I want to go University but I have no qualifications. HELP PLEASE

Hey,

My name is Alan, 23 years old and I've been really thinking hard about my future prospects without any qualifications. Right now I'm working for my father, But I want to do something meaningful, challenging and to test myself.

I'm interested in studying Economics and I want to go to a good university in London. Obviously there are requirements such as A Levels, taking into account that I dont have any GCSE's, Do I need to do the gcse's? I've checked online resources and it seems that I can just book A Levels privately without requirements of GCSEs.

My questions are:
Would the university accept me If I've done only A levels and not gcses?
How long would you say it would take me to complete 3 A levels?
IS doing GCSE's compulsory?

Any other advice or information would be much appreciated

Reply 1

Charles III

Original post by adzison

Hiya Alan,

Welcome to The Student Room! :smile:

I've just moved your thread over to a more appropriate section in the hope you get some answers. I don't know too much on this subject, my friend @claireestelle might have some more ideas (sorry Claire, you seem to know lots about UCAS etc :tongue:

)

As far as I know, some subjects will require GCSEs and others won't.

1) I would think so.
2) 1.5 years minimum.
3) Not sure.. :erm:

Reply 2

Juno

Original post by adzison

If you haven't studied for a while, you could be setting yourself up to fail if you do A Levels privately. They require a lot of work, and some is just knowledge of things like exam technique that it can be easier to learn from a tutor. That doesn't mean it's impossible, though, and if you're determined you might be able to succeed.

You might want to consider doing an Access course. These are specially designed for uni entry, and many will let you take a GCSE alongside the course. An Access course will take one year.

It depends which uni you want to go to as to whether GCSEs are compulsory, and also if you had any reasons for not taking them. Unis will be more lenient if you had mitigating circumstances rather than just didn't feel like it.

Reply 3

m_james

Original post by adzison

A lot of universities will ask for GCSE Maths and English at 'C' grades at the very minimum, regardless of what subjects you study at A Level and the grades that you achieve.

I can imagine the GCSE Maths requirement being slightly in the A-B range if you plan on studying Economics. Use UCAS Search to find out GCSE and A Level requirements for universities.

Also, you might be better off studying an Access to Higher Education course and it might be possible to take the Maths and English GCSE's alongside the course. Access courses are typically completed in one year and act as an alternative to A Levels for 'Mature' learners (19+).

I'm 21 and completed my Access course recently (My Access pathway was made up of Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics modules), and I was given offers to all of my university choices to study Pharmacy. It's definitely possible to go from Access to University if you're willing to put in the work! :smile:

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 4

Carnationlilyrose

Original post by adzison

Hello and welcome to TSR. To answer your questions broadly (and others will be along to give more detail, I am sure) you are going to need at least GCSE maths and English at C or above, even though mature students are judged on a case by case basis. A levels will take you two years of full time study, or longer if you are trying to juggle work as well as studying. You would probably be much better off looking at a one year Access course, which is designed for people like you, and which will provide the necessary entry requirements and often allows for the taking of GCSEs at the same time. This is not my area, but there are plenty of people on this forum who will be able to tell you a bit more. I'm afraid there is no quick fix for getting to university with no qualifications, but there are ways which make it possible.

Reply 5

FallenPetal

Would the university accept me If I've done only A levels and not gcses?
It depends entirely on the course, I'm afraid. Some will specify that you need at least X, Y, and Z in subjects A, B, and C, whereas others won't care. Honestly though, I think if you are passionate, many will overlook the fact you don't have GCSEs; as a functioning adult in the real world, I have yet to encounter a single situation where anybody gave the first flying **** about what I got in them. You only really need to worry if you want to go into something uber-prestigious, like medicine (it's true: Even though I am a qualified Pharmacist, many med schools wouldn't look twice at me for their grad programs because *gasp* I didn't get 57 As at GCSE).

How long would you say it would take me to complete 3 A levels?
Two years is the standard time. However, I will say this: I ****ed around during my A-levels and didn't apply myself, and as a result, had to (re)take all of the chemistry exams in a single sitting. I went from a D to an A in a matter of months so, if you are really willing to work hard at it, you can cut the time spent down. Realistically though, I would plan for 2-3 years.

IS doing GCSE's compulsory?
Not strictly. However, I cannot say in good faith that it won't harm your chances.

Can I give you some honest advice though? You say that you want to go to University, but you don't say what for - what is the end goal here? I would get it if you suddenly found that studying history or programming was your true calling in life, and that the subjects interested you so deeply that you just had to dedicate years of your life to them - you want to live and breathe that particular field. Trust me, I am the last person to advocate that a person doesn't learn and grow because they are just that damn passionate.

Here is the thing though - with no qualifications to your name, you're looking at spending the next 5 years of your life not advancing in your field, not earning money, and taking on a not-insignificant amount of debt. Why? Is economics really something so important to you that you're willing to make such a huge commitment? Or are you simply disillusioned with the working world and want a degree 'because that's what everybody else does'?

If it's the latter, I promise you that University isn't the bed of roses you think it will be.

Can I recommend open university courses instead? Sure, they aren't quite as prestigious as holding that £9000-per-year piece of paper, but they are far more suited to people like yourself, who chose to forgo University to make their way in the world (and there is nothing wrong with that - some of the smartest and hardest-working people I know don't have degrees). You could also look into entry-level work at places who hire people with economics degrees; years of experience working in a field - along with open university qualifications in relevant subjects - may very well be enough to get your foot in the door. Especially considering the fact that University degree != job.