A Gap Year with a Purpose
Since the general elections, the new government in Downing Street has been working to mitigate the effects of the international economic crisis on the UK economy. Unfortunately, one of the ways in which they have decided to do this is by reducing funding to universities. Universities have had to face cuts so severe that entire programmes have ceased to exist. The University of Sussex, for example, has cut its entire European Studies programme. Competition for places at universities has been much greater this year. For young people, a university education is already very important if they are to be competitive in the job market – the new austerity measures could mean that it becomes even more important, yet much more difficult, to obtain a degree.
So, if you do not secure those A stars, what should you do when you receive your A-level results?
Exams © Content Lobby
You could choose to have an interview and go through clearing for admission this autumn, or even in January, but your best bet is to spend this year improving your application. The Guardian has data for the number of spaces available at universities through the clearing process, but these rarely exceed a few hundred. With more than 100,000 students expected not to get into universities this year, these numbers are not too assuring.
As a result, a gap year should be seriously considered – although, if you want to find a place at university next year, your gap year should not be a series of international parties and sightseeing. It should be a time to gain real world experience in the field in which you hope to specialise at university. Finding an internship or a course that could contribute to your application is a far better use of your time than endless exotic beach parties.
Brussels © Content Lobby
Suppose you are interested in international relations. You could take the opportunity to improve your French skills – French is a key diplomatic language – and spend some time abroad in Brussels or France working as an aide. If you would like to travel, French language courses in France would be the perfect way to do so while doing something useful. Courses of varying length will be available at a French language school, meaning that you could attend a course and then do an internship once you have a grasp of the language. If your internship lasts six months or less, you could give yourself time to retake your A-levels. Then, not only would you have spent your time doing a useful internship, but you would also have made yourself a more viable candidate on paper with better marks.
Receiving disappointing exam results may seem like the end of the world, but all you can do is pick yourself up, make yourself better and prove to the world that an exam will not be end of your career dreams.
Aug272010