Should I continue my AATs and beyond or try computer science instead?

Hello,

I'm 27 and I have wasted enough years of my life in my minimum wage office job to declare that enough is enough. I've been studying for AATs in my spare time since 2013 (I'm now in my level 3 which is A-level equivalent) and it's so far so good, I believe I can pass this class and then be able to do level 4 (which is the equivalent of the first year of a degree).

However part of me feels unsatisfied with the lack of challenge (when the language is learnt its mostly plain sailing) and another part of me is concerned that I would not earn as much money as I would like (I am on £14k now) from being an Accountant. For example I was hoping at least to be able to nab a job £16,000 or £17000 or above (either from a level 2 or level 3) but I've become concerned that this would be unlikely.

I have been tempted (for many reasons including demand and potential earnings) to do a Computer Science course instead even though it is seemingly mammoth in challenge and frustration. I suspect that I could either use the 160 UCAS points (and my original A-level UCAS points if they still have any worth) to get on the course or I could try an OU course instead. Bear in mind one of my historic shames was that I didn't try very hard at college as a teenager so received all D's and E's at A-Level.

Could I have some guidance, advice or mere opinion? Thank you.

Well what do you want to do in life, as a career or job?

Well I have always had an issue with never being able to identify with an "ideal job" and thus not know what I should do with my life. It's always been a job of picking the best from a bad lot of choices. I am supposedly a talented writer (though perfectionism would prevent me from being truly comfortable with such a conclusion) and if the market was right and I was a genius I would simply just write some novels and make a comforting amount of money from my works. Instead though that is sort of like my past time put to the side in favour of occupations which would pay the bills.

Accountancy is something people across time have suggested I could try and be. When I was younger my mother would joke about me being one - I am assuming because I "look" like one (though I am also quite good with money, I have enough savings to get through a three or four university course without ever going into debt) but when I am in the classes I feel like I could be more than this, that potential is not realised. This is combined with a sense that an accountant would not earn enough to a) allow me to be financially independent and b) to overcome any irrational fears of mine that I am not earning enough to be a success :P There is also a concern that I won't find a job at all in the field (for many reasons) though I would be okay more-or-less with opening my own accountancy firm if I had to in the worst case scenario. There is a chance that higher level accountancy stuff would give me enough challenge to satisfy me.

Computer science seems daunting in the first instance but it does appeal to my creative side - moving mountains and the like. My girlfriend has graduated with a degree and she's expecting to earn twice as much as I am at the moment. This has inspired me to better myself - I have historically entertained ideas I am not doing enough with my time/my life is a waste and this was the most recent incarnation.

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tl;dr version: I am pragmatic enough to do a job which would put food on the table though I would prefer one which ensures plenty of food. Ideally I would like advice which is more impersonal - e.g. prospects of promotion, market growth, potential earnings etc. If the prospect of earning a lot of money wasn't immediately apparent I probably would never have thoughtfully considered CS at all.

Thanks.

Well I think you should try and get some first hand experience in both the industries to help you decide more on what you want to do, but based on what you've said so far I'd probably say CS degree.