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

I feel like an idiot.

I got two offers on results day. One from Uni of York (which wanted three As for biology) and one from Uni of Leeds. Leeds’ offer had a condition: I had to do a foundation year in interdisciplinary sciences before progressing on to a science degree of my choice (likely to be psychology but maybe biology).

What is the general perception of foundation years? I’ve always considered myself capable, but the bad grades at A level and the foundation course has seen me questioning that. Still, I don’t want the first impression people get of me to be, well, “so he’s an idiot, then.”

Has anyone else had this feeling? Am I wrong to be embarrassed about the foundation year? My first impulse was to be insulted (which is irrational, because I didn’t meet the requirements) because I’ve been getting A*-B for years now. How should I go into this next year? Am I being rational in being a little embarrassed that I have to go through it? Did I make the right choice in not going to York for biology? Are any of these questions actually answerable?

Reply 1

returnmigrant

Your eventual degree certificate will not say ' did Foundation course first' so most of this 'embarrassment' stuff is all in your own head. The right way to approach this is 'Leeds could have rejected me and they have given me a great chance to make this all come right'. Be honest - things went badly for you in August but you managed to pull it out of the fire, and here you are at Leeds - yippee. It sounds like a very good deal to me - you get a year to get up to speed on basic but broad science stuff, while deciding what degree subject you really do want to do.

Reply 2

Flashsav

Agreed with was was said above, foundation year is an excellent way to help prepare for ur eventual degree and get settled into uni life

Reply 3

byelovaries

You shouldn't feel embarrassed at all. I got into Leeds on results day with ABBC, I'm doing Physics yet I got a C in Maths. I think I got in through Access to Leeds. I'm the same as you, I've been getting A*-Bs all through college, but I personally just didn't deliver when it came to exams.

One of my my friends did a foundation year and now she's training as a dentist, and there is no difference between her and the people studying alongside her. Foundation years aren't embarrassing, they're just another means of getting to the place you want to be.

As for making the right choice, only you can find that out. Leeds is a good university for research, so that would be better for natural sciences, but then again I don't know much about York. From the staff at my college, Leeds is simply better in their eyes. I hope that's somewhat helped!