[Paco]

StewartyMak, on Jun 16 2009, 13:56, said:

Having worked in accounts for the past three years since dropping out of uni, I'm now going back to Stirling as a mature student (being 22 at the start of the academic year) to study history. Should be alright.

I'll be there too, doing History with Politics and Professional Education.

[Mak]

The Gray Ghost, on Jun 16 2009, 16:39, said:

History in Stirling is really interesting. Did some first year courses and they have good lecturers (for examples Dr. Oram and Penman) and interesting materials. The Gray Ghost enjoyed it far more than Computing.

Yeah, I was doing Maths at Stirling before but just didn't take it seriously at that age. I find History really interesting (and have grown up a bit - not too much, mind), so it shouldn't be a problem this time.

Paco, on Jun 16 2009, 17:03, said:

I'll be there too, doing History with Politics and Professional Education.

Look out for me, I've got a big Union Flag tattooed on my forehead. I'm pure tidy.

[arab_joe]

Sir Ian of the West End, on Jun 16 2009, 12:44, said:

Off to Glasgow Uni to study Law with Politics.

I've done all my SAAS stuff. Completed it about a month or two ago. Looking forward to it.

Right, serious piece of advice here...

Are you absolutely positive that you want to do a joint honours?! I've just finished 3rd year of Law School and a few of my peers (the ones that did/are doing joint honours) are now finding out that they are going to have to do another year (or they're having to do extra subjects during their honours years, which is not terribly easy to do) before they can enter the diploma because when I was in some law course they were doing French/Politics/Economics and while the credits mean they'll get a degree, the Law Commission (or whoever it is, can't remember) won't allow them onto the diploma until they have all the basic subjects.

The ones doing another year (not sure if its funded by SAAS) are sometimes doing so with as few as two or three 10 unit subjects in the entire year... which can be a bit of a nuisance, as I'm sure you can imagine!

Now you may be all set on the joint honours, but check the above out with your Uni - it may even be worth seeing if you can do an extra subject in, for example, each of first and second year, to ensure that you have enough of the courses required for diploma entry - just in case you choose that direction. It is a funny thing about Law School that does not affect much of the other students - first and second year actually count towards something pretty vital if you want to be a solicitor.

Not that I want to scare you before you start (I apologise if the above does that... but it is something I know/think some of my mates wish they'd thought of a few years back), but it is something that is (maybe) worth discussing with your director of studies.

PS Law School is absolutely brilliant, but competitive. Be prepared to graft, be prepared to do boring things that will improve your CV... and you'll be swinging!!

PPS Emphasis is needed on how brilliant it is. I sort of wish I was heading into 1st year again...

[Spiders For Life]

I'm going to do Politics and Economics at Strathclyde, looking forward to it

[Ad Lib]

arab_joe, on Jun 16 2009, 17:38, said:

Right, serious piece of advice here...

Are you absolutely positive that you want to do a joint honours?! I've just finished 3rd year of Law School and a few of my peers (the ones that did/are doing joint honours) are now finding out that they are going to have to do another year (or they're having to do extra subjects during their honours years, which is not terribly easy to do) before they can enter the diploma because when I was in some law course they were doing French/Politics/Economics and while the credits mean they'll get a degree, the Law Commission (or whoever it is, can't remember) won't allow them onto the diploma until they have all the basic subjects.

This was brought to my attention when I was at an initiation day at Glasgow. The impression I got was that if I did joint honours and just did politics in addition to Law, I would (just) be able to fit in all the required units to be a solicitor. If I want to become an Advocate, which I seem to recall requires another two, I'd either have to drop the Politics or else fit those units in at some other point. The people said that some people continue with these by special arrangement during the Diploma year, which would still be an option. I'm still keeping my mind open to doing joint honours though, and will be considering it more carefully once there.

Quote

The ones doing another year (not sure if its funded by SAAS) are sometimes doing so with as few as two or three 10 unit subjects in the entire year... which can be a bit of a nuisance, as I'm sure you can imagine!

Now you may be all set on the joint honours, but check the above out with your Uni - it may even be worth seeing if you can do an extra subject in, for example, each of first and second year, to ensure that you have enough of the courses required for diploma entry - just in case you choose that direction. It is a funny thing about Law School that does not affect much of the other students - first and second year actually count towards something pretty vital if you want to be a solicitor.

I can imagine lots of subjects in an honours year can be a pain. They mentioned that people just doing a Law honours degree would often do all of the compulsory subjects in years one and two to get them out the way.

Quote

Not that I want to scare you before you start (I apologise if the above does that... but it is something I know/think some of my mates wish they'd thought of a few years back), but it is something that is (maybe) worth discussing with your director of studies.

PS Law School is absolutely brilliant, but competitive. Be prepared to graft, be prepared to do boring things that will improve your CV... and you'll be swinging!!

PPS Emphasis is needed on how brilliant it is. I sort of wish I was heading into 1st year again...

don't worry, you've not terrified me off! I'll just have to see how it goes, but everything I've heard has been good.

[Paco]

StewartyMak, on Jun 16 2009, 17:29, said:

Look out for me, I've got a big Union Flag tattooed on my forehead. I'm pure tidy.

Sounds sexy. You staying in halls, or elsewhere?

[SaintSam]

StewartyMak, on Jun 16 2009, 13:56, said:

Having worked in accounts for the past three years since dropping out of uni, I'm now going back to Stirling as a mature student (being 22 at the start of the academic year) to study history. Should be alright.

Probably a ridiculous question, but I am not all that familiar with University age ranges. Are you at all concerned about going to University at the age of 22 and after having dropped out once? I've never been to University, but I did leave higher education when I was 18 and have been working ever since. I am about to turn 22 and am hoping to get back into it.

[theentomologist]

The Gray Ghost, on Jun 16 2009, 16:39, said:

History in Stirling is really interesting. Did some first year courses and they have good lecturers (for examples Dr. Oram and Penman) and interesting materials. The Gray Ghost enjoyed it far more than Computing.

ah but as I found out myself as an UG there is a difference between enjoying and being good at.

[Law Stud]

I'm sorry but I am unfamiliar with University terms.

Does the term Under Graduate really mean that the Graduates get to ride your arse all they want? Is it like a prison? And is staying in a Halls of Residence really safe? After all you'll be staying in the same block of flats as a large number of society drop outs who would be homeless had it not been for taxpayers charity.

[Santana]

Pffft, uni. I've still got two more years before doing whatever at one of them.

[xbl]

SaintSam, on Jun 16 2009, 22:13, said:

Probably a ridiculous question, but I am not all that familiar with University age ranges. Are you at all concerned about going to University at the age of 22 and after having dropped out once? I've never been to University, but I did leave higher education when I was 18 and have been working ever since. I am about to turn 22 and am hoping to get back into it.

To be honest, you're probably at the top end of those who would stay in halls. So while not too old you would be slightly older than most people socially. Don't know about maturity, because you seem (purely going by your posts) quite mature, and so probably would get frustrated in halls. However there is usually a varied age range in the classes themselves, plenty of slightly older people of a similar age group to you go to uni.

theentomologist, on Jun 16 2009, 22:24, said:

ah but as I found out myself as an UG there is a difference between enjoying and being good at.

Which is why The Gray Ghost never did it full time. It was either work like buggery and give it all to get only a 2:1 in history, or work like buggery and give it all to get a 1 in computing. The history had to go.

[#Gary]

I'm going into 2nd year of Accounting at UWS in Paisley. Saying I go to Paisley uni while everyone is going to Strathy and Glasgow etc sounds a bit crap, but I don't care as first year was actually ace.

As for the age thing, there's guys in my class that are 38, 35, and a guy who looks at least 50! That was in first year. Most of the people I've became friends with are not in their teens. Obviously I don't know for sure, but looking at my own class, I wouldn't say 22 was old for going to university.

This post has been edited by garymcc1874: 16 June 2009 - 22:20

[Supras]

Stuart Dickson, on Jun 16 2009, 16:04, said:

Well in fairness Pink, if Supras is going to University I think that's proof positive that they've dumbed down the Further Education system to the extent that degree's, Masters etc are totally useless. I hope they enjoy their last months of doing anything useful in their lives....once they join the 430,000 other people wasting their lives at University their lives will be worthless forever more.

Yeah, I wish I could fit pipes and be overweight when I'm older. One can dream I suppose.

Dunning1874, on Jun 16 2009, 16:32, said:

Same here.

I've had a gap year to work and make a bit of money before going, so I'm set up financially a wee bit, just going to stay in Greenock. Need to get on with SAAS.

That is what I want to do, where did you work and was it an alright year?

arab_joe, on Jun 16 2009, 17:38, said:

PPS Emphasis is needed on how brilliant it is. I sort of wish I was heading into 1st year again...

I was told law school was terribly boring which is why I didn't apply for it.
Oh well, maybe next year.

Spiders For Life, on Jun 16 2009, 17:39, said:

I'm going to do Politics and Economics at Strathclyde, looking forward to it

I might be doing economics at Strathcylde next year.

[badger_whacker]

StewartyMak, on Jun 16 2009, 17:29, said:

Look out for me, I've got a big Union Flag tattooed on my forehead. I'm pure tidy.

Stuart Dickson, on Jun 16 2009, 22:35, said:

I'm sorry but I am unfamiliar with University terms.

Does the term Under Graduate really mean that the Graduates get to ride your arse all they want? Is it like a prison? And is staying in a Halls of Residence really safe? After all you'll be staying in the same block of flats as a large number of society drop outs who would be homeless had it not been for taxpayers charity.

Awww Stuart, do you not have a degree yourself?

You know people can demand higher salaries with degrees?

Thnx 4 da cash!

[SaltyTON]

rw89, on Jun 16 2009, 12:02, said:

I'm off to do Sociology at Stirling joining at second year. I'm hopeful of securing a job at Burger King after graduating.

Don't over aim, you might get Wimpy (does that even exist anymore?).

[Law Stud]

SavotheGreat, on Jun 16 2009, 22:57, said:

You remind me of one of my old middle-aged work colleagues. Every day I arrived at work and he was always hostile and short with me and he was always arguing with me about Politics. I could never figure out what his problem was until I spoke to the shift manager. Apparently he was incredibly jealous of the fact I was at University and he was bitter at never having bothered his ass to sign-up when he was younger.

That's not you is it, Stuart?

What is this Savo? Am I not allowed to be angered by the fact that £161bn is wasted per annum by this Labour Government putting an incredible 430,000 students through joke universities? Am I not allowed to be annoyed that this works out at £2,700 per annum for every man, woman and child in the UK? Am I not allowed to be annoyed that for all this money spent we know that more than three quarters of these students will be unable to find work in their chosen fields - unless ofcourse their degree course has something to do with Call Centres. Am I not allowed to express this anger without being accused of being jealous?

If the UK government reduced the number of university places to a sensible figure - say 20,000 - and only permitted those with the highest grades access to University funding the UK would be solvent again in just 3 years. These malingering students are a millstone around the countries neck - it's time the lazy b*****ds were made to work!

[Law Stud]

garymcc1874, on Jun 16 2009, 23:19, said:

I'm going into 2nd year of Accounting at UWS in Paisley. Saying I go to Paisley uni while everyone is going to Strathy and Glasgow etc sounds a bit crap, but I don't care as first year was actually ace.

It certainly is crap. Is Paisley Uni even a real university? It was a kid on one when I was a teenager. Looking at the league tables it doesn't even make the top 140 in the UK.

[die hard doonhamer]

SD: what universities in Scotland would you keep?

[Law Stud]

Supras, on Jun 16 2009, 23:27, said:

Yeah, I wish I could fit pipes and be overweight when I'm older. One can dream I suppose.



That is what I want to do, where did you work and was it an alright year?



I was told law school was terribly boring which is why I didn't apply for it.
Oh well, maybe next year.



I might be doing economics at Strathcylde next year.

Once again Supras didn't you try to tell the forum that you were a senior, top earning, lecturer at the London School of Economics?

I think you dream of earning the same kind of money that I am on - sadly for you dreaming is as close as you'll get...

[Law Stud]

die hard doonhamer, on Jun 17 2009, 00:54, said:

SD: what universities in Scotland would you keep?

I have said I would limit the UK to 30 universities. Going by the current league tables that would leave four.

University of St Andrews
University of Edinburgh
University of Glasgow
University of Aberdeen.

When you think about it those four probably fit the bill exactly geographically for Scotland even if Aberdeen only just scrapes in

[Law Stud]

Actually, no strike that. 2009 league tables shows Aberdeen at 33 behind the failing Queens College, Belfast that produced research recently that cost £105,000 claiming that nightshift workers have less access to the HSE than dayshift workers.

[die hard doonhamer]

Stuart Dickson, on Jun 17 2009, 01:03, said:

Actually, no strike that. 2009 league tables shows Aberdeen at 33 behind the failing Queens College, Belfast that produced research recently that cost £105,000 claiming that nightshift workers have less access to the HSE than dayshift workers.

So Edinburgh Glasgow and st andrew's? Suppose that makes sense.

I happen to agree with you on this one, even though I'm going into uni, I made sure I chose a good department, with a high chance of me getting a job related to my degree (something like 90% of heriot watt maths students get jobs related to their degree). There are far too many pointless courses out there though.

[flyingscot]

Stuart Dickson, on Jun 17 2009, 00:52, said:

It certainly is crap. Is Paisley Uni even a real university? It was a kid on one when I was a teenager. Looking at the league tables it doesn't even make the top 140 in the UK.

It is very difficult to take the league tables at face value because they cover so much- and a lot of it utter pish.

I mentioned before that I did indeed go to Paisley- indeed my grades were such that I could have done the course at Glasgow or Edinburgh too if I wanted too. I actually went to Paisley as it offered a course were I combined it with real life experience. Indeed I spent around 18 months working during my course in my profession- an apprenticeship if you will (something I think you advocate Stuart!). It was great as I was able to apply skills learned in real life to the university environment.

I still have my job to date- and at day one after graduation could walk in and do the work- no training- left on my own. Graduates out of other places with little experience have to adapt and 're-learn the way work does it'. In the end, my course was independantly assessed for it's quality by our professional body, I ended up being on that panel when I was there and Paisley did far better than a lot of other universities for that degree.

Don't get me wrong there is a lot of shite that goes on in Paisley but the same is true for all universities- (perhaps Glasgow it is your daddies boys not bothering their arse instead of guy from scheme!). To quote Margaret Montford 'perhaps Edinburgh isn't what it used to be?'. Problem is you can't scratch the surface- you have to go deeper to evaluate it.

I have my own prejudices too, even if I can have a laugh with the folk who have a go at Paisley. I joke at some of the 'made up degrees to keep folk off the dole'. Even the lecturers at the university had a laugh at the guy who asked if this class was 'sports science with psychology'. In the end though your probably best not scrapping the universities in total, but rather the degrees which don't offer a great deal.