Good careers to go into/how to pick one

[Domestic_Ginger]

There must be some way to contact the universitys and discuss your situation. I wouldn't think a 1/2 or whole A level makes a huge world of difference. Be adamant that you have the right courses and haven't really missed out on alot.

Depending where you are; you should be able to apply for some work experience. Find someone who knows someone and ask them if they can sort you out for a day. Unfortunately with science jobs you will not be allowed to do any lab based wok due to training, safety and most probably IP. Just go in for a day if you can and have a look around talk to people and make sure you find out what they have been doing.

Yeap; you need a gap year to bore people to death in fresher week about your time in Australia.

[herulach]

This may be a bit late, but if you're going into engineering, particularly with a view to oil/gas keep the Spanish on.

It might not make a difference to uni applications, but will be a huge advantage for employability as it opens up a lot of opportunities in the gulf.

[Mehta23]

I've since found a few places where I should be able to get some W/E (hopefully all before the application deadline), so that's not really an issue anymore (as long as I get my two weeks)

For now, my teacher's have told me to stick with Spanish also, mainly because the grade I get in it doesn't matter and the skill should be useful (as herulach pointed out)

I'll be discussing everything with my teacher tomorrow, and then I (hopefully) will know what I'll be doing.

[TheAnimus]

I might be starting a bit of a flame bait with this. But 90%+ of teachers completely suck at providing any career advice. Of that other 10% only half are any use if your goal is to become a teacher.....

If they haven't worked in it, they probably don't know it. The best thing is to find people who have really understood that field, preferably a few years experience in it. Obviously someone who is earning £20k a year as a careers advisor is the worst sort of person to be giving advice in the first place.

There are a few who do it for love, turn down 2 to 10 times the wage they could earn in industry to teach. But most teachers are on the whole the lesser end of the spectrum of ability, they are communicators to help you learn, not the most learned.

Remember with fees and what not, its going to cost you about £40k. Think about it. £40k. Screw it up, that's what its going to cost you. You want to make sure you really get it right. Ok most universities are very flexible if you want to change your degree in the first week. Heck it has been known people do this as a sneaky way of getting on a course they otherwise might not have been able too. But it isn't a good plan.

So why rush? Why not take a year out, figure out more what you want to do, what you'll enjoy. Going to uni at 19 rather than 18 isn't going to hurt you at all (except perhaps give you a leg up on the other fresher's in your peer group at been charming with the ladies).

Otherwise you could find yourself £30k in to something, struggling to find the joy, knowing that it's only going to get worse when you graduate.

Do not rush it if you aren't sure. What do you have to gain by rushing such an important decision?

[Saracen]

....

So why rush? Why not take a year out, figure out more what you want to do, what you'll enjoy. Going to uni at 19 rather than 18 isn't going to hurt you at all (except perhaps give you a leg up on the other fresher's in your peer group at been charming with the ladies).

.....

Personally, in many ways, I think that year out adds considerably to the experience of uni, and almost certainly adds to the maturity of the student. I do advocate people consider that carefully .... especially if not sure what you want to do.

....

Remember with fees and what not, its going to cost you about £40k. Think about it. £40k. Screw it up, that's what its going to cost you.

.....

Otherwise you could find yourself £30k in to something, struggling to find the joy, knowing that it's only going to get worse when you graduate.
.....

Well, can of worms.

You don't know, in advance, what the student loan is going to cost, because it entirely depends on unknown factors, like future earnings, and whether you choose to pay it off early at some point.

A £40k loan could cost one student £130k over 30 years, and another, £0 in total.

[Mehta23]

My teacher (meant to say my head of year) would be the one who manages everyone's options, so it's the only way to change my subjects, although I do see what you mean.

I also see what you mean about rushing, so I'll have a lil think, maybe see/make a list of all my options and then I'll come back later.

[Mehta23]

Think I'm going to be trying for Dentistry again now I start my new timetable (with AS Biology) next week (although I'm in new classes for the other subjects too )
Also booked myself onto a hands on dentistry taster course, which should provide a better insight into whether or not I want to do this (probs a bit late) rather than just observing.
A gap year might be an option if I find that I detest dentistry, or if I get no offers/low UKCAT, although I'd probably just get some work experience rather than go travelling.

[0iD]

Study medicine, be a GP, starting salary of £60 - £70k, guaranteed job for life.

[Mehta23]

Study medicine, be a GP, starting salary of £60 - £70k, guaranteed job for life.

I could but I'd prefer dentistry which has a (not as high as that) good starring salary and gives a guaranteed job (for now) too

[j.o.s.h.1408]

I might be starting a bit of a flame bait with this. But 90%+ of teachers completely suck at providing any career advice. Of that other 10% only half are any use if your goal is to become a teacher.....

If they haven't worked in it, they probably don't know it. The best thing is to find people who have really understood that field, preferably a few years experience in it. Obviously someone who is earning £20k a year as a careers advisor is the worst sort of person to be giving advice in the first place.

There are a few who do it for love, turn down 2 to 10 times the wage they could earn in industry to teach. But most teachers are on the whole the lesser end of the spectrum of ability, they are communicators to help you learn, not the most learned.

Remember with fees and what not, its going to cost you about £40k. Think about it. £40k. Screw it up, that's what its going to cost you. You want to make sure you really get it right. Ok most universities are very flexible if you want to change your degree in the first week. Heck it has been known people do this as a sneaky way of getting on a course they otherwise might not have been able too. But it isn't a good plan.

So why rush? Why not take a year out, figure out more what you want to do, what you'll enjoy. Going to uni at 19 rather than 18 isn't going to hurt you at all (except perhaps give you a leg up on the other fresher's in your peer group at been charming with the ladies).



Otherwise you could find yourself £30k in to something, struggling to find the joy, knowing that it's only going to get worse when you graduate.

Do not rush it if you aren't sure. What do you have to gain by rushing such an important decision?

I knew from when i was only 13-14 that i wanted to become a programmer so it was easy for me really.