What shall I do? What UNI? What job?

Hi there,

For the first time I have to start making life changing choices. I kind of miss being told what to do.

I have no idea what I want to be in the future, Im currently doing the following AS1 levels- Art (Think I got a C) Media (Think I got a D) and Law (Think I got an E). Im moving onto AS2 this month. (Was away on holiday so I could not pick results up, they have not sent them out for some reason and I will be looking for them on Monday).

My hobbies include most sports, and computing, I can build an computer.

I would kind of like to be a car engineer or something. But thats after watching "The fast and the furious" so I dont know.

I have NO IDEA of what UNI or proffesion to take up. Time is ticking.

On top of that I have close cousins/brothers that are quite sucessfull.

Help!

Do some course to do with business administration, and another to do with being a plumber/builder/electrician .... you should see the kind of money these guys make, and with the management qualification you'll be able to start your own company in no time

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Noni

I have NO IDEA of what UNI or proffesion to take up. Time is ticking.

---

It is never too late to change your career.

I originally left school after GCSE's and trained to work on the rigs as an instrument technician, now 6 years later i am working in IT Support and have A-levels and a City & Guilds Qualification...

My cousin in london needed an electrician, he was charging 100 quid an hour, maybe theres something in it!

But i dont think you need to worry just yet. Maybe see the careers advisor? I didnt know what i wanted to do or which uni i wanted to go too until like 2 weeks before the deadline and now im at uni doing computer animation and its all good.

Computer animation? What like photoshop and all that?

My mate is doing the same thing. Hes set on going to Hertfordshire.

I'm in the same boat, I was expecting an A grade in Art (but this year the whole years art was graded C-B, which made my final grade B, so I would like a remark of that...) and I got a B in English Comb, C in Graphic Design, and E in Computing... I am thinking of retaking Computing, and I know I'm gonna go Uni, but I really don't know what I should do. My uttermost passion is music production and although I am no where near a professional, my parents enforce me of following my dreams and that would be it. But my untrained talent remains in Art, thats the subject I always suprise myself in...

I'm taking a gap year this year, and as said I'm thinking of re-taking Computing during that if it's worth it (got 270 UCAS points atm without re-marked Art).. but as far as choices go I'm confused. I would like to do something like design cars or state-of-the-art buildings perhaps, but I have to do Art foundation or something for all that, which sounds like a healthy waste of time ;_; (Just like the gap year :D)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by unreal

I'm in the same boat, I was expecting an A grade in Art (but this year the whole years art was graded C-B, which made my final grade B, so I would like a remark of that...) and I got a B in English Comb, C in Graphic Design, and E in Computing... I am thinking of retaking Computing, and I know I'm gonna go Uni, but I really don't know what I should do. My uttermost passion is music production and although I am no where near a professional, my parents enforce me of following my dreams and that would be it. But my untrained talent remains in Art, thats the subject I always suprise myself in...

I'm taking a gap year this year, and as said I'm thinking of re-taking Computing during that if it's worth it (got 270 UCAS points atm without re-marked Art).. but as far as choices go I'm confused. I would like to do something like design cars or state-of-the-art buildings perhaps, but I have to do Art foundation or something for all that, which sounds like a healthy waste of time ;_; (Just like the gap year :D)

---

Your lucky, my pearants are bullying me into science, and doctor/dentist. They keep telling me how their mates son got A's and how I cant dissapiont them.

I am good at art, but not good enough. Apart from that, I dont know anything lol.

Oh and BTW its very hard to become a car designer.

The trade industry is definately in boom - it seems not enough people are getting into these jobs because they're going for more technical/computing/media jobs. unfortunately, Im useless with jobs like that or I wouldve taken something up.

I went to uni at 17 not knowing what the hell to do, and with a gap year strongly discouraged at the time, I picked the wrong course . . . whats worse is that I changed the course after spending a year in it, into something I turned to hate even more. The people I went to uni with, hardly any of them have got jobs related to their degree, not because they cant, but because they dont want to. A degree can open up doors, so dont limit yourself thinking that you have to get a job to do with your degree - unless thats what you want. So pick something you're interested in and will enjoy (looking at the syllabus would help - I didnt even do that when I picked my courses lol!) because you'll be doing it for a few years!

I wish I just took the gap year to at least find out what there is in the world before making my choice. . . although having said that, several years on, I still don't know what I really want to do, though I am back in education doing a Multimedia course although really looking to get into a more audio/visual job than computing.

I have very successful immediate family too, but I don't let that get to me anymore, they don't particularly enjoy their jobs apart from the money and perks.

Just choose a subject that you really enjoy , after all you have to learn it for at least 3 year :).
No point study some thing that you don't like ( but will get a better job) . It'll become nightmare to prepare for the exams.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by unreal

but I have to do Art foundation or something for all that, which sounds like a healthy waste of time ;_; (Just like the gap year :D)

---

Foundation Art is great, I know a lot of people that have done it and they have all said it was waaaaay better than GCSE/ALevel Art.

i didnt have a clue either, i went to uni studied natural history for 2 years dropped that and now doing real estate management. So its never too late to change mate, jsut think to yourself wot do u have an interst in and go for it, if its not wot u want change... It beats working fulltime

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Noni

Computer animation? What like photoshop and all that?

My mate is doing the same thing. Hes set on going to Hertfordshire.

---

Nah not photoshop...stuff like pixar do, finding nemo, the incredibles, cars etc. That sort of stuff

htid ... what do you use? Lightwave? 3DStudio Max? I had some of that as one of my modules during my degree....loads of fun....still play around with it on occasion.

think lightwave is eol now isn't it? not many people teach it any more

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Atomic

Foundation Art is great, I know a lot of people that have done it and they have all said it was waaaaay better than GCSE/ALevel Art.

---

If that's true, I may be interested in that because I despise the way A-Level/GCSE art works.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Noni

Your lucky, my pearants are bullying me into science, and doctor/dentist. They keep telling me how their mates son got A's and how I cant dissapiont them.

I am good at art, but not good enough. Apart from that, I dont know anything lol.

Oh and BTW its very hard to become a car designer.

---

:(

I get the same stick from my parents too, since I've just finished my A-Levels, my mum got straight A's in her home country so apparently I've brought shame but oh well I am what I am ;_;

I wish i had my time over again. I would go into property development.

dont worry too much about your A level results tho............i got an E in Maths, and Cs is Physics and Computing as i didnt do any work :embarrassed: and like everyone else here i was the family member who brought the shame home (my 2 sisters are both A* boffins!)

I wanted to do aeronautical engineering at Kingston as it is one of the best Unis in the country for that, but obviously they didnt accept me as my grades were 2 low....however they did offer a mechanical engineering course, which as it happens was fortunate as i started Uni just after 9/11 happened so there was a huge downturn in aeronautical jobs :) So sometimes bad things can be turned in positives. I have been in full time work for a year now at a large engineering firm and have already had a pay increase of 7k over this first year so A level results arent everything. Just make sure you do some work at Uni!!!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ibm

htid ... what do you use? Lightwave? 3DStudio Max? I had some of that as one of my modules during my degree....loads of fun....still play around with it on occasion.

---

I personally use XSI, but uni has Max and Maya too. I've used them but I like XSI most, the interface is nicest and it the easiest to use imo so i stick with it :)

sort of a dodgy question to ask a bunch of geeks/stealthgeeks isn't it?

"what should i do with my life?"
- "Computers, computers, computers"
- "muttermutter...world domination...muttermutter"
...
...
excuse me while i sew some elbow protectors to my tweed jacket.

You could take some computer related courses.. like the A+ Certification. Otherwise, if it's only your first year, you could just have a complete revamp and take some new AS levels and do three years at college instead of 2.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Steve B

sort of a dodgy question to ask a bunch of geeks/stealthgeeks isn't it?

"what should i do with my life?"
- "Computers, computers, computers"
- "muttermutter...world domination...muttermutter"
...
...
excuse me while i sew some elbow protectors to my tweed jacket.

---

:lol: Speak for yourself mate.

noni, I'm in the same position as you. I've got no idea what to go into at uni, and my choices are a bit limited since I'm doing BTEC National Diploma - Software Development.

Comp sciences then ctid?

I was thinking that, but a BSc in Mobile Computing looks pretty good. Only managed to find Greenwich Uni that does it though :(. It's a bit of a move away from Manchester.

Sounds pretty cool, i've never heard of it but it sounds good - is that like PDA stuff then?

You might find that London is a pleasant change to Manchester though. (if you are talking Greenwich in London..)

EDIT: i just had a look on the course description page.. the third year looks really interesting actually - you could do AI :)