[JennaElizabeth]

I'm starting my A-levels this September.
I've picked to do:
English Literature,
Law,
German
and a BTEC course of journalism in creative media production.
I'm pretty sure I want to be a journalist realistically, but my dream is to work in TV or games design. As this is the case, does anyone think I should take Media A level, even though I have not taken it as a GCSE. Im really struggling and need an opinion or two! I really want to progress to university and will these be accepted? Are these chosen subjects correct for Journalism, tv work i.e presenting and screenwriting AND games design? Many thanks!

[I Gurn Hard]

I'm sick of people thinking university will guarantee them their dream jobs. These days you're most likely to be collecting a giro or trying to sell cleaning products door to door.

[ErHi?]

(Original post by JennaElizabeth)
I'm starting my A-levels this September.
I've picked to do:
English Literature,
Law,
German
and a BTEC course of journalism in creative media production.
I'm pretty sure I want to be a journalist realistically, but my dream is to work in TV or games design. As this is the case, does anyone think I should take Media A level, even though I have not taken it as a GCSE. Im really struggling and need an opinion or two! I really want to progress to university and will these be accepted? Are these chosen subjects correct for Journalism, tv work i.e presenting and screenwriting AND games design? Many thanks!

It honestly depends on where you want to go.

If you want to go to a RG then A-Level Law and the BTEC Course wont be taken "seriously" as they are non traditional subjects.

However if you want to go to "less prestigious" universities you should be fine but not too sure about that BTEC still. Maybe do A-Level Media instead as you have suggested. You may not have done it at GCSE but I didn't do Economics at GCSE and I'm doing just fine, and I'm sure that applies to many other people, so give it a shot!

[madders94]

(Original post by I Gurn Hard)
I'm sick of people thinking university will guarantee them their dream jobs. These days you're most likely to be collecting a giro or trying to sell cleaning products door to door.

But surely if they take relevant A Level subjects, they (purely theoretically, not sure if it'll actually work in practice but no-one can predict that with complete certainty) would have a better chance than someone who doesn't go to uni and spends three years on the dole?

[AGrumpyMole]

Game design? You need maths and physics for that and computing skillage

[I Gurn Hard]

(Original post by madders94)
But surely if they take relevant A Level subjects, they (purely theoretically, not sure if it'll actually work in practice but no-one can predict that with complete certainty) would have a better chance than someone who doesn't go to uni and spends three years on the dole?

No. Most people who are high up in "prestigious" yet non-academic fields (think TV, media, journalism etc) didn't go to university as they saw it as a distraction. They followed their life plan from 16 and ended up clawing their way to the top. Going to university will, usually, guarantee a middle class existence. However, the most desired professions tend to be closed except to those who actually get work experience and knowledge of the field rather than those who study a degree course. I don't like how teachers get peoples hopes up - degrees aren't particularly desired anymore, they are mainly seen as a minimum standard (except for top academic disciplines at top unis). Think about how many people graduate each year - it's over 400,000.

[I Gurn Hard]

(Original post by AGrumpyMole)
Game design? You need maths and physics for that and computing skillage

+1. And out of the, say, hundreds of thousands of kids who want to design games, probably 1,000 get jobs in the profession.

[madders94]

(Original post by I Gurn Hard)
No. Most people who are high up in "prestigious" yet non-academic fields (think TV, media, journalism etc) didn't go to university as they saw it as a distraction. They followed their life plan from 16 and ended up clawing their way to the top. Going to university will, usually, guarantee a middle class existence. However, the most desired professions tend to be closed except to those who actually get work experience and knowledge of the field rather than those who study a degree course. I don't like how teachers get peoples hopes up - degrees aren't particularly desired anymore, they are mainly seen as a minimum standard (except for top academic disciplines at top unis). Think about how many people graduate each year - it's over 400,000.

Fair enough - I agree. Personally I'm going to uni this year to study a course that involves journalism and writing, and I would like to get some experience in journalism - but the main reason for it is to stay in education, because the job situation is so dire at the moment that I can't afford to live anywhere apart from uni halls with a university grant, I can't afford to stay with my parents etc so university is really the only direction for me. My real aim is to go back to uni when I'm older and train to be a midwife, but I want more "life experience" first, and I can't afford to be out of education whilst I get that. I'm hoping that by the time I leave university, I'll be able to get some kind of job, even if it's a minimum wage shelf-stacking job, but at the moment not even those are available where I am

[Aspiringlawstudent]

I took Law at A-level, and even I would advise you to pick something stronger. It was an advantage at law school for about two months. How about History?

I'd also advise you to just do four A-levels or 3.5 A-levels rather than the BTEC.

[poyyo]

you really don't need to have taken media at gcse to do it at a-level as there isn't much of a difference between the two (i think because a lot of people do it at a-level for the first time anyway). media is good for journalism so perhaps you might want to consider it

isn't IT/maths/physics good for games design??

i'd say keep english lit and german

[I Gurn Hard]

(Original post by madders94)
Fair enough - I agree. Personally I'm going to uni this year to study a course that involves journalism and writing, and I would like to get some experience in journalism - but the main reason for it is to stay in education, because the job situation is so dire at the moment that I can't afford to live anywhere apart from uni halls with a university grant, I can't afford to stay with my parents etc so university is really the only direction for me. My real aim is to go back to uni when I'm older and train to be a midwife, but I want more "life experience" first, and I can't afford to be out of education whilst I get that. I'm hoping that by the time I leave university, I'll be able to get some kind of job, even if it's a minimum wage shelf-stacking job, but at the moment not even those are available where I am

Me too. I was at uni (exeter) but left because I hated it, but I haven't really got a choice but to go back. Because i'm from a single parent family everything is paid for and I get £5000 to live off after food and accommodation! £5000 to waste! Per year! It's outrageous!

I wouldn't have decided to go back, but i've tried to be self sufficient - i'm supervisor in a shop and i'm working 40 hours a week, but all I can afford is rent and food - even a bus fare makes me skint. I haven't really got any choice but to go back, even though i'm fairly sure i'll mess it all up again. Still, it irritates me that people think "i'll be a TV presenter after my media degree at Southampton Solent" (like most of my mates!)

[trianglehate]

(Original post by JennaElizabeth)
I'm starting my A-levels this September.
I've picked to do:
English Literature,
Law,
German

A Level German is good but ridiculously hard! It's very time consuming and the grade boundaries (IMO) are stupidly high. If you're prepared to work hard, go for it. I've found it really interesting so far :-) But I think I've failed.

[NuclearFusion]

(Original post by I Gurn Hard)
No. Most people who are high up in "prestigious" yet non-academic fields (think TV, media, journalism etc) didn't go to university as they saw it as a distraction. They followed their life plan from 16 and ended up clawing their way to the top. Going to university will, usually, guarantee a middle class existence. However, the most desired professions tend to be closed except to those who actually get work experience and knowledge of the field rather than those who study a degree course. I don't like how teachers get peoples hopes up - degrees aren't particularly desired anymore, they are mainly seen as a minimum standard (except for top academic disciplines at top unis). Think about how many people graduate each year - it's over 400,000.

Urmm, well a degree can be very useful, especially for me (I want to be a Nuclear Physicist or something to do with Physics research), you pretty much have to have a degree for some jobs, you simply cannot get work experience in such fields.

[artyfroggy]

I would say definitely go for English Lit and German but as a general rule universities prefer more traditional A-levels regardless of the degree you want to go for and as such I wouldn't do a BTECH or law unless a uni specifically asked for it. Maybe go for another essay based subject like history and then maybe a scientific A-level like maths or physics as you will then have the subjects that you can easily justify your choices of in your personal statement and have kept your options open (just in case you change your mind as so many of us do)

[ThatPerson]

(Original post by AGrumpyMole)
Game design? You need maths and physics for that and computing skillage

Technically, you could also be on the "creative" side and produce storyboards and art.

For that you would need Art A-Level I assume though.

[I Gurn Hard]

(Original post by NuclearFusion)
Urmm, well a degree can be very useful, especially for me (I want to be a Nuclear Physicist or something to do with Physics research), you pretty much have to have a degree for some jobs, you simply cannot get work experience in such fields.

I did make an exemption for academically rigorous jobs. Obviously in such a field you need good prior knowledge of the basics, and an undergrad degree is the only way of doing that. I don't like the idea that people are conned into doing TV/media etc degrees on the basis that they're guaranteed a job in the industry upon graduation since it just doesn't happen most of the time.

[llys]

(Original post by JennaElizabeth)
I'm starting my A-levels this September.
I've picked to do:
English Literature,
Law,
German
and a BTEC course of journalism in creative media production.
I'm pretty sure I want to be a journalist realistically, but my dream is to work in TV or games design. As this is the case, does anyone think I should take Media A level, even though I have not taken it as a GCSE. Im really struggling and need an opinion or two! I really want to progress to university and will these be accepted? Are these chosen subjects correct for Journalism, tv work i.e presenting and screenwriting AND games design? Many thanks!

English Literature
German
Mathematics
BTEC Journalism

Don't worry about what people here say of the BTEC. You already have two very respected subjects in English and German and the BTEC short course will be great as a fourth subject. The fourth subject will not disadvantage you in any uni application so long as your other subjects are sound. You'll have fun too and will be able to build a portfolio which will be a nice starting point for Journalism.

Edit: If you did a BTEC Diploma in Creative Media Production instead of Subsidiary Diploma you might be able to put in some game design or interactive media units in addition to Journalism units if your college offers them. A Diploma would be a lot more work though and you shouldn't jeopardize your other subjects.

[Ellie_May :)]

(Original post by I Gurn Hard)
Me too. I was at uni (exeter) but left because I hated it, but I haven't really got a choice but to go back. Because i'm from a single parent family everything is paid for and I get £5000 to live off after food and accommodation! £5000 to waste! Per year! It's outrageous!

I wouldn't have decided to go back, but i've tried to be self sufficient - i'm supervisor in a shop and i'm working 40 hours a week, but all I can afford is rent and food - even a bus fare makes me skint. I haven't really got any choice but to go back, even though i'm fairly sure i'll mess it all up again. Still, it irritates me that people think "i'll be a TV presenter after my media degree at Southampton Solent" (like most of my mates!)

What was it that made you hate uni?

[Matty Smoothie]

(Original post by I Gurn Hard)
I'm sick of people thinking university will guarantee them their dream jobs. These days you're most likely to be collecting a giro or trying to sell cleaning products door to door.

lol, 4 thumbs down?

Do people not know this, or?

[thatitootoo]

(Original post by trianglehate)
A Level German is good but ridiculously hard! It's very time consuming and the grade boundaries (IMO) are stupidly high. If you're prepared to work hard, go for it. I've found it really interesting so far :-) But I think I've failed.

Are you talking about AS or A2? I plan on doing the AS from scratch next year! was it the LRW paper or oral exam that you struggled with?