Access course in psychology?
Basically due to a certain family issue during my a levels that distracted me heavily I was only able to achieve 180 UCAS points. I am now thinking of not going to university (got accepted at man met) and doing another year at college to do an access course that could lead me to a Russell group university... Do I take the risk and work my ass off for one more year or do I go straight to university and just aim to get a first then do my postgrad at Manchester University? Please some advice so confused 
Your university experience will stay with you, and influence your future, for the next 60/70 years of your life so it's important to make the right choice.
Going to a better university will never do you any harm and can only improve your future prospects. If your circumstances allow (i.e. if you can afford you to have a year extra at college) then spending a year in order to go to a better uni, be more mature and more academically prepared sounds like a good idea (making sure of course that the unis accept the access course).
Fundamentally it is your decision and if doing an MSc is your ambition then to be honest it doesn't matter what uni you go to, as long as you meet the entrance requirements and have the cash.
Going to a better university will never do you any harm and can only improve your future prospects. If your circumstances allow (i.e. if you can afford you to have a year extra at college) then spending a year in order to go to a better uni, be more mature and more academically prepared sounds like a good idea (making sure of course that the unis accept the access course).
Fundamentally it is your decision and if doing an MSc is your ambition then to be honest it doesn't matter what uni you go to, as long as you meet the entrance requirements and have the cash.
Original post by Sinatrafan
Your university experience will stay with you, and influence your future, for the next 60/70 years of your life so it's important to make the right choice.
Going to a better university will never do you any harm and can only improve your future prospects. If your circumstances allow (i.e. if you can afford you to have a year extra at college) then spending a year in order to go to a better uni, be more mature and more academically prepared sounds like a good idea (making sure of course that the unis accept the access course).
Fundamentally it is your decision and if doing an MSc is your ambition then to be honest it doesn't matter what uni you go to, as long as you meet the entrance requirements and have the cash.
Going to a better university will never do you any harm and can only improve your future prospects. If your circumstances allow (i.e. if you can afford you to have a year extra at college) then spending a year in order to go to a better uni, be more mature and more academically prepared sounds like a good idea (making sure of course that the unis accept the access course).
Fundamentally it is your decision and if doing an MSc is your ambition then to be honest it doesn't matter what uni you go to, as long as you meet the entrance requirements and have the cash.
Thanks for your reply. Very insightful. Only issue is that I already retook a year in AS. I'm in my first year of university at Middlesex and absolutely hate it. I'm leaving after this year and if I do an access course it feels like I'm sort of going back in time and I should be moving forward. All my mates are at university and going into their third years and I'm here stuck thinking what I should do. I just feel like if I do the access course for another year I will be delaying my life... What would you do? If I don't do the access course it will be either Portsmouth or MMU this year. Thanks for the advice.
I'd go and study the Access to HE diploma, but if you want to go to a Russell Group Uni or Bath, Surrey etc then make sure you pick science and/or human biology - a vast amount of Russell Group unis is will want some science background. Furthermore, you'll also need to achieve at least 45 Level 3 credits and of those 45 level 3 credits you'll need at least 30 distinction or more to go to a Russell Group uni - the only exception is Exeter where they love mature students and would accept you with 21 distinctions. Check UCAS for other Access requirements or their website, but avoid University of Manchester for Psychology if you're looking at Russell Group Universities!
I applied to St Andrews, Bristol, Bath, Exeter and Warwick.
I applied to St Andrews, Bristol, Bath, Exeter and Warwick.
Original post by Suttrch
I'd go and study the Access to HE diploma, but if you want to go to a Russell Group Uni or Bath, Surrey etc then make sure you pick science and/or human biology - a vast amount of Russell Group unis is will want some science background. Furthermore, you'll also need to achieve at least 45 Level 3 credits and of those 45 level 3 credits you'll need at least 30 distinction or more to go to a Russell Group uni - the only exception is Exeter where they love mature students and would accept you with 21 distinctions. Check UCAS for other Access requirements or their website, but avoid University of Manchester for Psychology if you're looking at Russell Group Universities!
I applied to St Andrews, Bristol, Bath, Exeter and Warwick.
I applied to St Andrews, Bristol, Bath, Exeter and Warwick.
Brilliant thank you for the advice! And good luck!
This September I am going to college to study access to social science. I don't know what to expect while preparing myself for university. What are course aspects and what grade needed for the university? How many ucas points do I need to progress to university 2016?
Posted from TSR Mobile
Posted from TSR Mobile
Read my previous reply.
Depends what your exception are to be honest. You'll need a high number of distinctions (30+) if you want to study at any of the RG, Bath, Surrey, Lancaster etc. if you want to study psychology at uni i'd recommend not doing social science, instead do Access to science.
UCAS points don't come into it if you're studying an Access course; however, you need a number of distinctions and merits dependent on which uni you want - you'll have to do your own research on their website, or on UCAS's website.
HTH
Depends what your exception are to be honest. You'll need a high number of distinctions (30+) if you want to study at any of the RG, Bath, Surrey, Lancaster etc. if you want to study psychology at uni i'd recommend not doing social science, instead do Access to science.
UCAS points don't come into it if you're studying an Access course; however, you need a number of distinctions and merits dependent on which uni you want - you'll have to do your own research on their website, or on UCAS's website.
HTH
Original post by Suttrch
I'd go and study the Access to HE diploma, but if you want to go to a Russell Group Uni or Bath, Surrey etc then make sure you pick science and/or human biology - a vast amount of Russell Group unis is will want some science background. Furthermore, you'll also need to achieve at least 45 Level 3 credits and of those 45 level 3 credits you'll need at least 30 distinction or more to go to a Russell Group uni - the only exception is Exeter where they love mature students and would accept you with 21 distinctions. Check UCAS for other Access requirements or their website, but avoid University of Manchester for Psychology if you're looking at Russell Group Universities!
I applied to St Andrews, Bristol, Bath, Exeter and Warwick.
I applied to St Andrews, Bristol, Bath, Exeter and Warwick.
Hi, sorry to bother you, but why do you say avoid UoM? I'm due to start a Access to HE Social Sciences course in Sept. and UoM was high on my list of possibilities.
Posted from TSR Mobile
Hi, because I've heard that their postgrads teach you and the lecturers are more interested in doing their respected research; however, this is not from my own experience and if you want to go there I'd recommend a visit and make your own mind up. You could do some searches on the Internet to find out some other information to see what you think. 
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