Motivation for GCSE's

I'd agree with a few of the above statements. The biggest problem was when universities offered degree's in pretty much anything for approx 3k a year. With the prices now trebled the so called "pointless" degrees won't be worth paying the price for.

Not only that but the amount of people I knew from the first year whose idea of uni was for complete partying to then fail the first year and still be 3 grand down the drain. One expensive party if you ask me.

As for motivation it can be quite difficult whilst the weather is nice outside etc. Best thing you can think of is that when your exams finish (June IIRC?). You'll have 2 months of summer to do sweet F-All.
 
lemonkettaz said:
OP do yourself a huge favour by doing A level Maths and Physics or do an apprenticeship in engineering or something.

Be useful, don't waste your time with "ICT"
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I did maths and physics A level but the main thing that three years doing engineering at uni taught me was that I didn't want to be an engineer.

Its just not for some people. As it happens I got a far better job (for me) but perhaps I was lucky.

You are right in that engineering is a very desirable degree to have but if I had my time again and given what I ended up doing I'd probably do something that interested me more like archaeology or psychology. Not nearly as useful as engineering but still open lots of doors by just having a degree.

Of course we're all 20/20 in hindsight and things might have been very different had I not stumbled into a job that's almost perfect for me.
 
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Ben Cole said:
I suppose, well those that know the difference anyway.



I do London Terminal Controll at NATS Swanwick.
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Ah awesome, can't imagine how busy that'd be dealing with LL/KK as well as other airfields. It's always been a dream to work in aviation (although more specifically a pilot) but would enjoy ATCing as well.
 
lukeharvest said:
From all the papers I saw, there was nothing that I couldn't do, whether it was off the syllabus or not I don't know. As for teachers knowing some things won't come up, I take it you're referring to the recent news of the examiners telling teachers at conferences if those teachers paid £x,000. I highly doubt any of these teachers were from government funded schools, seeing as they barely have money to replace a broken bin. There are still things "not on the syllabus" being put on exams now-a-days, over the last two years it has been in the news twice. With the introduction of the A* (in A-Level) exam boards started putting on "stretch and challenge" questions which are totally off the syllabus, which is targeted for those wanting to get an A*.
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no, just people i know who were told what was on the exams (some were even told while the exam was going on!!!) ;) this includes many of my younger friends and my wife (who is 10 years younger than me - im 37, not a paedo btw ;))

in fairness reading your above posts you are a clever chap, so you might know stuff not on the syllabus (plus you read up a lot by the sound of it). not everyone is that bright (or interested) and its very unfair to test you on things you didnt know you would be tested on.
 
Ben Cole said:
I did maths and physics A level but the main thing that three years doing engineering at uni taught me was that I didn't want to be an engineer.

Its just not for some people. As it happens I got a far better job (for me) but perhaps I was lucky.

You are right in that engineering is a very desirable degree to have but if I had my time again and given what I ended up doing I'd probably do something that interested me more like archaeology or psychology. Not nearly as useful as engineering but still open lots of doors by just having a degree.

Of course we're all 20/20 in hindsight and things might have been very different had I not stumbled into a job that's almost perfect for me.
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I understand it's not for everyone.

Most people that bumble around might as well do something that is a definite plan b. If you become an artist fair one, but otherwise you are getting something that is solid...

When I was finishing school no one mentioned getting a trade or doing some sort of apprenticeship, it's almost like people look down on it and the only real solution is to goto Uni, but most people goto Uni for the wrong reasons and maybe these people should consider another career path.

I think unless you are 100% dedicated to a subject or doing a solid degree for a respectable institute and have the capacity to excel at it... dont bother
 
Id like to see actual stats on the trade vs graduate.....

I know a lot of people out of Uni that struggle to get careers and it seems like its more rare to gain a career directly related to the qualification.

On the other hand people who do apprenticeships in things like plumbing/sparky/engineering that I know of all work and got work directly through their path of study.

No doubt that are national stats that prove me wrong, but from my own experience It has been the tradesman that come out on top
 
Ben Cole said:
I did maths and physics A level but the main thing that three years doing engineering at uni taught me was that I didn't want to be an engineer.

Its just not for some people. As it happens I got a far better job (for me) but perhaps I was lucky.

You are right in that engineering is a very desirable degree to have but if I had my time again and given what I ended up doing I'd probably do something that interested me more like archaeology or psychology. Not nearly as useful as engineering but still open lots of doors by just having a degree.

Of course we're all 20/20 in hindsight and things might have been very different had I not stumbled into a job that's almost perfect for me.
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are you a fluffer? :) lol j/k
 
Moses said:
EL OH EL
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You may laugh but most grads come out of university without a clue how to do a job and end up doing something that they could have easily done before. Wasting 3 years of their life, £45,000 on loans plus the earnings you've missed out on.


To the OP. If you can't find the motivation now, what makes you think you will when you do A levels and then uni? Sit down, read and learn.
 
lemonkettaz said:
Id like to see actual stats on the trade vs graduate.....

I know a lot of people out of Uni that struggle to get careers and it seems like its more rare to gain a career directly related to the qualification.

On the other hand people who do apprenticeships in things like plumbing/sparky/engineering that I know of all work and got work directly through their path of study.

No doubt that are national stats that prove me wrong, but from my own experience It has been the tradesman that come out on top
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yup. i know plenty of people on 6-7 figure incomes who never went further than school education.

my boss used to earn between 7 and 10K a week being a tradesman. he still has 4/5 houses and hundreds of thousands worth of cars (even after losing a lot of it in the recession)
 
That stat of earning £250k more is how graduates convince themselves that their option of study is the be all and end all.

What % of graduates study well respected courses that can translate directly upon completion to a career?

The overall stats are wishy washy to say the least
 
lemonkettaz said:
What % of graduates study well respected courses that can translate directly upon completion to a career?
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That's a bit like saying 'how many people left school and now work on sub-£20k a year in places like ASDA?'

There are going to be those that don't go 'all the way' to a handsome lifestyle via both routes.
 
lemonkettaz said:
How?
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Not all graduates go on to get the best jobs.

Not all those that left school post GCSE are on considerable wages either.

*shrug*

I'm just saying that amount of graduates that aren't in high paying jobs isn't necessarily a very good indicator of which is the preferential path :)
 
Like most things it comes down to attitude for both trade a graduates. For each group of people you have those that would rather not bother too much and just sit in the job they land in and those that strive for the next rung up or in the trade the opportunity to work for themselves.

OP sounds like he is in the not bothered group at the moment - but its only a mental decision to get up and get on with it
 
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