Rejection from Sheffield because my access course is unsuitable...

I applied at the end of November, got one offer from Nott Trent and one rejection from Sheffield. My heart was set on Sheffield so I was a bit gutted, emailed them to gain some feedback on my application/rejection and just got a reply to say it's because my access course wasn't suitable for the psychology course. My access course is called Social & Community Work though aimed at people wanting to pursue social work we study four modules criminology, sociology, psychology and social policy enabling people to apply to a variety of different degrees. I googled and found quite a few people saying Sheffield are known to look down upon access courses, If there reasoning was for disliking my personal statement i'd understand that and accept it, do you think this is a fair rejection?

I think it's entirely fair, and you were fortunate to get feedback.

You've got a offer from another university, so personally, I would be happy with that. Sheffield is a really good uni, so possibly your expectations of how far access would carry you were a bit unreasonable.

Oxbridge, LSE, Warwick, and UCL accept access. Why shouldn't Sheffield? It's called an alternative route, not an inferior route.

Why should they? It's up to them what they do and don't accept.

There's also a difference between saying that you accept Access, and actually doing it in practice. Of LSE, UC, Cant, Oxon, I would love to know how many access students they actually take - I would be extremely surprised if in practice LSE take any.

Why should they? It's up to them what they do and don't accept.

There's also a difference between saying that you accept Access, and actually doing it in practice. Of LSE, UC, Cant, Oxon, I would love to know how many access students they actually take - I would be extremely surprised if in practice LSE take any.

Why should they? It's up to them what they do and don't accept.

There's also a difference between saying that you accept Access, and actually doing it in practice. Of LSE, UC, Cant, Oxon, I would love to know how many access students they actually take - I would be extremely surprised if in practice LSE take any.

Unfortunately there is an Access to Psychology course, so it may just be that Sheffield specifically want that "flavour" of Access and not the one you have. Their website clearly states that they accept Access as an entry qualification, so it can't be that your application was rejected as a matter of principle.

Sadly this is a good illustration of why mature applicants should always check entry requirements for each course, direct with their target uni, before committing to pre-uni study. Never make assumptions. If they want a particular type of Access course, even the best results in the wrong one won't get you in.

Have you done an access course? I'm only 3 months into one and from my own experience and others it should definitely be seen as an equivalent way to get into higher education, if not an even harder route to take.. it's not like the better uni's are accepting lower grade entries for access, you have to get 30 pieces of work at distinction level (equivalent to A-level A's) and 15 at merit (equivalent to A-level B's) you have to do this within one year while juggling 4 assignments at a time and some who are retaking GCSE's on top of that.. if uni's cant appreciate the time and effort people put in to access I think it's pretty sad, even if Sheffield did change their minds and give me an offer, I probably wouldn't chose to go to them after this but I just wanted other's opinions.

Unfortunately there is an Access to Psychology course, so it may just be that Sheffield specifically want that "flavour" of Access and not the one you have. Their website clearly states that they accept Access as an entry qualification, so it can't be that your application was rejected as a matter of principle.

Sadly this is a good illustration of why mature applicants should always check entry requirements for each course, direct with their target uni, before committing to pre-uni study. Never make assumptions. If they want a particular type of Access course, even the best results in the wrong one won't get you in.

My opinion is that you're probably doing the wrong Access course for the Sheffield syllabus. Nothing to do with looking down on Access at all. Did you check with them before applying or did you just assume that you were doing what they wanted?

We've had at least one TSR member who held a conditional offer from Cambridge based on their Access course. It is possible, and part of their "widening participation" initiatives.

Have you done an access course? I'm only 3 months into one and from my own experience and others it should definitely be seen as an equivalent way to get into higher education, if not an even harder route to take.. it's not like the better uni's are accepting lower grade entries for access, you have to get 30 pieces of work at distinction level (equivalent to A-level A's) and 15 at merit (equivalent to A-level B's) you have to do this within one year while juggling 4 assignments at a time and some who are retaking GCSE's on top of that.. if uni's cant appreciate the time and effort people put in to access I think it's pretty sad, even if Sheffield did change their minds and give me an offer, I probably wouldn't chose to go to them after this but I just wanted other's opinions.

I know for a fact Oxford and Cambridge do. I know for a fact LSE want me. (though my access course is old) I don't have any personal experience of UCL. Both Oxford and Cambridge have colleges geared towards mature students without traditional qualifications. Oxford has Harris Manchester, Cambridge has 4 that only accept them. Though most do not define 'mature student' as '19yo kid avoiding alevels', but 21/22+

Why should they? They should want the brightest prospects, regardless of the application route. Surely that's common sense? I can't speak for Sheffield as I don't know, but your logic of 'access course is no good for good unis' is poor.

If they didn't want to accept swathes of international students because 'further education isn't up to scratch in those countries' you'd likely see it as silly and people would be up in arms.

For someone who is supposed to be a mature student, wouldn't you say that's a rather childish outlook? The university you wanted didn't want you - so now you're going to "punish" them?

Universities want achievers, not serial excuse makers. I'm not saying this is you, but that's the pattern with a lot of people who for whatever reason didn't sort their A-levels out first time around. If you are having to retake GCSEs, that's a red flag, not a green light.
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You've just made that up. I didn't say that.

I think it's entirely fair, and you were fortunate to get feedback.

You've got a offer from another university, so personally, I would be happy with that. Sheffield is a really good uni, so possibly your expectations of how far access would carry you were a bit unreasonable.

Not necessarily, won't go into it but there's more you want from universities when choosing where to relocate and study for 3 years, then just the label of them being a 'good uni'. Punish them? Uhm I have other uni's I'd like to go to.. Sheffield wasn't the be all and end all so I'm not fussed I'm a believer in everything happens for a reason and two friends I know who are at Sheffield currently aren't enjoying it at all. That's a very close minded naive way of looking at things, most people I've met on my access course have reasons why they didn't pursue education, myself included. And I'm retaking my maths GCSE yeah it doesn't look amazing but shows I'm dedicated and motivated to gain a place at a university, I could of just given up and taken the easy route and ended up working at Tesco stacking shelves for the rest of my life.

I applied at the end of November, got one offer from Nott Trent and one rejection from Sheffield. My heart was set on Sheffield so I was a bit gutted, emailed them to gain some feedback on my application/rejection and just got a reply to say it's because my access course wasn't suitable for the psychology course. My access course is called Social & Community Work though aimed at people wanting to pursue social work we study four modules criminology, sociology, psychology and social policy enabling people to apply to a variety of different degrees. I googled and found quite a few people saying Sheffield are known to look down upon access courses, If there reasoning was for disliking my personal statement i'd understand that and accept it, do you think this is a fair rejection?

Your combination of modules is not really useful for a psychology degree so I am not surprised they rejected you. It would have been better to take human biology (or chemistry at a push) and quantitative methods instead of the social modules you took.

It is got nothing to do with Sheffield looking down on access courses really.