1 year at uni - put on CV?

NewUserHere

I spent a year and a half at university, then dropped out with no formal qualification. The course is wholly relevant to my home learning course now and jobs i'm applying for.

Should I put this time at uni on my CV under education or leave it out?

This was about 8 years ago. Dropped out as I ended up doing every hour under the sun at work and partying (had some growing up to do), although probably best if questionned I say I ended up working full time and my studies suffered and I took the decision to drop out which to this day I regret.

bll78

I would, did you get anything to prove you 'passed' the first year?

NewUserHere

bll78 wrote: »

I would, did you get anything to prove you 'passed' the first year?

Not that I recall, but if I did it would be long gone now. I thought it could go in my favor as the course is pretty much the same as what i'm studying this present day - only difference is the university would leave me with a degree, my current studies are qualifications with the governing body.
I'm thinking of just putting studied 1 year then left due to financial restraints though rather than 1 1/2 years.

Just interested in other peoples thoughts as to whether this should act in my favor or if anybody has an alternate viewpoint of it....

bristol_pilot

I would put in on the CV as otherwise you would have the dreaded 'unexplained gap' and employers might assume the worst e.g. that you were in prison - they won't bother to check.

A year and a half at uni at least shows you were good enough to get in and to pass the first year. Leaving uni to concentrate on work is an OK reason for dropping out and I don't think it would be held against you especially afer 8 years.

colino

As above, at least for your CVs timeline people will know where you were and not assume borstal. I had an applicant for a post (very mature guy) who referred to 12 months at Oxford after a well known public school but dropped out due to, "severe illness". As it was in the dim and distant past and hardly relevant, he did joke about it, telling me his dropping out was due to him being a self-confessed dimwit who made his mentoring Professor ill at every tutorial for demonstrating how thick he really was.

Jobseeeker

bristol_pilot wrote: »

I would put in on the CV as otherwise you would have the dreaded 'unexplained gap' and employers might assume the worst e.g. that you were in prison - they won't bother to check.

.

The OP states that she was working full time hours while studying. So there would be no gap she could just include details of the job. I wouldn't include the Uni thing on your CV. A lot of companies don't like to employ drop outs.

SJI85

NewUserHere wrote: »

Not that I recall, but if I did it would be long gone now. I thought it could go in my favor as the course is pretty much the same as what i'm studying this present day - only difference is the university would leave me with a degree, my current studies are qualifications with the governing body.
I'm thinking of just putting studied 1 year then left due to financial restraints though rather than 1 1/2 years.

Just interested in other peoples thoughts as to whether this should act in my favor or if anybody has an alternate viewpoint of it....

Unless you have an unexplained gap, I'd be hesitant to include it. However, if you think it's somewhat relevant to your current study, and might benefit you, then do.

But if you are going to include it don't state you left due to financial reasons. In theory a student should never need to leave a university course for financial reasons, as financial support is so freely available. I stress in theory. Simply say you left to concentrate on employment.

Successful completetion of 120 credits of undergraduate study (first year) will usually entitle a person to a Certificate of Higher Education. You can also use these credits you passed and transfer them elsewhere (e.g. the Open University). You probably would have been given a transcript at the time.

amiehall

I dropped out of uni before and was posted a Cert HE automatically. I'm surprised they didn't just send it to you.

I don't know what to advise you particularly about mentioning it. I'm now in my third year about to actually graduate this time around and have secured a graduate job for September. Due to the background checks involved in the roles I was applying for, I didn't have a choice about declaring my previous time at uni. However, I would say that it's actually been pretty positive. Everytime I went to interviews, people loved talking about it, it gave me something to talk about. I was offered a few positions so I don't think it affected my chances at all.

theoretica

I would mention it. Not being ready for university at 18 is hardly rare and you can show you have picked yourself up and got back on the horse.

You might want to give the university a call and see if you can get some kind of certificate/acknowledgement.

LianeB

Can you contact the Uni?
I dropped out after failing second year in 2004 and contacted them to 'cash in' my credits in 2009 and got a cert HE certificate in the post.
You may have earnt enough for a Cert HE or a Dip HE without realising it!
Good Luck