should I give up?

divastrop

I am unsure what to do and am hoping for some advice. After completing the access to higher education diploma last year I opted for a foundation degree in health and social care at my local college. Last term was ok, there were 8 of us on the course and I enjoyed the work. This term has been totally different; so many people have quit I was on my own for one module and with only 2 others for the other 2. It is looking like I may well be the only full time student left next year. One to One tuition may seem great but in this subject I find I learned more from the experiences and expertise of other students than I did from the tutors. I feel like I only took this option as it was available close to home, and as the government cuts are biting I find I am questioning the validity and usefulness of the course, which was introduced in response to the care standards act etc brought in by the last government.
One of the second year students advised me that if I am having doubts about the course then it would be better to quit now after one year while I can still get funding from student finance for a different degree, a full degree course. She said she wishes she had done that as now she is stuck having to top up for one year in an area of practice she has little interest in as that is the only one on offer now.
I don't know what to do; I took the easy option as I thought it would get me a job, but I am beginning to question whether instead I should have applied to do a degree in something I have an interest in as there are not going to be that many jobs in this field anyway. I don't mean to sound selfish and ungreatful, I just want to explore my options with the help of knowledgeable people while I still have a chance.

Oldernotwiser

I'm sorry to hear that it isn't working out and I understand your worries. I would certainly agree that, if you plan to change, this is the time to do it as starting a degree in 2012 will be far more expensive.

Have you seen a Careers Adviser to discuss this? If your college has someone, remember that they may have a vested interest in keeping you as one of their students and it could be a good idea to see someone from Nextstep as well, as they should be more objective.

divastrop

Thank you for replying. I thought about careers advice but I don't really know where to turn as I am a mature student. I know there used to be an adult careers adviser at connexions a few years ago, I could phone them and see if the service is still available.
I don't even know if I can apply for a different degree course at this stage, I know I had to apply before January last year. Would I still be able to apply now through UCAS or would it be a case of phoning universities to see if they have places? I am confused as well because I was originally going to do social work but I decided against it after looking further into it, and I ended up doing the Health and Social care as an afterthought. If I'm honest the whole social work idea was about being able to get a job at the end of it. If somebody had said to me 18 months ago 'you can choose any degree course you like' I would probably have opted for the performing arts(what I wanted to do at uni back when I was 18 before life got in the way) or something English language/ media related. Instead I convinced myself that because of my own experiences with mental illness etc I must enter the caring professions, and that this would be an area in which I could more easily find a job than anything else. Now it seems that there are just as few jobs in that field as any other.

Oldernotwiser

divastrop wrote: »

Thank you for replying. I thought about careers advice but I don't really know where to turn as I am a mature student. I know there used to be an adult careers adviser at connexions a few years ago, I could phone them and see if the service is still available.
I don't even know if I can apply for a different degree course at this stage, I know I had to apply before January last year. Would I still be able to apply now through UCAS or would it be a case of phoning universities to see if they have places? I am confused as well because I was originally going to do social work but I decided against it after looking further into it, and I ended up doing the Health and Social care as an afterthought. If I'm honest the whole social work idea was about being able to get a job at the end of it. If somebody had said to me 18 months ago 'you can choose any degree course you like' I would probably have opted for the performing arts(what I wanted to do at uni back when I was 18 before life got in the way) or something English language/ media related. Instead I convinced myself that because of my own experiences with mental illness etc I must enter the caring professions, and that this would be an area in which I could more easily find a job than anything else. Now it seems that there are just as few jobs in that field as any other.

https://nextstep.direct.gov.uk/Pages/Home.aspx

In your area, Nextstep may be based in Connexions or the Jobcentre but you can contact them direct to make an appointment.

At this stage you can still apply to universities but they may prefer you to wait until Clearing in August. Ringing them direct is probably your best bet to find out individual vacancy information.

You can enter a caring profession with a degree in almost any subject, although Media and Performing Arts are a couple of the less likely ones! It's very difficult to look 3/4 years into the future and know what jobs are available.

What subjects did you do for Access and how did you get on with them?
Do you want to stay living locally (where are you?) or would you move to do a suitable degree?

kerri_gt

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

https://nextstep.direct.gov.uk/Pages/Home.aspx

In your area, Nextstep may be based in Connexions or the Jobcentre but you can contact them direct to make an appointment.

At this stage you can still apply to universities but they may prefer you to wait until Clearing in August. Ringing them direct is probably your best bet to find out individual vacancy information.

You can enter a caring profession with a degree in almost any subject, although Media and Performing Arts are a couple of the less likely ones! It's very difficult to look 3/4 years into the future and know what jobs are available.

What subjects did you do for Access and how did you get on with them?
Do you want to stay living locally (where are you?) or would you move to do a suitable degree?

Not to put you off a media degree if that is what you are really interested in, but I did one back in the late 90s / early 00's when 'they became all the rage'. I don't exactly regret doing my degree, but I can't say I have ever used it in my job. If I'd have wanted to persue a media career after my degree it would have meant me doing a Masters type course and even after that, it's a very compeititive field. I don't regret taking a degree, but I do hate the millstone of the student loan I am still paying off for a degree I don't even use. If I were given the time again, I honestly couldn't say whether I would bother going to Uni or not.

divastrop

I think media was the wrong word really, I didn't think before I typed that.
I am concerned about wasting time and money doing this foundation degree as the only jobs it would qualify me for are ones I would only need something like NVQ 2 for or something. As it stands once I have completed these modules (if I pass) I will have a level 4 certificate of higher education, as well as 240 hours work experience.
I did English and Sociology on the Access course, both of which I enjoyed but particularly English which was just a lovely subject all round.

Person_one

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

https://nextstep.direct.gov.uk/Pages/Home.aspx

In your area, Nextstep may be based in Connexions or the Jobcentre but you can contact them direct to make an appointment.

At this stage you can still apply to universities but they may prefer you to wait until Clearing in August. Ringing them direct is probably your best bet to find out individual vacancy information.

You can enter a caring profession with a degree in almost any subject, although Media and Performing Arts are a couple of the less likely ones! It's very difficult to look 3/4 years into the future and know what jobs are available.

What subjects did you do for Access and how did you get on with them?
Do you want to stay living locally (where are you?) or would you move to do a suitable degree?

Just to clarify, you can't enter clearing without having been an 'ordinary' UCAS applicant first. Its not too late to apply for 2022 entry, however the deadline for 'equal consideration' was in January so lots of courses are now full and they aren't obliged to even look at your application.

ONW is right that the best thing to do is ring the universities about the courses you're interested in to see if they have places left. If they do and are willing to consider you, great! If not, it might be worth firing off a UCAS form anyway and getting the rejections to make you eligible for clearing.

Have a look at the UCAS website to be sure of the dates and rules.

Are you no longer interested in health and social care at all? Have you thought about training for one of the NHS professions? Your fees would be paid and you'd get a bursary if you managed to get in for 2011.

Oldernotwiser

Person_one wrote: »

Just to clarify, you can't enter clearing without having been an 'ordinary' UCAS applicant first. Its not too late to apply for 2022 entry, however the deadline for 'equal consideration' was in January so lots of courses are now full and they aren't obliged to even look at your application.
.

If you apply after 30 June, your application goes automatically into Clearing, which was what I meant about applying through Clearing.

I certainly hope it isn't too late to apply for 2022!:rotfl:

Person_one

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

If you apply after 30 June, your application goes automatically into Clearing, which was what I meant about applying through Clearing.

I certainly hope it isn't too late to apply for 2022!:rotfl:

Oops! Well its always good to plan ahead!

I've just checked on the UCAS site and if you do a search for courses starting in 2011, the ones that might still have places have a little x and the ones that are closed have a c next to them.

Its definitely worth speaking to someone about the course and about your application before you send it in to make sure you aren't wasting your time, and to try and get on the radar and convince them you're worth considering!

Of course, applying in haste is probably not the best idea if you aren't sure what course you want to do.

divastrop

Thank you all fro your great advice. I have just been on the UCAS site and re-registered anyway.

Does anybody know if you can still get four years funding from student finance? I am very worried about the finacial side, If I am lucky enough to get on another course I don't want to then find out that I can't get any money for a year

Oldernotwiser

divastrop wrote: »

Thank you all fro your great advice. I have just been on the UCAS site and re-registered anyway. I think having had experience of working in the voluntary sector for six months I have been pretty much put off working in statutory services like Social Services or the mental health side of the NHS. I don't think I could cope with the beauacracy.
I have been looking at English degrees but I know they are very likely to be full. I am not in a postition to move away from here but there are three universities within reasonable travelling distance. I'm going to have a word with my English tutor from last year if I can find her and see what she thinks (I can also ask her if she would give me a reference for my application).
Does anybody know if you can still get four years funding from student finance? I am very worried about the finacial side, If I am lucky enought to get on another course I don't want to then find out that I can't get any money for a year

I'm assuming you mean 4 years' funding altogether? If you do a 3 year degree you can have funding for 3 years plus one (which is the one you're on at the moment) so you should be fine with the funding.