General Chat

Me, I didn't go either. Never took exams, was removed from school and sent out to work!! Nanna-M :(

yep Dan, blimey - elephants never forget do they lol The only job I could get when I left College was as a Typist for a v small travel agent, who got bought up a year later by Thomas Cook business travel. They didn't need a typist, so I had to train to work in business travel. Spent 13 years there in the end - horrid extremely pressurised job, I'd never go back to it and would never have chosen it as a career in a million years. I just didn't have much choice as the only qualification (apart from Os and As) I had was this Secretarial Diploma and after a year of doing 'just' typing, I had lost all my shorthand skills. Maz. XX

I did as a mature student and I graduate this year with a 2.1 in Psychology.

I took a year out before going to college and here I am 12 yrs later of partying, marriage and a little sprite and no midwifery qualifications.......really regretted not getting on and doing it...........but when little sprite has grown up and is of an age where he won't burn the house down if I leave him for a few hours (don't trust his dad for that never mind him! LOL) I am going to do it come hell or high water it's what I wanted to be and still do.........and midwives are pretty thin on the ground up here...well district ones are coz we are so remote!!! But apart from that I'm surviving......got a my own house that's 1/2 paid for already.........own car not on a loan or hire purchase....and have a good savings account and we don't live a fancy life but we're comfortable............I have watched little sprite through his early years (best thing ever!) coz we've been able to afford for me not to go back to work yet...............so I'd say yes I've managed ok!! RDA.x.

Well done Willow - I think the motivation is really strong when you are a mature student. Jay

Left school at 15,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,so i didnt get to uni

Me. Parents said uni was only for boys, as girls should get married and set up home a few years after leaving school and therefore, it would be wasted! Brother was offered the opportunity to go, but turned it down! Well, 43 now and not married yet, although in a wonderful relationship with my soul mate. Have carved out a career for myself and have my professional qualifications. And who boasts about what I have achieved - yep, mum! AL

No Dan, I didn't go, in my day it was not expected for secondary modern pupils to go to university. Schools were streamed in those days & I was in the top stream but I left school at 15 with no qualifications & went into retail. I hated school. I always enjoyed the jobs I have done, wouldn't have stayed anywhere that I didn't enjoy. Unfortunately,in my opinion, too much emphasis is put on academic qualifications these days. Some people are academic & others are more practical. My two eldest left school with a handful of GCSEs & are doing fine. My son is working as an ambulance technician, training to be a paramedic. My daughter is the financial controller of a multi million pound company. My youngest daughter is dyslexic but once this was acknowledged at age 18 she went back to evening classes & studied hard to improve her exam results. She then went on to do a university course to become a nurse. I really think it depends on what you want to do. If you have no idea, then maybe university is a good plan until you can decide what you want. Vivienne xx

I dinny go to uni :-)

I didn't go and not many of my peers did either. I also left school weeks before O levels were due to be sat. Later at the 'mature' age of 24 I sat an entrance exam and was accepted to to train as a Nurse. I did that for a few years and 14 years ago I started retraining in Early Years Education and Special Needs. Still training as there is always another course to go on! Jacky :-)

I didn't, money just wasn't available to stay to do A levels, but having said that only 5 girls from my class did, and only one went to Uni. Just wasn't expected in our part of E London. I've done OK, trained at work, did ONC and HNC, and still in the same line 36 yrs later. BUT it isn't possible to get into this work without a degree now, and I think that is the case with a lot of professions. Very difficult! Suex

Perfectly ok Daniel, kicked out of school at 15, got an education in my mid 20's at college - evening classes, I've managed companies and retired early. But that was then, things were different in the early '60's. I think I would advise any able teenager today to get the best qualification they can, unless they are a genius. And even then I would!

Because of family circumstances I had to leave school at 15, did a year in College and worked nights and weekends to pay my way... Worked 2 jobs after that for 18mths then got married and been working ever since - mostly self-employed, probably unemployable now, never could follow orders!!!!! Been running our own business for 10 years - should have done it long before that.... Responsible for the jobs of 15 people - that frightens the whatsit out of me!!

Me,me and went to one of the roughest shools in Darlington,but still trained to be a State Registered Nurse and proud of it!!!!

I didn't even stay on to take my o levels, left at the Easter. I'm now getting divorced and have just signed up to the Open University.

Its a Uni now but City of London College when I was a student. Later I did philosophy and logic & semantics, as a mature student, at LSE. len

was working in a vauxhall garage 2months before I should have left school so didnt go to uni Took the adult equivellent of maths and english gcse in 2003 and passed them at both levels (1&2)

i was a mother of 2 kids before i was 19 so uni was out of the question for me im 44 now and thinking about doing an open uni course in English Lit sue c x

Education system is different over here so I think important to go to college or university as high school doesn't prepare todays' youth for good employment opportunities. But when I was in school if you got grade 12 you could get a good job. Went back to college years later thou to get my english degree and have taken several other course for employment upgrades.

Hi Dan, no i did'nt go to uni - i was far to eager to go out exploring what was what and had a great time, learnt lots and eventually did settle down. My eldest (son) had no interest but my daughter has been working towards uni since she was about 8.