Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

Urgent Advice plz

Hey guys

Long time no speak. I'm off to Nott Trent Uni this year. I'm 19 and due to living on my own and having to pay my way through A-levels I got CCD.

Now everythings sorted and am starting my first year LLB i know i could do 2intensvies this year at the local sixth form college and possibly get 2 AAs. But everyone thinks its the wrong idea in that i'll spread myself too thin, etc, but its only my first year and I can't go to uni paying up £20000 without any prospect of being a barrister! What route?

A) Would having got a 1st in Law, with good legal experience and having been involved in related uni activities get me into a russel group uni for my LLM (masters)?

If so do you know of anyone in my situation who has done this?

B) Or go to Nots Sixth form college (been to 2 already) as well as Trent, miss loads of 1st year classes in order to gain 2 As in English and Psychology and make sure i pass 1st year?

Would this make much difference when applying for LLM?

I’m at wits end and tomoz is the last day of enrolment.

Thanks

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Reply 1

Lewisy-boy

Provided you have a first class degree you will be considered the LLM. A-levels wont make much difference provided you turn yourself around at degree level and can show recent development. I think.

Reply 2

guccilittlepiggy

How did having to work affect your A levels, out of interest?

Reply 3

Eddie

Thanks guys. I wont bother with the A-levels then.

Reply 4

Danny5876

Just make sure you commit yourself to achieveing that 1st/2:1!

Reply 5

poltroon

Eddie

Hey guys

Long time no speak. Some advice plz. I'm off to Nott Trent Uni this year. I'm 19 and due to living on my own and having to pay my way through A-levels I got CCD.

Now everythings sorted and am starting my first year LLB i know i could do 2 intensvies this year at the local sixth form college and possibly get 2 AA. But everyone thinks its the wrong idea in that i'll spread myself too thin, etc, but its only my first year and I can't go to uni paying up £20000 without any prospect of being a barrister! Should

A) Do you think that having got a 1st in Law, with good legal experience and having been involved in related uni activities would get me into a russel group uni for my LLM (masters).

Certainly. But what makes you think that you can get a First? That said, even with a (high) 2:1 you would have a very good chance, depending on which Russell Group universities you had in mind.

Eddie

B) Or go to Nots Sixth form college (been to 2 already) miss loads of 1st year classes in order to gain 2 As in English and Psychology?

I would concentrate on your university studies or re-do your A-levels.

Reply 6

Danny5876

There's already a thread on this...

Reply 7

poltroon

I thought I'd attend to this thread first because the thread title indicated to me that this person was in more urgent need of help.

Reply 8

Lewisy-boy

Most unis say you need a first for an LLM, I am afraid a 2.1 isnt sufficient for it.

As a general rule those who do best in their academic studies go on to be academics ... the rest become lawyers, the "less able" if you will!!

Reply 9

chriswhit

Lewis-HuStuJCR

Most unis say you need a first for an LLM

Not so sure about this Lewis, my 2.1 got me into Cambridge! Was exactly the sort of "i'll need a first" thinking that nearly stopped me applying there!

To the OP - just because you have a first, doesn't automatically mean you will get on at the bar. Its hard, very hard. In any event, its waaaay too early to be thinking about where you want to go in terms of dictating the decisions you make.

Reply 10

Fireman John

A couple of points spring immediately to mind and sound alarm bells... If "paying your way through A levels" and "having to work" resulted in you getting CCD - what on earth gives you confidence that you're gonna achieve a first at degree level? Surely you're in the same boat at degree level - i.e. having to work and pay your way... how is your situation at degree levelgoing to be any different???

That's the first concern.

Secondly - pipe dreams... I know from bitter and hard won experiences that "plans" rarely play out the way you want them to (and also plans that friends, colleagues and family have had). And it is also fair to say that in most cases my long term plans were never as highly ambitious as yours!

It's good to have a goal, don't get me wrong... but nowadays I just take things as they come. There are so many twists and turns along the way - the smallest, most insignificant, unexpected little thing that can have extreme and enormous impact. Having such a dedicated long term plan (getting a first, getting an LLM, becoming a barrister) is, in my opinion, ridiculous at this stage in your life. Is such a long temr plan "reasonable" - to be brutally honest, I'd say not... even the most optimisitc soul would be hard pressed to say you've demonstrated the ability.

By all means have an ambition - but please set yourself some near focussed goals. It's easier to stay on track and you're not going to be so disappointed when things go off-kilter... and they will - whether you achieve your ultimate ambition or not - you're going to have twists and turns along the way. In the first instance I'd say set yourself a goal for the end of your first year - keep the LLM, the Barrister thing in mind - but don't lay the foundations in your mind - build the foundations out of tangible results!

Sorry to be harsh.

Reply 11

Lewisy-boy

Well it says on cambridge that 2:1 only in exceptional circumstances, so you must be damn good and have something they wanted :biggrin:

.

When I went to uni I didn't even know what a first class degree was, these people really are looking a long way into the future!! I agree with John, makes sense.

Reply 12

chriswhit

Lewis-HuStuJCR

Well it says on cambridge that 2:1 only in exceptional circumstances, so you must be damn good and have something they wanted :biggrin:

.

When I went to uni I didn't even know what a first class degree was, these people really are looking a long way into the future!! I agree with John, makes sense.

Top stuff from John, basically said what I wanted to but put a lot better! :smile:

As for moi..have always been a rebel (partly the reasoning behind "legally blonde" as shortened to blondie!) and never one to fit into the conventional box hehe! :smile:

Reply 13

Dreama

Eddie

Would this make much difference when applying for LLM?

Hello

Just on a sidenote and probably worth mentioning...

Chances of gaining a place on an LLM/Employment will obviously be heightened if you achieve a 2:1 or a first....

But please remember that there will be someone sitting next to you who also has a 2:1/first.... But who in addition has AAA at A level... I imagine quite a few of them...

But best of luck :smile:

Reply 14