I've messed up my entire life already...and I'm only 17.

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Relax, you really haven't "messed up" your "entire life". Your GCSEs are good. Apply to another college/resit the year with subjects you actually enjoy and want to study (being 18 doesn't matter either, retaking a year in college really isn't uncommon) and work hard having learnt from your mistakes. You've got loads of options open to you, job, BTECs, whatever you want.

Exams aren't the be all and end all, there is a little bit more to life :p:

Reply 41

inksplodge

MessedUpBigTime

Thanks.

If I do get a job from this september (college starting year) till about september next year and apply for a college with my GCSEs, would that be a good idea?

Only thing is I'll be 18, going on 19.

That sounds really good. What's the latest age I can take an apprenticeship? I mean isn't it too late to apply for one now? And if not how do I go about doing one, sounds really good.

Thanks

Well you can get a govt funded one up until the age of 18, after that I'm not sure! I think the employer has to pay then. Register with www.apprenticeships.org.uk and you can find local ones. Alternatively go into your local Connexions because they'll have some you could look at too, or help you find one :smile:

Reply 42

MessedUpBigTime

Taste of Honey

You haven't messed it up, it's incredibly hard to mess up an entire life on the sole basis of grades. :o:

Your GCSEs are fine, first of all. Better than many, I presume. You can always retake the year (if they let you) or apply to another college - and believe me there will be plenty of colleges willing to take you; most of them only care that you have at least a C in GCSE English/Maths/Science (even my state college, which is one of the best in the country). Just explain perhaps that you didn't do well in your first year as you were forced to take subjects you didn't want to do.

If not, which I doubt, maybe academics just isn't your thing and you can move into the world of work. Apprenticeships would be a brilliant idea, as they train you and pay you.

Chin up. :yes:

Thanks for the positive replies everybody, I feel much better now lol. I guess I was over-reacting/worrying a little. It's just because there's so much weight on my shoulders, and I have very high expectations but I messed it up a little.

Anyway, if I'm allowed to re-do the whole year, (ideally with new subjects, because I've got zero interest in half of my current ones) then I'd gladly do it because I know I'll put mad work in and come out with nothing but A's and B's.

If not then I wouldn't want to start in another college, because I'd get side-tracked with new friends, people, new girls, new area, going out to A during lesson or meeting up with B etc. I'm nicely settled in my current college. Sounds stupid but I know it'll happen, and I don't really feel comfortable starting elsewhere tbh. Kind of late to apply now too anyway?

So yeah if that isn't possible then I'd much prefer to do an apprenticeship because my family (single mum, dad left me when I was one lol) isn't in the best of financial positions, and I want to be much more independent from buying my own books to clothes to helping my mum out with the odd £20. I'm currently on like £20-£30 a week (pocket money) (bar EMA which I never get). I would be more than happy with £50 per week tbh and apparently apprenticeships pay anywhere from £80-£120? It isn't just the money aspect though.

I've just had a quick look on the apprenticeships site and there's a few things (in order of preference). There might be more but like I said just took a quick look. I'd really be interested in the games testing.

Games Testing

http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/Ty...s-Testing.aspx

Team Leading & Management

http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/Ty...anagement.aspx

Accounting

http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/Ty...ccounting.aspx

One question though, is this appropriate for my age? Because looking at the levels and salary I can see £10-£20k, and is that a yearly wage (or whole wage during the entire 2-3 year course) because I don't want to be looking to earn a maximum of 20-30k when I'm a grown man.

And are these courses appropriate to lead me into uni? Like would universities accept this kind of training, i.e. games testing? I spend about 15+ hours of my day (mainly when I'm off college) playing it until the morning, and I really like the idea of potentially becoming a games designer or having some kind of involvement like that in the future...

bump

0/10 troll

Your GCSEs aren't bad. Try to get a job or do an access course to get into uni. I'm sure that if you really wanted to do the BTEC business, a college somewhere will let you do it.