The Student Room Group

Not excited about university.

First im going to start by saying im not big headed or anything

So looking around the studentroom ive found nearly everyone is excited about university! Yet im not i dont know why, ive always had a dream of going to a Russell group university like Leeds or something but i didnt apply to them as my college didnt allow me too
Im most probably going to get ABB or BBB.
Now im unsure what to do, im so nervous for university as no friends are going to the same one and feel like i shouldnt be going to my 1st/2nd choice. Soo confused what to do, another thing is that big russell group universities want AAB for my course im doing (pharmacy) but they accept ABB for chemistry, which i wouldnt mind doing. I mean i kinda feel like im better than the university im going to now :c (worked so hard)

My question is what do i do?

Follow the course i want to do at a university i dont want to go to
Pick a course i wouldnt mind at a university i do want to go to.
(edited 10 years ago)

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Reply 1
You could always ask your university to cancel the offer they have given you, they won't force you to go and it lets you for sure apply next year but I think you could also apply to unis through clearing (would need to check this, been a while since I applied)

I almost didn't go to university, there was a lot of problems with my application and didn't get the grades I needed but ended up going as there was nothing else and had a great time. You will make friends at uni, almost nobody will know anyone and will all be anxious about living away so will be more friendly than you would expect.

Also don't think that you will be 9k in debt the moment you step into the uni doors, you are charged in 3 split parts, so going to university for a few weeks isn't going to land you 9k in debt and the first ones are smaller than the final one so its not an even split meaning less money spent on an experiment.
Everyone gets nervous/anxious/worried/excited about actually going to Uni, so the jumble of emotions you are feeling is VERY normal. For most people, this 'waiting' time is the worst bit and once you know you are going and actually get there, everything falls into place - and a few weeks into term you wonder what you were once so worried about.

However, if you really arent sure that you are holding Offers from Unis/courses you actually do want to go to, then step back and reconsider. There is nothing to stop you waiting until Results Day, seeing what happens and making a decision then to either cancel your 2013 application and reapply for 2014, or just deferring any confirmed Offer until 2014 to give yourself time to think.
Original post by Pandasareamazing
First im going to start by saying im not big headed or anything

So looking around the studentroom ive found nearly everyone is excited about university! Yet im not i dont know why, ive always had a dream of going to a Russell group university like Leeds or something but i didnt apply to them as my college didnt allow me too
Im most probably going to get ABB or BBB.
Now im unsure what to do, im so nervous for university as no friends are going to the same one and feel like i shouldnt be going to my 1st/2nd choice. Soo confused what to do, another thing is that big russell group universities want AAB for my course im doing (pharmacy) but they accept ABB for chemistry, which i wouldnt mind doing. I mean i kinda feel like im better than the university im going to now :c (worked so hard)

My question is what do i do?

Follow the course i want to do at a university i dont want to go to
Pick a course i wouldnt mind at a university i do want to go to.


There's nothing to say you have to be excited for university. Plenty of people just see it as something they have to do to get where they want. Some people misinterpret it and assume you're not passionate about your course; that's not the truth. I enjoyed my course and am glad I did it ... but I wouldn't say I was ever excited about it.

You say you 'wouldn't mind' doing chemistry, meaning you don't really want to. Do you want to do pharmacy? I'd say don't do anything rash; unless you're sure you'd rather do chemistry than pharmacy, leave your application as it is. See what you get on results day and how you feel then, then decide where to go from there. To take just one example, you could get better results than you expect and decide to reapply for 'better' universities for pharmacy.

A note on university prestige: don't get sucked in by it. Especially for professional degrees like pharmacy, it really doesn't matter. Are you unhappy with your university or are you worried about being judged based on it?
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by Pandasareamazing

My question is what do i do?

Follow the course i want to do at a university i dont want to go to
Pick a course i wouldnt mind at a university i do want to go to.


Neither. Take a gap year and do the course you want to do at the university you want to go to.

Or check clearing in August.
Thank all you of guys for answering my question soooo well!!!!!!!!
Original post by TheSownRose
There's nothing to say you have to be excited for university. Plenty of people just see it as something they have to do to get where they want. Some people misinterpret it and assume you're not passionate about your course; that's not the truth. I enjoyed my course and am glad I did it ... but I wouldn't say I was ever excited about it.

You say you 'wouldn't mind' doing chemistry, meaning you don't really want to. Do you want to do pharmacy? I'd say don't do anything rash; unless you're sure you'd rather do chemistry than pharmacy, leave your application as it is. See what you get on results day and how you feel then, then decide where to go from there. To take just one example, you could get better results than you expect and decide to reapply for 'better' universities for pharmacy.

A note on university prestige: don't get sucked in by it. Especially for professional degrees like pharmacy, it really doesn't matter. Are you unhappy with your university or are you worried about being judged based on it?



To be really honest im worried about being judged on it, ive always had this dream well i would go to a top university and feel proud on what ive accomplished
Original post by Pandasareamazing
First im going to start by saying im not big headed or anything

So looking around the studentroom ive found nearly everyone is excited about university! Yet im not i dont know why, ive always had a dream of going to a Russell group university like Leeds or something but i didnt apply to them as my college didnt allow me too
Im most probably going to get ABB or BBB.
Now im unsure what to do, im so nervous for university as no friends are going to the same one and feel like i shouldnt be going to my 1st/2nd choice. Soo confused what to do, another thing is that big russell group universities want AAB for my course im doing (pharmacy) but they accept ABB for chemistry, which i wouldnt mind doing. I mean i kinda feel like im better than the university im going to now :c (worked so hard)

My question is what do i do?

Follow the course i want to do at a university i dont want to go to
Pick a course i wouldnt mind at a university i do want to go to.


You're college didn't allow yout to apply for RG? How did they enforce that?

decline your offer and reapply if you get the grades for the uni you want to go to. No point spending all that money one something you don't really want.
Reply 8
Original post by Pandasareamazing
First im going to start by saying im not big headed or anything

So looking around the studentroom ive found nearly everyone is excited about university! Yet im not i dont know why, ive always had a dream of going to a Russell group university like Leeds or something but i didnt apply to them as my college didnt allow me too
Im most probably going to get ABB or BBB.
Now im unsure what to do, im so nervous for university as no friends are going to the same one and feel like i shouldnt be going to my 1st/2nd choice. Soo confused what to do, another thing is that big russell group universities want AAB for my course im doing (pharmacy) but they accept ABB for chemistry, which i wouldnt mind doing. I mean i kinda feel like im better than the university im going to now :c (worked so hard)

My question is what do i do?

Follow the course i want to do at a university i dont want to go to
Pick a course i wouldnt mind at a university i do want to go to.


You could wait until results day, see how you do, then call your favourite universities and see if they will accept you. Lots of russell groups have spaces advertised in clearing every year. I do not know whether this includes Pharmacy though
Original post by AspiringGenius
You're college didn't allow yout to apply for RG? How did they enforce that?

decline your offer and reapply if you get the grades for the uni you want to go to. No point spending all that money one something you don't really want.


Well first then didnt let me apply for pharmacy!
I wait 3 months arguing with them, then said i would get rejections and it makes the school look bad :c

Anyway after 3 months arguing they sent my application and said RG is a defo no we wont send it if you put RG unis...
Original post by Alex360
You could wait until results day, see how you do, then call your favourite universities and see if they will accept you. Lots of russell groups have spaces advertised in clearing every year. I do not know whether this includes Pharmacy though



But then i will have offers so can i still do this?
Original post by Pandasareamazing
Well first then didnt let me apply for pharmacy!
I wait 3 months arguing with them, then said i would get rejections and it makes the school look bad :c

Anyway after 3 months arguing they sent my application and said RG is a defo no we wont send it if you put RG unis...


ahh you should have applied as an independant then, your school acted wrongly it should be up to you to decide where you want to apply.
Reply 12
Original post by Pandasareamazing
Well first then didnt let me apply for pharmacy!
I wait 3 months arguing with them, then said i would get rejections and it makes the school look bad :c

Anyway after 3 months arguing they sent my application and said RG is a defo no we wont send it if you put RG unis...


I've got no idea of the prevalence of this/if it's common among colleges, but it sounds like biggest pile of tripe I've ever heard. If my college had told me they weren't allowing me to apply to Russell Group unis I'd have told them where to shove their course. Talk about trying to hold you back!

In answer to your question; if you're anything like me, you'll seriously regret not fulfilling your potential to its fullest at the best possible university.

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Original post by Simonion
I've got no idea of the prevalence of this/if it's common among colleges, but it sounds like biggest pile of tripe I've ever heard. If my college had told me they weren't allowing me to apply to Russell Group unis I'd have told them where to shove their course. Talk about trying to hold you back!

In answer to your question; if you're anything like me, you'll seriously regret not fulfilling your potential to its fullest at the best possible university.

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Yeh man i did! i agrued with them for 3 months and they kept telling me that there doing the right thing because im gonna get 5 rejections and there saving me :c
Reply 14
Original post by Pandasareamazing
But then i will have offers so can i still do this?


You're not bound by your offers, you can simple email them and tell them you do not want to go to your university. Nothing is official until the day you go to the university in September and enrol. That's when your tuiton fee is paid, your maintenance loan is given and the debt begins to pile up
Reply 15
Unless there was no chance of you meeting the entry requirements (i.e. A*AA pharmacy at LSE and you're predicted ABB) they should be encouraging you, absolutely. If this isn't the case however, and you wanted to apply for courses you had a shot at getting onto at RG unis, I'd be considering my options to complain about this. After all, this could end up wasting a year of your life. Always aim as high as you can, and then some!

Edit; just read your comments. If you are predicted ABB and the entry requirements are AAB. There is simply no way they should be telling you not to go for that. There's this thing called incentive. If there's a chance you could be going to a prestigious university you'd rather go to, you're incentivised to study harder and do better in your exams.. surely?

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(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by Alex360
You're not bound by your offers, you can simple email them and tell them you do not want to go to your university. Nothing is official until the day you go to the university in September and enrol. That's when your tuiton fee is paid, your maintenance loan is given and the debt begins to pile up


No he should not

He will be too old when he finishes another course

The employer will be "I am not taking this old geezer as I will take 18 year russells instead"
Reply 17
Original post by Bo Existence
No he should not

He will be too old when he finishes another course

The employer will be "I am not taking this old geezer as I will take 18 year russells instead"


I didn't tell the OP to do two courses :/
Original post by Alex360
I didn't tell the OP to do two courses :/


You suggested he should not go to uni this year

He should go this year

Please keep up
Reply 19
Original post by Bo Existence
No he should not

He will be too old when he finishes another course

The employer will be "I am not taking this old geezer as I will take 18 year russells instead"


Either trolling or beyond stupid - either way, take a hike

Edit; judging by your previous, both! Snap!

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(edited 10 years ago)

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