unaccepted into the uni i wanted, alternatives?

[unwashed potato!]

was applying for my local uni to do computer science and it turns out i dont have the grades. I have also applied for other unis though likely they will do the same, 1 has already said im unacceptable.

wondering now whats my alternative? i have spent my gap year doing loads of self traing for this area and hoped that that would back up my poor grades.

Is there an alt to uni that i can do? main aim is to be working on making games, i know of lionhead studios down the road but i doubt there is anything they would do for me there is there? e.g. like unpaid training?

 

[[TW]Fox]

You should have done some research before you applied, a year of 'self training' is utterly worthless and as you've found, pointless at getting into Uni. You should have used that year to improve your grades.

But dont worry, you still can. Go back to college, get better AS/A levels, then go to Uni

 

[Phoenix211]

work experience? be totally amazing and they may offer you something...

 

[unwashed potato!]

But dont worry, you still can. Go back to college, get better AS/A levels, then go to Uni

the trouble is i did the silly I.B course and i failed as its a complete load of plop and didn't know at the time what i wanted to do in life so didn't bother. As soon as i finished i discovered and have been trying to make up for it but i guess not hard enough.

i cant simply go back as the subjects are stuff i didn't and never will want to do and i'd have to do all the course work, for instance higher level biology, TOK (how you know you know you know was a paper we had to right), Spanish, ITGS (i know its on computers buit this course didn't need be on computers, it was so boring and about stuff like ethical reasons of allwoing msn in work place).

also didn't want to waste any more time learing that sutff as i could jsut use it instead to learn computer stuff which would be much more useful.

so what shoudl ido next year if all unis say bogoff?

 

[divine`]

Is there an alt to uni that i can do? main aim is to be working on making games, i know of lionhead studios down the road but i doubt there is anything they would do for me there is there? e.g. like unpaid training?

You do realise this is probably the hardest, most overworked yet underpaid branch of computing related work you could choose, yes?

edit - also, there must be more than Lionhead where you are, Guildford is virtually the UK centre of games development.

 

[unwashed potato!]

You do realise this is probably the hardest, most overworked yet underpaid branch of computing related work you could choose, yes?

yes i do. but i got the gf to earn the money from acting, whilst i sit back and enjoy doing something i really love

 

[divine`]

yes i do. but i got the gf to earn the money from acting, whilst i sit back and enjoy doing something i really love

:/


That's hardly what I would call a 'sensible life plan', not only are you relying on someone who may or may not be around long term, but they have a job notorious for being unreliable with regards to stable work.

 

[unwashed potato!]

well bascially at the moment i don't give monkeys about the money. I thought about what'd id like to do and making games is exactly it. not once have i had concerns about the fact that the money isn'tgreatly paid. Im sure even if i dont get into gaming my knowledge will still get me other work and im sure after all the hard work it will pay off. theres no way i will get little money if i work hard. You not see pursuit of happyness?

 

[Morba]

i think your problem is you think you do not need to worry about anything because the gf will sort everything out.

get a better attitude and think for yourself, do some things for yourself, then go to uni.

if you really dont have to worry about money, start doing stuff yourself now, plenty of independant games companies will take staff on if you have some idea what you are doing, loads of mod makers needing help etc.

 

[gord]

You not see pursuit of happyness?

If that is a Hollywood film im leaving GD.. for some time..

Money may not be important to "you" but it is important, dont be so niavé. Fine you want to do something you love, or think you love, which i say because games development is not easy and by not easy i dont mean you have to work hard.. i mean you constantly live under pressure. If you cant handle the pressure of day to day life, getting grades when the work may not appear exciting then you cant handle the pressure of a games development environment. What if the development work isnt what you thought? What if you have to develop meaningless modules all day long? What will you do then? By your past experience it sounds like you will just give in..

You need to get some priorities, get your grades and get to uni if thats where you want to go. Otherwise look for gaming houses that run trainee programmes. This may be difficult though, degrees are becoming a standard rather than a bonus now. Just dont forget, you can achieve what you want to and your right, working hard at something will often offer great rewards, but you have to work hard.. consistently.. not when it just pleases you.

 

[Psyk]

well bascially at the moment i don't give monkeys about the money. I thought about what'd id like to do and making games is exactly it. not once have i had concerns about the fact that the money isn'tgreatly paid. Im sure even if i dont get into gaming my knowledge will still get me other work and im sure after all the hard work it will pay off. theres no way i will get little money if i work hard. You not see pursuit of happyness?

If it's what you really want to do then you should go for it even if it's not what's generally considered a good job. I've had the same aims as you since I was about 10 years old and even though I know I'll be overworked and underpaid, it's still not enough to put me off.

 

[OspreyO]

If it's what you really want to do then you should go for it even if it's not what's generally considered a good job. I've had the same aims as you since I was about 10 years old and even though I know I'll be overworked and underpaid, it's still not enough to put me off.

Wait till you've been overworked and underpaid for a couple of years then see...

 

[Morba]

If it's what you really want to do then you should go for it even if it's not what's generally considered a good job. I've had the same aims as you since I was about 10 years old and even though I know I'll be overworked and underpaid, it's still not enough to put me off.

you are mad then.
once you have built up a good safety net then fair enough, move into a job that you perceive to be more enjoyable. until then, work your ass off to make that day come sooner.
imo

 

[Six6siX]

What about a foundation year?

 

[unwashed potato!]

What about a foundation year?

whats this?

 

[Replicant]

whats this?

You study an extra year at uni to cover the basic A level equivalent to your subject, like english AS/A2 for an english degree, somthing like that anyway i'm not 100% on it all.

 

[SoSolid]

A foundation year definitely seems the best way forward for you. I did awful in my A levels, various reasons why which I won't go in to, anyway I managed to get onto a foundation year course for science and engineering which I did last year. I worked damn hard, did well and subsequently got into Kings college to study mech engineering. I think someone mentioned that you are near Guildford, I know Surrey uni do have a foundation course.

This is definitely worth looking in to as it worked for me, and some of the people on my course were accepted with very very low grades. I studied mine at queen mary uni, by the way. Look around, most uni's offer this course - although as I said mine was in engineering...not sure about your chosen subject.

 

[Psyk]

you are mad then.
once you have built up a good safety net then fair enough, move into a job that you perceive to be more enjoyable. until then, work your ass off to make that day come sooner.
imo

Yes I am mad. And anyway in a sense I do have a safety net. My degree is a fairly general one that would qualify me to go into many other fields if I want/need to. But I think generally the actual pay is enough to live on, maybe not initially, but after a few years. It's just that you have to do more work for it than you would in most jobs. In the mean time I'm sure my parents will be happy to let me live at home as long as I pay something towards the upkeep.

When I apply for jobs I will be aiming mostly at game development but I realise there's a good chance I won't get that straight away, so I will apply for other jobs too. Trust me, I've put a lot of thought into this.

 

[masterluke]

If you are serious about getting into the games industry you should be producing your own stuff already.. make something special to showcase your talent. Create a best-of-breed level in your favorite FPS and get yourself known on the scene. Games companies want people with demonstrated talent and this is one industry where you can prove that talent up front.

If you haven't done this already then you may as well give up as this is pie in the sky.

 

[Psyk]

If you are serious about getting into the games industry you should be producing your own stuff already.. make something special to showcase your talent. Create a best-of-breed level in your favorite FPS and get yourself known on the scene. Games companies want people with demonstrated talent and this is one industry where you can prove that talent up front.

If you haven't done this already then you may as well give up as this is pie in the sky.

Already working on it. Although making a level won't do me a lot of good since I'm interested in the programming side, I am working on something right now.