Did You Go To College?

[Ben John-Hynes]

After year 11,

Did you go to college?

If not, what are you doing now?

Would really like to know as I'm thinking about dropping out and just want some advice first!

Thanks a lot,

Ben!

[Muel]

I went to sixth form to fail A levels, worst waste of time ever.

I am now at college doing a BTEC National Diploma for IT Prractitioners. Basically it covers every aspect of IT in not a lot of detail, so you can try loads of stuff out and decide which direction to take at uni.

[AdamR28]

I did A-Levels in 6th form (I was in the last year before it changed to AS and A Levels), then a degree in Sports Technology...

If you're thinking of dropping out, I'd probably recommend having a look round to see what else available first - apprenticeship, job, etc. Free education, in my opinion, is one of the best things you can take - I know it's a cliche and it sounds cheesy but your school/college/uni years really are the best.

[manuel]

If you're thinking of dropping out, I'd probably recommend having a look round to see what else available first - apprenticeship, job, etc. Free education, in my opinion, is one of the best things you can take - I know it's a cliche and it sounds cheesy but your school/college/uni years really are the best.

What Adam said - what are you going to do if you drop out is the question ? If you dont have anything really good and thought out for the future then i would say stick with it.

on the other hand I took a gap year in Industry - A levels - Uni - then into postman!! which i do quite enjoy ... but I would never miss out the steps before - most fun ever, and gives me options.

[Ben John-Hynes]

Thanks everyone.

I was thinking about getting a part time job until i'm 18.

Then i was planning on getting a car and taking a trip around the world with my bike,

With the money from my Grandad's will.

Then coming back home and getting a job.

Really not sure on the college/6th form bit though.

[Simpson]

I went to college, dropped down a year and changed college. In my last module tests i got A,A,C so hopefully im back on track now. IMO education is one of the strongest things you can have. I know i want to be a broker (or similar) and ive spoken to people in the business, and theyv'e said to me "Michael I now you can do the job, your smart your intelligent and i have no doubts you'd do well in the business, but how can i justify employing you instead of someone who's come out of Uni with a maths degree?" Which is true! You can fall back on eduction but you dont get much of a chance to go back an ever do it again

[N.Wood]

I went into 6th form to do my AS/A Levels and am now in my second year at uni doing Applied Geology.

I can't really add much more other than agree with what Adam and Rowan have said.

[Davetrials]

i started this year doing photography and im 20

its awsome

[JonMack]

I finished school with 5.5 GCSEs (A*-C) and went to college to do a BTEC ND Graphic Design, I then applied for BA(Hons) Graphic Design at Newport and in 5 weeks is my final hand in date.

[Tom Booth]

I went to 6th form to do a GNVQ in Engineering, and AS history an AS Physics, I failed both AS's as I'm not the academic type of person, more a hands on education, then went to college and did a BTEC national in 3D design, seeing as that was more a hands on approach to things I learnt alot better and enjoyed it alot more, college is awsome in my opinion.

[Radfax]

i left school with B's and C's mainly and had also finished a art and design apprenticeship at a very reputable collage. I left school and had had enough of working hard and just wanted to get some qualifications and get into a job. I enrolled on a Motorsport engineering course at the top level and thought it was going to be the best thing since sliced bread, after going there for 3 months i realised that this was not the thing i wanted to do, i had a paddy and then wanted to get into electrical engineering after months of trying to find some thing and no one giving me the time of day i decided going back to collage was my only option, I got on the phone to my old collage tutor (from my art apprenticeship) told her my problems and she told me to come in for a chat. I went in we chatted and she gave me a deffinate placement on a 4 year Course which now starts in september.

My advice for you if you are leaving school now is....

Dont go straight into work, you will end up in a dead end job (there is a possibility of getting some where but it is small!). I enrolled on a collage course because all i did in my spare time was play with cars, i then grew to hate cars and the collage course. if you have something as a intrest dont mix it with education! When you do choose a collage corse look at what career paths there are to go down, i didnt do this when i enrolled on my collage course, the option for me was to work as a grease monkey in a MOT centre which i did not want to do! Although i would have had the qualifications for some thing much higher i would not have had the exsperiance to match it so i would have been no use!

Urm i hope thats of some help to some one, a lot of babble there!

QUICK EDIT HERE!

I am not saying do not go to collage, collage is great i have been going there for the past 3 years and i love it! It could not be better, You are there because You want to learn and it is completely diffrent to school!

Collage is ACE

Edited April 7, 2008 by Radfax

[Ben John-Hynes]

I'm at college/6th form

But i hate what i'm doing there,

And it's now too last for me to change course!

But Radfax that helped a lot,

and a huge thanks to everyone that's helped so far!

Really got me thinking!

[Radfax]

no problem mate! add me up tommrobinson@hotmail.co.uk if you wanna chat mate, you dont want to be faffing your education up! it will help you out a lot later down the line!

[Matthew_Gibson]

I'm at sixth form at the min, Hate it! The only reason I wen is that I didnt have time to apply for an apprenticeship.

Left school with 9 C's and 2 D's (maths and English) still doing GCSE English. Then 1st year of sixthform I was doing PE, and Tech, with maths and english resits. Second year; Tech, at Alevel, Applied Business at AS, and GSCE English.

Not going to get the best grades in business as I have 3 pages of course work, and it has to be handed in in 3 weeks. I have to finish 2 folders and a case study in tech for marking think thats in 3 weeks too.

Applied for an engineering apprenticeship but got turned down, as the test scores were piss poor. Thinking of joining the Army, or seeing if halfords will take me on part time untill I find a better job

[Alex Dark]

im at college at the moment....really cant stand it, i wouldnt advise it to be honest

[Andeee]

Im at college currently doing a first diploma in performing arts as i didnt get the grades for the national course. Once i have passed this course i am moving onto a b tech national diploma in music practice in september so i will be with people year below me which wont bother me.

[SamHolmes]

I finished school with 5.5 GCSEs (A*-C) and went to college to do a BTEC ND Graphic Design

Same but just applied for BA Graphic Design at Uni, got an interview this Friday for Norwich

What are you planing on doing after Uni Jon?

[Radfax]

Pretty supprised at how many on here are doing graphics design (Ba(hons) Thats what i am hoping to do too!

[TheCircus]

My honest opinion on this is that unless you are are wanting to go into specific avenues like journalism or photography or other hands-on professions, a degree and higher should be top priority. Considering the amount of people that have degrees from a university not having one is most likely going to be a large problem if you are trying to go for the same type of jobs as them. I say stick with it and try to get to University, since it's f**king awesome, and a degree really opens up doors in terms of careers.

[JonMack]

Same but just applied for BA Graphic Design at Uni, got an interview this Friday for Norwich

What are you planing on doing after Uni Jon?

No idea, haven't thought about it, just keeping my fingers crossed really

[BeNNy]

I went to sixth form to fail A levels, worst waste of time ever.

I am now at college doing a BTEC National Diploma for IT Prractitioners. Basically it covers every aspect of IT in not a lot of detail, so you can try loads of stuff out and decide which direction to take at uni.

Lol!!!!

That's EXACTLY what's happened to me! Tried sixth form... wasn't right thing for me and wasn't doing so well..

And now on my 2nd year of college doing BTEC National Diploma for IT Practitioners Hopefully Uni next year to do Business Information Systems then god knows after that.. :)

Edited April 7, 2008 by BeNNy

[Simon]

I went to 2 college's, did 3 courses, and in the end only completed one, and in the end, i dropped out the 3rd course with one completed which in no way effected my chances of getting the job i dropped out for, it was my experience and portfolio that got me the job.

However, every job sector is different and has different expectations so just do your research in the sector you want to enter into and go from there, if you need the qualification, stick at it, otherwise, take a chance.

[Si-man]

Been at college for nearly 4 years now, 1 year to go to get advanced apprenticeship then another 18 months after that for HNC if i wanna do it.

[Muel]

Lol!!!!

That's EXACTLY what's happened to me! Tried sixth form... wasn't right thing for me and wasn't doing so well..

And now on my 2nd year of college doing BTEC National Diploma for IT Practitioners Hopefully Uni next year to do Business Information Systems then god knows after that.. :)

I took all pretty hard subjects for AS. IT, Maths, Physics and Product Design. I dropped Maths by christmas, then dropped the rest just after the exams. I had a nice, 11 week stretch on here getting depressed about being unemployed. I thought I could handle it though because I did really well in my GCSEs, (IT: A, Science: AA, Maths: B, RE: B, English Lit/lang: BB, Geography: C, Engineering: CC, Key Skills IT: , but I failed completely at AS, (IT: E, Product Design: D, Physics: U, Maths: Dropped).

College is brilliant, so much fun, we all have a laugh constantly and I learn new stuff every day. Not retaking AS has definately been the best thing I ever did in education, I'm doing a course I really enjoy that will get me a big old lump of UCAS points, and I can go to Uni with it, or go and get a job doing something in IT.

If your not a, "sit down and study", kinda guy, don't do A levels. I know a few guys who worked like mad for AS and dropped out, it just drives you crazy.

[Mr Plod]

Went to college and did a course in BTEC National Certificate Media Studies - Moving Images. I applied for a BND but they messed it up and said I didn't have enough marks when I clearly did and so I did a BNC. Didn't bother me though and I passed the course in July 2006. Was working part time at Morrisons throughout college as well and so once I was done at College I just stuck in with Morrisons Part time until I got fed up and applied for the Metropolitan Police at the start of 2007 but was still working at Morrisons until... last June and got a job as Cole and Son Wallpapers LTD. Had an excellent time there and then I finally got my place in the MET and so I left Coles last month and I've just over 2 weeks left of my training until I'm out on borough as a PCSO.