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Transfer to second year or take first year again

OK so I have decided to transfer unis after my first year but the course I will be taking is very similar. I am currently taking a straight split between mechanical and electrical engineering and will hopefully transfer to mechatronics or electrical engineering at a different uni.

My question is should I go straight to second year or retake the first (considering the uni will let me). If I retake the first then I will be doing the general electrical year and then can choose between electrical or mechatronics in the second year incase my interests change. Also this will give me the opportunity to get to know everyone on my course and other first years as they have just come to uni so will be easier to settle into the uni and the area and make friends.

If I were to go straight to second year then since the mechatronics course has more electrical and less mechanical, there will be mabye some stuff I would have missed out on and it would be stressful going through it while trying to maintain and good grade and settle into the uni and course and also I feel it would be harder to make friends. Whereas starting off in year 1 I could deal with all the settling in and socialising (I feel as though I didn't try hard enough to enjoy first year and mix at the uni so going straight into a stressful second year is daunting) as well as working hard on my course and when I get to year 2 I could be in a better position to work and could potentially get a better grade. Also I'm worried lots of people on the course would be closed off in their own groups, I would also be having to rent privately on my own. The only positive I can see is that I will finish my degree a year sooner and will have 17k less debt. I'm taking a masters so if I went into second year I would end up with 70k+ debt which I probably wouldn't pay off, so would and extra year of loans even matter much

Any advice would be appreciated

Reply 1

Clearing and Applications Advisor

Have you had confirmation from the university that you have applied to that your current course is compatible enough for transfer into year 2?

My hunch is that your university will decide this for you.

Reply 2

john_iqbal786

They will allow it, its just a matter of whether I should go straight into second year

Original post by PQ

Reply 3

Clearing and Applications Advisor

Original post by john_iqbal786

They will allow it, its just a matter of whether I should go straight into second year

They’ve made you a formal offer for second year entry through ucas already? Have you asked them about first year entry? If the course is closed for first year then they might not allow that.

Allowing applications doesn’t guarantee APEL approval. Especially for degrees with accreditation.

Reply 4

Realitysreflexx

Within engineering they are usually only fussy about you passing what you intend to do in 2nd year.

Are you trading down universities substantially though to accomodate this move?

If you can save the year and not have to be forced into going to a university that may hinder your chances of getting into a good master's program i would advise saving tge extra year in fees. But do realise this, if you've been lazy and have struggled due to your own merits... And feel your capable to handle 2nd year go for it, because if you flop in 2nd year and have to drop out you will be out of FUNDiNG. No one takes a struggling 2nd year and puts them on their course!

The debt isn't that serious more than likely you will be paying a portion for the rest of your life wether it takes you four at undergrad or three. Postgraduate funding is obviously different and a one off with also a different repayment plan.

I would strongly ask myself... Am i ready for the obvious jump up in workload in 2nd year, that isn't to be underestimated! On any degree course... Much less engineering. As alot of my friends who got firsts in first year barely scrapped 2:1s in second.

Original post by john_iqbal786

They will allow it, its just a matter of whether I should go straight into second year

Reply 5

john_iqbal786

They have told me over email that they would allow a 2nd year transfer based on my first year grades and that they if I were to apply to first year they would give an unconditional

My issue is whether to actually transfer to the second year or just start from the first. I was hoping people that have been in this situation before could offer some advice

Original post by PQ