I don’t know what I want to study at uni

Reference
Year 12 student
Haven’t done end of year exams yet
MY predictions
Maths = A
Chemistry = A*
Biology = A
Physics = B (might drop)

I have no idea what I want to do at university, getting 8 9s for gcse actually ****ed me over, it didn’t highlight what I was good at, I was going to pick my subjects based on what I was good at, I then went to school thinking I was gonna do physics maths and further maths. I stopped myself when I released 6 hours of maths everyday for 2 years isn’t fun, so I picked the sciences, only be cos people deemed me as smart and people say they are the hardest, why not take on the challenge? I didn’t take history gcse so can’t do it at a level, kind of regret but I was like 14 when I picked.

I would do law if I were to pick again, but with my sciences, I can’t

I am currently considering - biomed sciences, - neuroscience - biological sciences and biochemistry.

I know for certain I wont enjoy them, I want to be an accountant or a lawyer, but I can’t be,

Anyway, I have high aspirations and will do anything it takes to get the best grades and marks, despite enjoyment. I require no motivation so in planning on applying to Oxford, I have read 5 books, 2 articles, done 4 weeks work experience, and written 2 essays all related to science, I hated every minute,

I know ill be told to “do what I enjoy” but I haven’t found anything I enjoy, I don’t want to take a gap year either, that is hell.

What should I do, suck it up?

Reply 1

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

21

Original post by Willcaygill

Reference
Year 12 student
Haven’t done end of year exams yet
MY predictions
Maths = A
Chemistry = A*
Biology = A
Physics = B (might drop)

I have no idea what I want to do at university, getting 8 9s for gcse actually ****ed me over, it didn’t highlight what I was good at, I was going to pick my subjects based on what I was good at, I then went to school thinking I was gonna do physics maths and further maths. I stopped myself when I released 6 hours of maths everyday for 2 years isn’t fun, so I picked the sciences, only be cos people deemed me as smart and people say they are the hardest, why not take on the challenge? I didn’t take history gcse so can’t do it at a level, kind of regret but I was like 14 when I picked.

I would do law if I were to pick again, but with my sciences, I can’t

I am currently considering - biomed sciences, - neuroscience - biological sciences and biochemistry.

I know for certain I wont enjoy them, I want to be an accountant or a lawyer, but I can’t be,

Anyway, I have high aspirations and will do anything it takes to get the best grades and marks, despite enjoyment. I require no motivation so in planning on applying to Oxford, I have read 5 books, 2 articles, done 4 weeks work experience, and written 2 essays all related to science, I hated every minute,

I know ill be told to “do what I enjoy” but I haven’t found anything I enjoy, I don’t want to take a gap year either, that is hell.

What should I do, suck it up?

Law has no required subjects and law degrees are perfectly happy to accept applicants doing all STEM subjects. Same for accounting and finance and similar degrees. Have you actually looked at the published entry criteria for any of those courses?

Also I'd note about 50% of lawyers did a non-law degree before qualifying as a lawyer, so you could just as well do any other degree then still become a solicitor or barrister if you wished. Also accountancy grad schemes accept grads from any subject - I know people who went into accountancy at big 4 firms with engineering degrees, politics degrees, history degrees etc. For both law and accounting you can go into those areas with any subject - so do whatever degree interests you. If that's neuroscience, great! If that's actually Assyriology because you always wanted to learn cuneiform and read clay tablets, that's also great! Literally not a limiting factor.

Since you don't actually seem to enjoy the sciences, I'd recommend exploring other degree subjects. There are lots of options which accept people with any A-level subjects (most degrees in fact), many of which are also areas you wouldn't have been able to formally study before - such as archaeology, anthropology, social policy, many ancient languages, some modern languages, etc, etc. Also just because you haven't studied a subject before which you could have at 6th form or GCSE doesn't mean you can't do it at degree level - you could well study e.g. economics, philosophy, politics, psychology etc without having done the A-level in that subject, as they either have no requirements in the case of philosophy or politics, or in the case of economics and psychology, you meet the requirements they do have.

Really the only limited areas would be English literature and other literature degrees, which normally require the same at A-level, many but not all history degrees requiring that to A-level, some geography degrees require it to A-level, and many languages degrees require or prefer a language (but this is not universal and varies depending on the language - non-European and ancient languages are often satisfied as long as you are able to demonstrate some aptitude for language learning). Also most visual and performing arts subjects require a related subject and/or a portfolio or audition which you may not be prepared for without a related subject.

Beyond that though, it's really quite open. As well as most STEM subjects, you could apply to most social sciences or humanities subjects too.

Reply 2

Syed100

11

I understand that you are in a difficult situation. You have high aspirations and are willing to work hard, but you are not sure what you want to do with your life. You have considered a number of different options, but none of them seem to be a good fit.

I think the best thing to do is to take some time to reflect on what you are passionate about. What are you interested in? What do you enjoy doing? Once you have a better understanding of your interests, you can start to explore different career options that align with them.

There are many resources available to help you with this process. You can talk to your teachers, counselors, and friends. You can also research different careers online and read books and articles about them.

It is important to remember that you are not alone. Many people struggle to figure out what they want to do with their lives. It is a process that takes time and effort. But if you are willing to put in the work, you will eventually find your way.

Here are some additional tips that may help you:

Don't be afraid to experiment. Try different things and see what you enjoy. You may be surprised at what you find.
Don't be afraid to change your mind. Your interests may change over time, so don't be afraid to adjust your plans accordingly.
Don't be afraid to ask for help. There are many people who can help you on your journey, so don't be afraid to reach out for assistance.
I wish you all the best in your search for your dream career.

Reply 3

De Montfort University

Official Rep

16

Original post by Willcaygill

Reference
Year 12 student
Haven’t done end of year exams yet
MY predictions
Maths = A
Chemistry = A*
Biology = A
Physics = B (might drop)

I have no idea what I want to do at university, getting 8 9s for gcse actually ****ed me over, it didn’t highlight what I was good at, I was going to pick my subjects based on what I was good at, I then went to school thinking I was gonna do physics maths and further maths. I stopped myself when I released 6 hours of maths everyday for 2 years isn’t fun, so I picked the sciences, only be cos people deemed me as smart and people say they are the hardest, why not take on the challenge? I didn’t take history gcse so can’t do it at a level, kind of regret but I was like 14 when I picked.

I would do law if I were to pick again, but with my sciences, I can’t

I am currently considering - biomed sciences, - neuroscience - biological sciences and biochemistry.

I know for certain I wont enjoy them, I want to be an accountant or a lawyer, but I can’t be,

Anyway, I have high aspirations and will do anything it takes to get the best grades and marks, despite enjoyment. I require no motivation so in planning on applying to Oxford, I have read 5 books, 2 articles, done 4 weeks work experience, and written 2 essays all related to science, I hated every minute,

I know ill be told to “do what I enjoy” but I haven’t found anything I enjoy, I don’t want to take a gap year either, that is hell.

What should I do, suck it up?

Hi,

Choosing what you want to do at University can be challenging because you want to make sure you make the right choice. My colleague Ilya has done a post which goes through some tips about how to decide what degree you want to do. Choosing your University Course. However, I will also offer some advice.

I chose to study Psychology at Uni and it was the best decision I have ever made. I know you said you haven't found anything you enjoy, but there is still a chance for you to figure out what course you may find very interesting. Who says you can't be an accountant or a lawyer, maybe there is a course which will allow you to be a step closer to getting a job in your desired career?

If I was you, maybe have a look at the prospectus for your University choices to see what courses they offer. Reading the information about how the course is structured will spark some interest in a course. Also reach out to people on here or social media about the courses you are potentially interested in, see if you can find students on those courses because they are the best people to hear from about what the degree is like.

It is good that you have high aspirations and are determined to get the best grades. Maybe have this motivation to finding what the best option of course is for you. See if there are any open days you can attend where you will be able to attend course talks and speak to current students and lecturers. Here are the courses DMU offers if you are interested DMU Courses.

I hope this helps,
-Tianna :smile:

Original post by Willcaygill

Reference
Year 12 student
Haven’t done end of year exams yet
MY predictions
Maths = A
Chemistry = A*
Biology = A
Physics = B (might drop)

I have no idea what I want to do at university, getting 8 9s for gcse actually ****ed me over, it didn’t highlight what I was good at, I was going to pick my subjects based on what I was good at, I then went to school thinking I was gonna do physics maths and further maths. I stopped myself when I released 6 hours of maths everyday for 2 years isn’t fun, so I picked the sciences, only be cos people deemed me as smart and people say they are the hardest, why not take on the challenge? I didn’t take history gcse so can’t do it at a level, kind of regret but I was like 14 when I picked.

I would do law if I were to pick again, but with my sciences, I can’t

I am currently considering - biomed sciences, - neuroscience - biological sciences and biochemistry.

I know for certain I wont enjoy them, I want to be an accountant or a lawyer, but I can’t be,

Anyway, I have high aspirations and will do anything it takes to get the best grades and marks, despite enjoyment. I require no motivation so in planning on applying to Oxford, I have read 5 books, 2 articles, done 4 weeks work experience, and written 2 essays all related to science, I hated every minute,

I know ill be told to “do what I enjoy” but I haven’t found anything I enjoy, I don’t want to take a gap year either, that is hell.

What should I do, suck it up?

Hey there @Willcaygill !
I'd honestly just have a think about how much money you're going to be spending on university if you don't actually enjoy what you're doing. Most people see university as just the normal next step after A Levels but it's not always the ideal for everyone, especially if you don't exactly know what it is you want to do. I'd recommend taking a gap year and really thinking about your next steps because you've said you know you won't enjoy them before you've even started so what's the point in spending the money if you're already set on another dream?

I don't know the ins and outs of applying to university if you didn't do anything similar at A Level but I will suggest looking at degree apprenticeships as an option for you. They're not something that's always recommended by sixth form colleges but a great option after A Levels. You basically work full time and get paid, alongside the company paying you to go to university for a week every now and then. It's a great way to learn through actually working whilst still having that university element to it. Everyone I know that's done one thoroughly enjoys it and they offer law apprenticeships if that's the area you know you'd want to go into.

I'd really think this over. You don't want to be spending all this money if you know before you've even got there that you won't like it.
Hope this helped!
Lucy - Digital Student Ambassador SHU

I don’t know what I want to study at uni

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