Level. However, in the context of university, I would agree. But with so many subjects and courses out there, how the hell can anyone make sure they've got it absolutely right?
    I guess another thing you could think about to help you decide is whether you want to do your degree in a very acedemic subject - like "psychology"? or something more vocational which would lead to a specific career at the end of it - for example "social work"?
    I'm not looking for any specific career. I want to do something where I'm helping other people, maybe those who have got depression. I've got it, I hate it, I don't want others to go through it.
    Another thing is phone up some of the universities you are interested in and ask them for their prospectuses and course info. - it will help narrow down the choice - don't just rely on the ucas handbook.
    Will do, thanks for pointing that out. Thank you very much for your help, Otter.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Having read through what you just wrote, another option for you might be to do a joint honours degree, perhaps something like sociology and psychology. Most universities have a wide range of joint honours degree options, and then after your first year if you decide that you like one subject more than the other you can usually switch to just doing a straight degree in that subject, as long as you pass both subjects.

    Also a a lot of universities encourange you to pick modules for subjects outside of your degree course in your first year - for example I go to Reading and I'm doing psychology and philosophy, however for those people doing straight psychology you can only do 60 credits worth of psychology in your first year, so you have to do another 60 credits worth of modules to make up the 120 credits you need. It sounds complicated but it isn't really, most modules are worth either 10 or 20 credits so it gives you the flexibility to do modules from at least a couple of other subjects.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by almost_innocent
    Having read through what you just wrote, another option for you might be to do a joint honours degree, perhaps something like sociology and psychology. Most universities have a wide range of joint honours degree options, and then after your first year if you decide that you like one subject more than the other you can usually switch to just doing a straight degree in that subject, as long as you pass both subjects.
    Now this is one idea that I do like! I'm going to look into that. Thank you for your reply. :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i totally undestand what you are going through, im not even sure what i want to do, i want to do medicine but i dont think that i will get the grades, extremely behind on chemistry and im sooo screwed. i really wish that i could turn back time and do things again. as for the killing yourself sometimes i just want to go to sleep and not wake up but in reality it would waste a lot of time.
    i dont know what to do in life
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by stargalaxy
    Hmm, good point. What I want is not strictly a career in psychology, but I would like to work in the health sector. I'd like to help others in this respect. So, looking at my other choices (General Medical, Social Studies / Social Science, Politics Based) I think that this could be of some assistance. At last, I've discovered something I might be good in. Oh, the relief!

    human sciences :thumb:

    at my uni http://www.ucl.ac.uk/lifesciences-faculty/humansciences/
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I seriously doubt I'd be able to do Human Sciences. I didn't do Biology, Chemistry nor Physics at A Level and I didn't do well in any of those when it came to GCSEs. So far, the only thing I can think of is Psychology. However, can anyone tell me what the difference is between a BA and a BSc? :confused:
  • littlemissylittlemissy Posts: 9,972 Supreme Poster
    Originally posted by stargalaxy
    I seriously doubt I'd be able to do Human Sciences. I didn't do Biology, Chemistry nor Physics at A Level and I didn't do well in any of those when it came to GCSEs. So far, the only thing I can think of is Psychology. However, can anyone tell me what the difference is between a BA and a BSc? :confused:

    A BA is a Batchelor of Arts degree and a BSc is a Batchelor of Science degree. Both are worth the same but it indicates which faculty you did the degree in.

    i think.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by littlemissy
    A BA is a Batchelor of Arts degree and a BSc is a Batchelor of Science degree. Both are worth the same but it indicates which faculty you did the degree in.
    Faculty? What the hell? (goes off to check the dictionary) "Any of the divisions or comprehensive branches of learning at a college or university: the faculty of law or the teachers and instructors within such a division." Oh, okay. Thank you for the reply, littlemissy.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    .
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by bad seed
    BSc = scientific, likely to have a nice wodge of maths chucked in.

    I'm not sure how to describe a BA as I don't do one, but I'm quite sure they've lots of essays.

    Generally, that is. I think Oxford/Cambridge used to do things differently. Probably still do.

    people i know do entirely based essay BScis and relatively simple practicals, well compared to mine but mines the killer one for lab
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