Degree advice

[TwigtheWonderkid]

My son is in his 1st year of A levels. He's doing Biology, Chemistry, Maths and English. He will either drop Chemistry or English after AS.

He's a bright lad and a hard worker (neither of which he gets from me ), and is likely to get A or B grades. Hopefully 3 As.

Problem is, he hasn't a clue what he wants to do. Is there a simple website where you can put in what A levels you have and it automatically suggests related/suitable degree courses? I'm sure there must be but I can't find one.

[BoRED S2upid]

Do schools not have career advice service any more? although the career advice they used to dish out was pretty poor in my school.

[james_gt3rs]

There used to be something called the Stamford test which did exactly this, but I can't find it. With his A levels he'll have a wide choice of degrees though.

Maybe go on a local uni open day in the summer and see from there?

[300bhp/ton]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

My son is in his 1st year of A levels. He's doing Biology, Chemistry, Maths and English. He will either drop Chemistry or English after AS.

He's a bright lad and a hard worker (neither of which he gets from me ), and is likely to get A or B grades. Hopefully 3 As.

Problem is, he hasn't a clue what he wants to do. Is there a simple website where you can put in what A levels you have and it automatically suggests related/suitable degree courses? I'm sure there must be but I can't find one.

Personally and based on my experience/observation they should study something fun and something they want to do. Even if it's geology, history, philosophy or something they aren't likely to do as a job/career.

The reason I say this is, one they'll find it much easier to study something they like. And two they'll likely do much better and put more effort in if they enjoy it.

And based on what I've seen employers are usually happy if you have a qualification, rather than it being in a specific field. E.g. if you want to work in IT/software a maths or physics degree is just as valid as a computing one is. Too much fuss is made over studying only the topic you want to follow as a career.

As for getting on the right course. Well this was a few years ago so maybe it's changed, but my experience was that UCAS were scare mongering arse holes!!!

They say you must have 'x' qualification with 'y' grade or don't even bother. Yet the reality of the situation was most Uni's would welcome you regardless. So speak direct with some Uni's and don't let UCAS scare or put you off.

For instance a couple of mates:


1. According to UCAS he didn't get good enough grades to do a degree and was forced by them to take a HND instead. Turns out the Uni would have happily let him take the degree course.

2. Same HND course but different person. Only just scraped enough to get onto it doing computing. After 6 months they transferred internally at the Uni onto a 3 year English degree course instead, despite having no real English qualifications at 'A' Level.



As I say, maybe this has changed a bit as I went to Uni in 1998-2002. But to me it did seem that once you get a foot in the door you really could choose what you wanted to study and just totally ignore almost everything UCAS says.

[pokethepope]

My advice - suggest he considers taking a gap year. Gives him more time to think about what he wants to do, gives him a chance to get some work experience (helps when applying for internships and grad jobs later on) and go travelling somewhere for a few months.

[Raddors]

Just from personal experience:

I did Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English. Dropped English after 1 yr. With those subjects if he is not sure what he wants to do, keeping the scientific/technical options over the English will probably keep more options open. Not many courses outside English or journalist REQUIRE English A-Level, but many other courses (engineering, medical, scientific, technical etc)require an A-Level in one or more of these.

As I said, just from my experience 10 yrs ago.

[blippo1984]

My two pence.

These are all really strong A levels and will make him attractive.

I was in exactly the same situation as him 10 years ago and have ended up as a Chartered Accountant having done History at Bristol (and a gap year as a ski instructor).

Jobs - He should make a short list of jobs he potentially can see himself doing. He should contact some firms and see if they will get a member of staff to give him a ring and a bit of insight. Also, he could attend one of the local careers fairs for students his age - it might open his eyes. He might then understand what degree he has to do be say an engineer.

University - With three As he would be in a strong position. Make a list of 10 that appeal to him and take him to open days/visit them. He will quickly be attracted to ones that appeal to him. Whilst this it is a broad, and perhaps unfair, generalisation the top 10/20 universities per the Times 100 league table will be generally be better regarded by employers.

Degree - He should do what he enjoys. However, some degrees will not allow further progression - for example you cannot be an Aeronautical Engineer with an English degree. Within accountancy for example you can generally have any degree discipline at 2.1 or above. He might want to pay specific attention to course details - for example Bristol did no Tudor History, if I had known this I might have gone somewhere else and whilst I did not regret it I did feel a bit foolish!

If I had to do it all again I would probably have made the effort to go to Oxbridge as it's a university experience above all others. That said, certainly no guarantee I would have gotten in!

I might have chosen to study a foreign language degree as this is challenging and also an amazing life skill. Also I would have chosen a degree with a year abroad.

I would probably still be a chartered accountant! And I definitely would do my gap year again.

Hopefully some help. If he wishes to speak to me I can talk with some experience about Bristol, History or Accountancy I don't mind picking up the phone.

[STW2010]

This site is for graduates, but still might be useful-

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/

You can have a look at all sorts of jobs and see what the entry routes are for each

[anonymous-user]

I agree with those above who suggest that your son should study a subject that he is interested in, and therefore likely to be good at, and shouldn't be too hung up on careers at this stage. He should aim for a Russell Group university, and maybe Oxbridge if his likely grades look good enough. University isn't just about obtaining a qualification, but also about acquiring thinking skills, and also having (hopefully) good life experiences and making lifelong friends.

Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 10th January 19:15

[Jasandjules]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Problem is, he hasn't a clue what he wants to do.

In terms of career or degree or both?

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Jasandjules said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Problem is, he hasn't a clue what he wants to do.

In terms of career or degree or both?

Both. He was considering medicine, but has gone off the idea.

[anonymous-user]

I think that you probably have to have a vocation towards medicine, and if you don't feel it, you probably won't succeed in that field.

I would not be troubled by the fact that your son does not know at present what career he might like to pursue. I meet people who have a plan from the age of 12 (OK, maybe 15) to conquer the world, but I find that a bit scary. Hey, my biggest plan is to get a plan, and so far that plan ain't working. I decided on my desired career towards the beginning of my final year as an undergraduate, although I can't now remember exactly why I made the choice. I had planned before that to stay on after my degree and try to become an academic historian, and sometimes wish that I had done so, but I seem to recall that, for whatever reason, my mind was pretty clear when I rejected that idea and went for a legal career instead.

[z4chris99]

If he doesn;t know what he wants to do my suggestion is to go to a top 10 university and do something pretty generic. economics is a good idea, English, Law etc..

Then you have a world of choices at your feet when you leave. Rather than going somewhere average and doing something vocational.

3 A's, a good 2.1/1st from a top university. Can do pretty much anything after that.

1 (1) (2) Cambridge
2 (2) (1) Oxford
3 (4) (8) London School of Economics
4 (3) (4) St Andrews
5 (6) (3) Warwick
6 (5) (5) UCL
7 (8) (17) Durham
7 (7) (6) Lancaster
9 (14) (13) Bath
10 (11) (14) Exeter

these ones arn't bad either..

13 (10) (7) Imperial College
15 (16) (15) Edinburgh
17 (15) (9) York
18 (25) (33) Bristol
21 (22) (24) City
25 (32) (45) Reading

Edited by z4chris99 on Friday 11th January 20:51

[anonymous-user]

I would avoid law as an undergraduate subject unless you feel a strong yen for it. You can qualify as a lawyer without a law degree (my first degree is in history), and I think that there are more intellectually stimulating ways of spending three or four years as an undergraduate. I am perhaps biased, because I see the law as a practical tool for solving problems, and am not especially interested in it as a scholarly or theoretical discipline (although my interest in that grows as I get older), but others may have different views, and studying law will at least encourage rigorous thinking.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Breadvan72 said:

I would not be troubled by the fact that your son does not know at present

I'm not. But he seems to be. I tell him not to lose any sleep over it, he's a bright lad with a decent work ethic and he'll be fine. But he thinks he should have an idea about what he wants to do with his life.

He's quite methodical, likes to have a plan and know where he's going and what he needs to do. He's not really a "just wing it and see" type of bloke.

[anonymous-user]

University can be life changing, so your son's ideas are likely to change and develop over the next few years. He could look at his current uncertainty as a positive thing. He is able to keep an open mind as to what his future steps might be.


So long as he studies an academically rigorous subject at a good university, he should have a solid foundation for his next step.

Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 12th January 13:32

[skeeterm5]

z4chris99 said:

If he doesn;t know what he wants to do my suggestion is to go to a top 10 university and do something pretty generic. economics is a good idea, English, Law etc..

Then you have a world of choices at your feet when you leave. Rather than going somewhere average and doing something vocational.

3 A's, a good 2.1/1st from a top university. Can do pretty much anything after that.

1 (1) (2) Cambridge
2 (2) (1) Oxford
3 (4) (8) London School of Economics
4 (3) (4) St Andrews
5 (6) (3) Warwick
6 (5) (5) UCL
7 (8) (17) Durham
7 (7) (6) Lancaster
9 (14) (13) Bath
10 (11) (14) Exeter

these ones arn't bad either..

13 (10) (7) Imperial College
15 (16) (15) Edinburgh
17 (15) (9) York
18 (25) (33) Bristol
21 (22) (24) City
25 (32) (45) Reading

Edited by z4chris99 on Friday 11th January 20:51

This......

Unless he is after a specific/vocational type degree then the quality of the university ismuch more important than the actual degree (assuming he doesnt pick something daft like tarot card reading.... )

S

[z4chris99]

skeeterm5 said:

This......

Unless he is after a specific/vocational type degree then the quality of the university ismuch more important than the actual degree (assuming he doesnt pick something daft like tarot card reading.... )

S

That's the first sensible thing I've said on here

[jaedba2604]

life changing experience aside; what's the £payback on a degree now? if he's unsure, is it worthwhile?

[wiffmaster]

Raddors said:

Just from personal experience:

I did Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English. Dropped English after 1 yr. With those subjects if he is not sure what he wants to do, keeping the scientific/technical options over the English will probably keep more options open. Not many courses outside English or journalist REQUIRE English A-Level, but many other courses (engineering, medical, scientific, technical etc)require an A-Level in one or more of these.

As I said, just from my experience 10 yrs ago.

This.

Considering he's studying two sciences (and maths), it suggests that he's fairly likely to study a scientific subject at university. For most good science courses at decent universities, you'll need two sciences at A-Level to be accepted. Conversely, you don't need 'specific' A-Levels to study the majority of other subjects.

I was similar to your son in that I studied Chemistry, Biology, Economics and Geography at AS-Level. I then dropped Geography for A-Level and ended up studying Biology at university (needed A-Levels in Biology + another science/maths to get accepted). Once graduated, I ended up converting to Law and am now preparing to start work as a commercial lawyer.

In other words, the subject you study at university has very little influence on the career you'll eventually go into. However, keeping the scientific subjects at A-Level ensures that you keep pretty much any degree open to you...which in turn ensures you keep pretty much any career open to you.