Need Advice

[lanclev]

After reading a thread a little while ago on this forum about whether or not to defer joining the marines at 16 to do A levels i decided i would go to college to have A levels as a back up option however after a few months I’m just not enjoying it at all. Not the typical student can’t be bothered type feeling I just know its not what i want to do and I don’t want to force my way through it. I’m desperate to join but don’t know what to do. I was just wondering if anyone else has been in a similar position or can offer any advice? Many thanks.

 

[Cuzza22297]

Slightly different scenario but ultimately a similar situation. A year ago I was a term into my 2nd year at university, hating the course (and still d0). All I wanted to do was drop out and join the RM but I decided now I'd started it was worth seeing it through. Having A levels will only ever be a positive thing for you. I assume you're in your AS year with your final year next year?

My advice would be to just knuckle down as best you can, smash the phys and you'll have finished your A levels before you know it and come away with qualifications that you'll have for your whole life. If you haven't already you could apply in the Summer next year to get your application process underway, this will then keep you motivated in your final year as you progress through the process and then (if you're successful) you'll be able to get started in RT soon after you finish college in a better position to pass out than you would be if you went for it now.

 

[Chelonian]

...i decided i would go to college to have A levels as a back up option however after a few months I’m just not enjoying it at all.

May I ask which A-level subjects you're studying? Before binning college altogether, have you given any thought to switching courses? Clearly you have a grasp of basic literacy and numeracy or you wouldn't be studying A-level subjects.

 

[Mattys]

After reading a thread a little while ago on this forum about whether or not to defer joining the marines at 16 to do A levels i decided i would go to college to have A levels as a back up option however after a few months I’m just not enjoying it at all. Not the typical student can’t be bothered type feeling I just know its not what i want to do and I don’t want to force my way through it. I’m desperate to join but don’t know what to do. I was just wondering if anyone else has been in a similar position or can offer any advice? Many thanks.

It’s a hard situation to be in really and it’s different for everyone.

All I can say is only do college/university and qualify for something you *text deleted* do as a career or it will all be for nothing in the long wrong as you won’t be happy.

The issue I see is if you decide to drop out then go for the marines that may take at least 5 months before you even get to training providing everything goes smoothly and you would have finished your 1st year in the same time.

The biggest concern I see with you dropping out is your relying totally on the marines for a career which is a great thing but so many things can go wrong from start to finish , your only 16 so you might have enough after a short while or not be mentally/physically prepared to finish it or may even get injured.
I’m not saying your not capable of doing it it’s if you leave and you have no backup if it doesn’t go to plan.

If I was you I would apply but stay in college and you can do both and if you get to RT then you have the option of deciding but at least you will have a year of a levels completed at the same time.

Good luck

 

[lanclev]

May I ask which A-level subjects you're studying? Before binning college altogether, have you given any thought to switching courses? Clearly you have a grasp of basic literacy and numeracy or you wouldn't be studying A-level subjects.

I’m currently studying Law, History and Politics, past a certain point you’re no longer allowed to switch courses. I don’t have a problem with these subjects it’s just something I’m not happy doing and something I don’t want to be dragged into.

It’s a hard situation to be in really and it’s different for everyone.

All I can say is only do college/university and qualify for something you *text deleted* do as a career or it will all be for nothing in the long wrong as you won’t be happy.

The issue I see is if you decide to drop out then go for the marines that may take at least 5 months before you even get to training providing everything goes smoothly and you would have finished your 1st year in the same time.

The biggest concern I see with you dropping out is your relying totally on the marines for a career which is a great thing but so many things can go wrong from start to finish , your only 16 so you might have enough after a short while or not be mentally/physically prepared to finish it or may even get injured.
I’m not saying your not capable of doing it it’s if you leave and you have no backup if it doesn’t go to plan.

If I was you I would apply but stay in college and you can do both and if you get to RT then you have the option of deciding but at least you will have a year of a levels completed at the same time.

Good luck

Yeah i see exactly what you’re saying , that was/is my plan to apply during college then see if i pass all the stages before i ever even though about dropping out altogether, that is the problem though it’s something I’m not happy doing because i want to do something exciting not end up doing a career I’m not happy with.

Thank you all so far

 

[Mattys]

Yeah i see exactly what you’re saying , that was/is my plan to apply during college then see if i pass all the stages before i ever even though about dropping out altogether, that is the problem though it’s something I’m not happy doing because i want to do something exciting not end up doing a career I’m not happy with.

Thank you all so far[/QUOTE]


That’s good mentality when I was 16 I left school with no qualifications and have been going from job to job since (I’m 28) so I know how difficult it is especially doing jobs you don’t *text deleted* do but kinda have no choice as it’s money you need but st the same time you don’t *text deleted* be doing that for the rest of your life or you’ll never be happy.

If I was in your position I would apply and see where that takes you and finish your 1st year also then come June/July when college finishes see what you *text deleted* do but also at the same time keep your fitness up and if you *text deleted* still go the marine route then go for it then you won’t have any regrets.
I regret not applying years ago as its’ something I’ve always wanted to do but other things got in the way so luckily there’s still time.

You have time on your side also so if you did drop out and get to recruit training you could always just go the college route again and actually learn something you would be happy doing and you’d still only be 17/18 so time definitely on your side.

 

[lanclev]

That’s good mentality when I was 16 I left school with no qualifications and have been going from job to job since (I’m 28) so I know how difficult it is especially doing jobs you don’t *text deleted* do but kinda have no choice as it’s money you need but st the same time you don’t *text deleted* be doing that for the rest of your life or you’ll never be happy.

If I was in your position I would apply and see where that takes you and finish your 1st year also then come June/July when college finishes see what you *text deleted* do but also at the same time keep your fitness up and if you *text deleted* still go the marine route then go for it then you won’t have any regrets.
I regret not applying years ago as its’ something I’ve always wanted to do but other things got in the way so luckily there’s still time.

You have time on your side also so if you did drop out and get to recruit training you could always just go the college route again and actually learn something you would be happy doing and you’d still only be 17/18 so time definitely on your side.[/QUOTE]

Yeah I think thats for the best, I still need to work abit more on my phys but then I’ll apply and see how far along i get and then see if things have changed. Thanks Mattys

 

[Chelonian]

I’m currently studying Law, History and Politics, past a certain point you’re no longer allowed to switch courses.

I should confess that those would have been my dream courses if I were your age. But that's just me.

...it’s something I’m not happy doing because i want to do something exciting not end up doing a career I’m not happy with.

A-level qualifications won't lock you onto a career path from which you can't escape. Arguably one of the biggest signals that qualifications make to an employer is that a candidate has the tenacity to start and then complete something, regardless of subject studied.

I binned school as soon as I could because, like many, I'd had enough of it. But ten years later I found myself juggling work and academics to get to where I could have been academically if I'd stuck with it for a couple of years. There may be a few older fuds on this forum who also regret not maximising opportunities while in full-time education.

But because we are all individuals and only you know your own circumstances you should take your own informed decisions and your own path. At your age the world really is your lobster. Best of luck.

 

[lanclev]

I should confess that those would have been my dream courses if I were your age. But that's just me.



A-level qualifications won't lock you onto a career path from which you can't escape. Arguably one of the biggest signals that qualifications make to an employer is that a candidate has the tenacity to start and then complete something, regardless of subject studied.

I binned school as soon as I could because, like many, I'd had enough of it. But ten years later I found myself juggling work and academics to get to where I could have been academically if I'd stuck with it for a couple of years. There may be a few older fuds on this forum who also regret not maximising opportunities while in full-time education.

But because we are all individuals and only you know your own circumstances you should take your own informed decisions and your own path. At your age the world really is your lobster. Best of luck.

Thank you, Chelonian. I’ll take it all into consideration