Future Aspirations
I'm in the middle of year 13 right now and it's quickly getting to the time where all of the personal statements and uni applications need to be done. I'm getting constant reminders from teachers and even students at my sixth form to fill in subject references, complete personal statements and all the other things involved in the application process, and i'm struggling because i am strongly opposed to the university route, due to some the risks outweighing the benefits for me, and all the apprenticeships i can find on offer (at least on the gov uk website) are either a level equivalent, or they are in areas that i am not interested in. I'm not really sure what to do right now
Reply 1
Does your school make it compulsory to complete ps?
Reply 2
Original post
by nnnnnn123Does your school make it compulsory to complete ps?
Yes
Reply 3
Original post
by Guitarenjoyer24!I'm in the middle of year 13 right now and it's quickly getting to the time where all of the personal statements and uni applications need to be done. I'm getting constant reminders from teachers and even students at my sixth form to fill in subject references, complete personal statements and all the other things involved in the application process, and i'm struggling because i am strongly opposed to the university route, due to some the risks outweighing the benefits for me, and all the apprenticeships i can find on offer (at least on the gov uk website) are either a level equivalent, or they are in areas that i am not interested in. I'm not really sure what to do right now
Hi @Guitarenjoyer24!
There is definitely a lot to be done in Year 13 and also a lot of important decisions to make!
I had a friend at my Sixth Form who was in a similar position to you where she did not really want to go to university but also was not sure what other options she had. She decided to apply to university as that gave her a back up option. She then applied to a few different degree apprenticeships when they were released until she was successful in getting one. You might find that doing something similar will give you more options and time to think about what you want to do. It is also handy to complete a personal statement as it gives you a good opportunity to think about your experience and interests.
Hope that helps!
Sophie.
BCU Student Rep.
Reply 4
Hi @BCU Student Rep, thank you for your response.
I know that there is other alternatives out there to going to a university, such as apprenticeships, my problem is more knowing what i want to go into as whilst i agree applying to a university will be a good backup plan, I genuinely am unsure which of my subjects i would apply for in this case. This has left me sort of stuck on my personal statement as i don’t know which subject to write it for, hence it becoming a disorganised mess almost and something i have completely ignored for the last 6 months. Apprenticeships do somewhat appeal to me too, but i can’t find any which i would be interested in. I had a look earlier this evening on the gov uk website but most were construction and things like software engineers, which are things i don’t study and really don’t have any interest in.
I know that there is other alternatives out there to going to a university, such as apprenticeships, my problem is more knowing what i want to go into as whilst i agree applying to a university will be a good backup plan, I genuinely am unsure which of my subjects i would apply for in this case. This has left me sort of stuck on my personal statement as i don’t know which subject to write it for, hence it becoming a disorganised mess almost and something i have completely ignored for the last 6 months. Apprenticeships do somewhat appeal to me too, but i can’t find any which i would be interested in. I had a look earlier this evening on the gov uk website but most were construction and things like software engineers, which are things i don’t study and really don’t have any interest in.
Original post
by Guitarenjoyer24!Hi @BCU Student Rep, thank you for your response.
I know that there is other alternatives out there to going to a university, such as apprenticeships, my problem is more knowing what i want to go into as whilst i agree applying to a university will be a good backup plan, I genuinely am unsure which of my subjects i would apply for in this case. This has left me sort of stuck on my personal statement as i don’t know which subject to write it for, hence it becoming a disorganised mess almost and something i have completely ignored for the last 6 months. Apprenticeships do somewhat appeal to me too, but i can’t find any which i would be interested in. I had a look earlier this evening on the gov uk website but most were construction and things like software engineers, which are things i don’t study and really don’t have any interest in.
I know that there is other alternatives out there to going to a university, such as apprenticeships, my problem is more knowing what i want to go into as whilst i agree applying to a university will be a good backup plan, I genuinely am unsure which of my subjects i would apply for in this case. This has left me sort of stuck on my personal statement as i don’t know which subject to write it for, hence it becoming a disorganised mess almost and something i have completely ignored for the last 6 months. Apprenticeships do somewhat appeal to me too, but i can’t find any which i would be interested in. I had a look earlier this evening on the gov uk website but most were construction and things like software engineers, which are things i don’t study and really don’t have any interest in.
What A levels subjects are your studying?
Reply 6
Original post
by normawWhat A levels subjects are your studying?
Reply 7
Original post
by Guitarenjoyer24!Hi @BCU Student Rep, thank you for your response.
I know that there is other alternatives out there to going to a university, such as apprenticeships, my problem is more knowing what i want to go into as whilst i agree applying to a university will be a good backup plan, I genuinely am unsure which of my subjects i would apply for in this case. This has left me sort of stuck on my personal statement as i don’t know which subject to write it for, hence it becoming a disorganised mess almost and something i have completely ignored for the last 6 months. Apprenticeships do somewhat appeal to me too, but i can’t find any which i would be interested in. I had a look earlier this evening on the gov uk website but most were construction and things like software engineers, which are things i don’t study and really don’t have any interest in.
I know that there is other alternatives out there to going to a university, such as apprenticeships, my problem is more knowing what i want to go into as whilst i agree applying to a university will be a good backup plan, I genuinely am unsure which of my subjects i would apply for in this case. This has left me sort of stuck on my personal statement as i don’t know which subject to write it for, hence it becoming a disorganised mess almost and something i have completely ignored for the last 6 months. Apprenticeships do somewhat appeal to me too, but i can’t find any which i would be interested in. I had a look earlier this evening on the gov uk website but most were construction and things like software engineers, which are things i don’t study and really don’t have any interest in.
Hi @Guitarenjoyer24!
Not knowing what course you want to do is very understable, particularly as there are so many different options. I would recommend attending a university's open day if you are able to as this is a good way to explore a university and see if university life if something you are interested in, whilst also exploring a wide range of different courses. You could also have a look on the UCAS website to explore the different university course options on there.
Some things you could think about to try and decide on a subject are:
•
What subjects or topics are you interested in?
•
Is there anything from your A-Levels that has particularly captured your interest?
•
What kind of careeers are you interested in? Is there a specific field or career?
I'm not sure if any of them will be of interest to you, but UCAS does also have some apprenticeship vacancies advertised on their website which it might be worth having a look at.
Hope that helps!
Sophie.
BCU Student Rep.
Reply 8
Original post
by Guitarenjoyer24!I'm in the middle of year 13 right now and it's quickly getting to the time where all of the personal statements and uni applications need to be done. I'm getting constant reminders from teachers and even students at my sixth form to fill in subject references, complete personal statements and all the other things involved in the application process, and i'm struggling because i am strongly opposed to the university route, due to some the risks outweighing the benefits for me, and all the apprenticeships i can find on offer (at least on the gov uk website) are either a level equivalent, or they are in areas that i am not interested in. I'm not really sure what to do right now
Hey there, it really sounds like you’ve got a lot on your shoulders right now, and that pressure can make everything feel ten times bigger. Year 13 moves fast, and when everyone around you is talking about personal statements and uni applications, it’s easy to feel like you’re falling behind or doing something wrong. But you’re not! Feeling unsure is actually a lot more common than people admit (I had the same feeling!)
If university doesn’t feel right for you at the moment, that’s completely okay. Not everyone is ready to make that jump, and it doesn’t mean you won’t ever be. It just means you’re thinking carefully about your future, which is a good thing.
One thing I’d say is that you don’t have to completely shut the door on uni just because it feels overwhelming right now. Many students at LSBU start off unsure or even hesitant about the whole idea, and then realise that uni can actually be a very supportive and practical route. A lot of our courses are hands on with real life experience built in, which takes away that fear of taking a risk for something uncertain. It might be worth keeping a uni option open for yourself, even just as a safety net while you figure things out.
You’re always welcome to explore LSBU further. We have a virtual open day on 9th December from 12:30 to 1:30 pm or you can book a campus tour https://www.lsbu.ac.uk/study/study-at-lsbu/open-days/campus-tours to get a proper feel for our spaces. You can also chat with our current students on Unibuddy https://www.lsbu.ac.uk/student-life/chat to get an insight into the courses you’re curious about.
LSBU Admissions Ambassador
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