HELP do I apply? UCAS. long but please read!

Method_Acting

Method_Acting

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Aug 12, 2005
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I finish an ND in horse management in June.. my plan was to go to uni and do a non-horsey degree in september, but then I bought a horse and decided not to :rolleyes:

And also, to be fair the only thing that I enjoy is horses... so I would've probably regretted it.

Now my plan was to leave in June, move horse from college to livery near my house and get a full-time job. But now I'm having second thoughts :eek: I don't feel ready I don't think. I am going to miss college like crazy it has been the best two years of my life.

I could stay at college and do a HND. Downside is it's £6000 that I'll have to pay back, and I don't plan to work with horses in the end :eek: but maybe I will... It also gives me a chance to get my stage 2 and 3. Also means horse can move to livery near my house, and I can still afford him and keep my part-time job (as traineee dispenser in pharmacy) not sure I'd be able to afford him if I moved away to uni.

I originally wanted to be a pharmacist but dropped out of a levels. I love my job (most of the time) and could prob finish exams to become a dispenser while I do HND.

Only thing is that UCAS closes in a week or something and I haven't started personal statement :eek: HELP. do I bother?
 
I'm gonna say this straight ;) It's very very hard to find a job at the moment - I doubt things will be much better in June. Our local newspaper's job section has gone from 6 - 8 pages to 1 PAGE. There is nothing out there... It's even more difficult for people who don't have a degree or something 'special' about them. I'd strongly advise against trying to find a new job in June, because I don't think it'll be as easy as it sounds :( If you can stay on at the pharmacy and go full time - then yes, it's perfectly viable, but what if the chain you're employed by goes bust and you get made redundant? (Slim, possibly, but could happen)

I'm not sure on how UCAS works with ND courses, you'll have to do a bit of digging on that one. I *think* there might be a chance that some unis will take you without having A levels - You just need an equivalent (which the ND might be?) and your job in a pharmacy will certainly help there.

Do you /have/ to go to uni to become a pharmacist? If not, and you can definatly train in the job, then I'd do that and try the HND and consider Uni later on.

If you do decide to go the Uni route, I think you're going to have missed this years deadline unless you work really, really, really quickly. By that I mean it's not just writing and submitting a PS - There's a reference from one of your college tutors that needs to be written, which is then checked by another tutor (higher up), as is your PS, and then you've got to decide what unis etc. you want to apply to and get it all sent off by the 15th of Jan, next Thursday. Don't forget, you can apply next year, or the year after - there's no age limit! A couple of people I know at uni are in their early twenties and have just started, my cousin has a girl on her course who's just turned thirty and my sister is outnumbered on her course by middle aged women!

ETA - Forgot to say, if you do decide to go the uni route, and want help on your personal statement, I help on another board reading and suggesting changes for forum members to improve on their statements and I'd be more than happy to give yours a once over.
 
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oh doooooom! I didn't realise it was next week. I will ask my tutor when I go back but should it be any easier as I'm applying to the college I'm at to do the HND? I know it still has to be through ucas but they seem really desperate to get people on my course to apply. Will it make it easier just applying to the one place/one course? WHY DO I LEAVE EVERYTHING UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE?!

I'm worried about finding full-time job too :eek: I probably could work full-time at pharmacy but tbh I don't want to.

Pharmacy is stupidly hard to get into (you need chem a level and other sciences at A/B grade... so my ND wouldn't help. I guess if I quilify as a dispenser it will be something I can think about doing as a mature student when I'm older.

DOOOOOOOM. college wanted people to finish application before december... I'm probably too late. is there no way to apply otherwise for this year?

Thanks for your help :) isn't thestudentroom by any chance?:p
 
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just found this:

If we receive your application after the 15 January deadline, but before the 30 June 2009, we will still send it to your choices of universities and colleges, but they do not have to consider you. Many universities and colleges do, however, continue to consider applications for some courses until the end of the application cycle.

Applications that we receive after 30 June 2009 are not sent to the universities and colleges. These applications go directly into Clearing.

So I can still apply and hope for the best? I may even get in through clearing?? it's not a course that's usually full up.. hmmmmm.
 
It is TSR! Haven't been on in a while and having been neglecting my PS Helper duties somewhat *looks shifty* but yeaah :) As far as I understand it, if you send it before 15th of Jan, you are garaunteed to get an offer/rejection from all the universities. If you send it after, they're fully allowed to ignore you, so to speak. If as you say the course in undersubscribed, then I see no reason why they won't consider you.

You've only got a tenner to lose :p

P.S Thanks for the info on unis and the deadline, my school told us all that the absolute LAST day for sending it off was before christmas - Then we found out it was Jan 15th - Turns out they lied a lot more than we thought :rolleyes:
 
I shouldn't worry too much. Unless I am mistaken, most equine degree (honours + foundation) have spaces still available at clearing so I really shouldn't worry about not meeting the January deadline. Generally equine/animal courses are undersubscribed anyway so they will consider your application for ages after official deadlines.

Personally I would get some paid work with horses. Animal-based degrees are three-a-penny nowadays and most are not really a passport to 'graduate' jobs and, if its not a graduate job, why do the degree (or why not top-up part time while working?)? Education is great but what sets you apart is a good solid work history in the field. I know several people with equine degrees and none are working directly in the field (not through choice).
Sorry to sound negative. I do work in the field (animal, not equine) and in a graduate career but I had 8 years experience as a vet nurse first as this played a huge part in my career progression.
 
Thanks all for the advice!! I think I'll risk the £10 loss :p

louiseandsadie said:
Personally I would get some paid work with horses. Animal-based degrees are three-a-penny nowadays and most are not really a passport to 'graduate' jobs and, if its not a graduate job, why do the degree (or why not top-up part time while working?)? Education is great but what sets you apart is a good solid work history in the field. I know several people with equine degrees and none are working directly in the field (not through choice).
Sorry to sound negative. I do work in the field (animal, not equine) and in a graduate career but I had 8 years experience as a vet nurse first as this played a huge part in my career progression.
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Thanks, I agree doing a horsey hnd is not worth a lot, but I don't plan on working with horses (which probably makes doing it even stupider hahhah) but I love the college I'm at and don't want to leave.. the place or the people. I have never been so happy and I was very unhappy before that...I hate thinking about leaving. Probably not worth paying £6000 for but what the hell!

So yeah getting horsey experience isn't really relevent to me, but I totally agree with what you're saying. What I'm thinking is it worth doing something for £6000 just because I enjoy it even though it'll be pretty worthless?

I think I'll apply anyway! will definitely be late now but nevermind.
 
Can I just say, Sweetie, that I complately understand where you are coming from.
I am still finishing my UCAS form for uni, which was due in a month ago :(

I was initially going to do a joint degree in English and Psychology, but changed my mind as for as long as I can remember I have wanted to act. Random or what! I just felt like I was narrowing my choices down, and it was now or never. I would regret it my whole life if I didn't even try to get into acting. My other prospect jobs were mainly journalism, teaching and being a psychologist/psychiatrist.
This was all as the deadline for UCAS loomed, and I couldn't eat or sleep, suffered from anxiety attacks and my depressive mood felt as if it was going to sawllow me whole. I kept thinking to myself, how the hell am I going to get through this?!
Anyhow, I went to Thomson Reuters in Canary Wharf, London, for the day for work experience, and while it was amazing and a rare opportunity byt the end of it I knew that I didn't want to work as a journalism: a nice idea, but in reality not for me.
So I started emailing various drama companies and unis asking what they thought would be best. I was told that I could get into acting even with a psychology degree, but could not train as a psychotherapist (which was my other job option) with a psychology degree. So, painstakingly I am applying for a psychology degree.

You can always drop out of college/uni, or change your course if you need to.

I just want to clarify that your degree/college choice will not determine the rest of your life. You can go back to college, do a degree or take evening classes, at any point and you can do your BHS stages from home in your own time, at any point.

Imagine yourself in your prospect jobs. Which ones can you visualise giving you happiness, and which ones would have you filled with regret? If one route didn't go as planned, then what would be your next step?

You coukld also loan your horse out if you did decide to go to uni.

Good luck hun! :)

x
 
puzzles said:
Can I just say, Sweetie, that I complately understand where you are coming from.
I am still finishing my UCAS form for uni, which was due in a month ago :(

I was initially going to do a joint degree in English and Psychology, but changed my mind as for as long as I can remember I have wanted to act. Random or what! I just felt like I was narrowing my choices down, and it was now or never. I would regret it my whole life if I didn't even try to get into acting. My other prospect jobs were mainly journalism, teaching and being a psychologist/psychiatrist.
This was all as the deadline for UCAS loomed, and I couldn't eat or sleep, suffered from anxiety attacks and my depressive mood felt as if it was going to sawllow me whole. I kept thinking to myself, how the hell am I going to get through this?!
Anyhow, I went to Thomson Reuters in Canary Wharf, London, for the day for work experience, and while it was amazing and a rare opportunity byt the end of it I knew that I didn't want to work as a journalism: a nice idea, but in reality not for me.
So I started emailing various drama companies and unis asking what they thought would be best. I was told that I could get into acting even with a psychology degree, but could not train as a psychotherapist (which was my other job option) with a psychology degree. So, painstakingly I am applying for a psychology degree.

You can always drop out of college/uni, or change your course if you need to.

I just want to clarify that your degree/college choice will not determine the rest of your life. You can go back to college, do a degree or take evening classes, at any point and you can do your BHS stages from home in your own time, at any point.

Imagine yourself in your prospect jobs. Which ones can you visualise giving you happiness, and which ones would have you filled with regret? If one route didn't go as planned, then what would be your next step?

You coukld also loan your horse out if you did decide to go to uni.

Good luck hun! :)

x
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Just to give you my view on this - Hope you don't mind :)

Follow your heart. Too many people forget that it's not the be all and end if you don't go to uni at 18. Yes, in our current climate, it is certainly very sensible to get a good degree, in a relevant field. But it's not essential. I agree that psychology then acting is the best way to do it, but be warned - I know a lot of people who've got into Psychology and have found it awful and not what they wanted at all. One of my flatmates was doing it at the beginning of the year and is now doing architecture (after she met a girl doing it and they hit it off as friends... she re-discovered her passion for art which is great to see) and I've heard stories from my other flatmate who's still doing Psych that after a few weeks quite a few people changed.

Don't want to scare you in anyway, much the opposite. I'm hoping, praying and busting a gut to get into Psych next year because I want to be a forensic psychologist, but knowing how other people have found it has given me more power to my elbow because I'm going into it knowing that the first year will be tough and more about statistics than any actual psychology.

And for changing courses - remember; universities are a business and you are paying them (through tuition fees and accomodation etc.) = if you've got in in the first place, they want you there and they will do an awful lot to keep you there.
 
Thanks :)

I agree with HG90, you don't have to go to uni when you're 18 anyway (I'll be 19, most of my friends went last september.)

I also know people who have dropped out of psychology, but then I have a friend who LOVES it, I guess it's down to the individual.

ohhh and I couldn't bring myself to loan out the pone! I'm a bit of a dicck buying a horse the year before uni but ahh :eek: I just have to change my plans, he's more important than uni to me. I probably could go to uni somewhere else and bring him but I'd be worried I'd not give him enough attention..

MY PLAN IS TO apply to hnd at college (and probably apply to others just to see if I'd get accepted :p). I have a meeting with careers lady tomorrow to help, but I will try to start personal statement now.

I keep thinking at the back of my mind that this is pointless when I want to be a pharmacist, but then I HATE chemistry. Makes sense eh :p

How are you finding your course now HG90? :)
 
Method_Acting said:
just found this:

If we receive your application after the 15 January deadline, but before the 30 June 2009, we will still send it to your choices of universities and colleges, but they do not have to consider you. Many universities and colleges do, however, continue to consider applications for some courses until the end of the application cycle.

Applications that we receive after 30 June 2009 are not sent to the universities and colleges. These applications go directly into Clearing.

So I can still apply and hope for the best? I may even get in through clearing?? it's not a course that's usually full up.. hmmmmm.
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I sent my UCAS form off weeks ago & have received offers BUT one of my friends didn't reply to UCAS, so didnt, but now he has changed his mind so is going to apply now, his form will be sent way after the 15th but our head of 6th form told him that unis leave spaces clear for people who apply after this date, so if you did apply you should still get some offers!

Or you could apply through clearing as you said!.

The personal statement is by far the hardest bit! Mine sounds really cheesy :D

There would be no harm in applying to UCAS and then changing your mind, although you would loose you £17 or whatever it is btu better safe having a palce than regretting it don't you think?!

Your the only person who can make the decision so good luck!! :D
 
horseygal90 said:
Just to give you my view on this - Hope you don't mind :)

Follow your heart. Too many people forget that it's not the be all and end if you don't go to uni at 18. Yes, in our current climate, it is certainly very sensible to get a good degree, in a relevant field. But it's not essential. I agree that psychology then acting is the best way to do it, but be warned - I know a lot of people who've got into Psychology and have found it awful and not what they wanted at all. One of my flatmates was doing it at the beginning of the year and is now doing architecture (after she met a girl doing it and they hit it off as friends... she re-discovered her passion for art which is great to see) and I've heard stories from my other flatmate who's still doing Psych that after a few weeks quite a few people changed.

Don't want to scare you in anyway, much the opposite. I'm hoping, praying and busting a gut to get into Psych next year because I want to be a forensic psychologist, but knowing how other people have found it has given me more power to my elbow because I'm going into it knowing that the first year will be tough and more about statistics than any actual psychology.

And for changing courses - remember; universities are a business and you are paying them (through tuition fees and accomodation etc.) = if you've got in in the first place, they want you there and they will do an awful lot to keep you there.
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Thank you very much for your thoughts, I don't mind you commenting at all! :D

Did you do psychology at A-level? Because usually find that uni's describe the 1st year as catching everyone up as not all schools do psychology, so some people will not have a background in it. And the uni's I have looked ad (well, most!:/) have said that the statistics really aren't that difficult ... which is good because I'm not exactly a maths fiend!

xxxxx
 
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puzzles said:
Thank you very much for your thoughts, I don't mind you commenting at all! :D

Did you do psychology at A-level? Because usually find that uni's describe the 1st year as catching everyone up as not all schools do psychology, so some people will not have a background in it. And the uni's I have looked ad (well, most!:/) have said that the statistics really aren't that difficult ... which is good because I'm not exactly a maths fiend!

xxxxx
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I did Psychology AS, the main reason I didn't do it at uni was my teachers weren't very good and so I failed - Even though they spent the year telling me that I was doing well and should get at least a B in the AS, I ended up with an E :eek: If I'd have been sensible, I'd have retaken a few modules and carried it on, but unfortunatly I'm the kind of person who gets disappointed and then instead of doing something about it shuts it off completly.

From what I've heard, stats isn't the hard part - using SPSS (the comp. programme they chart it all on) is! I'm so unmathematical as well, so don't worry :p

MA; I don't think I could hate my course more. But hopefully, I've got a couple of modules outside my course next semester, so it won't be as bad. Trouble is, I'm totally uninterested in my work at the moment - But I need to achieve a 2:1 to get into psychology next year (which is, uh, not easy!) so it's a bit of a never-ending cycle :eek:
 
Ahh I tried replying to this the other night and got logged out so gave up!

Anyway. That must be so frustrating doing a course you're hating and having to put effort in. I felt like that when I was doing AS levels (which weren't hard like a degree!) and I still dropped out :eek: so well done for sticking at it.... I guess there's not much longer left now. Are you going to do psychology at the same uni you're at now or are you transferring too?

I finished ucas a few hours ago (just in time :eek:) I don't think my personal statement makes sense but ahhhh well, at least my own college should want me. I applied to a few other places too: writtle, warwickshire (moreton morrell), hadlow, and royal ag college. It says it gets sent to my referree now but how do they know who that is?! :eek: I don't remember writing that anywhere when I filled in the form.
 
Hi, just wanted to say that if what you really want to do is be a pharmacist, it's possible. For suitable students who don't meet the entry requirements for the course, some universities offer a foundation year. Or, another alternative is that, if you decide to go back as a mature student, you could do an Access course which many universities will accept as an alternative to A levels.

Finding a job at the moment is really tough, I have a PhD and have applied for about 30 plus jobs and don't even get shortlisted, but that's just how things are at the moment. I wish you every success with whatever you decide to do.
 
Hi ya!
Just wanted to say I am a tutor and have been checking my students applications including my horse groups applications to hadlow etc.... You'll be fine if you are predicted good grades on your horse management BTEC then your UCAS points are as good as any,.....I've only briefly read your post so kinda skimmed over what you are planning on doing but I certainly would think you will be fine if your application goes off today they have to consider you equally and to be very honest most places bar the very prestigious consider applications righ tup to the june .
Good luck with your application I hope it al goes well!!!
Xxx
 
Method_Acting said:
Ahh I tried replying to this the other night and got logged out so gave up!

Anyway. That must be so frustrating doing a course you're hating and having to put effort in. I felt like that when I was doing AS levels (which weren't hard like a degree!) and I still dropped out :eek: so well done for sticking at it.... I guess there's not much longer left now. Are you going to do psychology at the same uni you're at now or are you transferring too?
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It's more than frustrating but on I soldier... I dunno if it's good, more got nothing else to do! I'll stay at the same uni, because I do like the university, and I'm starting to arrange a house to live in next year so it's worth staying. Only about four months of actual uni time left now, so no, not much.

Got my results back for the module I absolutly hated today, overall for the module I've got 51%, which isn't enough to get me onto psychology :rolleyes: So I need to get a much better grade in another module to balance it out! Ah, such is life!

Good luck with your UCAS, I'm sure the offers will start rolling in!
 
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