Go back to college to get a better university?

Hi, friends.

Ok so : I always wanted to go to a top university and live out, I didn't do so well last year in my sixth form exams, got BBC, I revised a few hours before each of the exams, seriously, I always considered myself very clever, just not fulfilling my potential.

I am more then positive if I spent atleast 2 days (lol) revising on each subject before the exam I could finish with an AAA

I have almost finished first year university in hertfordshire - I'm commuting there, despite always wanting to go a top university and live out.

I feel if i don't make the choice to go back to college next year i will regret it...

This means technically wasting my years of 18 and 19 because I wasted one year on university, and the next year will be applying for exams in my college as an external candidate ( i will work in this year aswell )

I don't have the heart to tell my mother I want to spend next year in college, but if I have to I will man up, she is a very understanding mother and has always looked out for me.

This year I have experienced depression for the first time, I only realized recently I was experiencing depression! I am sad about how my uni life has turned out, I want to spent next year getting a job and taking my exams again (external candidate) and apply for a top 20 university

My question to you my friends, is should I do this? I am currently doing a geography degree but heck I might even switch to economics because of employment prospects...

Please, any help or advice is appreciated.

I may be able to give you the right advice as I have been through similar experiences as you.

Firstly, I was in the exact same position as you and I know a lot of my friends who didn't do too well either at Alevels last year (eventhough BBC is still great). They thought just giving the uni a shot would resolve the problem. But being first year at Uni of Hertfordshire, and seeing a couple of people drop out simply because they didn't do enough research around the course and chose it because they thought they would do well. I'm currently studying Economics, if you have done Alevel Economics, then first year will be very easy, cos you will have your foundation built up from Alevels. Although 2nd year and 3rd year will get harder but you will pass the 1st year most probably with a first in your first year bcos a lot of people have been doing well in Economics in their first year here.

However, I know someone on my course who had not done Economics before and chose it at uni level and dropped out straight after a month because they couldn't grasp around the concepts. They thought in the Business Economics course it will be mainly about Business side of Economics, but instead it still involved a lot of Economics. So do not just choose course at uni simply based on the assumption that you think you might be able to cope. You need to be fully confident and have to have done it in past. Hence why the top unis only take you on for Economics course if you have done Maths Alevel or Economics Alevel atleast.

I can't stress how important it is to get outstanding grades. Forget about university for a year. I would say DEFINITELY use the opportunity and go back to college to improve your grades. I wish I had the chance to do that, if only you knew how many people would love to be in your position right now. Herts is not a bad uni, it's average that's all I can say. But if you have the opportunity to go to a better uni, then you should be utilising that opportunity. It might be hard to convince your family at present but in the long term you will be so happy that you took that step. I know many of my friends that have used the opportunity of staying behind and improving their grades. Doesn't matter how old you are gonna be when you get the chance to go uni, because there are people from various age groups here but please and please speaking from personal experience, I suggest you improve ur grades. Herts is not the best uni, better to be safe than sorry.

Lastly, like someone suggested thinking about swopping unis in your second year. I thought I would do the same next year (2014 september) which will be my 2nd year, again I know so many people that thought they will do the same. But let me tell you it never goes according to the plan because once you get settled into the uni, its very hard to swop unis in your 2nd year and starting from scratch in the new university so you get put off from the idea hence why students who initially thought they would transfer later always change their minds by the end of first year. Also, no offence to anyone doing Geography. But I believe there is not that many employment prospects in that career so again I would suggest changing your options and if still you really want to do Economics at uni. You need top notch Alevel grades. Although people will tell you 'once you get a degree, employers dont look at your grades so dont worry'. Thats the biggest bull**** ever. The big companies do hence why I'm panicking now and trying to retake Alevels on the side to boost my grades up to AAA. Therefore, its a must for you to have really high alevel grades hence why I would suggest you stay in college.

Hope my advice was useful. Good luck