Few questions about starting uni at 26 and above

OP

Original post by michelle85

I started uni in Sept I'll be 27 in Dec its all about the personal statement you write. I moved into halls which was a mistake but I moved Glasgow to London so my choices were limited as I didn't know London.
Pick a subject your interested in. Most uni can help with funding and coming from the navy you may get extra funding.

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Why was it a mistake to move in the halls? And how did you come to the decision to join Glasgow? How did you get the subject of your choice?

Reply 3

beanie26

3

Original post by Michaelj

Hey there, I recently posted this on the mature forum but nobody answered. I persume because nobody frequents them forums. :tongue:

I am currently 26 years old, so I suppose if I was to start university, I'd be either 27 or 28.

I did really bad in school, like REALLY bad. I didn't try whatsoever and just joked about. In the end I got C for english, D maths, C history, D art (and I think that was because the teacher liked me), 4 c's ICT, D science. I dropped out of A-levels after the first year because I found the freedom was making me lazy and I was doing awful.

10 years later and I've served the Royal Navy and I've just left. I got 3 BTECs in Fibre optics and city of guilds. Some other qualifications in various things (like other city of guilds, RTITB etc)... I find I'm a very hard learner now but I doubt that'd prove much me saying it.

I want to go to university to study some courses would my grades hinder me? I'd like to learn stuff but to go back and learn GCSE's and another 2 years of A-levels? Would it be possible to go to university at all? With a chance at a decent subject? (I know medicine and law are out of the question here... But anything decent? Like nurse?) Would it be possible to give references to start uni?

My main problem however is funding. How can I afford rent whilst studying at uni? I want a decent chance at a career here. Literally I wish I tried harder and school and I feel the navy has ruined my youth. I don't want to party with the other students. I just want to study and work hard. I suppose I'll have to move into student accomadation or share a house? I've been kinda happy with my independancy tbh.

I've got my heart set on either psychology or perhaps get a history degree and become a teacher? Psychology interests me and I love history as a hobby.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

Hey, I'm 27 just started uni in Manchester a few weeks ago.

First of all you won't need to do GCSE's/A-Levels again, I got into uni via an Access to HE course, fees (depending on your local services etc) are paid for you. Access is a great prep for university work, and the workload makes year one at uni seem like a breeze ha!

Student Finance offer all types of help (i was fortunate enough to get a Maintenance Grant and Maintenance Loan on top of having my tuition fees paid for, its worth checking this out http://www.sfengland.slc.co.uk/ ) and your university may offer additional support.

Incidentally I think universities would put you with other mature students in accommodation or you could request it

Good luck with what you're trying to do, hope it works out :biggrin:

Reply 4

Charliemouse

6

I am 35 and I started doing History at Hull Uni this September and my GCSE's are far worse than yours, 4 D's and 4 E's.

I also did the access course which I think was the best decision I have ever made, as It was an amazing year and so far Uni is proving to be even better.

Reply 5

OP

Original post by beanie26

Hey, I'm 27 just started uni in Manchester a few weeks ago.

First of all you won't need to do GCSE's/A-Levels again, I got into uni via an Access to HE course, fees (depending on your local services etc) are paid for you. Access is a great prep for university work, and the workload makes year one at uni seem like a breeze ha!

Student Finance offer all types of help (i was fortunate enough to get a Maintenance Grant and Maintenance Loan on top of having my tuition fees paid for, its worth checking this out http://www.sfengland.slc.co.uk/ ) and your university may offer additional support.

Incidentally I think universities would put you with other mature students in accommodation or you could request it

Good luck with what you're trying to do, hope it works out :biggrin:

How long do access courses take and how do you get on one? Is this teaching you a specific subject? And I would prefer to be with students my own age group. Nothing against 18 yr olds but I don't want to go out getting wasted every night. :tongue:

Reply 6

Enigma55

You might be able to do an access course rather than gcses and a levels which will be a year or two then you can go straight to uni.

Reply 7

Original post by Michaelj

How long do access courses take and how do you get on one? Is this teaching you a specific subject? And I would prefer to be with students my own age group. Nothing against 18 yr olds but I don't want to go out getting wasted every night. :tongue:

Access courses are usually one year, although some colleges do offer it over two. You get to choose a pathway to follow ie: Access to Science; Access to Humanities; Access to Nursing; Access to Teacher Training etc.

On those pathways you will get to choose certain subjects, for example I study the humanities pathway and study psychology, english lit, maths and law.

Access courses are meant to be for mature students who have been out of education a while. They offer Level 2 (equivalent to GCSE) and Level 3 (equivalent to A Level) qualifications. However, there are some younger people as well, but in general they should be over 21.

Reply 8

OP

Original post by ExWunderkind

Access courses are usually one year, although some colleges do offer it over two. You get to choose a pathway to follow ie: Access to Science; Access to Humanities; Access to Nursing; Access to Teacher Training etc.

On those pathways you will get to choose certain subjects, for example I study the humanities pathway and study psychology, english lit, maths and law.

Access courses are meant to be for mature students who have been out of education a while. They offer Level 2 (equivalent to GCSE) and Level 3 (equivalent to A Level) qualifications. However, there are some younger people as well, but in general they should be over 21.

I think this sounds like the thing for me. How do I contact them for a potential course? I might have to do it over 2 years since I got a job that sometimes requires I work at night... Or could I choose what days I do the course? I want to become a doctor but I think that's a fair stretch lol so I might have to settle with history teacher. :smile:

Reply 9

Original post by Michaelj

I think this sounds like the thing for me. How do I contact them for a potential course? I might have to do it over 2 years since I got a job that sometimes requires I work at night... Or could I choose what days I do the course? I want to become a doctor but I think that's a fair stretch lol so I might have to settle with history teacher. :smile:

Just contact your local colleges and see if they have Access to HE courses on their prospectus. Or http://www.accesstohe.ac.uk/ search on there.

You generally can't choose what days you can do, but I have some Social Workers on my course and they seem to manage somehow. Medicine is exceptionally competitive, not saying it can't be done but it will be an uphill slog. Determination and tenacity are required but if it's what you want to do go for it. I'd recommend the Science pathway. Check entry requirements now for Unis and make 100% sure the Unis you want would accept Access.

Reply 10

OP

Original post by ExWunderkind

Just contact your local colleges and see if they have Access to HE courses on their prospectus. Or http://www.accesstohe.ac.uk/ search on there.

You generally can't choose what days you can do, but I have some Social Workers on my course and they seem to manage somehow. Medicine is exceptionally competitive, not saying it can't be done but it will be an uphill slog. Determination and tenacity are required but if it's what you want to do go for it. I'd recommend the Science pathway. Check entry requirements now for Unis and make 100% sure the Unis you want would accept Access.

Thanks, I'm going to ring up my local college tommorow and see about going on a course. Though I looked on the website and it said "start date September :eek:

" I don't want to wait a year to start education! So is the training at night, I take it? Also to study to become a history teacher, I take it I need a degree in history first? How would I go about going to uni for history and then to teach? (I love history)

Reply 11

Original post by Michaelj

Thanks, I'm going to ring up my local college tommorow and see about going on a course. Though I looked on the website and it said "start date September :eek:

" I don't want to wait a year to start education! So is the training at night, I take it? Also to study to become a history teacher, I take it I need a degree in history first? How would I go about going to uni for history and then to teach? (I love history)

Yes they follow the academic year so are September to June. At my college our lessons are through the day, however I know others do offer the night one and lessons are 5pm - 9pm.

You don't necessarily need a degree in History to teach History. That is the traditional route however. Subject > PGCE> NQT - But you can study degrees in Education that give you QTS status themselves.

Reply 12

Somebody just posted this on another forum, thought it might be relevant for you.

http://www.sgul.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/mbbs6

Medicine with foundation year! Have to apply by UCAS by January 15th.

Reply 13

OP

Original post by ExWunderkind

Somebody just posted this on another forum, thought it might be relevant for you.

http://www.sgul.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/mbbs6

Medicine with foundation year! Have to apply by UCAS by January 15th.

That is very interesting but it worrys me that if I flunk the first year then that's it. And I persume it'll be people such as nurses, armed forces medical staff etc who apply for this course. Thanks for that, it's got my interest.

Is there anything similar for history then onto teaching? :tongue:

(at least I know, I won't flunk the first year that way)

Reply 14

OP

The thing is I have ticked most of the boxes... Got work experience and experience within first aid and such. (because of my job). However that'd mean redoing all my GCSE's. :tongue:

Reply 15

jami74

Original post by Michaelj

The thing is I have ticked most of the boxes... Got work experience and experience within first aid and such. (because of my job). However that'd mean redoing all my GCSE's. :tongue:

You could start self studying GCSE Maths now and if you were getting on okay then find an exam centre to sit it as a private candidate, or contact your local college to see if they have free Maths evening classes for adults. I think teachers need GCSE English and Maths at C or above. I know people who have taken a GCSE alongside their access course too, even if you planned to do this then doing a bit of self study now would put you ahead and help you to feel like you were doing something now. I know you probably want to start straight away but a little bit of time to look into things properly really helps. Choose your access course wisely, make sure you will meet the entry requirements for your chosen universities and save some money.

Reply 16

OP

Original post by jami74

You could start self studying GCSE Maths now and if you were getting on okay then find an exam centre to sit it as a private candidate, or contact your local college to see if they have free Maths evening classes for adults. I think teachers need GCSE English and Maths at C or above. I know people who have taken a GCSE alongside their access course too, even if you planned to do this then doing a bit of self study now would put you ahead and help you to feel like you were doing something now. I know you probably want to start straight away but a little bit of time to look into things properly really helps. Choose your access course wisely, make sure you will meet the entry requirements for your chosen universities and save some money.

Interesting, apparently I may not need to do an access course to get into uni? I am planning to get GCSE maths sorted and probably improve my english grades. Do I need C in literature as well? Or just language?

Reply 17

Original post by Michaelj

Interesting, apparently I may not need to do an access course to get into uni? I am planning to get GCSE maths sorted and probably improve my english grades. Do I need C in literature as well? Or just language?

You don't necessarily need to do an Access to HE course, that's right. All an Access to HE course is, is evidence of recent study, a way of proving you can cope at degree level.

Some Universities will waive that for the right candidate. But you will have to speak to Admissions tutors about that.

You can get GCSE Maths and English free, usually from local colleges. Whilst an Access course will give you an equivalence of these, sometimes Unis ask for the actual GCSE, but some don't.

And usually a C in either Language or Literature will suffice.

Reply 18

chefdave

Original post by Michaelj

Hey there, I recently posted this on the mature forum but nobody answered. I persume because nobody frequents them forums. :tongue:

I am currently 26 years old, so I suppose if I was to start university, I'd be either 27 or 28.

I did really bad in school, like REALLY bad. I didn't try whatsoever and just joked about. In the end I got C for english, D maths, C history, D art (and I think that was because the teacher liked me), 4 c's ICT, D science. I dropped out of A-levels after the first year because I found the freedom was making me lazy and I was doing awful.

10 years later and I've served the Royal Navy and I've just left. I got 3 BTECs in Fibre optics and city of guilds. Some other qualifications in various things (like other city of guilds, RTITB etc)... I find I'm a very hard learner now but I doubt that'd prove much me saying it.

I want to go to university to study some courses would my grades hinder me? I'd like to learn stuff but to go back and learn GCSE's and another 2 years of A-levels? Would it be possible to go to university at all? With a chance at a decent subject? (I know medicine and law are out of the question here... But anything decent? Like nurse?) Would it be possible to give references to start uni?

My main problem however is funding. How can I afford rent whilst studying at uni? I want a decent chance at a career here. Literally I wish I tried harder and school and I feel the navy has ruined my youth. I don't want to party with the other students. I just want to study and work hard. I suppose I'll have to move into student accomadation or share a house? I've been kinda happy with my independancy tbh.

I've got my heart set on either psychology or perhaps get a history degree and become a teacher? Psychology interests me and I love history as a hobby.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

Personally I think you're making a HUGE mistake. You've been in the Royal Navy for God's sake, 99% of employers are going to look upon that much more favourably upon that than some McHistory degree from a 2nd rate university. You've already said yourself that your grades weren't very good at school so it's clear you're no academic, this doesn't mean you lack intelligence of course it just means you're more practially minded, hence your C&G qualifications etc. If you're dead set on becoming a teacher and a degree is the only way to achieve this then I suppose you have no alternative, but I'd attempt to avoid uni at all costs. It's going to lumber you with huge debts, take 3 years out of your career, prevent you earning for 3 years (opportunity cost) and by the end of it you may be no better off in terms of employment prospects because every Tom, Dick and Harry holds a degwee this days. The cost/benefit analysis of uni no longer stacks up unless you've been to Eton and are planning to go to Oxbridge, i.e you're in the 1%.

In terms of value for money you can't beat the good old GCSE or A level. I took a GCSE as a private candidate a couple of years back to bolster my CV and it only cost me ~£100! It's such good value that I'm thinking of taking a couple more this year and possibly an A level (I only got 2 A levels at college which really bugs me) A private candidate is self taught you just use a local college in June as an exam centre, so you save loads in terms of time and money (some places offer maths and english for free i believe). If you click on the link and then click the top link you'll find the institutions nearest you who'll accept private candidates:

http://web.aqa.org.uk/search.php?q=private+candidates&btnG=&proxyreload=1&site=default_collection&client=default_frontend&proxystylesheet=default_frontend&output=xml_no_dtd

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 19

Elenathion