Ok what should we do

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Looking for help
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Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2008 11:12 am
Location: Berkshire

Ok what should we do

Post by Looking for help »

My daughter has no ideas what to do now going forward(really hate that phrase but it suits the way I feel). She has done really well in AS Levels, 2As and a B in English lit, Drama and Philosophy & Ethics .
She had some plans already to do things like sociology and criminology etc etc, as she didn't feel she was going to do all that well in her 6th form (not that there's anything wrong with these,I was very happy for her). Now she is considering English (her reports through year 12 were very encouraging and the A grade only confirms to me that when she puts the effort in, she gets good results), however she is unsure.
To be honest I wasn't particularly convinced that criminology and sociology were all that great, but my OH attended Cardiff open day with her last summer and thought it was a great course, and if he'd had his time over again blah blah blah.....

Does anyone have any helpful ideas? Is a sociology degree worthwhile, is Sociology and English (we've found an option or 2) worthwhile....apart from teaching, where would a degree in English get you? We are a family of business folk....maths and science are our things, and now time is running out for options, I would love some advice from others with similar children.

Thanks
XCRGSMUM
Posts: 46
Joined: Fri Feb 04, 2011 10:46 pm

Re: Ok what should we do

Post by XCRGSMUM »

Perhaps it would help if you looked at the information provided by each of the uni`s you may be considering on the levels of post grad employment, unemployment, and numbers of students going on to Masters/Phd`s for the subjects under consideration?

I would suggest from my experience, friends and family over the last 3 years, that going to a 'good' uni enhances the employment prospects as does getting at least a 2:1. Being male seems to help too, sexist though it may be of my middle sons friends graduating this year, all the boys are sorted and none of the girls are, this seemed less the case two years ago when my eldest graduated but these are such small samples that it may well not represent bigger picture.

It is important that your daughter likes whatever course she chooses, getting a good degree is hard work and pretty near impossible unless you basically really enjoy the subject!
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: Ok what should we do

Post by Guest55 »

Try the UK course finder questionnaire - it's better than the Sandwell test on the UCAS site.

You can also specify location and entry requirements to narrow down options - my DC certainly found it very helpful. :D
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: Ok what should we do

Post by mystery »

Try and get to a Russell Group uni if possible. A degree in English won't lead her anywhere in particular but if it's a good degree it won't rule her out of much postgrad employment that just wants a good degree. Apart from thinking she wasn't going to do well, why did she want to do sociology and criminology? Does she have any idea what kind of thing she might want to do after her degree?

It's difficult isn't it.

Thing I think looks best at the moment are some of the big four accountancy firms will take you on at 18, pay you 22,500 per annum from the beginning, and you qualify after 5 years as a chartered accountant - one or tow years earlier than people who do a degree and then 3 years in a training contract. And some savings, and no debts.
Belinda
Posts: 1167
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2007 10:57 pm

Re: Ok what should we do

Post by Belinda »

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Last edited by Belinda on Thu Nov 01, 2012 2:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
sherry_d
Posts: 2083
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 4:38 pm
Location: Maidstone

Re: Ok what should we do

Post by sherry_d »

Second what Belinda said. English or History are some of very versatile course one can ever do. If she isn't sure what she wants to do then English may be the best way to go. At the end I think what matters the most is where she does the course and the grade she gets. 2.1 from a good uni in sociology will be better than English from a newer university.

This is what sometimes make American Universities better, kids don't have to specialise until the final years whereas here we expect them to know what they want to do by the age of 16.
Impossible is Nothing.
Bougalou
Posts: 435
Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2008 12:23 am

Re: Ok what should we do

Post by Bougalou »

Have a look at St Andrews - four year courses (might be difficult if money is tight though) - no need to specialise in first year.
Marylou
Posts: 2164
Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2006 2:21 am

Re: Ok what should we do

Post by Marylou »

I read that St. Andrews are only going to charge (English students) for three years. Well, it's something I suppose...
Marylou
Looking for help
Posts: 3767
Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2008 11:12 am
Location: Berkshire

Re: Ok what should we do

Post by Looking for help »

Thanks for all the replies....my daughter was considering a sociology/criminology sort of approach, and had settled on a course, and now she's just considering English. I think she did really well to get the results she did this year and do not want her to be stressing out about achieving an A next year as well in English which is necessary for most of the courses at the decent unis, hence I might not be encouraging her as much as I should. She's not interested in drama at uni, and I know this may be perceived as a softish option....thanks for the suggestion about the questionnaire, I will ask her to do it, although she did the Stanford test or whatever its called and the result was that her answers were too vague. (a lot of help, that was), hopefully this one will be a bit better. However its very difficult when there's so many courses to choose from. Happy to hear about possible jobs etc, and also delighted to hear there are others as confused out there as we are. I also agree that she needs to like what she chooses, with the costs as high as they will be next year it would be a very expensive mistake.

I would love her to be an accountant (I'm one :lol: ) but she still counts on her fingers (B at GCSE maths :shock: )

As far as the Scottish universities are concerned we'd already ruled them out, although as Marylou says I think they're giving away the fourth year free :lol: Mind you, the case that's in front of the European Court at the moment will no doubt change the situation as far as the fees in Scotland are concerned, they will be forced to charge everybody and Alec Salmond will come up smelling of roses...after all he will have been forced to introduce fees , it's not that he planned to all along.
Looking for help
Posts: 3767
Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2008 11:12 am
Location: Berkshire

Re: Ok what should we do

Post by Looking for help »

She has just done the coursefinder questionnaire, and it has been really useful, thank you :D
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