I changed my mind about university and took an apprenticeship instead

Well, by the time I realised that medicine and university wasn’t something that I wanted to do, I had already sat two medical admissions exams and submitted my UCAS application. I began questioning my decision a few months after submitting my application, but I initially thought that it was just normal nerves.

Well, by the time I realised that medicine and university wasn’t something that I wanted to do, I had already sat two medical admissions exams and submitted my UCAS application. I began questioning my decision a few months after submitting my application, but I initially thought that it was just normal nerves.

Hi im just curios as to whether you got any offers or interviews for medicine?

What was the catalyst for changing your mind? Was there something specific that made you realise you didn’t want to go to university?

It wasn’t until February after my application, that I really began to re-evaluate my options. At this point, universities had started to open up and I was able to visit some of the universities I had applied for whereas prior to my application, my interactions with universities were all limited to online due to covid. I think actually being able to go on to campus really gave me a sense of the university life and having the opportunity to participate in taster sessions, gave me a strong idea of what my life could look like. I think these sessions were a big factor in me realising that medicine and pharmacy were probably not the right courses for me. I also think as the year got on, I realised that I didn’t want to be learning in a classroom as I had been for so many years, but I did want to continue on to higher education in some way as getting a degree was very important to me.

I think once I accepted that University wasn’t right for me, I began to research. I am a planner, so I started looking into other ways of continuing my education. I didn’t know much about other options in higher education, but I remember reading years ago about apprenticeships when I was in secondary schools. Education is really important to me because I am a strong believer in education transforming lives, so I knew that I wanted to continue to progress academically, I just didn’t want to do it the traditional way.

If you came to the realisation that medicine wasn't the suitable career path for you, could you please share what led you to initially apply? Were there certain societal or parental factors that influenced your decision? Your insights would be valuable in understanding your journey.

When you were doing your research, what was it that stood out and appealed to you about taking a degree apprenticeship? And how did you find out about the law degree apprenticeship option in particular?

I think that degree apprenticeships were the best compromise for me as they offered the best of both worlds- I am able to continue my academic learning and work towards a degree, whilst spending the majority of my time learning through first-hand experience and from the people around me. Being able to learn through experience and applying the theory I learn in a professional environment as well as earning a degree really appealed to me.

The apprentice route can make a difference financially as well!

Were there any financial considerations that affected your decision to go for an apprenticeship rather than uni?

Definitely, university debt was something I worried about. One of the best things about a degree apprenticeship was that I would be able to qualify debt free, and be paid a salary through my apprenticeship, eliminating debt from the equation which of course made degree apprenticeships even more appealing to me. My salary increases through my apprenticeship to reflect my increasing responsibility, and this means that I am able to become more financially secure which of course is another benefit.

How about that switch in subjects? What made you switch your focus from medicine to law, in particular?

When I started to question everything, I began to look at my options again, I went back to the drawing board completely. I looked at my skills and my hobbies, and also my past work experience to really understand my strengths and weaknesses. For example, the vast majority of my work experience and internships were focused around politics or communication and social change and these were all things that I am passionate about and enjoy. I spoke to my support network and the people around me and whilst I enjoyed learning about law as a hobby, I hadn’t seriously considered it as a career. I reached out to lots of different people, lawyers, law apprentices and law students to speak to them about their experiences before I decided to take a chance.

When I started to question everything, I began to look at my options again, I went back to the drawing board completely. I looked at my skills and my hobbies, and also my past work experience to really understand my strengths and weaknesses. For example, the vast majority of my work experience and internships were focused around politics or communication and social change and these were all things that I am passionate about and enjoy. I spoke to my support network and the people around me and whilst I enjoyed learning about law as a hobby, I hadn’t seriously considered it as a career. I reached out to lots of different people, lawyers, law apprentices and law students to speak to them about their experiences before I decided to take a chance.

Do you feel that doing a level history widened your options? were there any specific a level requirements for the law apprenticeship?