Retaking gcse's at 20

Hi, well as you can see in my topic, im 20 years old and retaking my gcse's at college. As for why I am, i think it was dealing with my parents divorce at an early age, which made me shy and withdrawn, and although i started out ok in school, due to bullying i eventually lost intrest.
Most of my mates are like me, working full time and not really bothered about any type of career.
I do however, want to make something of myself, as i said i will retake 5 gcse's, (but due to money and work), i can proberly take 2 at a time, maybe 3 including (english and maths) and then A levels.
I was thinking about getting into computers, but i feel its a boring, soul destroying kind of job.
If there are two things I have alot of passion for, it is art and spanish, so i'd like to follow some sort of career that revolves around these two.
So im wondering about two things, and i'd appricate peoples opinions:

I have my positive moments, but i am also dogged by thoughts like '' most 20 year olds have done all this by now, your such a loser ''
So is it too late?
And if i do make it, what kind of career's are open to someone who does well in spanish and art?

Reply 1

Sync

14

How about a job in a Spanish art museum? :smile:

Seriously though, go for it. Everyone says GCSEs aren't important, but employers still look at them. It'd be damm useful to have them if you ask me. You'd probably feel a lot better within yourself if you did them, and if you enjoy it, you could take it further, it doesn't matter when they're taken. If you've got the dedication, i'm sure you can easily pass them with good grades.

Reply 2

Sam_B

14

no, its never too late. i know some middle aged people who are retaking a-levels

good luck!

Reply 3

viviki

14

Can I just ask why GCSEs? Are you thinking of university afterwards? If so it might make more sense to take an access course and get into higher education that way rather than spending years retaking GCSEs.
But you are never too old. My dad did an access course in his late forties and now has a computing degree 2.1 and had a complete change of career.

You need to do what you want to do though I would go to your local college and see a careers advisor but it might be worth considering GCSE Spanish along with Art with an access course I think that would be a possibility.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/Topics/Learning/HigherEducationStudents/ThinkingAboutHigherEducation/ThinkingAboutHigherEducationArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4017046&chk=ntOIXs

Heres some starter information anyway.

Reply 4

username5154

0

15

If you're planning to go to university, you will need at least 5 GCSEs grade A*-C. However, in your case you might be exempted from that because of family problems. Nevertheless, GCSE english and maths would the requirements. You will need to do at least 2-3 A-levels for uni too.

I was educated in a different curriculum in another country (doing GCSE equivalent), but I didn't do well in maths and english in that curriculum. Therefore, I've done maths last summer and english in the british curriculum. I still got offers along with my 2 A-levels, 1 AS even though I didn't do 5 GCSEs.

Obviously, it's not too late to do GCSEs and A-levels. I know some mature students are doing those. You're not the only one.

As for the jos, you might want to look at this website (I know it's for postgradutes, however, they have a job description about the job): http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/Explore_types_of_jobs/p!elmjX;jsessionid=a63022800d41$60$D9$F

I thought of a job for spanish. You could be a language teacher or a translator (i.e. translate spanish to english and vice versa). In addition, you get loads of money being a translator.

Reply 5

wanderlusted

Spaced

Hi, well as you can see in my topic, im 20 years old and retaking my gcse's at college. As for why I am, i think it was dealing with my parents divorce at an early age, which made me shy and withdrawn, and although i started out ok in school, due to bullying i eventually lost intrest.
Most of my mates are like me, working full time and not really bothered about any type of career.
I do however, want to make something of myself, as i said i will retake 5 gcse's, (but due to money and work), i can proberly take 2 at a time, maybe 3 including (english and maths) and then A levels.
I was thinking about getting into computers, but i feel its a boring, soul destroying kind of job.
If there are two things I have alot of passion for, it is art and spanish, so i'd like to follow some sort of career that revolves around these two.
So im wondering about two things, and i'd appricate peoples opinions:

I have my positive moments, but i am also dogged by thoughts like '' most 20 year olds have done all this by now, your such a loser ''
So is it too late?
And if i do make it, what kind of career's are open to someone who does well in spanish and art?

I think somebody already suggested a museum or art gallery. But there's also teaching, writing (travel magazines maybe). I'm sure there is a multitude of interesting things to do with a background in art and Spanish.

Good luck! :smile:

Reply 6

af1

*they're

Reply 7

NickiM

14

Hi,
It is never too late, well done for biting the bullet. :smile:

. I am sorry it doesn't really help you, but I wish you all the best and I hope that you get some great results at the end of it :biggrin:

Reply 8

Aitch

2

Sam_B

no, its never too late. i know some middle aged people who are retaking a-levels

good luck!

Or others who have a degree or two and are now doing some of the A-Levels they wanted to do a while ago... :wink:

Aitch

Reply 9

Spaced

OP

oops double posted! Thanks alot for the quick replys and supportive links!
Its nice to know there are people like that out there lol.
Its hard to look at things in a positive way, even more so when your in a dead end job, not to mention fighting things like depression.
When i left school, I was homeless for a little while, then i got a job in a supermarket when i was 17. Im currently moving into a studio apartment as well, ( living with my Dad is worse, believe it or not lol)
When your surrounded by things like this, its very hard to try and keep a positive attitude, and i began to wonder if there was much point carrying on with things they way they were.
Anyway, just summing up things in a nutshell lol, again thanks for your help, if only my real life mates were as supportive as you guys :tsr:

Reply 10

viviki

14

Are you employed at the moment? If not you might even be able to get the jobcentre to contribute towards the cost of your college course.
Also if you struggle to keep up with a course attending college have you looked at home study.THey are more expensive but you can do A Levels and GCSEs online.
But anyway if you are nearly 21 I'd consider the access course as your best option.

Reply 11

saiyamanadingdongbanana

How much are the GCSE courses these days Spaced? :confused:

Reply 12

annabellewalter

1

Mybe consider moving to spain and teaching English as a foreign language, I know its not very arty but it sounds like fun!

Reply 13

viviki

14

They really vary depending on where you take them.

Reply 14

Spaced

OP

Yes im employed at the moment, working in the supermarket i mentioned, on a deli (argh cringe!).
There's a open evening at my college in a months time, so im going to go down and see what they recommend.
The people i work for are pretty easy going when it comes to changeing shifts around, so there isnt much danger of me falling behind.

Reply 15

saiyamanadingdongbanana

check your PM's SPACED :wink:

(private messages, top right of the screen)

Retaking gcse's at 20

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