Computing qualifications and where they could lead?

[Wooderson]

So i'm studying A Level Computing in college, currently in my first year and to put it simply i'm struggling with the theory and practical work.

Theory is just general shit you're expected to know, practical is more programming and stuff. We're using VB since thats mean't to be good for beginners.

Thing is, i'll probably fail this year and have to retake it next year since they don't like people going on to the harder stuff if they can't manage the first year.

From what i'm doing now, I don't see how it could be applied in any work place and in general am clueless as to what the qualification will open up for me.

Since you guys here at FG seem to know a good amount about these sorts of things i'm asking for some directions...

[Bridge]

You're going to have to decide for yourself. Consider this: Does reading about how computers work and how they can be manipulated via programming cause you to light up? If not, there is probably very little reason for you to continue studying computing.

By the way, I don't really appreciate your attitude. What does "probably" fail mean? If you want to continue studying it next year instead of retaking it, then that's what you do. I don't mean to be trite, but:

Do or do not, there is no try.

[Rapture]

Sounds like you have no interest at all. So your just wasting money to find out later you didn't like the subject and now your stuck with a life-time bill.

[Froge]

Bridge hits it dead on

Are you a liberal arts / humanities person?

[Wooderson]

To answer you guys...

The way education works here is, I get payed if I attend college full time and to do that I need to study 3 subjects... Computing being one of them. So if I was paying for it then I would have stopped by now, but since its the other way im doing whatever I can to still get paid for attending.

I liked the idea of being able to learn about computers, but now that i've been doing it for a few months im realizing its not for me... Im not keen anymore.

I will probably fail because thats what i've been predicted to do, not saying because of prediction I will but its likely because even if I do well on the written exam part, the programming project will definitely screw me over.

Im just feeling quite low in terms of my education, im not doing very well in all my subjects for various reasons.

"Are you a liberal arts / humanities person?"


No idea what those are...

[Rapture]

Where do you live... for being payed... to go to college?

[Wooderson]

Where do you live... for being payed... to go to college?

Wales.

Used to get payed in England as of a few years ago too but the Government changed it. Not sure about Scotland/Rep of Ireland.

Anyways, its called EMA... Its where if your household earns under a certain amount of money a year then you get £30 a week for attending college.

Bare in mind that you're probably thinking of college as being the American style college where you have to pay... We do things different here.

[Bridge]

Similar here in Iceland, except for the fact that you don't get paid for attending school (there are no fees though). I go to a private school where you have to pay a certain fee annually however (a modest one - I won't be in debt for the rest of my life).

[Adrianis]

Anyways, its called EMA... Its where if your household earns under a certain amount of money a year then you get £30 a week for attending college.

I thought they scrapped EMA? Or is that just for us damn English folk

[Wooderson]

Anyways, its called EMA... Its where if your household earns under a certain amount of money a year then you get £30 a week for attending college.

I thought they scrapped EMA? Or is that just for us damn English folk

Yeah, for once us Welsh get something England don't