Well I think I may have hit rock bottom

[Wilderbeast]

Hi all,

Some of you may have noticed that I haven't been that active on here lately. That's because I may well have had the worst couple of weeks ever. To put it bluntly my whole UCAS application (University application form) has been a total screw up which has basically left me with no offers, I received exam results back that were C,D &U (And i'm supposadly an A grade student). Things are going poorly at home but I won't go into details, and to cap it off i've failed my driving test.....twice!

Could I have some help from those older and wiser than me please

 

[DavidJT]

Sorry to hear about all that. I can sympathize a little as years ago I didn't get my predicted grades either, but you know what, life has turned out pretty good anyway.
Do you have a plan? Are you going to re-sit or reapply or..? If you can maybe you should take a gap year, do some traveling and give yourself time to rethink. Always good to get a decent qualification behind you eventually though.
Don't forget everyone knows the best drivers don't pass first time (I would say that it took me two!).
Good luck.

 

[Tengu]

Ill see what I can do.

Ive never been in a position to apply for UNI....

As for the Driving test....its lots harder than it used to be.

I failed first time and I was told that was normal.

what is the average these days? I am sure you are in no way exceptional

 

[durulz]

I never went to university straight away.
I was...mmm, let me think...I must have been 22 when I went - a couple of years older than most undergraduates.
And those couple of years made an IMMENSE difference. I was there because I wanted to be there, not because I either thought it was what I had to do or because parents wanted me to go.
Consequently, I did alright (went on to do a Phd at Oxford! Smug).
Same goes for you. There's no obligation to go to university. I now work as a university lecturer, and I see an incredible amount of students whose hearts just aren't in it.
So, take a couple of years off. More if you want to. Go back and retake your A levels if needs must. But don't do it to help yourself climb the career ladder - that's seldom motivation. Do it for socratic reasons, do it for the pleasure of learning. Do it for yourself.
Don't be in a rush.
There's a whole world out there full of experience and variety. Be part of it.
Failure is also a reward. It can often help motivate to do better, or do something different. It can help you learn something about yourself.
Life offers some occasional sh**ty experiences. There's not much you can do about that. Humans are wonderfully adaptable creatures, capable of all kinds of suffering and privations they thought they could never endure. But we do. And doubtless you will get over this rough patch.
Embrace those things you love and enjoy for the moment. They will provide a valuable crutch during horrid times. But as things improve/change so will you and you will either return to those old pastures with renewed vigour or you will have found somewhere new to graze and rest (if I haven't laboured that metaphor too much).
There is no need to impress anyone nor be anything. In time that will seem obvious.

Oh yeah, I passed my driving test on my FOURTH attempt!!

 

[snozz]

The advice about taking a year out is good advice.

I got my A-levels (back in the early 90's now!) but took a year out. I didn't do anything with that year out, which I now regret, (worked in a supermarket to get some money). When I did get to University, I only lasted 9 months before deciding academia wasn't for me.

Started work through a temp agency with BT in 1996 and got taken on full time BT in 1997 and have been here ever since.

It wasn't what I planned at all, but things have worked out ok for me.

Relax, don't get worked up about it, and see what's out there. If you truly want to go to university, how about taking another year to get better grades or using the clearing system to get in?

Burns had it right when he said "The best laid schemes o' mice an' men,
Gang aft agley"

 

[Bushwhacker]

(And i'm supposadly an A grade student)

Really? ........

 

[Big Geordie]

Rock Bottom? You are probably learning more right now than you have learned for some time.
What the others are saying is true. Like them I crashed and burned a few times with my grades. It actually made me take stock of where I was at, and what I wanted to do. Eventually I found something I really enjoy and appear to be good at. Im a business coach and trainer and used to be the National Training Manager for an Insurance company.
You won't think so at the moment, but it is better to have this sort of setback early when you have the time to learn from it and adapt than meet it head on later when you have a young family & mortgage. Please remember that the objective of a good education is a well rounded person. The quality of your posts indicate that you are well on your way toward that.
Remember it was Nietsche who said " if it doesn't kill me it makes me stronger."
You may decide you resit a year, go to a different college, or take a sabbatical. Whatever you decide it will probably be the right decision for you because you will start moving forward. Remember you are one of the good guys.
All the best,
George:You_Rock_

 

[durulz]

Always keep in mind the difference between Arnold Rimmer and Ace Rimmer - Ace failed his exams first time round. That's what made him so determined.

Smoke me a kipper - I'll be back for breakfast!

 

[Shewie]

Really? ........

Just kick him while he's down why don't you

 

[durulz]

Really? ........

That should be:
'Really..?'

Those dots are called an ellipsis. By convention we only use three of them, except where the last one would form part of the punctuation, which is used as the third and final 'dot'.
They are used to take the place of unspoken words. In your sentence the unpsoken bit is 'Really (an A grade student)?'. So the ellipsis in your sentence should appear before the punctuation.
It is neither big nor clever to correct someone else's spelling/punctuation/grammar/syntax if they did not ask for it. It is also very aggravating. But very easy to do.
I can only presume you also were not an A-grade student...

 

[Bushwhacker]

That should be:
'Really..?'

Those dots are called an ellipsis. By convention we only use three of them, except where the last one would form part of the punctuation, which is used as the third and final 'dot'.
They are used to take the place of unspoken words. In your sentence the unpsoken bit is 'Really (an A grade student)?'. So the ellipsis in your sentence should appear before the punctuation.
It is neither big nor clever to correct someone else's spelling/punctuation/grammar/syntax if they did not ask for it. It is also very aggravating. But very easy to do.
I can only presume you also were not an A-grade student...

They were only there to pad out the reply because there were insufficient characters.
I would've typed 'Really?' if it was possible.

 

[MrEd]

mate i stuffed up college aswell, i took a gap year that turned into 9 lol and then went back to higher education as a mature student and got my degree. I got my place at university based on what i had done in the past 9 years rather than my poor a level results. ( i trained to be a nurse)

things happen for a reason, take a gap year, consider you options, perhaps travel a bit and then when our ready re-apply. you can do access to higher education courses etc now. or you could re-do an a level at night school or something.

first though i would speak to your tutor, or a careers advisor (even at your ocal lobrary) as they are well qualified to deal with this and will be able to give you helpful advice and pointers and guide you throught the whole process.

hope that helps

 

[Wilderbeast]

I do apologise for my quite appalling spelling and punctuation in the first post, I knew I had made a mistake and was in a rush so I rushed through the typos because I usually then stuff it into a word processor and spell check it!

Bushwhacker I must say that was a less than helpful thing to say, but whatever- that's the luxury of freedom of speech I suppose!

To all the helpful posters, thank you so much for your guidance. It turns out a lot of people were in a similar situation to me, and that makes me feel a little better!

Surprisingly I'm quite optimistic about things now, anything good I do now ( a good grade etc.) I'll be genuinely happy about whether as before I just took it for granted getting good marks in places! I should also mention that the grades were for modules not overall grades, so I can always re-take, and my predicted grades are still A*AA so I guess things aren't as bad as they could be, I'm just going to have to work very hard...but that's natural for me anyway!

I'll keep you all posted on uni developments and thanks again,

Wil

 

[drewdunnrespect]

keep your chin up fella i didnt even get to collegde i did an apprentiship and failed that due to my disibility but i wouldnt change it for the world why cos well i am now doing a job that suits me down to the ground cos i might not be very good at writing but talking well i will let anyone who hs met me tell you more on that subjet.

now what do i do a night manager for travelodge

so keep your chin up and remember it all come to he who waits

cos he who laughs last laughs longest why cos well he has had to work harder so appreciates (sp) it more so is willing to work harder to save it what ever it is that needs saving

 

[CaptainBeaky]

Time for a few apposite quotes:

Firstly - "Don't Panic"
I can't manage the 'large friendly letters', but that's the gist.
OK, you didn't get the grades you wanted - it's not the end of life as you know it, however much it may feel like it.
You may well (and understandably) feel short-circuited and at a loss as to what to do next.

Next quote - from the "Survival is all about a good cup of tea" thread on this forum, as started by Stuart of this parish:
S.T.O.P

Stop
Think/Tea
Orient
Plan

Stop (metaphorically) running round in circles flapping and shouting "What am I going to do now?"
Think what you actually want to do with your life - tea may or may not help here
Orient yourself - where are you now, where do you need to be
Plan how you are going to do it

As Durulz say above - don't think of going to Uni just as a means to an end: it should also be an end in itself - the opportunity to spend a few years learning about something that interests you, for the joy of learning.
What graduates actually offer to employers, other than the vocational degrees, is the ability to learn on your own - research the information and skills, and assimilate them quickly and accurately. This, rather than anything subject-related, is the single most important skill to acquire over the years of a degree course.

Taking a year out while you re-sit A levels isn't the worst idea, either.
If you don't want to re-sit at your school, is there a local 6th Form college you could go to instead? If you spend a re-sit year at school or college, pick another subject to study that interests you. Universities look for candidates that stand out, so this is another opportunity to set yourself apart from the average.

Finally, a quote from someone's sig line:
"Life is short. Do stuff."


Good luck

 

[Front Room Woodlander]

I failed A levels big style. I was to busy being naughty with women, motorbikes, alcohol and things.
I bimbled along in a factory job for years, earning enough to pay for bikes and alcohol and having fun.
Never really thought I'd amount to much.
Then fate handed me oppertunity to do something different, nursing.
Its vocational so dont really need to know what dots are called or how many to use. I can read a cardio graph though and you'd be suprised how many folk are grateful of that.

Just take a step back. Forget your worries and let your mind see the possibilities, see the world and listen to daft old beggars like myself you have seen a thing or two then make up your own mind.

 

[MrEd]

I failed A levels big style. I was to busy being naughty with women, motorbikes, alcohol and things.

aye yeah me to

oh and just because grades are predicted doesnt mean you can rest on your laurels. you still need to work for them by revising hard etc etc.

dont mean to teach you to suck eggs but some of the people at work seem to slacken off when they get good predicted grades. predicted doenst mean anything if you dont work hard

 

[Wilderbeast]

oh also if anyone wants to help me write an essay "How useful are the sources for understanding the significance of the tribunate in the period after Sulla’s reforms?"...i'd like that

 

[SimonM]

As others have said, take some time out from education. I was 29 when I started my degree and ended up mentoring some of the younger students on the course.

Go and have some fun, find a job that will pay your bills and leave sufficient funds for "life".

Having said all that, if you do want to go to Uni, enroll on a night school course and re-sit your exams.

Those that do well first time round usually get smug and complacent - which leads to poor life choices later. On the flip side, those that make mistakes, pick themselves up and move on, usually do well in life.

Finally, have a look at this website...I've met the "Sumo guy" and he makes a lot of sense...
http://thesumoguy.com/

HTH,

Simon

 

[Wilderbeast]

aye yeah me to

oh and just because grades are predicted doesnt mean you can rest on your laurels. you still need to work for them by revising hard etc etc.

dont mean to teach you to suck eggs but some of the people at work seem to slacken off when they get good predicted grades. predicted doenst mean anything if you dont work hard

yeah I won't, after the shock today I won't be taking anything for granted...A long road ahead but I think I can do it!

Cheers big man