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Dropped out of uni dont know what to do

okay so basically i have just dropped out of bournemouth university. i was studying business studies and hated it. i was penalised as i didnt get into halls although i should have with my grades A*A*Distinction*. (didnt get into halls as UCAS didnt update till 9 days later so i missed application for halls)

i now do not know what to do. i am trying to apply for jobs but its difficult nowadays. i have no clue what to do - career wise or whether i should go back to uni again. basically i never wanted to go to uni, i wasnt excited neither really cared about my results on results day.

i dropped out for many reasons, i hated the course, i literally didnt have any friends, there were only two girls in my seminar group but they were in the same halls so were friends and would meet up before hand whereas i would HAVE to find them before lectures or sit on my own, i didnt know bournemouth at all, my housemates hardly ever went out so i didnt really have a social life etc. i dont like my house and just basically everything went wrong. it was the worst experience ever. i literally almost hit depression, i was constantly crying, started to stay in my room and yeah basically i felt physically and mentally sick.

i told my mums boyfriend and my dad that i quit and theyre both mad at me and obviously disappointed. they think i can do something good with my grades. but business is definitely not for me, i mean ive had two tests; i got a first in one and a 2:1 in the other. its not that i cant do it, its just i found the course boring and i really hated it and the whole experinece of living in bournemouth.

i like health and social care, but i wouldnt know what specific course to do, plus i have been told that i have to do business. so really i do not have a choice. and yeah i know you might say its your life, do what you want to do etc. i REALLY DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO :frown: im so stuck.

hmmm i just need some advice, someone to talk to, someone who can help and was maybe in my situation? thanks

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Original post by teaaacup
okay so basically i have just dropped out of bournemouth university. i was studying business studies and hated it. i was penalised as i didnt get into halls although i should have with my grades A*A*Distinction*. (didnt get into halls as UCAS didnt update till 9 days later so i missed application for halls)

i now do not know what to do. i am trying to apply for jobs but its difficult nowadays. i have no clue what to do - career wise or whether i should go back to uni again. basically i never wanted to go to uni, i wasnt excited neither really cared about my results on results day.

i dropped out for many reasons, i hated the course, i literally didnt have any friends, there were only two girls in my seminar group but they were in the same halls so were friends and would meet up before hand whereas i would HAVE to find them before lectures or sit on my own, i didnt know bournemouth at all, my housemates hardly ever went out so i didnt really have a social life etc. i dont like my house and just basically everything went wrong. it was the worst experience ever. i literally almost hit depression, i was constantly crying, started to stay in my room and yeah basically i felt physically and mentally sick.

i told my mums boyfriend and my dad that i quit and theyre both mad at me and obviously disappointed. they think i can do something good with my grades. but business is definitely not for me, i mean ive had two tests; i got a first in one and a 2:1 in the other. its not that i cant do it, its just i found the course boring and i really hated it and the whole experinece of living in bournemouth.

i like health and social care, but i wouldnt know what specific course to do, plus i have been told that i have to do business. so really i do not have a choice. and yeah i know you might say its your life, do what you want to do etc. i REALLY DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO :frown: im so stuck.

hmmm i just need some advice, someone to talk to, someone who can help and was maybe in my situation? thanks


Sorry to hear it was so bad for you.

I guess the main thing now is to find a job until you decide what to do so you can fund yourself. Business may not necessarily be as bad at another uni all courses are different so do some research. The same for health and social care. You are going to need to be proactive now.

Perhaps visit a career counsellor?
I dropped out of my first university too, and it's really hard.

I'd say the first thing to do would be decide (quickly) if you want to have another go at university. Somewhere else doing something else, perhaps. You have the advantage of having your grades already so you can start applying for courses and universities which match your grades better.

I would use this opportunity to do as much work experience as you possibly can. Try a whole bunch of different roles so you can try and narrow down what you want to do. Even if it's a week or 2 in one place, and something different the next week, you'll be able to gain skills which could help you find a part time job or internship, which can only help later on when you try and find a post-uni/professional job.

Try applying for admin or retail jobs - dedicate a lot of your time to this and don't be afraid or too proud to ask EVERYONE you know if they can help you find something. It can be nerve wrecking, but people like to help in situations like this.

Browse job boards and volunteering opportunities. You'll be amazed at what you learn that you like when you step out of your comfort zone, and it'll all look good on your future uni applications.
(edited 9 years ago)
Maybe you could think about going to your college/sixth form/school and have a chat to whoever was your tutor? They might have some ideas and advice, although you're not a student there they'll still care about your future.

A career counsellor is also a good option, I probably would have done this before dropping out, but it's a bit late.

If you decide to apply for uni again then make an informed decision, talk to the course leader as well as a student advisor whom should be available to talk to at Open Days. If not, then it's time to look at Work Based Learning or potentially going into a job.

Any questions? Just quote me in your reply. :smile:
Reply 4
Original post by teaaacup

i like health and social care, but i wouldnt know what specific course to do, plus i have been told that i have to do business. so really i do not have a choice. and yeah i know you might say its your life, do what you want to do etc. i REALLY DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO :frown: im so stuck.

hmmm i just need some advice, someone to talk to, someone who can help and was maybe in my situation? thanks


Why not keep everyone happy and look for some kind of hybrid degree? As an example, Southampton Uni runs aHealthcare Management degree:
http://www.southampton.ac.uk/healthsciences/undergraduate/courses/bsc_healthcare_management_policy_and_research.page#overview

That's just after one quick search. There must be other degrees which will keep both you and your folks happy.
Reply 5
I was in the same situation as you basically. It i's difficult. Ended up unemployed, couldn't get a job, so just went back to university.

I'd take this time to try find a small job, and do a bit of thinking about what you want to do with your life. I heard a quote somewhere ''Your 20s are when you find out what you want to do with your life, your 30s are when you get good at it and your 40s are when you make money from it''. Don't take it too badly, not everyone knows what they want to do yet and that is okay.
Reply 6
Original post by cali77
Sorry to hear it was so bad for you.

I guess the main thing now is to find a job until you decide what to do so you can fund yourself. Business may not necessarily be as bad at another uni all courses are different so do some research. The same for health and social care. You are going to need to be proactive now.

Perhaps visit a career counsellor?



hmmm yeah the thing is ive tried to get my old job back at Morrisons, i know its not great, nut like in my sitauation im desperate for a job, like any job. i think id rather work than go to uni but its so difficult trying to get a job. hmm i looked at UWE international business but literally just looking at the modules and the structure just really did not interest me at all. Hmm i think that if i was to go back to uni then i would got to UWE only becuase its close to home, near my dads et and i know bristol. Thanks for replying :smile:
Reply 7
Original post by kat2pult
I dropped out of my first university too, and it's really hard.

I'd say the first thing to do would be decide (quickly) if you want to have another go at university. Somewhere else doing something else, perhaps. You have the advantage of having your grades already so you can start applying for courses and universities which match your grades better.

I would use this opportunity to do as much work experience as you possibly can. Try a whole bunch of different roles so you can try and narrow down what you want to do. Even if it's a week or 2 in one place, and something different the next week, you'll be able to gain skills which could help you find a part time job or internship, which can only help later on when you try and find a post-uni/professional job.

Try applying for admin or retail jobs - dedicate a lot of your time to this and don't be afraid or too proud to ask EVERYONE you know if they can help you find something. It can be nerve wrecking, but people like to help in situations like this.

Browse job boards and volunteering opportunities. You'll be amazed at what you learn that you like when you step out of your comfort zone, and it'll all look good on your future uni applications.



hmmm i mean i dont know if i want to go back to uni becuase i wouldnt know what course to do. the deadline for ucas is 15th january, thats not enoug time for me to think through properly what i want to do and ensure that i will be committed to it and not drop out. thats what im worried about doing again :frown: ive tried applying for jobs, in my own hometown and now even where my dad lives, ive been looking at apprentiships but i can specify what i want to do e.g. business, health and social care or i keep looking at tourism.
Reply 8
Original post by Roving Fish
Maybe you could think about going to your college/sixth form/school and have a chat to whoever was your tutor? They might have some ideas and advice, although you're not a student there they'll still care about your future.

A career counsellor is also a good option, I probably would have done this before dropping out, but it's a bit late.

If you decide to apply for uni again then make an informed decision, talk to the course leader as well as a student advisor whom should be available to talk to at Open Days. If not, then it's time to look at Work Based Learning or potentially going into a job.

Any questions? Just quote me in your reply. :smile:


my tutor was new in my final year and she wasnt so helpful, she was head of business, but she didnt help me at all with my personal statement, i had to go to my head of sixth form and again she was new too so didnt know me as well. i've spoken to the careers advisor at bourenemouth uni but she didnt help me so much; she gave me lots of different websites where she told me to have a 'look around' the site and find what you think interests you. i thought that shed help me to speicify what my skills were and what course would then be best suited for me, so again i've tried many things to help myself which havent been so beneficial to me. yeah, i mean im quite happy to look for a job and work for the rest of my life but i dont know if my ualifications are good enough to get me a goo enough job. i mean i wouldnt mind working back at a supermarket for the time being, but not for the rest of my life :frown:
Original post by teaaacup
hmmm yeah the thing is ive tried to get my old job back at Morrisons, i know its not great, nut like in my sitauation im desperate for a job, like any job. i think id rather work than go to uni but its so difficult trying to get a job. hmm i looked at UWE international business but literally just looking at the modules and the structure just really did not interest me at all. Hmm i think that if i was to go back to uni then i would got to UWE only becuase its close to home, near my dads et and i know bristol. Thanks for replying :smile:


Ok so you've just admitted you would rather work than go to uni so I guess the next best thing would be to try and get as much relevant work experience in the field you want to be in as possible. Some places let you train and get qualifications whilst you work which could be ideal for you now :smile:
Reply 10
Original post by Klix88
Why not keep everyone happy and look for some kind of hybrid degree? As an example, Southampton Uni runs aHealthcare Management degree:
http://www.southampton.ac.uk/healthsciences/undergraduate/courses/bsc_healthcare_management_policy_and_research.page#overview

That's just after one quick search. There must be other degrees which will keep both you and your folks happy.


maybe i could be interested in that thanks, i will have a little research on this. i mean will doing two different subject courses be difficult?
Reply 11
Original post by Swanbow
I was in the same situation as you basically. It i's difficult. Ended up unemployed, couldn't get a job, so just went back to university.

I'd take this time to try find a small job, and do a bit of thinking about what you want to do with your life. I heard a quote somewhere ''Your 20s are when you find out what you want to do with your life, your 30s are when you get good at it and your 40s are when you make money from it''. Don't take it too badly, not everyone knows what they want to do yet and that is okay.


hmm thank you, i know that it happens to a LOT of people but theres literally no-one who i personally know that this happened to e.g. someone who was in the year above me dropped out of kingston but she was able to get her job back and nows she in a different uni whereas i am unemployed, and have no clue whether i want to go back to uni again. what course did you do? are you happy at uni now?
Reply 12
Original post by cali77
Ok so you've just admitted you would rather work than go to uni so I guess the next best thing would be to try and get as much relevant work experience in the field you want to be in as possible. Some places let you train and get qualifications whilst you work which could be ideal for you now :smile:


yeah i really think so, in my opinion uni is pointless and such a waste of money. thats my trouble, i dont know what i want a career in :frown: i guess like an apprentiship which is what i've been looking at but i dont know what to specify in.
Original post by teaaacup
yeah i really think so, in my opinion uni is pointless and such a waste of money. thats my trouble, i dont know what i want a career in :frown: i guess like an apprentiship which is what i've been looking at but i dont know what to specify in.


Don't make any final decisions until your sure. It'll come to you eventually just have a look at all the people you know and the jobs they do to see if anything seems interesting.
Original post by teaaacup
hmm thank you, i know that it happens to a LOT of people but theres literally no-one who i personally know that this happened to e.g. someone who was in the year above me dropped out of kingston but she was able to get her job back and nows she in a different uni whereas i am unemployed, and have no clue whether i want to go back to uni again. what course did you do? are you happy at uni now?


No problem. When I dropped out I didn't know anyone else who did it either. My parents were disappointed, but supported my decision. But a lot of my friends and old teachers looked at me as a pariah. At the end of the day it was my decision, and I couldn't let what others thought get to me. At first I had no idea what I wanted to do, and applied for so many jobs but only got two interviews. It took me a while to realise that going back to university was the best option on the table. I was studying International Politics. Graduated this year, but I had a better time at university the second time round. I knew what to expect, and although the experience wasn't the stereotypical 'great times at uni' thing, I made the most of it and enjoyed it.

Just think about what you want to do with your life, whether that is pursuing a certain career, or going back into further education. Thinking about it, It is difficult to have all these potentially life changing decisions to make in Year 13, especially with the pressure of looming exams and what not. No wonder people get rushed into a choice, or are still having questions about what they really want to study. Personally I'd rather the standard changed so having a year out after Sixth Form to University was the norm. All the best to you, I'm sure you'll realise what you want to do and make the right choice :smile:
Reply 15
Original post by cali77
Don't make any final decisions until your sure. It'll come to you eventually just have a look at all the people you know and the jobs they do to see if anything seems interesting.


im not sure though, i have no clear what to do, ive been looking at au pairs in spain, so im totally confused with what i even want to do now, i applied for a job in the police deparntemtn but application was handed in too late. theres so many options and im not focusing on what i want to specifically do. my cousin has just finished a business degree she doesnt really have a job in that department, and shes just lecturing me about what i should be doing. i dont even know
Original post by teaaacup
okay so basically i have just dropped out of bournemouth university. i was studying business studies and hated it. i was penalised as i didnt get into halls although i should have with my grades A*A*Distinction*. (didnt get into halls as UCAS didnt update till 9 days later so i missed application for halls)

i now do not know what to do. i am trying to apply for jobs but its difficult nowadays. i have no clue what to do - career wise or whether i should go back to uni again. basically i never wanted to go to uni, i wasnt excited neither really cared about my results on results day.

i dropped out for many reasons, i hated the course, i literally didnt have any friends, there were only two girls in my seminar group but they were in the same halls so were friends and would meet up before hand whereas i would HAVE to find them before lectures or sit on my own, i didnt know bournemouth at all, my housemates hardly ever went out so i didnt really have a social life etc. i dont like my house and just basically everything went wrong. it was the worst experience ever. i literally almost hit depression, i was constantly crying, started to stay in my room and yeah basically i felt physically and mentally sick.

i told my mums boyfriend and my dad that i quit and theyre both mad at me and obviously disappointed. they think i can do something good with my grades. but business is definitely not for me, i mean ive had two tests; i got a first in one and a 2:1 in the other. its not that i cant do it, its just i found the course boring and i really hated it and the whole experinece of living in bournemouth.

i like health and social care, but i wouldnt know what specific course to do, plus i have been told that i have to do business. so really i do not have a choice. and yeah i know you might say its your life, do what you want to do etc. i REALLY DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO :frown: im so stuck.

hmmm i just need some advice, someone to talk to, someone who can help and was maybe in my situation? thanks


Really feel for you. It's not your fault though your unlucky you didn't get halls. If I was you I'd pull myself together get a job and maybe do a bit of travelling for the rest of the year, then go to uni next year with a good student union and make sure you get halls. I'm sure you'd have a great time.
Reply 17
I dropped out of York in 1999 (got placed in a house mainly full of mature students despite the fact I was 18) - did get a transfer into campus but by then felt Id missed out on Freshers and sank into a severe depression. Reapplied closer to home in 2000 (Birmingham) and lived in halls. Soon became socially isolated - (I was very shy at that age) although did have a group of friends for awhile. However, this time I was determined to complete my degree - which I did. Ironically now Im 34 I feel I could go back and succeed socially if I was there again now - thats why so many say youth is wasted on the young lol! Maybe a year working will make you want to go back to uni.If I had to put money on it, this time next year you will be in halls with loads of friends having a great time!
Reply 18
Original post by Bongo Bongo
Really feel for you. It's not your fault though your unlucky you didn't get halls. If I was you I'd pull myself together get a job and maybe do a bit of travelling for the rest of the year, then go to uni next year with a good student union and make sure you get halls. I'm sure you'd have a great time.



yeah everyone said i definately should have got into halls. was just pure bad luck for me i guess. i mean i love my housemates, just i wish i was in halls becuase of the experience, being near town etc. i have literally applied for jobs evrywhere i can e.g. i live in wiltshire so have applied for jobs all around there or my alternative is to live in bristol with my dad which yet again i have applied for jobs, almost any type of jobs too. thank you :smile: so you think i should go to uni?
Reply 19
Original post by Wimbs
I dropped out of York in 1999 (got placed in a house mainly full of mature students despite the fact I was 18) - did get a transfer into campus but by then felt Id missed out on Freshers and sank into a severe depression. Reapplied closer to home in 2000 (Birmingham) and lived in halls. Soon became socially isolated - (I was very shy at that age) although did have a group of friends for awhile. However, this time I was determined to complete my degree - which I did. Ironically now Im 34 I feel I could go back and succeed socially if I was there again now - thats why so many say youth is wasted on the young lol! Maybe a year working will make you want to go back to uni.If I had to put money on it, this time next year you will be in halls with loads of friends having a great time!


thank you for your post, it kinda made me realise that there are loads of people who are in my position, like i literally felt depressed, so upset all the time, not eating, crying and constantly felt tired so had to nap a few times a day. anyway, the deadline for ucas is january and i REALLY have not hadtime to think about what i want to do and will i be motivated to complete it. im looking for a job at the meantime but so difficult to find some.

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