Has anybody dropped out of Uni in the first term..???
Discussion
OK,
Here is the situation.
I have three lads 22,21 and 19 all at different Universities..
The eldest has just finished software engineering, the middle son is halfway through doing Graphic Design, and the youngest has just started psychology with criminology, with a view hopefully to joining the police force.......His dream.....
Myself and Mrs WR have been to visit him today, and he is not a happy chappy.....
He has dropped a bombshell saying he is not really suited to University life, and whilst the course is not too bad, he is not really suited to the academic lifestyle, and the thought of another three years horrifies him. He was very upset, so I said if it is really making him so unhappy cut his losses and finish, which obviously I would not like him to do.....
I have advised him to give it till Christmas, but to be honest I think he could be home before the months out.......
So should he stay or should he go???
Advice from any PH Bib would also be welcome......
Here is the situation.
I have three lads 22,21 and 19 all at different Universities..
The eldest has just finished software engineering, the middle son is halfway through doing Graphic Design, and the youngest has just started psychology with criminology, with a view hopefully to joining the police force.......His dream.....
Myself and Mrs WR have been to visit him today, and he is not a happy chappy.....
He has dropped a bombshell saying he is not really suited to University life, and whilst the course is not too bad, he is not really suited to the academic lifestyle, and the thought of another three years horrifies him. He was very upset, so I said if it is really making him so unhappy cut his losses and finish, which obviously I would not like him to do.....
I have advised him to give it till Christmas, but to be honest I think he could be home before the months out.......
So should he stay or should he go???
Advice from any PH Bib would also be welcome......
I dropped out of my first year at Leeds and it was the best thing I did.. if he's not happy he will find it hard to stick it out. There are many Uni courses that aren't academic and ask him to consider those. I did music production.. many do media related - hands on stuff like film or the like...
Having recently finished my Undergrad degree, I would say to him - stick it out.
I absolutely hated the first six months of Uni - I lived at home so didn't socialise as much as I could have done if I lived in the halls, so felt left out somewhat; I was having a hard time due to splitting up with the then girlfriend of several years and also feeling a bit crap as most of my college friends had gone to other Universities around the country.
I was constantly thinking 'What am I doing here' , 'Is this the right course?' etc and seriously thought about jacking it in. Still, I stuck at it and things got better as the course progressed. Still never really felt like I fitted in to the University system, but I got a good 2:1 so I am happy.
I absolutely hated the first six months of Uni - I lived at home so didn't socialise as much as I could have done if I lived in the halls, so felt left out somewhat; I was having a hard time due to splitting up with the then girlfriend of several years and also feeling a bit crap as most of my college friends had gone to other Universities around the country.
I was constantly thinking 'What am I doing here' , 'Is this the right course?' etc and seriously thought about jacking it in. Still, I stuck at it and things got better as the course progressed. Still never really felt like I fitted in to the University system, but I got a good 2:1 so I am happy.
I was in the same situation when I began my Law degree, so I stuck it out until Christmas. Then I thought I'd be daft not to finish the year, then after doing a year I thought it would improve in the second year so stuck that out until Christmas, then guess what - I ended up completing the course and getting a good degree.
Should I have done it? No, I should have been honest with myself and realised I wasn't doing the degree for the right reasons and transferred to a degree I was more passionate about there and then. As it is I'm now contemplating going back into education after persuing a career 'to use my degree' hasn't worked out either. Even though I thought the money would make up for it, I wake up everyday feeling like I've been kicked in the stomach when I realise I have to go to work.
Socially uni was a blast, and doing a degree you hate is so much better than doing a job you hate, but in my opinion it's a waste of time if you don't have the drive to throw yourself wholeheartedly into a degree.
Should I have done it? No, I should have been honest with myself and realised I wasn't doing the degree for the right reasons and transferred to a degree I was more passionate about there and then. As it is I'm now contemplating going back into education after persuing a career 'to use my degree' hasn't worked out either. Even though I thought the money would make up for it, I wake up everyday feeling like I've been kicked in the stomach when I realise I have to go to work.
Socially uni was a blast, and doing a degree you hate is so much better than doing a job you hate, but in my opinion it's a waste of time if you don't have the drive to throw yourself wholeheartedly into a degree.
I had a few friends that did, but I think most people have some doubts about it. I found that first term VERY long, but once I got past it I was fine(ish) - still know it is a waste of my time - I gain 10x the experience in a day at work than I do at Uni - but with the insistence these days on having a degree it's a necessary evil.
Ordinary Bloke said:
At the time (1980's) I would have gladly dropped out, but looking at my payslip each month I'm really glad I stuck with it.
Ask him if he wants a TVR Porsche Ferrari EVO whatever?
If the answer's yes, he should stay. If he'll be happy with a Kia, drop out.
Yea so I wonder if Richard Branson rolls around in a Kia Ask him if he wants a TVR Porsche Ferrari EVO whatever?
If the answer's yes, he should stay. If he'll be happy with a Kia, drop out.
FiveStar said:
do you need a degree to join the police force?
No, but in the local force (Lancashire) there are approx 270 applicants for every job, and I have been told that a degree can sometimes fast track promotion etc, later on in your career,........He seems a bit happier tonight, now he has told us and got it off his chest.....
is it the acadmeic life he doesn't like or is it a case that he hasn't made many friends and doesn't seem to fit in?
The former and then it seems strange that this is something that hes wanted to do.... his passion.
The later then it seems like its being hidden and hes making excuses not to stick around, I suggest a sit down and find out before the wrong decision is made for the wrong reason...
The former and then it seems strange that this is something that hes wanted to do.... his passion.
The later then it seems like its being hidden and hes making excuses not to stick around, I suggest a sit down and find out before the wrong decision is made for the wrong reason...
I knew 2 weeks into the first term at Uni that it was not for me.
I stuck it till Christmas - on the last day of term while everyone else was out getting lagered I was sat in my Sunday best at an interview for a job which I subsequently got.
Later I ended up working at a college - pay wasn't great but they said did I want to do HNC on a day release basis.
I wasn't keen, but in the end I decided what the hell.
Best thing I ever did. It did lead to bigger and better things.
It may seem like he's closing a door in his life, but another one will open somewhere along the way.
Another thing I'd say is that being happy has nothing whatsoever to do with money.
Whatever he decides give him your full support.
Chris
I stuck it till Christmas - on the last day of term while everyone else was out getting lagered I was sat in my Sunday best at an interview for a job which I subsequently got.
Later I ended up working at a college - pay wasn't great but they said did I want to do HNC on a day release basis.
I wasn't keen, but in the end I decided what the hell.
Best thing I ever did. It did lead to bigger and better things.
It may seem like he's closing a door in his life, but another one will open somewhere along the way.
Another thing I'd say is that being happy has nothing whatsoever to do with money.
Whatever he decides give him your full support.
Chris
Edited by Barkychoc on Thursday 1st November 22:56
Ordinary Bloke said:
At the time (1980's) I would have gladly dropped out, but looking at my payslip each month I'm really glad I stuck with it.
Ask him if he wants a TVR Porsche Ferrari EVO whatever?
If the answer's yes, he should stay. If he'll be happy with a Kia, drop out.
Ask him if he wants a TVR Porsche Ferrari EVO whatever?
If the answer's yes, he should stay. If he'll be happy with a Kia, drop out.
Sorry but sooooooo not true, you really don't need to have a degree to be successful, it depends what your idea of success is though, for example if you want to be a Lawyer yes you need a degree, if you want to be successful in the Motor Trade for example you don't need a degree, yet you can earn a very nice living.
Another take you don't need a piece of paper to have good business acumen, determination or enough about you to take some risks, infact uni I'd say is quite a "safe" play!
I dropped out of uni this year after just a few weeks, i went for the first week and really wasnt liking it at all and figured i would try and give it till christmas but i just kept getting more miserable every day i went. What i didnt want to happen was to get into the same situation as wigeon was talking about where after going for a few months thinking to myself i'd be aswell finishing the year and so on until i got into a job i didnt like but felt i should keep at it because i put the work in while at uni. So i decided to get out early which was a hard decision as i'd always expected to go to uni and so had my parents. Now i dont really know what im going to do but i dont regret leaving uni, i just think uni doesnt suit some people.
Ordinary Bloke said:
At the time (1980's) I would have gladly dropped out, but looking at my payslip each month I'm really glad I stuck with it.
Ask him if he wants a TVR Porsche Ferrari EVO whatever?
If the answer's yes, he should stay. If he'll be happy with a Kia, drop out.
Gross generalisation, I have a mate who was earning enough to fund an STi 5 at 19 and an R34 GT-R at 24. It wouldnt surprise me if he hits his target of a new 911 Turbo by age 30, all minus a degree.Ask him if he wants a TVR Porsche Ferrari EVO whatever?
If the answer's yes, he should stay. If he'll be happy with a Kia, drop out.
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