Has Anyone Studied Marine Biology?

pinkdolphin_113 · May 26, 2008

hello all who has looked at this topic

i've been looking at universities which have courses in marine biology. does anyone know a really good one with really good facilities, teaching methods, etc ?
i really really want to go but i'm abit scared i won't get into any. i have one year left at college and the subject i'm hoping will allow me to be accepted into a uni is science at A2 level.
being a working class child, i was concerned with immediate gratification and didn't try very hard in secorndary school and got 0.13% below a required 5% avergae at GCSE level (i don't know what the percentage is of but i got 4.87% and to take biology, chemistry or any subject at sixth form AS level as a matter of fact, 5% was needed atleast

)
now i know that the harder you try the younger you are, the easier you make it for yourself later on. now, instead of doing just 2 years for free at college, 1 AS and 1 A2, i may have to do 3 years

but i'll have to pay rent and stuff on my 3rd year so it'd be pretty much mission impossible 4!
has anyone had similar experiences as this?
i hope i can do marine biology - oceanography or ecology!

Miss Wiggle · May 26, 2008

Well I dunno about college's where you can study marine biology but I definatley share the lack of motivation as a kid and subsequent slightly rubbish exam results. I was more interested in hanging out with my mates through my A levels and barley went to school, scraped by passes in my subjects bu not good passes, went off to uni and was more bothered about going clubbing so dropped out after a year. I then spent a few years just letting my hair down and enjoying mself before I realised if I wanted to get anywhere in life I would have to sort myself out and do some work. Now I didn't go back through uni or anything like that, went into the world of work and I'm now in a better position than plenty of my school friends who got degree's and so on. Bit of hard work and determination can get you anywhere if you really want it. That's not to say it'll be easy, but plenty of people manage to complete degree's and pay rent etc, you just need to accept that your priority for the next few years is earning money and studying rather than seeing mates and so on. Just put it all into perspective and look at the bigger picture, hopefully we're on this earth for 70+ years, if you spend 3 of those years working hard so that the next 50 years or so you can do something you really want to do and which will give you a fulfilled life..... well it's gotta be worth it hasn't it.

Bit of determination and you can do it, you just have to accept that cos you didn't work so hard at school you have to work that bit harder for the next few years, price you pay but you'll gain a lot of maturity from going through it.

joecoral · May 26, 2008

Whilst I am strictly a Zoologists, as my uni (swansea) is on the coast, probably half the course is made up of Marine Biology lectures, as most of the biology department staff are marine biologists.
Obviously coastal uni's are going to be the best for marine biology, as they have the greatest access to the sea, so Swansea, Plymouth, Portsmouth etc etc. I cant vouch for the facilities for the others, but Swaneseas facilities are generally pretty good for marine bio. They have their own research vessel, as well as a brand new aquaculture centre which has jus been built.
Best thing to do is apply for loads of prospectus', and go on plenty of open days and talk to the staff/students, as if you dont quite make the grades, they're much more likely to still accept you if you made the effort to go to the open day and they remember you
HTH
JC :good:

jacko9901 · May 26, 2008

my mates sister is at a marine biology uni in wales

Saedcantas · May 26, 2008

Bangor Uni is very well known for it's Marine Biology and Ocean related degrees :good:

andywg · May 26, 2008

Does not nmonks have a Bachelor's degree in marine biology? I seem to recall his Ph.D was on prehistoric marine animals

fish are friends.... · May 26, 2008

I hoping go and study marine biology!

I'v heard plymouth is good, you get a gap year were you can go somwhere nice and warm to study the marine life
all info is one their website!

pinkdolphin_113 · May 26, 2008

i think plymouths UCAS points requirements are a little too steep for me :crazy:

althought i would love to go there, it sounds well good for a university!
i'm still looking over the universities that i can get if i were to get C's in all my subjects. i'm just going to mess around no more! and get as many UCAS points as possible. then i can see what my options are :hyper:

fish are friends.... · May 27, 2008

Good luck anyway, I hope you get there!!

pinkdolphin_113 · May 27, 2008

ha! thanks

i hope i get there too. i hope you do so too :good:

it'd bring some right experience to the micro aspect of fish keeping :hyper:

what are you doing to achieve being able to go to university then?

jarcher1390 · May 28, 2008

Saedcantas said:
Bangor Uni is very well known for it's Marine Biology and Ocean related degrees

yeah i heard bangor is an excellent one for marine biology but they changing the course slightly for next year my old work colleague said. Ive looked at newcastle university for marine biology witch seems to have an excellent reputation, just not the right place for me newcastle, plus the grade are very high.
Jonny