Changing uni/course after the first year: advice??

Hi everyone... woo, the first thread I have ever posted! :smile:

And it's not for me, it's for my bf. Hope you can help...

Basically, he's just come to the end of his first year doing medicine, and, well, he doesn't like it. He applied for it on a bit of a whim and, having stuck it out for a year, has found that it just isn't for him. Fair enough; these things happen. :redface:

He's still not totally sure what course he would like to do instead, though. He does have pretty good grades (having got into medicine!) and his school considered him an Oxbridge cert (if there is such a thing) so he is still in a fairly strong position, despite dropping out.

So his options are:

1) Make a late application now. This would be for something like philosophy, for which there are a couple of good unis left in UCAS Extra, so he has a decent chance of being accepted somewhere he'd like to go to out of the 6 choices. If he decides the subject is still wrong (having made the application somewhat last-minute!), he can always persuade the uni to release him (right?) and go to option 2)...

2) Take a year out. Earn some money and take some more A-level exams. This is the issue: he would want (probably) to take maths and further maths as totally new subjects, and then retake a couple of modules from the physics and economics he did in year 13. He got As in most of the modules and then managed to fluff up the last ones in each of these subjects (he only needs a slightly higher E in the last module to get an A overall in economics!!). (He has two other A grades.) This would be with a view to applying maybe for economics, maybe for physics, maybe for PPE... still not really sure, this is all pretty speculative atm.

So my question (sorry about the length!) is, mainly, how would his application from option 2) be considered given that he would have retakes from outside the normal 2-year period? And do you have any thoughts about either of the options which we haven't considered? This is all up in the air as you can see but any advice on his situation would be much appreciated!

:tsr2:

Reply 1

kellywood_5

I'm assuming he cashed in his A-levels in physics and economics, ie received certificates for them, which means he can't just resit a module, he'd have to resit the whole thing. In any case, I don't think the unis would see it as a problem as long as he makes it clear that he got excellent grades the first time and makes his personal statement enthusiastic enough about whatever he wants to do now. If he does make a late application and accepts an offer, he can withdraw as late as results day and just apply again in the next cycle.

Reply 2

papergirl

Wow, thanks for the speedy reply :biggrin:

kellywood_5

I'm assuming he cashed in his A-levels in physics and economics, ie received certificates for them, which means he can't just resit a module, he'd have to resit the whole thing.

Yeah, this is what we weren't so sure about. Damn - applying for economics doesn't look so hot with a B in that subject, though, does it, even if 5/6 modules were solid As? And it hardly seems worth retaking the whole thing... hmmm... The physics was a C, too, with a U in the last module (I really don't know HOW he managed that one!!) so that doesn't look great either, despite the other modules being good. Thanks for clarifying that, in any case. Rep for you (meagre as my rep power is :p:

).

Also, does he have to withdraw from or even tell his current uni if he is making a late application now (i.e. using his school as the reference)?

Reply 3

kellywood_5

papergirl

Wow, thanks for the speedy reply :biggrin:

).

Also, does he have to withdraw from or even tell his current uni if he is making a late application now (i.e. using his school as the reference)?

You have to put your module grades as well as your overall grade on your UCAS form now, so the unis will see that he's a very good student who just slipped up on a couple of modules, but unfortunately I doubt that will make any difference to unis that want an A in economics. Most are more interested in maths though, so he'd have to take that.

If he's not using anyone from his uni as a referee, I don't see why he'd have to tell them. Thanks for the rep, by the way :smile:

Changing uni/course after the first year: advice??

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