Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

Did your parents influence your choice of university or course?

If you're at uni or currently in the application process, how much influence did your parents have on your decision?

Did you talk to them about where you were planning to apply to - or the course you were thinking of doing?

Did they have more influence on you than other people - such as your teachers and careers adviser? If so, what advice did they give you?

Personally, I don't really remember talking to my folks about this at all - I think I was pretty much left to get on with it.

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Reply 1

1582

Volunteer Team

My parents had zero influence. No one really influenced me at all, actually. I went through the researching and application process without really talking to anyone about it. I already knew what I wanted to do.

Reply 2

Pectorac

Anyone who lets their parents decide what they're doing at university shouldn't be going to university at all.

Reply 3

Slowbro93

They tried and failed :tongue:

Reply 4

Mujahid95

My local Preacher did he wanted me to recruit fellow revolutionaries
My brother really

Reply 5

username1308327

No.

I just got on with what I wanted to do and I did not let anyone influence me.

People will always come up with their opinions but the decision is ultimately down to you.

Reply 6

skd1996

I spoke to my parents about universities, they came with me on open days and I asked their opinions about different courses and different areas.

However, the final decision was mine- I just involved them in the decision making process.

Reply 7

karmacrunch

They won't really in future but they'll support me :smile:

Posted from TSR Mobile

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 8

MidnightDream

Not really I came up with it all on my own, though when I was going through career choices they did give me advice and pros and cons and helped me get work experience but it was always up to me (though I reckon if I hadn't chosen a STEM subject they wouldn't have been best pleased :laugh:

and may not have helped as much)

Reply 9

Chicken.M.

I did discuss it with them after I had offers from the 3 main universities I wanted to go to and couldn't decide which one to pick. I asked a lot of people their opinions though.

I'm still not sure whether I want to swap NUA and herts though.

edit: ye they came with me on the open days as well and helped me decide which ones to apply for. Because some of the lecturers came across as real dicks and my parents helped me judge their characters lol. Having good lecturers was one of the most important things for me.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 10

Ndella

My parents didn't go to university so they didn't know what advice to give me. I was left to get on with it myself in effect.

Reply 11

themorninglight

Yep, they didn't want me to move out so I only applied to universities in London :smile:

They had very little influence in my choice of university course though, neither of my parents went to university themselves so they aren't too clued up about any of it.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 12

username944192

My Mum waited until I'd applied and got offers from UCL, Southampton, Warwick, York and Nottingham to tell me that she would never drive me to or from any of them apart from UCL/Southampton (we live in London). So while she didn't choose for me, exactly, that left me pretty stuck. It's a shame but I don't regret the uni I went to anyway so it's no bother.

Reply 13

Vicodin

They wouldn't have a clue

Reply 14

TimmonaPortella

Not in the slightest, but we would have made the same choice so the issue didn't arise. I didn't really consult them on where to apply, etc.

This forum probably influenced me more than anyone else.

Reply 15

Lamptastic

None for my undergrad degree and none for my future degree.

My parents didn't go to Uni or even sat their O Levels so they have no idea what's going on.

Reply 16

trustmeimlying1

they pretty much decided it...

well they made great points ...did great research and I agreed

got lucky you could say

and after today really lucky...

Reply 17

rhiannon277

No, they left it entirely up to me which is as it should be.

Reply 18

liomeeringca

Original post by shooks

My parents had very little input into my university choices, all they did was direct me to the sort of unis I should look into applying for e.g. Russell Group. Nevertheless, my firm choice is the one they both went to. :dontknow:

Reply 19

Alfissti

Both my parents are Cambridge trained lawyers. They very much wanted my elder brother to follow their footsteps but he wasn't exactly law school material let alone Cambridge material. I told them I wanted to pursue engineering, they simply said whatever. Thus I did and had all the guidance from my school tutors and housemaster who steered me towards the programs they thought I would be best suited for as well as had interest in. After I had been done my parents seeing the deject my elder brother had become pressured me to read law which I did and since they were paying I didn't exactly say no.

My own kids, my eldest I never influenced her towards any particular field of study though I did tell her there is an expectation on her that after all I had invested in her that at the very least I see some results from it. She developed a thing for medicine, I told her to give it her absolute best and see what happens. As for uni choice, she wanted UCL but was also accepted to Oxford and Birmingham. I told her as if she went to Oxford then she could stay at the family house as it was within commuting distance. We didn't prevent her from UCL just told her it would be student digs and most likely the cheapest ones available as her mother was somewhat against the idea of her pursuing studies in UK.

My 2nd, she is starting to think about university as she is also more of a engineering and scientific minded person. I do encourage her to consider Oxford or perhaps Warwick for reason that we have a home that is within commuting distance but she wants to go to USA or if that doesn't happen she wants to go to Finland. I only tell her do the best she can and if she gets the unis she wants in US then it is my job to pay for it.