Is uni a waste of time for someone who can't get at least CCC/CCD etc at A Level?
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Original post by Mr Inquisitive
Prof. Brian Cox got a D in A-Level Mathematics. He's not doing too bad, is he? 
A lot of people without qualifications have made it far; don't make excuses.
A lot of people without qualifications have made it far; don't make excuses.
A-levels were harder then.
And I SERIOUSLY doubt he just got a D in Maths, he probably studied two other subjects and got AAD- which is completely different.
Original post by Mr Inquisitive
Prof. Brian Cox got a D in A-Level Mathematics. He's not doing too bad, is he?
A lot of people without qualifications have made it far; don't make excuses.
A lot of people without qualifications have made it far; don't make excuses.
Totally agree, at the end of the day your A levels are only a stepping stone to get into University. If you work hard and study (which you should always do at uni others you're paying thousands of pounds to **** around...which is stupid) then you can get a great grade and therefore get a great job still.
It's all about effort and getting what you want from it
& studying hard obviously Original post by Why!
And if so, why do smarter people deserve better jobs and higher wages? Is this not a little unfair? It can't be someone's fault is they are too dumb to do academics and exams, because what if they are still very good at working a job, which surely must count the most?
High wages are paid for skills, diligence and willingness to take risks that are rare.
High academic ability is one, but only one of those things. We also pay the plumber highly who is willing to be called out at 3AM, the man who can kick a football very well; the woman who can obtain many magazine column inches for the frocks that she is paid to wear and the private security operative who will provide protection in a war zone without the backup of big army behind him.
Original post by Why!
And if so, why do smarter people deserve better jobs and higher wages? Is this not a little unfair? It can't be someone's fault is they are too dumb to do academics and exams, because what if they are still very good at working a job, which surely must count the most?
It can be done, if you're willing to re-invest the money, time and work ethic to something else.
If you have none of those, forget uni as a waste of time, living in general would be a waste of time.
I was considering doing creative writing/English lang at uni but I have had many problems with the college I'm in at the moment. Now I'm just considering racking up work experience by doing some vocational course in journalism. I don't care now, I've been put under enough stress and the last thing I need is to worry about not attending uni cause apparently that's the only way to become successful.
Depends, really.
More often than not, if you get less than CCC at A-Level, you're not going to be a great student. As a result, you'll likely end up at a poor university, which may hamper your job prospects in the future.
Then again, A-Levels are not a perfect measure nor a concrete predictor of future potential. Someone with A*A*A* may do worse on the same degree course as someone with CCD.
More often than not, if you get less than CCC at A-Level, you're not going to be a great student. As a result, you'll likely end up at a poor university, which may hamper your job prospects in the future.
Then again, A-Levels are not a perfect measure nor a concrete predictor of future potential. Someone with A*A*A* may do worse on the same degree course as someone with CCD.
The hard truth and what most people wouldn't want to admit to you is this, the job markets are competitive, and so are the jobs on a intellectual and physical level.
Those not up to the "mark" won't succeed. Answering your question, if you have sky high ambitions without the work ethic or intellect (or both), then some would call you deluded, and yes it is unfair.
Those not up to the "mark" won't succeed. Answering your question, if you have sky high ambitions without the work ethic or intellect (or both), then some would call you deluded, and yes it is unfair.
Original post by Why!
And if so, why do smarter people deserve better jobs and higher wages? Is this not a little unfair? It can't be someone's fault is they are too dumb to do academics and exams, because what if they are still very good at working a job, which surely must count the most?
Smarter people don't deserve better jobs. Smarter people get better jobs because employers want smarter works. Smarter workers = better productivity, which equals more profit.
It's purely a business decision. The smartest people do the best job.
Not necessarily academically smart here, mind. A plumber, a joiner or an electrician who is smart and good at what they do will do the best job, just like a neurosurgeon who is very smart will do a better job...
I personally hated school, being forced to study so many subjects I disliked and had no interest in. I ended up with what could be the equivalent of CCC at A-Levels, would do the bare minimum at school, yet I absolutely love university, because I can actually work by myself and I do what I really love. I don't believe grades are a good indicator of someone's intelligence, simply of the amount of work they're ready to put in to pass an exam.
A level grades in no way predict university performance.. So its really unfair to tag "unfit for university" because of C-D grades....
Everyone deserves to try university and decide for themselves if its suitable for them....
There is a reason why Bill Gates left Harvard to establish his business and there is a reason why Natalie Portman graduated from Harvard first and then moved on to acting career...
Everyone deserves to try university and decide for themselves if its suitable for them....
There is a reason why Bill Gates left Harvard to establish his business and there is a reason why Natalie Portman graduated from Harvard first and then moved on to acting career...
Yes, everyone with below A grades should be put to work in fields 
All top grades show is that people know how to give the exam boards what they want. There are other types of intelligence that are just as important, if not more so.
All top grades show is that people know how to give the exam boards what they want. There are other types of intelligence that are just as important, if not more so.
Yes I think that university should be the privilige of those intelligent enough and hard working enough to get in, at the end of the day it is tax-payers money going into funding many thousands of pounds for each student to go to university, it seems a bit pointless to waste that money on someone studying media studies with A-level results of CCC.
Original post by Why!
Why do people like to give neg rep so much? I just asked a question, was it that bad?
I imagine it's because you called everyone with C's at A Level dumb.
Original post by ~ Purple Rose ~
I imagine it's because you called everyone with C's at A Level dumb.
I meant below Cs really, like Ds and Es. Sorry though, my bad.
Original post by Why!
I meant below Cs really, like Ds and Es. Sorry though, my bad.
So everyone with Ds and lower are dumb? Here, have some more neg rep.
Original post by Pengwan
So everyone with Ds and lower are dumb? Here, have some more neg rep.
I personally achieved Ds and I feel quite dumb for that.
yes....
as it shows that you are either not academically minded enough to attend
or
too lazy and have a bad work ethic
uni is not for everyone, only the top 25% should be attending, not the 40% that does now
as it shows that you are either not academically minded enough to attend
or
too lazy and have a bad work ethic
uni is not for everyone, only the top 25% should be attending, not the 40% that does now
Original post by Oliviaonthetrain
I don't think it's fair they pigeon hole people - when I was at school (I'm at uni now) they only paid closer attention to the meds/Oxford/Cambridge people. As soon as you become someone of 'high' potential, you get attention. Once you lose such potential, the attention is gone. I have experience - I've been on that side before... The education system needs to realise that every one has potential and that 'cleverness' is not only measured by grades... Rlly messed me up, if you can tell...
There is another side to this though, I go to a regular comprehensive and it is felt a bit at our school that they focus mainly on getting the sort of average people up to Cs not Ds; if you're getting solid Bs and As they don't really see the point in helping you make sure you get As and A*s, so we end up with less help and having to do a lot ourselves...
Just putting forward a point of view though
Original post by NATHANRJROCHE
Yes I think that university should be the privilige of those intelligent enough and hard working enough to get in, at the end of the day it is tax-payers money going into funding many thousands of pounds for each student to go to university, it seems a bit pointless to waste that money on someone studying media studies with A-level results of CCC.
I agree with the what you are saying about wasting money on people that don't want to work put the effort in. But, the point you made about it being tax-payers moneys is totally irrelevant. Students have to pay the money back, some students may not have to pay it all, but its not free. On top that we also have to pay interest, so I would be fair in saying, it would be them getting them self into debt. It may be 'tax-payers money' now, but in the future it will be them paying back into the 'system' for other students to do as they have
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