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Hi guys.

I'm planning on joining the Royal Marines after i finish getting my a-levels at college. But the thing is i really hate college.

The courses i am doing are boring. And the only reason i am getting the qualifications is so i have some back-up incase something goes wrong with the Military. Although, with the a-levels i could join at Officer level but i'm not really sure whether i'd do that anyway.

So basically the only reason i am attending college for these 2 years is for back-up qualifications and maybe to go in as an Officer. I have no motivation to do well, and i am behind in my work.

What i'd really like to do is just quit now and apply for the Marines. I'm 18 at the moment, i'm sick of were i live and this boring civillian life. I want to move on already. I'm not sure whether i can stick it out for another year and a half.

What would you do guys? Did any of you go to college to get qualifications before joining?

Cheers

Woody,

This one's come up before in previous posts mate, and I know many don't agree with my arguments and they'll probably put their case here shortly.

I employ a few people and looking to employ a few more in the future and I know from many other business owners that I talk to. The General feeling is that the education results process and qualification system has been fudged that much now to meet government targets. No one knows now how to value A - Levels. If someone comes to me with an A-Level looking for a job, I don't know whether they are really clever or been hiding at college rather than working for a living, some stay there many years for no reason as you've probably seen, Plus it's getting no better.

Unless your doing a vocational course like plumbing or something you are actually plan to make a career out of, I'd bin it.

Although saying the above, your marine application process is going to take around 5-6 months before you get down there, so probably start your application off and continue at college till you've made your mind up.

Best thing to do is to talk to your careers adviser and your parents and make your own mind up.

Good luck

GreyWing wrote: I employ a few people and looking to employ a few more in the future.......

Oh really? What kind of work?

Stay at college. You don't know what will happen with your application, you don't know if you'll get injured, you don't know if you'll like it, you don't know how long you'll stay. You've come this far, why drop out now. A Levels are to MOST employers an indication that you can stick out doing multiple courses, meet deadlines and work to a particular standard. Plus it means if things go t*ts up with your military aspirations, you could go to university and get a degree, which will put you further ahead in the job market.

As much as I don't agree with the overall sentiment of Grey's argument, I will agree that it's hard to set people apart these days because everyone has the same qualifications. But I'd use that to back the other corner - don't let yourself drop out of something just because of your plans now, you can't predict the future - don't be the only applicant for the job with no A Levels, in my humble opinion that will set you back.

Vx x x

Guess who's a student...

Yes. Forgot to mention I am totally biased. Although I'd like to think I know a little about what being in the Marines will be all about. Which actually makes me think A Levels are an even better idea....

Thanks DEAR!

Vx x x

Thanks fella's. It's obvious education is the best route, and it's easy to say stay on. But i really don't like college. I despise the college life and i really don't know if i can make another year and a half. Well, i won't in this frame of mind. Unless i can motivate myself to keep at it and work hard i don't think i'll make it...

I agree with Grey though about the qualification system. The majority of people just stay in education as long as possible because its the easiest possible route. It shows nothing about their character.


But oh well... what can you do, eh..

What i would do is this.

I had the same problem as you, but i got this in my 2nd year so of course it was obvious to finish my 2nd year.

- If you feel strongly about joining the forces then i would finish your 1st year at college or 6th form...
- Then use the time while you are still getting your AS level, to increase your knowledge of the forces and keep get yourself better prepared for Army life?

I think if you have come this far with your school life, and its the matter of months (summer) before you get your results then you may as well AT LEAST finish this year.

While your going through the application process you can still be doing your grades... or at least your AS.

My thoughts.

If you stay and finish the course you can have a plan B, it is MUCH easier to go back to educationat post Alevel, believe me ze little gray cells do not verk so vell later in life,having Alevels in your poccket will help if you do not stay in the military, and may come in useful if you do stay, a year seems so long at your age but believe me they fly past faster and faster as you get older, so persevere........
barb
and good luck with your career

Woody599:

I recommend that you look at it this way...

1. Ignore anyone who tells you to bin your education. Chances are, they don't have much themselves and so don't understand the value of it.

2. Do yourself a favour and finish what you started. An education is no small undertaking. To quit such a venture could have far-reaching negative repurcussions in your life. Your proof of education will be available to you long after you're done with the military.

3. Try some self-evaluation. If you're thinking of binning your education because it's too "boring", maybe your personal drive and discipline needs some work. That's not a poke at you, but just a suggestion that you might want to take a long hard look at yourself before making a decision you might regret later.

4. Consider that the majority of wanabes trying out for your particular military aspirations don't make the grade. Then what? Opt for something else in the military? Go back to college to try to pick up the pieces? Or settle for some crappy civi job because you didn't cut the mustard for the RM and don't have the education for a better civi position?

It's all a question of risk analysis. Weigh your resources and options carefully. Look at the path with the greatest risk down to the path with the least risk. Look at the most likely scenario, down to the least likely scenario and apportion risk to each. If the most likely scenario has the most risk, your screwed, but ussually there is a middle ground that's doable. Temper your assessment with your honestly evaluated "acceptible risk" (what are you prepared to lose?). Do all of this before making your decision. In fact, do your risk analysis on paper, then leave it for a couple of days and don't think about it. Then revisit it after your "cooling off" period and you may be surpised about your original analysis. Was it based on emotions or a clear head? Where you completely honest with yourself? Where you realistsic in your weighting of goals and apportioned risk? Did you do your homework or did you just cuff it? Did you get a second opinion form a trusted source?

You will always find people who sneer at education. Ignore them. This is your life and you are the one responsible for it. If I were you, I'd finish the education courses you started, concurrent to focussing on getting as fit and strong as possible. At then end of it, you'll have your A-Levels under your belt, the satisfaction that you completed them, and you'll be fit as a butcher's dog and ready to begin training.

Best of luck and keep your eye on the prize!

Woody599:

You know as much as I do that there are many Mickey mouse college courses out there today. The fact that no one has even asked what you are studying before telling you that "it would be good for you" speaks volumes mate.

Which is exactly why I said if it's not a vocational course, I'd bin it. That is a huge difference from what people think I said of bin your education.

I don't have a qualification to my name mate, started at McDonalds and started my own business and it's doing well. It's while I was at McDonalds that I saw many people with degree's walk into managers positions and not got the sense they were born with.

Unlike others mate, I'll never tell you to ignore anyone, listen to every ones point of view and whatever you choose to do, will be the right one.

All the best

I've been in the Corps for two and a half years now; I finished my A-levels before I joined, but wrapped at the start of the second year really as I'd made a decision over what I wanted to do and didn't see the point; I finished the course and achieved average grades (largely thanks to good AS results the previous year), but nowhere near what I could have got had I continued working at them. I'm now studying a degree in my own time through the Open University because I don't want to go outside a few years down the line and be stuck in a dead end job. Many white collar jobs won't even look at you if you don't have the necessary qualifications - they're certainly not the be all and end all, but they are still a requirement for many firms.

Id say stick it out till the end of school mate.

Yes you can get a lot of jobs with out qualifications, and yeah a decent amount of employers these days dont think much of the educational system. BUT you've sat through what? Like 13 years of school? And if you leave you wont have much to show for it. Personally I dont like spending 13 years working towards something and then not getting it

Ultimately the decision is yours mate, but first off sit down with mum & dad and talk it through with them, also go find a quite spot somewhere and write down or think about what you would do after the marines, then have a bit of a call around employers in those fields and ask about what they look for in an employee.

Just a few suggestions.

Cheers
Alan

After a couple of very helpfull posts from the font of all knowledge, my arse, we got to the serious answers.
From Anglo, great general advice and from Dan the Druid a reality check
He`s not actually a Druid and his name isn`t actually Dan but he`em a noice lad all the same

I`m sure he means well