Re-sat exams

Age: 20

School:
I did A Levels in Drama, Sociology and Media Studies, and didn’t get the grades that were expected. I could have gone to university on these grades, as I had an offer from Bristol, but I felt very strongly that I wouldn’t be happy to have gone at that time. I wasn’t ready to go to university, and my confidence needed building up. I felt I needed to go back to re-do my A Levels, to prove to myself that I could do better. I didn’t want to go through clearing, and I gave myself a year to decide what my future would be.

I decided to go to a traditional FE College, and to re-sit my Sociology exam to prove I could get the grade expected of me. Also, I decided to take A level English in a year to improve my essay writing skills.

College:
For me, it was the right thing to do. I had the chance to re-assess my future without rushing. FE College was more relaxed, and I found the lecturers very caring, because they were used to dealing with mature students who might have problems with childcare or work-related time. In the Sociology class, I was the youngest in the group, and that really pushed me because the mature students had so much additional knowledge, and I felt I had to keep up with them.

Advice:
Give yourself time to think. I know that I wouldn’t have been happy if I’d gone to university simply because that’s what all my friends were doing. That year gave me time to focus on what I wanted. It was difficult to see my friends go on when I was left behind, but I had made a conscious decision and I could still see them in the vacations. It felt really great to have done it the way I did. I learned life skills in that year. The choice was always there for me, to go to university if and when I wanted.

Career aim:
I’ve always been interested in the media. After college, I moved to London, and got a ‘Sponsorship and Promotions’ job with Carlton Screen Advertising in Central London. I’m involved in promotions for films, and campaign management. I work as administrative support at the moment, but I give my ideas and input into campaigns, and that’s a really good opportunity for me. This job is the springboard into PR and Events work, and I have been promoted already, because I showed interest and enthusiasm, rather than just academic qualifications. My advice probably would be to study harder in the first place, and work on good social and communications skills, because they’re what people see, and that’s what people want.