After a Bachelor's degree, what next?

1, 2 and 3 are no different really. 3's just the equivelant of doing an undergrad masters, you're coming out the same, it's just less applications. As for 2, that's just choosing a more specific area. As for 4, an MPhil is what you usually get from a PhD if the work is good, but not quite enough to justify giving out a PhD, or occasionally an "You're doing OK, we'll let you keep going" midway kind of thing to acknowledge you're not a moron. What you've seen is pushing it that bit past to get the PhD qualification.

As for jumping straight from BSc to PhD, yeah it's a rarity and you have to do amazingly to be accepted or offered it really. Your choices there are about all the same really, it's just choosing between MSc Mathematics, or MSc Fluid Dynamics.

Is it too late to swap to a Mmath (/MSci) at your current uni if they offer it as that could be the cheapest solution? Otherwise next year you could apply for the MScs and some PhDs and if you don't get any PhD offers it might suggest that a masters is necessary and then you could do that. Basically apply to lots of things, see what you get offers for and that may help your decisons. Also going on opn days/interviews will give you lots of opportunity to speak lots of people in the know to help you decide. Good luck!

So typically you can't apply specifically to do an MPhil. I'd been told, I'm assuming I must be wrong, that you can apply and start an MPhil and then move up to a PhD if your progress is good enough. Is it more that you apply to do research and then if your research isn't going to be of doctoral level you can opt to be assesed at a masters level?

It's generally not opting, it's up to them, you go for a PhD, with the MPhil there so you still come out with something if you're a bit short of the PhD.

If there is somewhere doing it how you've described, they're probably one of, if not the, only.

A corporate ''career'' in a company, making someone else's dreams come true , forever chasing the next promotion.

I really don't understand your pessimism with the working world. In fact, if I become an actuary and I'm earning 45k mid-qualifying, I'd have achieved a pretty massive dream for myself, which is to earn more than both my parents' wages combined.

Once I'm qualified, I'd aim to be a manager and help out interns and newly qualified members of the organisation. I'd feel happier knowing I'd be changing people's lives for the better. I'd get my sports car, have a family and then teach my child to go out in life and keep trying, something nothing ventured means something gained.

But no, you're right. Anyone entering a corporate career is a working drone, clearly being manipulated by his boss to do the work that his boss won't, working so that his boss has a higher salary and hoping one day to be this boss, who is most likely alone, profit driven, superficial and lifeless.

I really don't understand your pessimism with the working world. In fact, if I become an actuary and I'm earning 45k mid-qualifying, I'd have achieved a pretty massive dream for myself, which is to earn more than both my parents' wages combined.

Once I'm qualified, I'd aim to be a manager and help out interns and newly qualified members of the organisation. I'd feel happier knowing I'd be changing people's lives for the better. I'd get my sports car, have a family and then teach my child to go out in life and keep trying, something nothing ventured means something gained.

But no, you're right. Anyone entering a corporate career is a working drone, clearly being manipulated by his boss to do the work that his boss won't, working so that his boss has a higher salary and hoping one day to be this boss, who is most likely alone, profit driven, superficial and lifeless.

Have you got any exemptions so far? I agree, actuaries do change the world for the better