Hmm Uni stuffs

[Jeros]

Good god, I'm checking up on student fees and what support I would and would not be able to claim and its a myriad of conflicting and outdated information.

Turns out if your in England and want to take another degree of equivalent level to one you already have you could be charged up to level of international student fees, even if you paid back the loan you had 20 or so years before..........wow that's really gonna hit people who want to retrain or whatever at 40 odd.

 

[DaGaffer]

Good god, I'm checking up on student fees and what support I would and would not be able to claim and its a myriad of conflicting and outdated information.

Turns out if your in England and want to take another degree of equivalent level to one you already have you could be charged up to level of international student fees, even if you paid back the loan you had 20 or so years before..........wow that's really gonna hit people who want to retrain or whatever at 40 odd.

Doing another batchelor's degree isn't really "retraining" for most people; as plenty of people on here (including myself) have already said to you, your first degree subject is kind of irrelevant (with caveats for medicine and general engineering); you're generally expected to retrain at postgrad (e.g. an MBA or a professional qualification); or by specialist study (IT certifications etc.) All your first degree is really for is to show your ability to learn.

 

[mycenae]

so basically you want to become a BOFH?


Sorry, I am a complete ignoramus when its comes to computers and thats the only programmer related joke I know from having read Vae's books!

 

[Chilly]

BOFH != programmer. BOFH is a helpdesk monkey. You never see programmers, you only hear them flying overhead in their private jets or running you over in their bentleys. [/dream]

I'm a programmer

 

[kirennia]

I'd personally suggest finishing your degree, spending a year in the workplace whilst reading up on Comp Sci topics, then go back and do a masters in Comp Sci... you can even relate your final year project between the two disciplines to make sure you don't have to rely toooo much on Comp Sci strict disciplines.

You really would need to read up a lot in the gap yeara though as skipping onto a masters course in a new discipline could be pretty darn difficult.

 

[rynnor]

Or you could just finish your degree and get into a graduate IT training position - you just need a generic degree and an aptitude for IT - thats how I started in programming.

 

[Jeros]

Well according to the uni it looks like a transfer might be possible.

Some people trying to talk me out of it. Some people are trying to convince me to do it. However listening to other people over what I wanted to do myself is what got me in this mess to begin with.

Will sit down, mull it over in my head, and make my own mind up. If people think its the wrong one, either way, that's their problem.

 

[TdC]

BOFH != programmer. BOFH is a helpdesk monkey. You never see programmers, you only hear them flying overhead in their private jets or running you over in their bentleys. [/dream]

I'm a programmer

your transportation is an r/c quadcopter

 

[Lakih]

Don't need a degree for IT. You need professional qualifications if you want to be a techie, other than that any degree will do.

It hurts to the core to say "I agree with Scouse on this one"
But really... you dont need a computer science degree to work in IT, it helps to have a degree (any) to show that you can learn new stuff and are comitted. Everything you need to learn for an entry level IT job (customer support, maintenance, basic programming) you can find on the internet and with some aptitude for it you will learn it as you go.

If you are really serioius, take a MCTS or equivalent depending on what you want to do in the field of IT.

 

[Scouse]

It hurts to the core to say "I agree with Scouse on this one"

If you do it often and repeatedly it'll start to feel nice. In an inappropriate way.

Turns out if your in England and want to take another degree of equivalent level to one you already have you could be charged up to level of international student fees

Gutter. It's been in the back of my mind for ages.

How much is the opportunity to fiddle with a wide range of 18 year old girlies going to cost me then?

 

[rynnor]

How much is the opportunity to fiddle with a wide range of 18 year old girlies going to cost me then?

Just become a lecturer in something like media studies...

 

[Jeros]

If you do it often and repeatedly it'll start to feel nice. In an inappropriate way.




Gutter. It's been in the back of my mind for ages.

How much is the opportunity to fiddle with a wide range of 18 year old girlies going to cost me then?

The cost depends on the Uni, ask where you want to go and see what they would charge you, also you might be apple to get support for one year, as I belive it goes

years you have done - 1 = total years support.

So if it applies to me I have to pay for 2 years as I have done 2 and a half from four so from the SLC's POV is three years.

Then again the infomation is a myraid of outdated stuff, "we are going to do this and that" and in some cases conflicting information, the SLC were not very helpful on the phone either.

I have come to the decision i'm going to attempt the transfer, if I don't get in ill probs drop out and work for a bit while doing a course at the local collage I know they accept for entry. I could in theory do my course until the summer and leave with a normal BSc, however that makes future funding more complex and I know for a fact now that I am never going to use it, plus the grade will probably be terrible. Been a tough year all round, I had a bereavement at the start of the semester that has caused me to miss a bit of the start and somewhat messed up my head, I can get special circumstances but I don't believe in using something like that to get grades changed or overlooked.

Thankfully my family has been hugely supportive and have repeated to me that its my life and I should not feel beholden to them in any way

 

[Scouse]

Glad your family were OK about it

However:

if I don't get in ill probs drop out and work for a bit while doing a course at the local collage I know they accept for entry. I could in theory do my course until the summer and leave with a normal BSc

If you don't get in, DON'T drop out. BIG MISTAKE, in my humble opinion.

Get something out of it. A degree is a degree - even if you don't use it it will open loads of doors for you in all sorts of areas that you've never even thought of. It's a badge of "not a loser" and "can finish something I started even though it was hard and I didn't particularly enjoy it". A drop out is a drop out.

It's only another 6-8 months of hard slog. Do that a hard slog (and get dispensation if you can). Make sure you get something for your effort.


How would it affect the funding exactly?

 

[Cadelin]

I have come to the decision i'm going to attempt the transfer, if I don't get in ill probs drop out and work for a bit while doing a course at the local collage I know they accept for entry. I could in theory do my course until the summer and leave with a normal BSc, however that makes future funding more complex and I know for a fact now that I am never going to use it, plus the grade will probably be terrible. Been a tough year all round, I had a bereavement at the start of the semester that has caused me to miss a bit of the start and somewhat messed up my head, I can get special circumstances but I don't believe in using something like that to get grades changed or overlooked.

Seriously....?

You are lying to yourself. You are transferring/dropping out because you were going to fail and you can't face that.

A degree is not about the topic you study its about showing prospective employers you have the ability to work and think independently. In 6 months from now you could have a BSc in Earth Sciences from a respected university. Any sensible person would take the offer of special circumstances and take your exams. Unless you have done literally no work you have a good chance of getting 2.1 if you focus on your work from now on.

Oh and spare us the, it's complicated routine. If you work hard at something and do well, new opportunities will present themselves. Coming up with some grand plan of how you can fail everything and still come out with a Masters in a subject which will instantly get you a high paid job is living on cloud cuckoo land.

Sorry for being harsh, but it needs to be said.

 

[Scouse]

Hate to say it, but it's beginning to feel like Cadelin describes.

Stick to it. Don't drop out. Completing a degree, even if you get a basic pass, shows employers you're not a loser who bails when the pressure's on...

 

[Zenith]

Please Jeros, do not drop out. Been in the same position as you, thinking of transferring or dropping out. Studying Psychology was fucking tough, and it didnt feel right. Had hours long discussions with my tutors and convenors, family and advisors. Do not prolong the time at uni more than you have to. A degree is a degree, especially from such a respected university as Edinburgh. You can do magic with it, if you have the drive.

 

[Jeros]

We shall see what happens, on the plus side for once I have a bit of cash backing me up.

Either way I will know by may the 10th at the latest

 

[Garaen]

If you drop out if will look complete shit on your C.V for life. Any company will instantly see that you've either a) done nothing for the past two years or b) dropped out of uni. Both show a complete lack of determination and commitment. Saying "yea i didn't like the course after 2 years" or "i wanted a change" won't fly; you'll be a bit of a laughing stock and no company will invest in you just in case you decide they're not what you fancy and leave when you're bored.

In the "real" working world people put up with shit jobs at times to get through. If you can't change course, just think of finishing your BSc as a "shit job"; something you've just got to knuckle down and get on with.

 

[Chilly]

So not only are you wasting your own time, you're wasting my money on a degree you cant be bothered to finish. Don't go back to university if you drop out, it's clearly not for you.