A "I have zero qualifications, but would like to go to Uni" thread

A lot of helpful points to consider are in this thread so I thank you.

Quite interesting, Castiel, that you was a Marine and decided to go to Uni. What made you make that decision? What degree did you end up going for?

This is very interesting... http://www.enhancedlearningcredits.com/PF FE-HE/ - definitely worth having a word with the Education officer over.

As for because I am in the forces I am good with my hands... nope - shocking! More of a mentally able guy than physical.
 
Bengaboy said:
So, I only have GCSEs, but am currently starting an A-Level in business studies.

As far as I am aware, you need 2 (ish?) A-Levels to be considered for Uni ACAS points wise. But the thing is I am 22, and would like to start Uni ASAP as I eventually will be too old...

Question is, is UCAS points the long and short of it? No way around it? I am currently in the Navy - maybe this would go in my favour for maturity reasons? I wouldnt have thought so, but worth a go...

Full time uni aswell, so I would leave the forces. Unless part time courses are maybe viable?

Any help would be great - Uni noob!
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Open University, part-time course... you can study it while you work in the navy (and thus continue to earn). Enroll soon enough and you should miss out n the higher fees they are introducing soon (unless they've upped them already, i'm not sure). by the time you finish (max 6 years if you keep it up) you will come out with a good level of employability depending on what you study. Choose something relevant to what you are good at or have been good at i nthe past that relates to what you can see yourself doing in the future.

Prospectus etc is here http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/index.htm
 
I've thought about going back to uni and actually maybe doing it instead of just sitting around, but I would definitely not be doing it in this country. Have you looked at the international english taught courses they have in the Netherlands? Considerably cheaper than here and studying overseas would be massively win.
 
Zefan said:
I've thought about going back to uni and actually maybe doing it instead of just sitting around, but I would definitely not be doing it in this country. Have you looked at the international english taught courses they have in the Netherlands? Considerably cheaper than here and studying overseas would be massively win.
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The problem is that places in universities abroad are usually limited, and require some form of minimum grades. Someone without A-levels probably wouldn't be in with a shot.
 
To anyone with the opportunity and grades I highly suggest studying in Zürich, Switzerland. Cheap as chips, very high standards of education, and you will have the time of your life surrounded by the hottest looking (on average, and that's official) girls in Europe. if I could only go back 10 years... sigh. :D
 
Lysander said:
Uni isn't what it once was. It's not longer a requirement. You'll be likely just wasting your time and money. People do not come out of uni and get a grad job as a result... I don't personally believe it makes any difference anymore unless you're doing something vocational like law or medicine.
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In the competitive market out there, having a degree is expected these days. At the very minimum, having a degree shows that you apparently have enough of a work ethic to get through HE.

If you don't have a degree you need to bring something to the table that can really wow the employer to get them on your side, otherwise 9/10 times that other person with the degree is gonna get it.

That said, there is a lot of competition out there between lots of people with degrees for jobs, which makes things even more difficult.

To the OP, before you start making decisions about whether to do Uni. Try and think long term, even though it can be tough.

Ask yourself is going to Uni and getting this degree going to put you in a better position in terms of job propsective, or will it lead to the same old bs.

I think the determining factor here is your degree choice. For the love of god, pick a degree that people actually value these days. All you have to do is google and reasearch a little bit as to what degrees are valued.

I won't point out what you shouldn't do as people get all touchy about it, but some degrees are such a waste of time it makes me facepalm.

If you decided to continue down buisness studies, try and diversify a little and do some sort of combined buisness study with comp science, or accounting or something along those lines. You need to make yourself stand out from the group of buisness studies degrees out there (which there are lots of)
 
Rainagul said:
I won't point out what you shouldn't do as people get all touchy about it, but some degrees are such a waste of time it makes me facepalm.

If you decided to continue down buisness studies, try and diversify a little and do some sort of combined buisness study with comp science, or accounting or something along those lines. You need to make yourself stand out from the group of buisness studies degrees out there (which there are lots of)
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Agreed. Doing a combined Business/Management and IT degree is almost guaranteed (as much as anything these days) to get you a job somewhere within the UK and Europe, especially if backed up with a second language (this is gold dust and will instantly single you out above others).

Media Studies is guaranteed to get you the dole, unless you go to a top-notch uni and get grandfathered in to the industry.
 
Good luck with your decision either way Bengaboy, as it's what I'm aiming to do over the next few years prior to leaving the forces. Just approaching my 4 year point, so I will be entitled to ELCAS soon enough. Due to start my Class 1 trade course next year, which will give me a foundation degree, and once I have that, I'll use my ELCAS to top it up to a full degree via OU most likely.
I'm not worried about the whole age thing because i'm already 26, I'll be 28 when receiving my foundation degree, so I'll be on the early side of 30 before getting my full degree. I will however have close to 10 years experience in communication engineering, so I feel that'll be my biggest advantage.
 
I'm almost 32 and in my first year of a degree that will last a few years... indeed early 20's is nothing. Good job I look 26 though ain't it. :p
 
As said above, don't let the age side of things hold you back, but I would really assess what you're looking to get out of university before you commit yourself to something that as the potential to incur significant debt without any recovery route.

What exactly are you looking at doing? Is there a reason why you're looking to go straight to university without A-levels? Have you assessed vocational training instead?

Don't let the daft culture that university is required to be "successful" push you down that route - it is only one of many ways to achieve in life, and is a far cry from the be all and end all. Decide what you want, then look at how you are going to get there. The world is full of graduates with mediocre degrees, and they're 2 a penny - you need to figure out how you're going to stand out, and then see where that path takes you.
 
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