What did you do after dropping out of uni?
I need help on what to do next. I am a straight a student with As in higher english, maths, music, history and chemistry. I went to study history at ST andrews university and I hated it so I left. I would like to go to university again, but i have no idea what to study. I find humanities pretty easy comparatively, but I am not interested in the subject matter. I enjoy sciences and was considering chem engineering, materials or natural sciences or chemistry but the issue is I do not want to work in a lab as my career. I have zero concept of any industries I am interested in and even less for subjects. I don’t know whether I just apply for stuff and accept I will have to study something I don’t particularly like or whether I should take yet another year out and hope it clears up. I feel like the first would be rushing and the second would be remaining in limbo. Does anyone have any advice, any degrees that I may not have come across, or just any thoughts on the matter? Thank you
(this is on a time crunch as the UCAS deadline is on the 14th…)
(this is on a time crunch as the UCAS deadline is on the 14th…)
Reply 1
20
I would like to go to university again, but i have no idea what to study.
Then don't go. There are plenty of other ways to find you path in life and 'going to Uni' isn't necessarily going to make that any more obvious or any easier. Get a job, any job, plan a constructive gap-year and do some calm thinking about what you want to do next ,and more importantly, why.
Then don't go. There are plenty of other ways to find you path in life and 'going to Uni' isn't necessarily going to make that any more obvious or any easier. Get a job, any job, plan a constructive gap-year and do some calm thinking about what you want to do next ,and more importantly, why.
Reply 2
^This. Work out what you want to do first.
Are you asking what people did when dropping out of uni? Or are you wanting advice on your own life? Those are two different things.
If I'm going to answer the first one...
I dropped out of the University of Leeds in 2008 with a CertHE in French/TESOL and a CertHE in Classical Civilisation under my belt, and two small children to take care of.
December 2008 my husband and I started an online business
Summer 2009 the business went bust
September 2009 had another baby
November 2009 was forced to put our house on the market
July 2010 moved house
2010-2011 I did mystery shopping
2011-2012 I lost 5 stone and wrote a book
2013 I had another baby and published the book
2014 I wrote another book
2015 I started going to comic cons as a guest author
I also published that second book and wrote a third book
2016 published the third book. By this point I was a guest author at about 40+ events a year. I had been on the radio, on videos, all sorts.
I decided to start running my own events.
2017-2020 I was running dozens of my own comic cons and Minecraft themed mini-cons, as well as running VR and PS4 entertainment at other people's events.
2020-2021 events stopped in 2020 due to Covid. I made the decision never to go back into the event industry, and instead I started Ghostwriting.
2021 I went back to uni. Transferred my Class Civ credits from my CertHE across to the OU.
2024 alongside my degree I also did a TEFL Level 5 qualification, and a CELTA qualification.
Summer 2025 Graduated with First Class Hons in Classical Studies at the age of 41.
October 2025 started a master's degree in Ancient Worlds at the University of Edinburgh.
My advice to you is that life doesn't have to follow some neat linear path. It's ok if your path meanders.
If I'm going to answer the first one...
I dropped out of the University of Leeds in 2008 with a CertHE in French/TESOL and a CertHE in Classical Civilisation under my belt, and two small children to take care of.
December 2008 my husband and I started an online business
Summer 2009 the business went bust
September 2009 had another baby
November 2009 was forced to put our house on the market
July 2010 moved house
2010-2011 I did mystery shopping
2011-2012 I lost 5 stone and wrote a book
2013 I had another baby and published the book
2014 I wrote another book
2015 I started going to comic cons as a guest author
I also published that second book and wrote a third book
2016 published the third book. By this point I was a guest author at about 40+ events a year. I had been on the radio, on videos, all sorts.
I decided to start running my own events.
2017-2020 I was running dozens of my own comic cons and Minecraft themed mini-cons, as well as running VR and PS4 entertainment at other people's events.
2020-2021 events stopped in 2020 due to Covid. I made the decision never to go back into the event industry, and instead I started Ghostwriting.
2021 I went back to uni. Transferred my Class Civ credits from my CertHE across to the OU.
2024 alongside my degree I also did a TEFL Level 5 qualification, and a CELTA qualification.
Summer 2025 Graduated with First Class Hons in Classical Studies at the age of 41.
October 2025 started a master's degree in Ancient Worlds at the University of Edinburgh.
My advice to you is that life doesn't have to follow some neat linear path. It's ok if your path meanders.
Reply 4
Never (and I mean never), never apply to any University course just for the lulz. Have a clear end goal, and see University as a stepping stone to that end goal.
If you don't have an end goal and don't know an employer that wants to employ you and wants you to complete the degree, you will end up with a lot of debt, a piece of paper and potentially no employment. Trust me on this: this exact thing happened to me a long time ago. The UK economy is not a rosy place right now for people with lots of qualifications but no skills or experience.
If you don't have an end goal and don't know an employer that wants to employ you and wants you to complete the degree, you will end up with a lot of debt, a piece of paper and potentially no employment. Trust me on this: this exact thing happened to me a long time ago. The UK economy is not a rosy place right now for people with lots of qualifications but no skills or experience.
(edited 1 month ago)
Reply 5
Original post
by ishirfeogI need help on what to do next. I am a straight a student with As in higher english, maths, music, history and chemistry. I went to study history at ST andrews university and I hated it so I left. I would like to go to university again, but i have no idea what to study. I find humanities pretty easy comparatively, but I am not interested in the subject matter. I enjoy sciences and was considering chem engineering, materials or natural sciences or chemistry but the issue is I do not want to work in a lab as my career. I have zero concept of any industries I am interested in and even less for subjects. I don’t know whether I just apply for stuff and accept I will have to study something I don’t particularly like or whether I should take yet another year out and hope it clears up. I feel like the first would be rushing and the second would be remaining in limbo. Does anyone have any advice, any degrees that I may not have come across, or just any thoughts on the matter? Thank you
(this is on a time crunch as the UCAS deadline is on the 14th…)
(this is on a time crunch as the UCAS deadline is on the 14th…)
You don't have to study engineering or sciences and work in a lab. I know people with First and 2.1s from decent unis who are in Finance, Civil Service, Banking, Tech, Teaching, Diplomatic Service etc.
There is an unfair myth that one needs to be crystal clear at 18 or 19 about what they want to do with the rest of their life. It is more important to explore and keep progressing than to simply drop out then coast for several years.
Personally, I would suggest that you consider what subject interests you the most and study that at uni. You can decide what to do next afterwards. Some people have it all figured out and have nothing at the end of 3 or 4 years.
Good luck
Reply 6
Original post
by ishirfeogI need help on what to do next. I am a straight a student with As in higher english, maths, music, history and chemistry. I went to study history at ST andrews university and I hated it so I left. I would like to go to university again, but i have no idea what to study. I find humanities pretty easy comparatively, but I am not interested in the subject matter. I enjoy sciences and was considering chem engineering, materials or natural sciences or chemistry but the issue is I do not want to work in a lab as my career. I have zero concept of any industries I am interested in and even less for subjects. I don’t know whether I just apply for stuff and accept I will have to study something I don’t particularly like or whether I should take yet another year out and hope it clears up. I feel like the first would be rushing and the second would be remaining in limbo. Does anyone have any advice, any degrees that I may not have come across, or just any thoughts on the matter? Thank you
(this is on a time crunch as the UCAS deadline is on the 14th…)
(this is on a time crunch as the UCAS deadline is on the 14th…)
Hello, I just want to say, you are not behind, broken, or doing anything wrong. What you're describing is actually a very common position for high achieving students who are capable across lots of subjects. Your degree does not lock you into one type of job. degrees are often skill passports, not job titles.
Trenyce (kingston rep)
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