Gabba Flamenco Crossover
High Sierra Skullfuck
I'm studying a HND in engineering at a college in London at the moment (in fact I finish next week). They are going to offer me a place on the degree course in September and let me skip the first year. Trouble is, there's been a few incidents this last year that have shaken my confidence in the place a bit, and I don't know if I want to go there for my degree. I wanted to apply to other unis through UCAS, but I was too busy and disorganised to make a decent fist of it - I didn't realise how stupidly early it had to be in (I'm just not used to running my life a year in advance), and by the time I sent it I knew that I was too late for some of my choices.
So if I want to start my degree next year, I've got no choice other than to go back to where I am now, which isn't very appetizing TBH. Or I could take a year out and re-apply in good time for a September 2008 entry. In particular, two of my choices were big, shiny temples of academia (not like the ex-poly I'm at now) who were a bit sniffy about my HND. But if I took a year out, I could do some A-levels in my spare time and probably get in next year, though I would have to start at year one.
So this is the dilemma: if I go back to where I am now in September, I get out with a degree in 2 years - but it might be a crap degree with no credibility. My college is 21st in the Guardian rankings for my subject, which isn't bad, but it ain't great either. Or I could take a year out, gun for a place at the big shiny uni and get a much better degree, but it takes another 2 years out of my life. And to be honest, student life isn't really my bag. the sooner I'm out in a job again, the happier I'd be. But I'm only going to get one shot at this and I need to make it count.
Anyone else been in this position, and what did you do? All advice is gratefully recieved cos I'm a real novice at this, but I particularly need help from anyone with engineering or science qualifications, because that's the field we're talking about here.
So if I want to start my degree next year, I've got no choice other than to go back to where I am now, which isn't very appetizing TBH. Or I could take a year out and re-apply in good time for a September 2008 entry. In particular, two of my choices were big, shiny temples of academia (not like the ex-poly I'm at now) who were a bit sniffy about my HND. But if I took a year out, I could do some A-levels in my spare time and probably get in next year, though I would have to start at year one.
So this is the dilemma: if I go back to where I am now in September, I get out with a degree in 2 years - but it might be a crap degree with no credibility. My college is 21st in the Guardian rankings for my subject, which isn't bad, but it ain't great either. Or I could take a year out, gun for a place at the big shiny uni and get a much better degree, but it takes another 2 years out of my life. And to be honest, student life isn't really my bag. the sooner I'm out in a job again, the happier I'd be. But I'm only going to get one shot at this and I need to make it count.
Anyone else been in this position, and what did you do? All advice is gratefully recieved cos I'm a real novice at this, but I particularly need help from anyone with engineering or science qualifications, because that's the field we're talking about here.