There's a phrase which is commonly used to speak of the standard to which all students should aim. That phrase is "five good GCSEs". Basically, that means five GCSEs at Grade C, B, A or A* or any combination thereof.

Now, as you may know from reading my previous posts, I do not have these magic five good GCSEs at Grade C or above. I have three Cs, one B and a couple of Ds as well as a few less important grades. Therefore, while I could apply for an A-Level course at a local college (the entry requirements are four GCSEs) - not that I'd get on with my grades being just barely "good" - apparently I'm not good enough to be classed as a "good" student who can go on to unviersity (theoretically I can as far as I know) and do what most people want to do by going there.

Now, I'm not putting off people who did get the magic five or whatever the equivalent is elsewhere in the world and who want to go on to university. If you want to do it, do it, it's your life. I haven't got the grades, and quite honestly - I don't care. I never liked the idea of going to Uni anyway. I would rather go to college for a year, maybe two, then get a job doing something I'd enjoy. Quicker route into work, available work is more to my tastes and of course, I won't have any debts.

So, why is it that we're supposed to take this beaten path, get the grades, go to college/sixth form then do university when there are other options out there which don't necessarily imply that someone is thick? It seems that some people think there are only two tiers of people - the people working in shelf-stacking, fast food outlets and other jobs they consider inferior and the "smart people" who go to university. I don't believe that at all.

I realise this won't apply as much to countries like America where pretty much everything runs on grades, but it might still apply in some ways I think.

quote Galacticdramon

So, why is it that we're supposed to take this beaten path, get the grades, go to college/sixth form then do university when there are other options out there which don't necessarily imply that someone is thick? It seems that some people think there are only two tiers of people - the people working in shelf-stacking, fast food outlets and other jobs they consider inferior and the "smart people" who go to university. I don't believe that at all.

Hello there Galacticdramon

Im not quite sure what your actually asking, but I guess it all depends on the given persons career choices. You go to Uni to get the necessary understanding of what you need do in the given work. I'm at Uni right now (first year) studying for a Bachelor of Civil Engineering. In Australia, there are apparently a shortage of engineers. In my career, I'd love to do Maths in my life, and there arent too many jobs that you can do maths in unless you go to University, so it really depends on the person.

What I really dont get is, in the place I live in Australia, we have an OP system (which is pretty stupid IMO, although I think its changed). This is how it works. Each subject is weighted differently, so if you get a lower mark in a higher weighted subject, it could be equal to a high mark in a low weighted subject. Thats ok, but heres where it gets stupid. At the end of Grade 12, everyone in the state going for an OP has to do a test to rank your school to others. If your school gets ranked low, the OP scores are generally lower too. So you could be a genius, but if your school sucks, your OP wont show it. 1 is the best, 25 is the worst. I got pretty good grades, and got an OP6, which Im happy with.

Anyway, where was I going with that? Oh yeah, since theres a shortage of engineers, its pretty easy to get into the course. You could buckle down in school, and get an OP1, or bludge most of the time and get an OP15, and still get into the same course, you get taught most of the school stuff at Uni anyway.

Yeah, I didnt really answer the question, but its kinda relevant.

What I'm saying is that there's a stigma attached to the people who don't get those five good GCSEs. I can't see why, because four is enough to do A-Levels (theoretically, if there isn't much competition) and every college course I've ever seen. There's another stigma attached to people who don't go to Uni, which perhaps is more understandable.

For the kind of job I want to do, I can't think what I'd do at Uni. It's a one-year college course (with an optional second year), and the rest of the training is totally on the job. It's not a rubbish job, the pay is not menial (I also start getting a paid job immediately after college), and the opportunities are amazing. And yet, there is still that stigma that anyone who doesn't go to university will be unsuccessful in an unsatisfying job.

I know what you mean, my school was stupid and it pushed everyone to do UCAS and go to Uni, when for a lot of the students that wasn't necessarily the path they wanted to take. We always had these big UCAS talks, but never had any real guidance or support about other career options. I guess its probably just so they can show off about how many students they shipped off to university.

I have been fortunate enough to go to uni and have enjoyed it and will hopefully come out with a top grade, however I still have no idea what I want to do with my life. I'm one of those people in my school who got totally swept along by the schools emphasis on university and went down the "beaten path". My degree is non-vocational so now I'm stuck really, I either have to pursue further study or just go into some on the job training that will most likely have nothing to do with my degree.

That said, if I could go back I don't think I'd change it. My degree might not be directly applicable to the extent I'd like it to be, but its been fascinating and I've met some cool people along the way. But I am fortunate in that I went to uni before top up fees, and due to my parents job circumstances got a large amount of my fees paid for me so I have come out with minimal debt. If people today make the same mistake I did of just being swept along and stumbling into a degree for the sake of it then they are going to be screwed financially. Especially considering the general cost of living in the UK, particularly the housing market.

I've kind of digressed, but my main point is just that you should think carefully before you go to uni. If you aren't doing it for the right reasons you could end up in a financial quicksand. And if you look around there are plenty of other options off the beaten track.

quote Sphinx

I know what you mean, my school was stupid and it pushed everyone to do UCAS and go to Uni, when for a lot of the students that wasn't necessarily the path they wanted to take. We always had these big UCAS talks, but never had any real guidance or support about other career options. I guess its probably just so they can show off about how many students they shipped off to university.

Sorry I didn't make it very clear. I did do Sixth Form first. I drifted off from your initial point about the 5 GCSEs, though Like I mentioned, I feel the University situation is similar.

Just as there is a general assumption that GCSEs will lead to college or Sixth Form, there is an assumption that Sixth Form in turn will lead to Uni. And what is a shame is that there seems in my experience to be little guidance as to the alternatives.