son failed exam today and now wants to leave

System

kathrynt wrote: »

he's in his first year and is 19 and he can resit but he thought he had passed the exam and now just doesn't know what to do. i've told him to resit then see what happens

The question you have to ask him is did he do his best?

None of the other stuff is important as whether he did the best he could, retaking will just cost money (several hundred usually) and may leave you in the same situation you are in now. Plus, most university retakes mean that you are only capable of gaining the minimum pass mark in the retake exam.

e.g. If you get 90% in the retake and 40% was the passmark you'd only be awarded 40%.

If this does count towards the final degree, you want want to seriously consider whether it is worth it.

I find that most 1st year uni students slack off a lot in their first year. Usually the first year only counts for a small percentage of the entire course (or may not even count towards the final degree at all!) So you have to assess what position he is in.

From personal experience, when I failed exams and said I 'wanted to drop out' the reason I wanted to drop out was because I was not enjoying the course - you need a passion for what you are studying or you lose interest.

If the uni is lenient he may be able to
1. Switch course
2. Drop out completely and reapply at a different uni/different course

Also, many unis offer personal advice (tutors etc.) for students in this position. As a mother all you can do is support him in whatever decision he makes!

leoetal19

its hard isnt it - you want them to be happy, but only they know what that unquantifiable thing means to them. my eldest did a year at uni and got a first in his exams but walked away because he wasnt happy at all. i was very disappointed esp as he went back to his saturday job on a full time basis-working in a resteraunt!!!
but after a while to think n sort himself out while earning and paying back loadsa debts from the year he did!! he got a job supporting adults with learning disabilities and is doing masses of training-hes a computer whiz so his company have him training his colleagues too
he wants to do this for several years-get some qualifications under his belt then apply to be seconded for probation officer training (where the pay you 16k a year and fund your degree too)
in the meantime he has just bought his own home and is happy in his own skin
two of his friends recently graduated-one in OT-she is working in a shop and another in psychology-she is working in a pub-both have huge debts and are years off buying thier own home
i arent anti-degrees- i have one myself-i just think there are other routes and paths to happiness-some very famous successful people dont have degrees
i certainly think after gcses and a levels MORE studying is overkill!!
good luck to your son xxx

Toastie

If he's at Uni and 19 he is still eligable for Connexions or maybe someone at the Uni could help him.

I'm 18 and in college i failed my 1st year because i was really ill and i got my results back today, i was looking at HND courses (vocational where Level 3 is A-Level but Level 8 is equal to a doctorite in the subject)

Maybe he should finish this year and look at a HND, with him passing his A-levels and having part of a Uni course or a foundation (i pressume) he could work and learn at a Level 4 minimum and build it that way.

I know a Uni degree won't suit me but £5000 a year and a qualification seems better for me in the long term.

This is adivce, personal tutors or external student serivces (connexions etc...) could tell him more on his posistion and possibilites.

Hope the lecture helps :rolleyes:

the_devil_made_me_do_it

I can totally emphathise here.

I'm in my first year and it's been quite a disaster so far. I started Uni on a course I hated, so transferred to another course. I've had issues with illness since before Christmas and am now a bit behind with everything. I'm dreading the exams and trying to catch up with everything (even considering deferring). It is so difficult to make the right choice, especially when you have no time to make it.

Your son needs to assess why he wants to quit. Is it simply down to failing exams or is it something more. If it's only down to exams, then he should re-sit and concentrate in doing better next year. I'm certainly in two minds what i should do for the best. It's a difficult situation. I wish him luck

welf_man

Advise him to go and talk to someone who has experience - the University and/or Students' Union will be able to talk it through with him. He should also talk to his Personal Supervisor, who will have been there many times!

Mel.

Frozenace

Unless you want to be super motivated and restudy afterwards to convince potential employers and then work your way up, I would advise him to drink less beer and do a bit more work.

The course is meant to be boring and it's got a lot to do with how you can organise your own time...

msmicawber

Well, he's only part way through his first year (first term/semester exam, presumably?). I'd advise sitting down with him and just asking him about how he's found uni./leaving home/fending for himself/his course and seeing what comes out of that. Some youngsters are so overwhelmed by the change that it saps their confidence and they struggle academically, others realise that they're on the wrong course, others that their heart's not in higher ed. If you encourage him to talk about all of it, it will hopefully bring out where his problem lies.