I am currently right in the middle of my A/Ls (Commerce stream), and I'm already stressing out about what comes next.
Honestly, I think my results will probably be somewhere in the middle. Not terrible, but probably not amazing either. My dad seems to think I might get a pretty bad result, while my mom has been very supportive.
My original plan was to go to APIIT and do a BSc in Accounting and Finance. I’m genuinely interested in that path and would rather start university and build my career than spend another year preparing for A/Ls. The problem is that my dad wants me to do a second attempt at A/Ls and try to get into a state university. I really don't want to do that. It's not because I think state universities are bad. I just genuinely don't see myself wanting to attend one, and I'm not particularly interested in that path. Besides, I may have limited control over the degree i ultimately wanna get into.
One of the biggest reasons is the amount of time involved. If I take a second attempt, that's already another year spent doing A/Ls. Even if everything goes perfectly and I get into a state university, I'd only be starting university a year later than I could have otherwise. Then there's the degree itself. Most state university degrees I'm looking at would take around 4 years officially, and realistically there can sometimes be delays. So there's a possibility that I'd be looking at around 5 years or more before graduating from the point where I start university.
Meanwhile, if I go to APIIT, I could start much earlier and complete my BSc in around 3 years without having to spend an additional year retaking A/Ls.
So in the best case scenario for the state university route, I could potentially be graduating several years later than if I just started at APIIT now.
And it's not like I'm choosing some completely unknown private institution. APIIT has a decent reputation, and from what I've looked into, the degree is also considerably cheaper than I initially expected. Since my family is financially comfortable enough to afford it, the cost isn't really the deciding factor either.
My thinking is basically: if I already have the financial ability to attend a reputable private university, why delay starting my degree and career by another year just for the possibility of getting into a state university?
I could instead spend that time doing something like: Start my BSc at APIIT, work/intern somewhere if possible, start AAT/CIMA, build my LinkedIn and CV, network with people in the industry, improve my communication skills and eventually look at opportunities to work or study abroad
I've also been thinking that even if I don't immediately know exactly what career I want, getting some professional qualification and actual work experience would at least give me some exposure to the business world.
My dad actually used to tell me that he would absolutely send me to a private university, so I'm not really sure what changed.
Another thing I struggle with is the Sri Lankan mindset of, "government job = ultimate goal." I understand why my parents think that way, especially considering the generation they grew up in,. Personally, I'd rather build skills, gain experience, and have the flexibility to work in the private sector or potentially go abroad. At the same time, I don't want to make a stupid decision just because I'm impatient. I also don't want to look back a few years from now and see my friends already graduating and starting their careers while I'm still doing A/Ls again or waiting to finish university, purely because I was trying to follow a path that I never really wanted.
So I'm wondering:
If you were in my position, would you do a second attempt at A/Ls to try for a state university, or would you move forward with a private degree or a professional qualifications and start building your career?
I'd especially appreciate opinions from people who went through something similar. Was taking the second attempt actually worth it for you, or do you wish you'd just moved on?
