To go or not to go? (complicated by horses...)
Hi everyone, I was wondering if anyone has any advice for me, I'm an AS student looking for 2017 Uni entrance but am really unsure about my feelings towards going to university. I really want to get the higher education needed in order to become either a clinical psychologist or performance psychologist (depending on where the market is so I'm keeping my options fairly open) but I just can't bear the thought of leaving home and my horses.
I have been competing since I was little and plan to continue to do so throughout my studies but it is too expensive to take one or two to board with me wherever I go. My simple answer would be to go to the University of Birmingham and keep a couple of my horses with a local family friend. UOB is high on the league tables, my parents went there, so did my great aunt and uncle. However, the entry requirements are quite an ask considering how my exams are going...
I'm currently sitting my AS-level exams in: Biology (averaging D), Psychology (A), English Language (B/A) and Film Studies (A) and I was planning on dropping English but I'm doing really badly at Biology (D's) because I'm practically teaching myself (I don't like to blame teaching but there's no real teaching to even speak of...)! If I don't get the necessary AAA or AAB (if I continue Biology) to be considered for UOB, I really don't know what I'm going to do. Deep down, I know that I'd much rather just spend all day everyday riding, but horses are an expensive habit that needs long term funding which can only reliably come from a degree and possible masters/pHD.
Please, if anyone has any advice on what I should do, I would be very grateful for any help. Thank you.
I have been competing since I was little and plan to continue to do so throughout my studies but it is too expensive to take one or two to board with me wherever I go. My simple answer would be to go to the University of Birmingham and keep a couple of my horses with a local family friend. UOB is high on the league tables, my parents went there, so did my great aunt and uncle. However, the entry requirements are quite an ask considering how my exams are going...
I'm currently sitting my AS-level exams in: Biology (averaging D), Psychology (A), English Language (B/A) and Film Studies (A) and I was planning on dropping English but I'm doing really badly at Biology (D's) because I'm practically teaching myself (I don't like to blame teaching but there's no real teaching to even speak of...)! If I don't get the necessary AAA or AAB (if I continue Biology) to be considered for UOB, I really don't know what I'm going to do. Deep down, I know that I'd much rather just spend all day everyday riding, but horses are an expensive habit that needs long term funding which can only reliably come from a degree and possible masters/pHD.
Please, if anyone has any advice on what I should do, I would be very grateful for any help. Thank you.
Original post by KatB99
Deep down, I know that I'd much rather just spend all day everyday riding
Most adults would prefer to be doing something that they can't afford to. But when the reality is that they can't afford to, then they have to stop.
I don't think uni is a blocker - at this stage of your life, pretty much anything you do will be a problem. Wherever you go, you'll be on entry-level wages which will barely be enough to keep yourself, never mind a horse. This will still be the case after uni. You won't walk into a well-paid job as a junior psychologist.
It isn't a matter of working out how to maintain your horses whilst you're at uni. It's a matter of working out how you're going to fund them through most of your twenties whilst you get a career established, whether you go to uni or not. You may find that you have to scale back your riding for a few years.
Original post by KatB99
Hi everyone, I was wondering if anyone has any advice for me, I'm an AS student looking for 2017 Uni entrance but am really unsure about my feelings towards going to university. I really want to get the higher education needed in order to become either a clinical psychologist or performance psychologist (depending on where the market is so I'm keeping my options fairly open) but I just can't bear the thought of leaving home and my horses.
I have been competing since I was little and plan to continue to do so throughout my studies but it is too expensive to take one or two to board with me wherever I go. My simple answer would be to go to the University of Birmingham and keep a couple of my horses with a local family friend. UOB is high on the league tables, my parents went there, so did my great aunt and uncle. However, the entry requirements are quite an ask considering how my exams are going...
I'm currently sitting my AS-level exams in: Biology (averaging D), Psychology (A), English Language (B/A) and Film Studies (A) and I was planning on dropping English but I'm doing really badly at Biology (D's) because I'm practically teaching myself (I don't like to blame teaching but there's no real teaching to even speak of...)! If I don't get the necessary AAA or AAB (if I continue Biology) to be considered for UOB, I really don't know what I'm going to do. Deep down, I know that I'd much rather just spend all day everyday riding, but horses are an expensive habit that needs long term funding which can only reliably come from a degree and possible masters/pHD.
Please, if anyone has any advice on what I should do, I would be very grateful for any help. Thank you.
I have been competing since I was little and plan to continue to do so throughout my studies but it is too expensive to take one or two to board with me wherever I go. My simple answer would be to go to the University of Birmingham and keep a couple of my horses with a local family friend. UOB is high on the league tables, my parents went there, so did my great aunt and uncle. However, the entry requirements are quite an ask considering how my exams are going...
I'm currently sitting my AS-level exams in: Biology (averaging D), Psychology (A), English Language (B/A) and Film Studies (A) and I was planning on dropping English but I'm doing really badly at Biology (D's) because I'm practically teaching myself (I don't like to blame teaching but there's no real teaching to even speak of...)! If I don't get the necessary AAA or AAB (if I continue Biology) to be considered for UOB, I really don't know what I'm going to do. Deep down, I know that I'd much rather just spend all day everyday riding, but horses are an expensive habit that needs long term funding which can only reliably come from a degree and possible masters/pHD.
Please, if anyone has any advice on what I should do, I would be very grateful for any help. Thank you.
You will have to give up horse riding for a couple of years if you want any chance at a decent education. If you really cared for them you'd give it a break as looking after horses properly is just so incompatible with uni life, especially in an intensive degree like clinical psychology.
Put your future and education first.
You could always put them on loan whilst away, or take them with you if you can find a way to afford it and get a sharer. But I'd advise taking a break, leaving them and maybe finding a share whilst there to keep up riding. Getting a good degree and keeping a horse on DIY etc is a LOT of work that not many people can handle. I ride 3x a week and even that can get in the way.
You could always put them on loan whilst away, or take them with you if you can find a way to afford it and get a sharer. But I'd advise taking a break, leaving them and maybe finding a share whilst there to keep up riding. Getting a good degree and keeping a horse on DIY etc is a LOT of work that not many people can handle. I ride 3x a week and even that can get in the way.
I've struggled so hard at uni this past year (my 1st year) being away from my horse! She's 22 so too old for me to bring 5hrs from home to where I'm at uni. I'm in the process of buying a 7 year old sec D (if he passes the vetting) to keep at uni with me. Where I am it's super cheap so I'll be able to afford grass/DIY livery as well as having a part time job and uni. My uni course doesn't have masses of contact hours so it will be perfectly manageable 
. I really REALLY suffered not having my horse here and although i went hacking twice it just wasn't the same and my mental health really suffered. Good luck
. I really REALLY suffered not having my horse here and although i went hacking twice it just wasn't the same and my mental health really suffered. Good luck 
Give up on the horse riding hon. Pack up the horses and move on.
You need to gain your education and as the 1st poster said, you wouldn't be able to look after yourself let alone a damn horse if you don't go to uni. Horse-riding is one of the most expensive sport and you won't be able to do this whilst at uni unless you scrounge of mummy and daddy.
Get a part-time job (or good luck trying) and see if that can help your uni life or something.
But as I said, you need to focus on your education first and once you're making the money hunny, you'll be able to get back on that horse (pun intended).
Good luck!
You need to gain your education and as the 1st poster said, you wouldn't be able to look after yourself let alone a damn horse if you don't go to uni. Horse-riding is one of the most expensive sport and you won't be able to do this whilst at uni unless you scrounge of mummy and daddy.
Get a part-time job (or good luck trying) and see if that can help your uni life or something.
But as I said, you need to focus on your education first and once you're making the money hunny, you'll be able to get back on that horse (pun intended).
Good luck!
UoB is very good indeed if you're interested in Biology. There's nothing wrong with choosing to apply somewhere close to home - especially when it is an incredibly good university.
As for Biology, look into exam technique as a lot of marks are given for using the right words and phrases (particularly in the 6+mark questions)
As for Biology, look into exam technique as a lot of marks are given for using the right words and phrases (particularly in the 6+mark questions)
Original post by Klix88
Most adults would prefer to be doing something that they can't afford to. But when the reality is that they can't afford to, then they have to stop.
I don't think uni is a blocker - at this stage of your life, pretty much anything you do will be a problem. Wherever you go, you'll be on entry-level wages which will barely be enough to keep yourself, never mind a horse. This will still be the case after uni. You won't walk into a well-paid job as a junior psychologist.
It isn't a matter of working out how to maintain your horses whilst you're at uni. It's a matter of working out how you're going to fund them through most of your twenties whilst you get a career established, whether you go to uni or not. You may find that you have to scale back your riding for a few years.
I don't think uni is a blocker - at this stage of your life, pretty much anything you do will be a problem. Wherever you go, you'll be on entry-level wages which will barely be enough to keep yourself, never mind a horse. This will still be the case after uni. You won't walk into a well-paid job as a junior psychologist.
It isn't a matter of working out how to maintain your horses whilst you're at uni. It's a matter of working out how you're going to fund them through most of your twenties whilst you get a career established, whether you go to uni or not. You may find that you have to scale back your riding for a few years.
This i going to be hard for you to here but you may have to consider getting rid
of the hoses if you can't support them. I know how hard that is to here now i
have just had an idea have you considered renting them out while you are at
uni on a yearly basis this means you will still be able to keep them and they
get the exercise they need. My uni had a horse riding society you could look in to that perhaps see if the stables down there can help you out. if nit then you will have to say good bye to them.
Original post by New- Emperor
This i going to be hard for you to here but you may have to consider getting rid
of the hoses if you can't support them. I know how hard that is to here now i
have just had an idea have you considered renting them out while you are at
uni on a yearly basis this means you will still be able to keep them and they
get the exercise they need. My uni had a horse riding society you could look in to that perhaps see if the stables down there can help you out. if nit then you will have to say good bye to them.
of the hoses if you can't support them. I know how hard that is to here now i
have just had an idea have you considered renting them out while you are at
uni on a yearly basis this means you will still be able to keep them and they
get the exercise they need. My uni had a horse riding society you could look in to that perhaps see if the stables down there can help you out. if nit then you will have to say good bye to them.
You quoted the wrong person above - I've never owned a horse. I share a mate's view that they're "dangerous at both ends and smelly in the middle!"
Just wanted to add a different perspective as you don't need to give up horses to get a good education, I have my horse with me at uni and have averaged a high 2.1 almost a first, as well as working part time 20 hours a week, because I want the extra money, you just have to be super organised and budget well.
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