All Hope is Gone

Not really but I have applied for 5 unis.

One was UEL and I got denied because I forgot to fill in the access course details I was doing, applied to re submit but not heard from them. Schoolboy.

I have applied for four by UCAS, denied by KCL so far due to lack of grades I'm assuming at GCSE, got Brunel, St. Georges and Hertfordshire left, don't want anywhere too far due to family/work.
Course is Physiotherapy.Am on an access course... So far I have distinctions in Nerves, Muscles and Skeleton, Cells, you know the biology based stuff so It's going ok (not doing too well with chemistry but working on that)

Thing is I have only got 5 C's at GCSE. Including English Maths and Science, but half these courses wanta high level of GCSE's and Brunel wants an A in bioligy even if you do an access course.
I did do some research and emailed in and asked about this and they said I may still be considered.

Has anyone else had luck with bad GCSE's and still had offers so far?

Reply 1

skeptical_john

Mine are pretty rubbish (5 @ c and 1 @ B) - though at the time they were decent grade inflation has increased the need for higher grades a little.

I've had offers but only from low ranking unis. Have applied for some better ones but they have not come back to me yet.

What course is it, there is always clearing if you dont get the idea situation through an offer.

Reply 2

DNBK

It's physiotherapy, which I've heard is more academic at Kings but something so practical that doesn't sense. I've also heard their admissions team isn't that great. But I'd at least like to be denied on my current course access grades which I haven't got yet or my personal statement , that would be something I would accept and work on.

Reply 3

Jessicalw23

Perhaps there will be some courses in clearing if worse came to worst :smile:

think positive

Reply 4

skeptical_john

Original post by DNBK

The problem with access as - unlike with alevels - they cant take into account your current grades as they could still change in moderation. Therefor for prestigious unis who get far more apps than places they dont need to take the risk of an access student and favor people with good AS grades.

Reply 5

Jessicalw23

Original post by skeptical_john

It probably depends on past education too though and the course applying for 😊 For example I'm applying to architecture yet I've got 420 UCAS points from previous level 3 study in healthcare and 2 years worth of nursing studies at uni in my bag. They are unsuitable for architecture yet they get me the UCAS points, so I'm doing an access in art and design and they require a portfolio. It's a tricky one! :smile:

Reply 6

skeptical_john

Original post by Jessicalw23

Well you're not exactly an 'unknown quantity' with that much previous study. It will be pretty safe bet for them to say how you will do at uni.

I'm surprised with that much experience you needed to do an access course?

Reply 7

Smonnie

Original post by DNBK

Have you considered applying to Bucks as a bonus one?

Reply 8

DNBK

Original post by Jessicalw23

Perhaps there will be some courses in clearing if worse came to worst :smile:

think positive

not an option in afraid , spending 3 years doing skme thing that wasn't my goal at 26 . I need to earn money in the mean time .

As for Buckinghamshire , depends how far from London thanks .

Reply 9

Jessicalw23

Original post by skeptical_john

I just had nothing relevant to architecture so my application probably wouldn't even have been considered! Thankfully it's only a year long though and has gave me a good brief insight into art & design and enabled me to make the portfolio that I need when applying :smile:

Reply 10

Heinz the German

Original post by skeptical_john

I'm not sure I agree there. KCL, UCL and Soton, in particular, couldn't have been more helpful when I applied using my Access to HE in lieu of A Levels. Then again, that might have had something to do with the way I approached them, not relying on just UCAS but contacting them directly with regards to entry via Access so they could ask questions about the content of the Access course. I ended up getting offers from all the uni's I applied to (including a surprising "just pass your course" one from King's!), but ended up taking the UCL offer.

In short, one piece of advice I would give ALL those on an Access course is get hold of your target universities well in advance and ask them what their attitude towards Access is. It gives them plenty of time to ask questions then - and you might get a lot of questions (I did, from Soton in particular).