Urgent, panicking over what degree to choose

I’m meant to be writing my personal statement, but I feel so stuck on what to apply for and can only see the cons, I feel trapped but all my friends have it figured out. I’ve went to open days and had basically narrowed it down to either classics or psychology. Classics I love but it’s so niche and I want to do something that will give me a good future, I think I could just keep classics as a side interest. My other option was somehow psychology, I’ve never done it in school but I viewed it as more practical and vocational - but I don’t even want to do the postgrad to become a psychologist, I don’t want to work in mental health jobs so I don’t even see the point in me doing it.

It feels too late to consider other options but at this point I’m willing to, I’m literally so confused and stressed trying to decide on something when all I want is to do something I like and set myself up for a good, enjoyable future

Reply 1

McGinger

It isn't urgent. You have until January to make this decision, whatever your school tells you. And you do not have to apply for Uni this year. Nowhere does it say you can only go to Uni straight from school - or that Uni is the only option. Plan a gap year, do some careful thinking, and then decide what you want to do next.

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Reply 2

ivoryyroses

Original post

by McGinger

It isn't urgent. You have until January to make this decision, whatever your school tells you. And you do not have to apply for Uni this year. Nowhere does it say you can only go to Uni straight from school - or that Uni is the only option. Plan a gap year, do some careful thinking, and then decide what you want to do next.
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My school is asking for the first draft of statements in two weeks, and honestly I don’t think I want a gap year because I’d feel behind - I’d rather just go to uni next year

Reply 3

holy_moly

you can always do a degree like psychology or classics and end up doing a completely different job, like journalism or law for example. so don't completely discount an entire degree just because you don't want to do the main job most people from that degree go on to do. i would say separate degree and job in your mind a bit, and think about where you feel like your strengths lie both in terms of personal interest and also your strength as a competitive applicant.

after all, you want to ideally go to the best uni your predicteds let you access, and so you should do your research as to what degrees have ZERO cons for you, with job notions set aside temporarily. keep in mind that if you don't want to do a postgrad or work in mental health, that might make your psychology degree a bit more of a wildcard choice compared to someone who's got a plan set out. but that's just what i've gathered from friends who are doing psych. i wouldn't know personally so don't take my word on that.

just remember plans can change and so pick something that you feel like you would not only enjoy, but also be good at hopefully. a good degree from a good uni still opens up a bunch of job ops, but having an okay degree that you struggled in because you weren't interested from a uni that was an afterthought might limit you a bit more. at the end of the day, don't stress too much about it and try to look at modules and entry stats, etc. wishing you the best of luck xx

Reply 4

julia_k.126

Original post

by ivoryyroses

I’m meant to be writing my personal statement, but I feel so stuck on what to apply for and can only see the cons, I feel trapped but all my friends have it figured out. I’ve went to open days and had basically narrowed it down to either classics or psychology. Classics I love but it’s so niche and I want to do something that will give me a good future, I think I could just keep classics as a side interest. My other option was somehow psychology, I’ve never done it in school but I viewed it as more practical and vocational - but I don’t even want to do the postgrad to become a psychologist, I don’t want to work in mental health jobs so I don’t even see the point in me doing it.
It feels too late to consider other options but at this point I’m willing to, I’m literally so confused and stressed trying to decide on something when all I want is to do something I like and set myself up for a good, enjoyable future

Stranger to stranger I think you should go with your gut personally I would say you could do a gap year and then do classics? (Deferred entry??) and use that gap year to figure out what to do freeware’s maybe gain some experience, confidence and reset or just go straight into classics. Psychology CAN be applied to loads of field but I feel like it would be a waste if you KNOW you don’t want to go down the usual psychology route if the only reason you’re considering it is because it seems interesting because you could just read books if you’re curious about subject right? (Not to be mean or rude or anything it’s just university is hella expensive and I wouldn’t want to spend a bunch of money on a degree I wouldn’t be satisfied with) SOOOOO with my humble opinion of a random stranger I say take a gap year/defer your entry and take classical studies

Reply 5

McGinger

Original post

by ivoryyroses

My school is asking for the first draft of statements in two weeks, and honestly I don’t think I want a gap year because I’d feel behind - I’d rather just go to uni next year

Your school cannot make you apply. And you can still apply right up to mid January with no disadvantage, and there may still be places later during Extra and Clearing.

Panicking and applying for something/anything is probably the best way to regret what you have done, either now or once you have started Uni. Its one of the most common reasons for dropping out of Uni. And lots of people take a gap year, for a whole range of reasons, and they don't feel 'left behind' - no-one will care how old you are once you get to Uni. Start thinking for yourself. You don't have to just follow the crowd.

Reply 6

ivoryyroses

Original post

by julia_k.126

Looking back honestly when I posted this I’d been thinking about it so much and overwhelmed myself, I’ve got a clearer head and I think I’ve had an idea. I can do a joint degree in psychology and classics at Glasgow, keeping my options open. Then I still have the option to go into grad school if I want to do that down the line, or just do an extra year for primary teaching which is something I’d enjoy too, or any other opportunities I get.

Reply 7

Uni of Southampton Students

Official Rep

Original post

by ivoryyroses

I’m meant to be writing my personal statement, but I feel so stuck on what to apply for and can only see the cons, I feel trapped but all my friends have it figured out. I’ve went to open days and had basically narrowed it down to either classics or psychology. Classics I love but it’s so niche and I want to do something that will give me a good future, I think I could just keep classics as a side interest. My other option was somehow psychology, I’ve never done it in school but I viewed it as more practical and vocational - but I don’t even want to do the postgrad to become a psychologist, I don’t want to work in mental health jobs so I don’t even see the point in me doing it.
It feels too late to consider other options but at this point I’m willing to, I’m literally so confused and stressed trying to decide on something when all I want is to do something I like and set myself up for a good, enjoyable future

Hello @ivoryyroses,

It’s great to hear you are considering university, but please try not to stress! You still have time to figure things out, what’s most important is picking something that you know you will enjoy.

I’m currently studying psychology at the University of Southampton and have loved it. We have studied a wide range of topics such as memory, relationships, neuroscience, developmental psychology, health psychology, etc… so you definitely don’t have to pursue a career in mental health if this doesn’t interest you.

There are so many different jobs you can go into if you study psychology, this website has a list of careers you could pursue. Psychology isn’t necessarily just vocational as well, as many people go into the more academic research side of things.

If you enjoy classics and like the look of it, you don’t have to rule it out as there are options for careers as this website shows.

I hope this helped and let me know if you have any more questions!

Poppy, 3rd Year Psychology :smile:

Reply 8

stressedrabbit

Do law it encompasses all of this and is a stable career xx

Reply 9

LSBU

Official Rep

Original post

by ivoryyroses

I’m meant to be writing my personal statement, but I feel so stuck on what to apply for and can only see the cons, I feel trapped but all my friends have it figured out. I’ve went to open days and had basically narrowed it down to either classics or psychology. Classics I love but it’s so niche and I want to do something that will give me a good future, I think I could just keep classics as a side interest. My other option was somehow psychology, I’ve never done it in school but I viewed it as more practical and vocational - but I don’t even want to do the postgrad to become a psychologist, I don’t want to work in mental health jobs so I don’t even see the point in me doing it.
It feels too late to consider other options but at this point I’m willing to, I’m literally so confused and stressed trying to decide on something when all I want is to do something I like and set myself up for a good, enjoyable future

Hey there,

It is totally normal to feel unsure and many students do at this stage. At LSBU, our Psychology course gives you a strong foundation in understanding human behaviour and thinking, while also building transferable skills like communication, research, and analysis. You don’t need to go into mental health to make use of it as many graduates go into business, education, marketing, or research. It’s a degree that keeps your options open and helps you find what truly interests you.

What’s great is that LSBU places a strong emphasis on employability and practical experience. You’ll have opportunities to apply psychological concepts to real-world projects and develop skills in data analysis, communication, and critical thinking.

You can also chat directly with our current students on Unibuddy if you’d like to ask questions about their experiences or get insights into life at LSBU https://www.lsbu.ac.uk/student-life/chat

I’d really encourage you to join us at our Open Day https://www.lsbu.ac.uk/study/study-at-lsbu/open-days on 15th November as you’ll be able to chat with our lecturers, current students, and admissions team to get a real feel for the course and career path.

LSBU Admissions Ambassador

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