Why are children admitted into university in the UK?

Also upon university application you are expected to have completed work experience in the field you want to go into. But who is going to give a 16 /17 year old a work placement? It is incredibly difficult finding one at such a young age.

If you don't know, should you really be applying? Wouldn't it make more sense to find out what you really want to do in life first? You can go to university any time, it doesn't have to be straight away.

Also, I don't think the universities really cared too much about GCSEs. Obviously they need to be decent in grade, but I don't think my subjects were ever a factor in my application. Typically it's just English and maths, and maybe 5 other A*-C grades for most universities.

Regarding work experience, that is usually not required either. I did no work experience in my field before going to uni. I think it might be different for medicine, but most people go because they liked the prospectus and not because they had real-world experience in that field. You shouldn't worry about it.


It just sounds like a classic case of unnecessarily panicking. If you don't have the grades, then try and get them. Resit GCSEs if you need to, or do more years of college if you think you'd be better off on a different course. You could even do a foundation year, or maybe not even go to university at all. You have many decades to decide what you want to do, so why rush it right this very second if you're not sure?

This. Work in social services is the biggest waste of life I could imagine. OP is also ignoring that Germany does this purely to keep wages in the industry low, and tries to sell it by saying its an experience that will shape your life. Students in Germany also use that year mainly becasue they have no idea what they want to do, and think it looks good on the CV. Nothing to do with maturity or anything.

You do realise whether you go to uni or not is up to you. It's not compulsory. If you feel that you are not sure what to do with the rest of your life or what course to choose, you can defer for a year .

However, if at the age of 18 (which I think is the perfect age to make decisions) you are mature enough to decide what to do you can go to uni.

No, you aren't. Only medics (maybe dentistry and vet applicants idk), are expected to have completed relevant work experience.

I believe you fail to realise that doing social work for a year isn't supposed to interest you in the field or inspire you to pursue it at university or anything... it's meant as a time to fully devote to giving back to the community, reflecting on what you've done so far and what you want to do in the future. Some people may already know what to study, for them it is a welcome time to get a first steady salary, do something good, and prepare for university. For those who don't, it provides welcome time to reflect on high school and make up their mind.

How this has anything to do with keeping industry wages low, is beyond me.

Since when do people start school at 6? I started at 4. (As does everyone over here afaik)

It keeps wages low, as employers in the social field can rely on young people to replace staff at a fraction of the price. Do you think these students do not replace jobs that would otherwise be taken by full employment?

Social work is the prime example in any discussion about a "niedriglohnsektor".

Its taking away your freedom for one year.

Yes, that I think. In its latest version, social service was a little over 9 months, and most of the tasks were quite basic and rather unskilled; they do not compare to the work that social workers, who are employed full-time, would do. The type of workers which students doing their social year replace would earn hardly any more.Yep, but there's a clear distinction between the work students do in their social service and the work 'real' workers in the social field do, which often is actually hard physical work and requires lengthy training.

It really is disgusting how self-centered you are. Ever heard about giving back to society? Also, as I laid out in my last post, it's a valuable time to think about what you want to do with your life, even if you already have an idea. I surely did not see it as wasted time.

I think that the OP's points are slightly exaggerated, but I agree with the gist of it.

I don't think it's bad that young people get into education so fast. I think it's an amazing opportunity and it's very good for development of all sorts of skills that they wouldn't be able to develop otherwise.

The reality of it though is that most people don't have enough money for a SECOND CHANCE at university. If they picked the wrong course, whether it be because they dislike it or because they can't get a good job from it.. they're ****ed. They will be stuck with that degree forever with little to no chance of redemption.

I can think of lots of people who did (in their cases) pointless Humanities or Language type courses, just because they were good at them in school without thinking the actual future through, and are now in jobs they could have got without a degree, while paying off their debts.

So maybe if they start uni at 18, they should really think it through, and have a look at what the majority of graduates from their chosen subject are up to.

Sorry, but its a well known fact. The whole point is that social work does not require much skill at all. http://www.zeit.de/wirtschaft/2010-09/gesundheitsbranche-leiharbeiter/seite-2

Okay, so first of all, its hardly self-centered to want to determine your own life. You know, human rights and all that.

There are other ways to give back to society than being forced to work where you do not want to. Taxes, charities, etc..

Your view also doesn't consider to what extent people will actually use social work as "valuable time to reflect" - it is an assumption you make. Who can say whether they will know better after that year what they want to do with their life?

Languages are pointless?! I'm not going to argue with the humanities, as though I feel there are myriad benefits I accept most don't translate directly into many jobs (Geography being the exception), but we have a national linguist shortage. A monoglot country is hardly the way forward in an ever more globalised world.

(in their cases) pointless.