Has anyone left uni? Did you regret it? And a few more questions.

ChabbyAlonso

Haynonnie wrote:

ChabbyAlonso - the horror stories can be true. If I continue at this rate I will graduate with over £25,000 debt. Here's how:

4yr BSc Biomedical Science full-time degree

£3000 per year tuition fee loan
£3436 per year standard loan (this year - will perhaps increase each year)

The above makes up my student loan each year for 4 years

I also receive:

£2700 per year standard grant
£1750 per year bursary

I am single and live on my own in rented accommodation and have been on a low income for several years although have never claimed benefits.

I hate the thought of having that much debt, however favourable the terms of the loan are. I intend to reduce the amount I claim each year if I can.

I also intend to make the most of my time at university to make the debt worthwhile

Holy smokes...I only applied for non repayable grant, which brings in £1200 for year 1 and the £3,000 tuition fees. I point blanked refused the standard loans, cos I'm living at home.

Now here's the twist...I blow just over a grand within the space of 3 'chasing' bets on the football. I then have a healthy balance of £0. So, a couple of weeks ago I had to borrow some money from the standard loan...funny how things turn out :rotfl:

greyskittles

Did you say you've had a chat to the uni counsellors? They're well-equipped to help you through this and might be able to throw a different light on the situation. Sometimes we get stuck going round in circles and it takes a stranger to point us in the right direction

^^Yep, I went to the student counselling section, and they gave me an email address. I emailed, and the recipient gave me another email address! I hate the way uni keeps passing me from person-to-person.

So now I'm emailing the second person and I really don't know what to write... ARGH. I just don't want them to mess with my head! I'm trying to word in a way that will convince them to keep my place open so that I can return in September if I wish to... But what to say?! How honest should I be? Hmm!

firesidemaid

Haynonnie wrote:

I'm in Milton Keynes area if anybody knows where else might be worth trying?

hello again.

have you contacted any of the labs close to you? you are quite central so there are a few around you. we get covering letters and cvs and that is being enthusiastic, motivated and using your initiative. you could write to one discipline, but ask for your details to be passed on to the others also.

many labs do not know now if they will need anyone in the summer. but, they may be able to give you a few days experience each even if they can't give you paid work. start with the closest lab to you.

if you start by building up a relationship with them now, they may be more likely to consider you for a job in the future.

also, visit the ibms website - https://www.ibms.org for info and the like.

i'm biased as a microbiologist, but i also have an interest in cat microbiology:rotfl: too (did my masters project on it)!

jbbonce

greyskittles wrote:

^^Yep, I went to the student counselling section, and they gave me an email address. I emailed, and the recipient gave me another email address! I hate the way uni keeps passing me from person-to-person.

So now I'm emailing the second person and I really don't know what to write... ARGH. I just don't want them to mess with my head! I'm trying to word in a way that will convince them to keep my place open so that I can return in September if I wish to... But what to say?! How honest should I be? Hmm!

So what happened? are you still there?
You say you're a house hermit, so maybe you don't talk to that many other people on your course. If you did you would realise all english students feel like that at this time of year, you're not alone.

Remember the first year is the hardest and things will get better when you are able to start choosing your modules. Having dropped out of one uni, I worked full time and even though i had good grades, relevant experience and a good reason for leaving, the only jobs I could get were soul destroying and sent me straight back to uni the next year. Now I am in the third and final year of my english degree, and even though i barely enjoyed 2 books in the first year, now i am reading things i enjoy every week.

If i were you, I would carry on with just enough effort to pass your first year, (as long as you get over 40%, your 1st year marks don't matter) and have a trial run at being a member of the workforce for the summer and maybe even over a gap year. If you find a great job, you've proven to your parents that you don't need a degree, and if you don't you can go back to year 2 knowing how awful entry level jobs can be.
Good luck

seaweasel

apoorstudent wrote:

I have a few questions for anyone who cares to answer...

1) At what point did you leave?
2) Do you regret it?
3) How much did you have to pay?
4) What are you doing now?

1) After 3rd year
2) Yes, I should have done honours, or something like an LLB
3) I've been on a few courses, think I've had to pay fees on two years worth (about £1000 a year), wasn't my final degree though
4) Working in a job that's good experience but terrible pay