I want to pursue professional acting, but it's a financial risk! Any advice?

Bantex_2

kingslayer wrote: »

To be honest, it's gotten to the point where I'm envying 16 year old college students for goodness sake. I wish i was back in their position and as young as that again. It's crazy, i'm not old, i'm still in my mid 20's, but i feel envious of college/school kids.

I'm 2 months away from being on the wrong side of 25, and the reality of my future is really starting to set in, hard! :eek::wall:

The majority of 50 year olds feel the same. You are not alone.

tomterm8

kingslayer wrote: »

I'm 2 months away from being on the wrong side of 25, and the reality of my future is really starting to set in, hard! :eek::wall:

So... we're really not being very much help are we:D

I'd suggest contacting the national careers service.

The bottom line is no one can decide what you are going to do... only you can. We don't (and probably never will) have a clear idea of your strength and weaknesses and personal interests beyond what you say.

kingslayer

BillJones wrote: »

While this is true, many science-based jobs require a genuine aptitude in the subject. Going back and filling in the gaps is no bad thing, but were you genuinely good at science at school?

I think that I was born a physicist, and although people can learn what I learned to get my A-levels, without the natural aptitude, they would never be able to take it to the higher levels that I needed to to work in the subject (degree, masters and doctorate).

Some people can no more learn to do what I did in science than I can learn to do what a professional footballer does on the pitch.

To be honest, i didn't do well at school at all. My mum was diagnosed with cancer, and died the year of my GCSE's, so i honestly don't know how well i would have done if these circumstances never occurred.

After school i was pushed to work, and seeing as my GCSE's were poor I didn't bother with further education. I took a job making garden furniture for something like £3.50 per hour and did that for a year, then went back to college to do a course in sport studies, although i wanted to study health studies, but i couldn't go on the course because it was full.

My interest in science and health has increased since school/college. I really have a deep interest in it now, but obviously a subject like physics would be a step too far for me, as that is a subject for the genuine science enthusiasts. However, i enjoying watching programmes that show how physics works and studies of the universe. I will admit that i don't always understand it, but it does interest me.

I think my interests are more based around health and biology. I have always wondered what it would be like to study specific diseases, such as tropical diseases and illnesses such as cancer.

I do wish I was more adept at mathematics as i think i would thoroughly enjoy studying any of the above subject areas, especially knowing that you are helping humanity in some way.

tomterm8

bristol_pilot wrote: »

Sorry but if you find yourself having to re-sit GCSEs (especially in Maths and English) you can forget anything science-based.

I doubt that's true. You do GCSE's when you're sixteen and between sixteen and twenty six there is a lot of growing up. My dad failed the equivalent of GCSE's (o levels) and went on to resit and eventually got a masters degree once he'd matured and actually wanted to study. He's taught Maths and Economics at a level, and taught social studies at degree level for the open university.

People do change. Their abilities aren't somehow fixed when they are sixteen.

bristol_pilot

Sometimes people don't do well at school due to family circumstances such as divorce or bereavement, but if failing GCSEs is indicative of academic aptitude then it would be really poor advice to suggest the OP goes into something scientific.

Failing GCSEs (which are much easier than O levels were) after 12 years of education puts an individual in the bottom 20% of the ability range academically unless there are extraordinary circumstances.

I recruit scientists and engineers as part of my job. Every CV I see has a string of A/A* at GCSE, a string of As at A-level, a first class or 2.1 degree from a prestigious uni and often a PhD as well. That is what the OP would be up against.

Everyone has talents, but the academic route is not for everyone.

BillJones

kingslayer wrote: »

I do wish I was more adept at mathematics as i think i would thoroughly enjoy studying any of the above subject areas, especially knowing that you are helping humanity in some way.

Well, while it was nice working at CERN, on the search for the Higgs, it was far removed from how I thought that it would be. It was not sitting thinking deep thoughts, it was an awful lot of programming, data analysis, and very, very boring meetings.

That's why, in my twenties, I changed tack, and moved into banking.

For somoene who loves competition, numbers, and problem solving, it is perhaps the best job in the world. I may go back to physics when I retire from this job, but I can't imagine not working in finance for a long time yet.

tomterm8

bristol_pilot wrote: »

I recruit scientists and engineers as part of my job. Every CV I see has a string of A/A* at GCSE, a string of As at A-level, a first class or 2.1 degree from a prestigious uni and often a PhD as well. That is what the OP would be up against.

That's very strange. Since I got my degree I've never listed A levels or GCSEs. Most employers wouldn't consider them relevant.

bristol_pilot

tomterm8 wrote: »

That's very strange. Since I got my degree I've never listed A levels or GCSEs. Most employers wouldn't consider them relevant.

This is for new grads with no experience. The Company requires A level results to be stated and candidates often volunteer their GCSE results as well.

maurice28

tomterm8 wrote: »

That's very strange. Since I got my degree I've never listed A levels or GCSEs. Most employers wouldn't consider them relevant.

I've always included all my qualifications on my CV, from GCSEs to Masters. I just state that I have 10 A-C GCSEs including Maths and English and then list the three A Levels I did with the grades for each subject. I genuinely thought everyone did that.

Voyager2002

BillJones wrote: »

Well, while it was nice working at CERN, on the search for the Higgs, it was far removed from how I thought that it would be. It was not sitting thinking deep thoughts, it was an awful lot of programming, data analysis, and very, very boring meetings.

That's why, in my twenties, I changed tack, and moved into banking.

For somoene who loves competition, numbers, and problem solving, it is perhaps the best job in the world. I may go back to physics when I retire from this job, but I can't imagine not working in finance for a long time yet.

This is a world away from the OP's problem... the requirements for a technical role in the NHS, or even to be a Radiographer, are very different from those that research scientists must fulfill.