I’m struggling

Hi - sorry to hear you're struggling - where did you get to in your education and what sort of scientist are you hoping to be?    What sort of work environment would you like?     You need to find out what sort of realistic salary you could earn doing whatever job you want to do and then think about the qualifications needed to get there.    It may be prohibitive if the salary is poor.

I'm an engineer so my knowledge is in that field - for example, you may be able to do an HND in a useful/transferable subject at your local college part-time - this will get you most of the way through a degree qualification via the back door - and some unis offer 2-year top-up 'degree' in a work-related subject - like Engineering Management - part time, day release (1 day & 1 evening per week) - This can be a LOT of work but it's MUCH cheaper - I was helping someone a couple of years ago and that type of degree was only £2500/year.      Your HND would get you a decently paid job and the company might sponsor you to do the degree - it's in their interest to boost their employees - it also lowers their insurance risk as you are 'more competent'.

It's also possible to do an HND and jump up to a Chartered status and bypass a degree completely with a portfolio of in-work experience - it adds a couple of years but it's only a couple of hundred pounds - and Chartered trumps a Degree anywhere.   

There are lots of routes to degree or higher level qualifications - the big question is do you think you could manage it and could you cope in a role like that - you don't want to spend years and bucket of cash and then blow it all and end up with massive debt.    Keeping the expenditure as low as possible means you can always bail-out at any time and the money you owe will be manageable to pay back.

You could always look for a company to support you via a sandwich course - you work for them and they pay for your education - it can be a good way to do things but they will expect results - which can be a lot of pressure.

Think positive and work out what you really want.

Thanks for your answer but it’s not really what I was trying to get across. I’m fine once I get to uni, I know exactly what I want to do, at first I went to uni to study geography with mountain leadership, but then I didn’t like it so after the first year I changed to engineering but then I had a breakdown and quit. That was around 3 years ago. And my areas of special interests always include science, but I know I want to work with animals and nature so I want to go and do an ecology with conservation degree in order to work in conservation. I’m not too bogged down with specific areas of biology yet, as long as I’m working with animals and nature I’ll know be happy. 

Also im far too old for college. I’m doing a biology a level in order to get into to uni. My only problem is that I won’t be able to save for uni in the first place as I’m doing an a level and working a string of minimum wage jobs after another. 

My problem is not my long term future goals, I know exactly what I want to do and how to get there, it’s now that I’m struggling with. I know why I failed uni the first times and I know with my diagnosis I can get the help while at uni, but what about before then? What benefits I am entitled to without the diagnosis? Who can I turn to, to ask about these things? I need to save up for uni but I also need to pay rent? I only need to save £9,000 as I will have student finance for the rest of the years I am at uni for, I just need to self fund the first year. 

My future has been very well thought out and planned well. It’s just the right now that I can’t deal with. 

Thanks for your answer but it’s not really what I was trying to get across. I’m fine once I get to uni, I know exactly what I want to do, at first I went to uni to study geography with mountain leadership, but then I didn’t like it so after the first year I changed to engineering but then I had a breakdown and quit. That was around 3 years ago. And my areas of special interests always include science, but I know I want to work with animals and nature so I want to go and do an ecology with conservation degree in order to work in conservation. I’m not too bogged down with specific areas of biology yet, as long as I’m working with animals and nature I’ll know be happy. 

Also im far too old for college. I’m doing a biology a level in order to get into to uni. My only problem is that I won’t be able to save for uni in the first place as I’m doing an a level and working a string of minimum wage jobs after another. 

My problem is not my long term future goals, I know exactly what I want to do and how to get there, it’s now that I’m struggling with. I know why I failed uni the first times and I know with my diagnosis I can get the help while at uni, but what about before then? What benefits I am entitled to without the diagnosis? Who can I turn to, to ask about these things? I need to save up for uni but I also need to pay rent? I only need to save £9,000 as I will have student finance for the rest of the years I am at uni for, I just need to self fund the first year. 

My future has been very well thought out and planned well. It’s just the right now that I can’t deal with. 

I feel your pain - it's really awkward to get out of that situation - the CAB (Citizen's Advice) is normally a walk-in and you talk to the receptionist about what you need and they allocate one of their people to you - if that person isn't there, they may make an appointment for you to go back and see them.   It's probably your first port of call - they are good about benefits advice and will often help you with the forms.

With lots of jobs, if you can demonstrate you're the ideal candidate, the qualifications can be flexible - especially if you show that you're keen to get qualified while working for them - always worth applying and writing a good covering letter to show you're motivated.

If I went to college though I wouldn’t be able to work a part time job, this is the problem :( the CAB? Is that the citizens advice place? Who would I talk to? Thank you so much for your answers. 

I am not able to move home, and I have two dogs so the places that I’m able to rent is a little limited. 

I have tried to apply for environmental jobs but they want people with degrees and experience. I haven't found any that I could walk into. I’ve tried applying for an apprenticeship but even then that wouldn’t give me enough money to live off either.

I also don’t have a driving licence which most environmental jobs need you to have it seems, but I can’t afford lessons, and even if I did have a licence, the area I live in is terrible so the insurance is ridiculously high. But I can’t afford to move to a nicer place!! It’s like a never ending cycle.

I feel like once I’m at uni I’ll feel like I’m working towards something, and I’ll have a purpose. It’s just getting there that seems impossible. 

Sorry if I was off the mark - but you're not too old for college - it might be a better route if finances are difficult.     I'd speak to the CAB about benefits advice - a diagnosis MAY entitle you to the PIP payment and I'm not sure about anything else.     A diagnosis will help with uni/college - you will get assistance and support from them and maybe deadlines extended if you're overloaded - they will bend over backwards to help you through.

I don't know what you can claim for without a diagnosis.

Are you able to move back home?    It would cut your outgoings and enable some saving.

Local councils are very hot on the ecology stuff right now - environmental officers - it might be a good place to get into an entry-level position with a future that would give you experience, money and CV fodder to help you jump to what you want to do..   I have a friend who recently retired from an environmental enforcement job like that on almost £60k.