Mature student considering options.
Hello! I am a mature student(32) who went back into education last year to retake GCSEs, I passed English with an A*/8 grade although when I first enrolled I was aiming for a B/6, a factor that left me flabbergasted when I opened my results back in August. Math I am resitting this year due to falling short; however, I am sitting the higher tier paper this time around(admittedly, I am enjoying the higher tier content more than foundation).
Now, the course I eventually want to do at university is English Literature with History as a combined degree, because I am passionate about both subjects and have been for a long time. What I am considering is whether or not I would be better off doing A levels as a private candidate or do an Access to HE diploma in September.
If I were to sit a level, my chosen subjects would be English literature, history, and politics. My issue is; how does one go about sitting a levels as a private candidate? Also, I am someone who does need exam arrangements(extra time, colored paper, etc); are these taken into account when sitting them as a private candidate?
While it may not seem realistic, I do intend to use one of my five university applications for Oxbridge(likely Cambridge). Given the fact I had to resit math; would that be a waste of a uni application spot even if I were to get the required grades at a level or access to HE?
That leads me to ask; what would you advise?
Now, the course I eventually want to do at university is English Literature with History as a combined degree, because I am passionate about both subjects and have been for a long time. What I am considering is whether or not I would be better off doing A levels as a private candidate or do an Access to HE diploma in September.
If I were to sit a level, my chosen subjects would be English literature, history, and politics. My issue is; how does one go about sitting a levels as a private candidate? Also, I am someone who does need exam arrangements(extra time, colored paper, etc); are these taken into account when sitting them as a private candidate?
While it may not seem realistic, I do intend to use one of my five university applications for Oxbridge(likely Cambridge). Given the fact I had to resit math; would that be a waste of a uni application spot even if I were to get the required grades at a level or access to HE?
That leads me to ask; what would you advise?
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Original post by zcphyr
Hello! I am a mature student(32) who went back into education last year to retake GCSEs, I passed English with an A*/8 grade although when I first enrolled I was aiming for a B/6, a factor that left me flabbergasted when I opened my results back in August. Math I am resitting this year due to falling short; however, I am sitting the higher tier paper this time around(admittedly, I am enjoying the higher tier content more than foundation).
Now, the course I eventually want to do at university is English Literature with History as a combined degree, because I am passionate about both subjects and have been for a long time. What I am considering is whether or not I would be better off doing A levels as a private candidate or do an Access to HE diploma in September.
If I were to sit a level, my chosen subjects would be English literature, history, and politics. My issue is; how does one go about sitting a levels as a private candidate? Also, I am someone who does need exam arrangements(extra time, colored paper, etc); are these taken into account when sitting them as a private candidate?
While it may not seem realistic, I do intend to use one of my five university applications for Oxbridge(likely Cambridge). Given the fact I had to resit math; would that be a waste of a uni application spot even if I were to get the required grades at a level or access to HE?
That leads me to ask; what would you advise?
Now, the course I eventually want to do at university is English Literature with History as a combined degree, because I am passionate about both subjects and have been for a long time. What I am considering is whether or not I would be better off doing A levels as a private candidate or do an Access to HE diploma in September.
If I were to sit a level, my chosen subjects would be English literature, history, and politics. My issue is; how does one go about sitting a levels as a private candidate? Also, I am someone who does need exam arrangements(extra time, colored paper, etc); are these taken into account when sitting them as a private candidate?
While it may not seem realistic, I do intend to use one of my five university applications for Oxbridge(likely Cambridge). Given the fact I had to resit math; would that be a waste of a uni application spot even if I were to get the required grades at a level or access to HE?
That leads me to ask; what would you advise?
I think I can answer a good portion of your questions:
I passed English with an A*/8 grade
Congrats
English Literature with History as a combined degree, because I am passionate about both subjects and have been for a long time. What I am considering is whether or not I would be better off doing A levels as a private candidate or do an Access to HE diploma in September.
This would depend on the specific uni that you intend to apply to and for which specific degree. Each degree would have its own entry requirements, and the entry requirements for the individual degree would determine whether you can apply using an Access course.
The following are the degrees that are related to English Lit and History that I have found on the first page of Google:
https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/jointhonours/english-literature-and-history.aspx#EntryRequirementsTab - Access might be accepted
https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/english-literature-and-history-ba-hons-qv31/2024/#course-entry - Access might be accepted
https://www.ed.ac.uk/studying/undergraduate/degrees/index.php?action=view&code=QVH1 - Access should be accepted (see: https://www.ed.ac.uk/arts-humanities-soc-sci/adult-returner-applicants)
https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/joint-honours/english-literature-and-history-ba-hons/ - Access should be accepted, but check with undergrad admissions
https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/study-at-northumbria/courses/english-literature-and-history-ba-hons-uusegl2htr/ - Access accepted
https://www.uea.ac.uk/course/undergraduate/ba-literature-and-history#entry_requirements - Access accepted
https://www.manchester.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/2024/10357/ba-english-literature-and-history/entry-requirements/#alternative-entry-requirements - Access accepted
https://www.port.ac.uk/study/courses/undergraduate/ba-hons-english-literature-with-history#entry-requirements - Access not likely accepted, but do check with undergrad admissions; see: https://student-system.port.ac.uk/ipp/U0995PYCPORT~2024.HTML)
https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses/course-listing/history-and-english - Access might be accepted, see: https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses/admission-requirements/uk-qualifications
My issue is; how does one go about sitting a levels as a private candidate? Also, I am someone who does need exam arrangements(extra time, colored paper, etc); are these taken into account when sitting them as a private candidate?
This would depend on the individual exam board for the subject. Normally though, you would:
•
Go to the exam board's website
•
Find an approved exam centre based on your location
•
Liaise with the exam officer for the exam centre
•
Book your exams
For some subjects such as English Lit, you might need to do coursework, which is a pain to do as a private candidate. For example AQA, OCR, EdExcel have an NEA component (https://www.aqa.org.uk/student-and-parent-support/private-candidates/subjects-and-qualifications/as-and-a-level, https://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/as-and-a-level/english-literature-h072-h472-from-2015/specification-at-a-glance/, https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/A%20Level/English%20Literature/2015/Specification%20and%20sample%20assessments/gce2015-a-level-eng-lit-spec.pdf)
To get your NEA assessed, you can only do the NEA at specific approved centres by the exam board that you would do it with. They can be a pain to find though, and booking for an NEA can mean more hurdles to jump through than for the exams alone.
How you go about studying and revising for A Levels is up to you; you can either:
•
pick up the textbooks approved by the exam board you're studying under and study yourself - not recommended if you haven't done A Levels before
•
do it through an online course that specifically covers the syllabus of the specific exam board that you intend to do this with.
I do intend to use one of my five university applications for Oxbridge(likely Cambridge). Given the fact I had to resit math; would that be a waste of a uni application spot even if I were to get the required grades at a level or access to HE?
It's better to get an Oxbridge alumni, admin staff, or student to answer this.
I can't really say because it depends on the admission staff and not something you can really generalise.
From the look of Oxford's degree above, there doesn't seem to be any mention of GCSEs, only A Level (or equivalent) grades. You might want to check on this though.
(edited 3 months ago)
Original post by zcphyr
Hello! I am a mature student(32) who went back into education last year to retake GCSEs, I passed English with an A*/8 grade although when I first enrolled I was aiming for a B/6, a factor that left me flabbergasted when I opened my results back in August. Math I am resitting this year due to falling short; however, I am sitting the higher tier paper this time around(admittedly, I am enjoying the higher tier content more than foundation).
Now, the course I eventually want to do at university is English Literature with History as a combined degree, because I am passionate about both subjects and have been for a long time. What I am considering is whether or not I would be better off doing A levels as a private candidate or do an Access to HE diploma in September.
If I were to sit a level, my chosen subjects would be English literature, history, and politics. My issue is; how does one go about sitting a levels as a private candidate? Also, I am someone who does need exam arrangements(extra time, colored paper, etc); are these taken into account when sitting them as a private candidate?
While it may not seem realistic, I do intend to use one of my five university applications for Oxbridge(likely Cambridge). Given the fact I had to resit math; would that be a waste of a uni application spot even if I were to get the required grades at a level or access to HE?
That leads me to ask; what would you advise?
Now, the course I eventually want to do at university is English Literature with History as a combined degree, because I am passionate about both subjects and have been for a long time. What I am considering is whether or not I would be better off doing A levels as a private candidate or do an Access to HE diploma in September.
If I were to sit a level, my chosen subjects would be English literature, history, and politics. My issue is; how does one go about sitting a levels as a private candidate? Also, I am someone who does need exam arrangements(extra time, colored paper, etc); are these taken into account when sitting them as a private candidate?
While it may not seem realistic, I do intend to use one of my five university applications for Oxbridge(likely Cambridge). Given the fact I had to resit math; would that be a waste of a uni application spot even if I were to get the required grades at a level or access to HE?
That leads me to ask; what would you advise?
Oxbridge shouldn't be overly concerned with a GCSE Maths resit I would think? Note that Cambridge actually has no GCSE requirements at all - although they don't offer a joint honours in English lit and history (although if your specific period of interest for both is medieval, they have the ASNAC course which is effectively a joint honours in history and English focusing on that period).
Note Oxford has a certificate programme in English lit and in history offered through their continuing education department which can permit students to continue onto the second year of the corresponding course there subject to a successful UCAS application after finishing the course or in the second year (unclear if you can go onto the joint honours English lit and history course though). The finance status of this course is unclear though (whether it's eligible for SFE funding or an Advanced Learner Loan or what).
Regarding the Access, if you do an Access Course my personal view is it is probably better to do one at a college rather than online.
Access courses can be done in a year but they are intense.
My daughter did one after A levels at age 18 rather than resit one A level (which is unusual and was against all advice but mine) and managed to get into the university she wanted via the Access Course. They are not easy but then neither are A levels. I am not advocating my daughter's course of action, as an alternative to a resit, for students on here btw - it just suited her particular circumstances.
As said above, I think that it is important to do your homework and look at which universities will accept Access to HE. It's also worth contacting the university department directly before you commit to an Access to HE, to make sure that they will accept them and to check the type of Access Course accepted. Another thing to consider is the number of distinctions they want as this is relevant if applying strategically.
Edit: I think that Access to HEs tend to have less tests and exams. I think my daughter only had to do two tests at most, though courses vary. The rest of the assessment was mainly made up of assignments/essays. There were a couple of presentations.
Access courses can be done in a year but they are intense.
My daughter did one after A levels at age 18 rather than resit one A level (which is unusual and was against all advice but mine) and managed to get into the university she wanted via the Access Course. They are not easy but then neither are A levels. I am not advocating my daughter's course of action, as an alternative to a resit, for students on here btw - it just suited her particular circumstances.
As said above, I think that it is important to do your homework and look at which universities will accept Access to HE. It's also worth contacting the university department directly before you commit to an Access to HE, to make sure that they will accept them and to check the type of Access Course accepted. Another thing to consider is the number of distinctions they want as this is relevant if applying strategically.
Edit: I think that Access to HEs tend to have less tests and exams. I think my daughter only had to do two tests at most, though courses vary. The rest of the assessment was mainly made up of assignments/essays. There were a couple of presentations.
(edited 3 months ago)
I do appreciate the responses and the feedback. In regards to my level three options, this will be the first time I will have sat a level three qualification as I never did them back when I was at college a decade ago. The reasons for this stem from the fact that I didn't have the best start regarding my educational beginnings. I was pulled out of the school setting due to the environment being deemed unsafe(severe bullying and mental health issues), this led to me missing a good portion of year eight and year nine, which impacted my learning as I approached my GCSEs during that time.
I am going to apply the the two nearest colleges to me that offer the access to HE in humanities subjects. I did find out that one of them offers a levels(Liverpool), but I will have to double-check and maybe see what my options are regarding funding. The biggest hurdle in this is the financial side as I am not in a financial position to be able to pay for the exam fees(unless I can pay in installments).
If I had to pick either English Literature or History, I would pick English Literature as my main option at degree level. I am keen to learn and expand my knowledge. I know my end goal is to pursue a career in academia(the research side), so the goal is to go all the way and eventually pursue a master's after undergrad.
I will take a gander at Oxford's certificate program as an option for HE progression after doing my level three qualification. I will also get in contact with oxbridge's stance on access to HE and whether or not they accept them. If they do accept them; would it be worth asking the English tutor I had last year(when I resat English GCSE) to write my reference? Given the October deadline.
I am going to apply the the two nearest colleges to me that offer the access to HE in humanities subjects. I did find out that one of them offers a levels(Liverpool), but I will have to double-check and maybe see what my options are regarding funding. The biggest hurdle in this is the financial side as I am not in a financial position to be able to pay for the exam fees(unless I can pay in installments).
If I had to pick either English Literature or History, I would pick English Literature as my main option at degree level. I am keen to learn and expand my knowledge. I know my end goal is to pursue a career in academia(the research side), so the goal is to go all the way and eventually pursue a master's after undergrad.
I will take a gander at Oxford's certificate program as an option for HE progression after doing my level three qualification. I will also get in contact with oxbridge's stance on access to HE and whether or not they accept them. If they do accept them; would it be worth asking the English tutor I had last year(when I resat English GCSE) to write my reference? Given the October deadline.
Original post by zcphyr
I do appreciate the responses and the feedback. In regards to my level three options, this will be the first time I will have sat a level three qualification as I never did them back when I was at college a decade ago. The reasons for this stem from the fact that I didn't have the best start regarding my educational beginnings. I was pulled out of the school setting due to the environment being deemed unsafe(severe bullying and mental health issues), this led to me missing a good portion of year eight and year nine, which impacted my learning as I approached my GCSEs during that time.
I am going to apply the the two nearest colleges to me that offer the access to HE in humanities subjects. I did find out that one of them offers a levels(Liverpool), but I will have to double-check and maybe see what my options are regarding funding. The biggest hurdle in this is the financial side as I am not in a financial position to be able to pay for the exam fees(unless I can pay in installments).
If I had to pick either English Literature or History, I would pick English Literature as my main option at degree level. I am keen to learn and expand my knowledge. I know my end goal is to pursue a career in academia(the research side), so the goal is to go all the way and eventually pursue a master's after undergrad.
I will take a gander at Oxford's certificate program as an option for HE progression after doing my level three qualification. I will also get in contact with oxbridge's stance on access to HE and whether or not they accept them. If they do accept them; would it be worth asking the English tutor I had last year(when I resat English GCSE) to write my reference? Given the October deadline.
I am going to apply the the two nearest colleges to me that offer the access to HE in humanities subjects. I did find out that one of them offers a levels(Liverpool), but I will have to double-check and maybe see what my options are regarding funding. The biggest hurdle in this is the financial side as I am not in a financial position to be able to pay for the exam fees(unless I can pay in installments).
If I had to pick either English Literature or History, I would pick English Literature as my main option at degree level. I am keen to learn and expand my knowledge. I know my end goal is to pursue a career in academia(the research side), so the goal is to go all the way and eventually pursue a master's after undergrad.
I will take a gander at Oxford's certificate program as an option for HE progression after doing my level three qualification. I will also get in contact with oxbridge's stance on access to HE and whether or not they accept them. If they do accept them; would it be worth asking the English tutor I had last year(when I resat English GCSE) to write my reference? Given the October deadline.
I see that you haven’t done a level 3 qualification before, to my understanding, if you haven’t done level 3 then you qualify for government funding. I’m on the access to HE sciences course at college and I’m doing mine through advanced learner loan as I already have 2 level 3 qualifications but at my college if I didn’t have level 3 the course would be free to me. The advanced learner loan doesn’t have to be paid back until you reach over the salary threshold or if you continue to university and successfully graduate it gets written off. I see you also have had a rough start to education and believe me access courses only have adults in them and my experience is a really positive one everyone is so supportive and we all get on really well because everyone is over all the dramas that go with being younger and everyone is there because they want to be. Good luck in your journey.
Original post by zcphyr
I do appreciate the responses and the feedback. In regards to my level three options, this will be the first time I will have sat a level three qualification as I never did them back when I was at college a decade ago. The reasons for this stem from the fact that I didn't have the best start regarding my educational beginnings. I was pulled out of the school setting due to the environment being deemed unsafe(severe bullying and mental health issues), this led to me missing a good portion of year eight and year nine, which impacted my learning as I approached my GCSEs during that time.
I am going to apply the the two nearest colleges to me that offer the access to HE in humanities subjects. I did find out that one of them offers a levels(Liverpool), but I will have to double-check and maybe see what my options are regarding funding. The biggest hurdle in this is the financial side as I am not in a financial position to be able to pay for the exam fees(unless I can pay in installments).
If I had to pick either English Literature or History, I would pick English Literature as my main option at degree level. I am keen to learn and expand my knowledge. I know my end goal is to pursue a career in academia(the research side), so the goal is to go all the way and eventually pursue a master's after undergrad.
I will take a gander at Oxford's certificate program as an option for HE progression after doing my level three qualification. I will also get in contact with oxbridge's stance on access to HE and whether or not they accept them. If they do accept them; would it be worth asking the English tutor I had last year(when I resat English GCSE) to write my reference? Given the October deadline.
I am going to apply the the two nearest colleges to me that offer the access to HE in humanities subjects. I did find out that one of them offers a levels(Liverpool), but I will have to double-check and maybe see what my options are regarding funding. The biggest hurdle in this is the financial side as I am not in a financial position to be able to pay for the exam fees(unless I can pay in installments).
If I had to pick either English Literature or History, I would pick English Literature as my main option at degree level. I am keen to learn and expand my knowledge. I know my end goal is to pursue a career in academia(the research side), so the goal is to go all the way and eventually pursue a master's after undergrad.
I will take a gander at Oxford's certificate program as an option for HE progression after doing my level three qualification. I will also get in contact with oxbridge's stance on access to HE and whether or not they accept them. If they do accept them; would it be worth asking the English tutor I had last year(when I resat English GCSE) to write my reference? Given the October deadline.
I'm sorry to hear about your situation when you were younger.
I concur with @KazStudies, if you haven't done a Level 3 qualification before, you should be eligible for free level 3 courses at your college.
Access courses by default if you intend to do your degree the year after. However, if you have done a level 3 course before, there are advanced learner's loans as previously mentioned. The loans are available for anyone taking courses at a recognised offline college (e.g. the one that you mentioned for A Levels), but do check with Student Finance to be sure. With any online college courses, as far as I know, you won't be eligible for any student finance.
The problem that I have found with colleges that offer A Levels (aside from 6th form colleges) is that they tend to have a cut off age for A Levels. Some would limit this to 19, and some for 25. You would need to check whether the particular college you mentioned for A Levels does this (there is no cut off age for Access course students).
If you do get accepted for A Levels at your particular college, the default is the first set of exams are free and any subsequent resits will be at cost for those taking them at 18-19. I am not particularly clear on the situation for those between 19 and 25 (or for anyone above 30).
I will take a look at funding options regarding a level three option that can be explored nearer the time and take it from there. I know the loans that one takes out for an access course do get wiped off when you progress to university and complete a degree in one's chosen subject.
I did look at liverpool's a level information and it does say those over the age of 25 will have to pay the full fee(which is £500), which I suspect is £500 per a level. Granted, I am not entirely sure if I can take out student finance to cover three a levels. So in retrospect, my best option would likely be an access to HE course.
I will pop into a couple of the colleges that offer the access course in the subjects I'm after(English and history) and see what they advise. There are only two colleges in my region that I can realistically get to by commuting(those being st helens and Liverpool). The college in my town(which I am currently attending) doesn't offer the access course in humanities, social sciences is the one they offer here(its modules are criminology and psychology based).
Now, regarding Oxbridge, I think it may be wiser for me to do an English degree at another institution and maybe look into that for postgraduate(I intend to pursue a masters after undergrad). The course content at oxbridge does interest me, especially the modules Cambridge offers(early medieval literature). Now, this leads me to a question; if I were to apply for undergrad; would an access to HE diploma be considered adequate if the grade requirements were met?
I did look at liverpool's a level information and it does say those over the age of 25 will have to pay the full fee(which is £500), which I suspect is £500 per a level. Granted, I am not entirely sure if I can take out student finance to cover three a levels. So in retrospect, my best option would likely be an access to HE course.
I will pop into a couple of the colleges that offer the access course in the subjects I'm after(English and history) and see what they advise. There are only two colleges in my region that I can realistically get to by commuting(those being st helens and Liverpool). The college in my town(which I am currently attending) doesn't offer the access course in humanities, social sciences is the one they offer here(its modules are criminology and psychology based).
Now, regarding Oxbridge, I think it may be wiser for me to do an English degree at another institution and maybe look into that for postgraduate(I intend to pursue a masters after undergrad). The course content at oxbridge does interest me, especially the modules Cambridge offers(early medieval literature). Now, this leads me to a question; if I were to apply for undergrad; would an access to HE diploma be considered adequate if the grade requirements were met?
You can get an advanced learner loan with an access course. There is no point in wasting money on A-Level's. With Cambridge, unless you get 45 distinctions then you may find it hard receiving an offer. However, their foundation year is more achievable if you can be considered disadvantaged during your educational history.
(edited 3 months ago)
That is also true, an access course will likely be my best option and the more realistic one financially, especially with the fact I am not employed(I am on ESA & PIP). So realistically I wouldn't be able to afford the costs of sitting three a levels.
So a bit of background regarding my secondary education experiences. I did end up transferring schools twice, two of the schools I was pulled out of due to severe bullying and mental health issues(which caused me to miss out on a myriad of lessons during year eight and year nine, I was also referred to camhs due to this). I am on the autistic spectrum so I did have struggles in mainstream education as well(receiving adequate support etc). After being pulled out of my second school, I was home-schooled part way through year nine and a few months into year ten where I was then sent to a non-mainstream school. Granted, that wasn't any better because I still had issues regarding my mental health, which led to poor performance back when I took my GCSEs in school. My teachers at that one school told me I wasn't 'smart enough' to get into university or even do well in college.
Safe to say, I am determined to work hard and prove them wrong.
So a bit of background regarding my secondary education experiences. I did end up transferring schools twice, two of the schools I was pulled out of due to severe bullying and mental health issues(which caused me to miss out on a myriad of lessons during year eight and year nine, I was also referred to camhs due to this). I am on the autistic spectrum so I did have struggles in mainstream education as well(receiving adequate support etc). After being pulled out of my second school, I was home-schooled part way through year nine and a few months into year ten where I was then sent to a non-mainstream school. Granted, that wasn't any better because I still had issues regarding my mental health, which led to poor performance back when I took my GCSEs in school. My teachers at that one school told me I wasn't 'smart enough' to get into university or even do well in college.
Safe to say, I am determined to work hard and prove them wrong.
Original post by zcphyr
That is also true, an access course will likely be my best option and the more realistic one financially, especially with the fact I am not employed(I am on ESA & PIP). So realistically I wouldn't be able to afford the costs of sitting three a levels.
So a bit of background regarding my secondary education experiences. I did end up transferring schools twice, two of the schools I was pulled out of due to severe bullying and mental health issues(which caused me to miss out on a myriad of lessons during year eight and year nine, I was also referred to camhs due to this). I am on the autistic spectrum so I did have struggles in mainstream education as well(receiving adequate support etc). After being pulled out of my second school, I was home-schooled part way through year nine and a few months into year ten where I was then sent to a non-mainstream school. Granted, that wasn't any better because I still had issues regarding my mental health, which led to poor performance back when I took my GCSEs in school. My teachers at that one school told me I wasn't 'smart enough' to get into university or even do well in college.
Safe to say, I am determined to work hard and prove them wrong.
So a bit of background regarding my secondary education experiences. I did end up transferring schools twice, two of the schools I was pulled out of due to severe bullying and mental health issues(which caused me to miss out on a myriad of lessons during year eight and year nine, I was also referred to camhs due to this). I am on the autistic spectrum so I did have struggles in mainstream education as well(receiving adequate support etc). After being pulled out of my second school, I was home-schooled part way through year nine and a few months into year ten where I was then sent to a non-mainstream school. Granted, that wasn't any better because I still had issues regarding my mental health, which led to poor performance back when I took my GCSEs in school. My teachers at that one school told me I wasn't 'smart enough' to get into university or even do well in college.
Safe to say, I am determined to work hard and prove them wrong.
I believe Cambridge will consider Access to HE, but strongly prefer A levels. I'm not sure the stats are available, but it's only a handful that get in on Access course and more usually SPS. Not sure if History or English have a strong record with Access courses. You might take a look at the Cam Foundation Year - I don't know if you'd qualify, but it is a scheme for those who have had substantial challenges during their education.
Original post by zcphyr
That is also true, an access course will likely be my best option and the more realistic one financially, especially with the fact I am not employed(I am on ESA & PIP). So realistically I wouldn't be able to afford the costs of sitting three a levels.
So a bit of background regarding my secondary education experiences. I did end up transferring schools twice, two of the schools I was pulled out of due to severe bullying and mental health issues(which caused me to miss out on a myriad of lessons during year eight and year nine, I was also referred to camhs due to this). I am on the autistic spectrum so I did have struggles in mainstream education as well(receiving adequate support etc). After being pulled out of my second school, I was home-schooled part way through year nine and a few months into year ten where I was then sent to a non-mainstream school. Granted, that wasn't any better because I still had issues regarding my mental health, which led to poor performance back when I took my GCSEs in school. My teachers at that one school told me I wasn't 'smart enough' to get into university or even do well in college.
Safe to say, I am determined to work hard and prove them wrong.
So a bit of background regarding my secondary education experiences. I did end up transferring schools twice, two of the schools I was pulled out of due to severe bullying and mental health issues(which caused me to miss out on a myriad of lessons during year eight and year nine, I was also referred to camhs due to this). I am on the autistic spectrum so I did have struggles in mainstream education as well(receiving adequate support etc). After being pulled out of my second school, I was home-schooled part way through year nine and a few months into year ten where I was then sent to a non-mainstream school. Granted, that wasn't any better because I still had issues regarding my mental health, which led to poor performance back when I took my GCSEs in school. My teachers at that one school told me I wasn't 'smart enough' to get into university or even do well in college.
Safe to say, I am determined to work hard and prove them wrong.
https://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/files/publications/eligibility_guidelines_2024_entry.pdf
Have a look through this guide.
Having looked at the eligibility guidelines, the only ones I qualify for are the 'moving state schools two or more times while in secondary education' in the individual characteristics category & the universal credits criteria in the family characteristics category. Income? I'm not sure cause I think my mom & her partner earn above the 25k threshold(I'm 32 but I still live with them), I will have to ask them.
Original post by zcphyr
Having looked at the eligibility guidelines, the only ones I qualify for are the 'moving state schools two or more times while in secondary education' in the individual characteristics category & the universal credits criteria in the family characteristics category. Income? I'm not sure cause I think my mom & her partner earn above the 25k threshold(I'm 32 but I still live with them), I will have to ask them.
You are over 25, your income is the only one that counts. If you are on UC and you qualify for the other, then you can apply. However, it is entirely up to you if you want to, you do have five choices on an UCAS application anyway.
Original post by random_matt
You are over 25, your income is the only one that counts. If you are on UC and you qualify for the other, then you can apply. However, it is entirely up to you if you want to, you do have five choices on an UCAS application anyway.
I will likely shoot an application to the foundation year once the time comes for me to sort out uni applications(which will be after September). I will discuss it with the tutors when the time is appropriate.
I do have four other unis in mind that I will be applying to as well, those are university of york, Exeter, Chester(they have a campus in my town so I can grab a bus and won't need to worry about accommodation, and rent), and Liverpool(can commute there via train and/or bus).
Original post by zcphyr
Hello! I am a mature student(32) who went back into education last year to retake GCSEs, I passed English with an A*/8 grade although when I first enrolled I was aiming for a B/6, a factor that left me flabbergasted when I opened my results back in August. Math I am resitting this year due to falling short; however, I am sitting the higher tier paper this time around(admittedly, I am enjoying the higher tier content more than foundation).
Now, the course I eventually want to do at university is English Literature with History as a combined degree, because I am passionate about both subjects and have been for a long time. What I am considering is whether or not I would be better off doing A levels as a private candidate or do an Access to HE diploma in September.
If I were to sit a level, my chosen subjects would be English literature, history, and politics. My issue is; how does one go about sitting a levels as a private candidate? Also, I am someone who does need exam arrangements(extra time, colored paper, etc); are these taken into account when sitting them as a private candidate?
While it may not seem realistic, I do intend to use one of my five university applications for Oxbridge(likely Cambridge). Given the fact I had to resit math; would that be a waste of a uni application spot even if I were to get the required grades at a level or access to HE?
That leads me to ask; what would you advise?
Now, the course I eventually want to do at university is English Literature with History as a combined degree, because I am passionate about both subjects and have been for a long time. What I am considering is whether or not I would be better off doing A levels as a private candidate or do an Access to HE diploma in September.
If I were to sit a level, my chosen subjects would be English literature, history, and politics. My issue is; how does one go about sitting a levels as a private candidate? Also, I am someone who does need exam arrangements(extra time, colored paper, etc); are these taken into account when sitting them as a private candidate?
While it may not seem realistic, I do intend to use one of my five university applications for Oxbridge(likely Cambridge). Given the fact I had to resit math; would that be a waste of a uni application spot even if I were to get the required grades at a level or access to HE?
That leads me to ask; what would you advise?
@zcphyr
Hi, I've taught on Access to HE for over 10 years, the unique selling point is that for Access you can take out an Advanced Learner Loan for the one year program, and once you complete your degree the loan is completely written off for the Access year. This is unique to Access. Economically it would be really beneficial
Marc
Arden University Student Ambassador
Original post by Arden University
@zcphyr
Hi, I've taught on Access to HE for over 10 years, the unique selling point is that for Access you can take out an Advanced Learner Loan for the one year program, and once you complete your degree the loan is completely written off for the Access year. This is unique to Access. Economically it would be really beneficial
Marc
Arden University Student Ambassador
Hi, I've taught on Access to HE for over 10 years, the unique selling point is that for Access you can take out an Advanced Learner Loan for the one year program, and once you complete your degree the loan is completely written off for the Access year. This is unique to Access. Economically it would be really beneficial
Marc
Arden University Student Ambassador
What are the exams like on the access to HE course(if there are any)? Cause the first thing I would end up doing after enrollment is asking for past papers so I can work through them and get myself used to the format(I did that for English, every week I'd take papers home). A factor that helped desensitize me to the exam question format, although I was less anxious when I sat down and focused on it and it gave me another excuse for me to write an essay on the topics that were brought up on the paper. I also write essays from time to time to practice harvard referencing and getting into the flow of arguing my point across.
The access to HE route is looking to be the more realistic option for me due to the struggles I'd have with funding three a levels. Plus, they seem to be accepted in most universities. I am not a 100% sure about Cambridge or Oxford, but I know it is accepted for their foundation year course(which I will be using one of my five ucas options to apply for next year).
Granted the only two colleges that offer it(with english & history modules) are ones I would have to commute to(Liverpool & St Helens), but I will be looking at acquiring a bus pass to lessen the travel costs(I don't drive or have a driver's license).
Original post by zcphyr
What are the exams like on the access to HE course(if there are any)? Cause the first thing I would end up doing after enrollment is asking for past papers so I can work through them and get myself used to the format(I did that for English, every week I'd take papers home). A factor that helped desensitize me to the exam question format, although I was less anxious when I sat down and focused on it and it gave me another excuse for me to write an essay on the topics that were brought up on the paper. I also write essays from time to time to practice harvard referencing and getting into the flow of arguing my point across.
The access to HE route is looking to be the more realistic option for me due to the struggles I'd have with funding three a levels. Plus, they seem to be accepted in most universities. I am not a 100% sure about Cambridge or Oxford, but I know it is accepted for their foundation year course(which I will be using one of my five ucas options to apply for next year).
Granted the only two colleges that offer it(with english & history modules) are ones I would have to commute to(Liverpool & St Helens), but I will be looking at acquiring a bus pass to lessen the travel costs(I don't drive or have a driver's license).
The access to HE route is looking to be the more realistic option for me due to the struggles I'd have with funding three a levels. Plus, they seem to be accepted in most universities. I am not a 100% sure about Cambridge or Oxford, but I know it is accepted for their foundation year course(which I will be using one of my five ucas options to apply for next year).
Granted the only two colleges that offer it(with english & history modules) are ones I would have to commute to(Liverpool & St Helens), but I will be looking at acquiring a bus pass to lessen the travel costs(I don't drive or have a driver's license).
There are no exams (not for the two I have done anyway). My last access was 18 units with 3 being presentations and the rest being 2000 word essay's (two were 3000 words). Yeah, that is what makes access tiresome, the thousands upon thousands of words you have to type out.
(edited 3 months ago)
Original post by zcphyr
I will take a look at funding options regarding a level three option that can be explored nearer the time and take it from there. I know the loans that one takes out for an access course do get wiped off when you progress to university and complete a degree in one's chosen subject.
I did look at liverpool's a level information and it does say those over the age of 25 will have to pay the full fee(which is £500), which I suspect is £500 per a level. Granted, I am not entirely sure if I can take out student finance to cover three a levels. So in retrospect, my best option would likely be an access to HE course.
I will pop into a couple of the colleges that offer the access course in the subjects I'm after(English and history) and see what they advise. There are only two colleges in my region that I can realistically get to by commuting(those being st helens and Liverpool). The college in my town(which I am currently attending) doesn't offer the access course in humanities, social sciences is the one they offer here(its modules are criminology and psychology based).
Now, regarding Oxbridge, I think it may be wiser for me to do an English degree at another institution and maybe look into that for postgraduate(I intend to pursue a masters after undergrad). The course content at oxbridge does interest me, especially the modules Cambridge offers(early medieval literature). Now, this leads me to a question; if I were to apply for undergrad; would an access to HE diploma be considered adequate if the grade requirements were met?
I did look at liverpool's a level information and it does say those over the age of 25 will have to pay the full fee(which is £500), which I suspect is £500 per a level. Granted, I am not entirely sure if I can take out student finance to cover three a levels. So in retrospect, my best option would likely be an access to HE course.
I will pop into a couple of the colleges that offer the access course in the subjects I'm after(English and history) and see what they advise. There are only two colleges in my region that I can realistically get to by commuting(those being st helens and Liverpool). The college in my town(which I am currently attending) doesn't offer the access course in humanities, social sciences is the one they offer here(its modules are criminology and psychology based).
Now, regarding Oxbridge, I think it may be wiser for me to do an English degree at another institution and maybe look into that for postgraduate(I intend to pursue a masters after undergrad). The course content at oxbridge does interest me, especially the modules Cambridge offers(early medieval literature). Now, this leads me to a question; if I were to apply for undergrad; would an access to HE diploma be considered adequate if the grade requirements were met?
If you're interested in Early Medieval literature especially, definitely give due consideration to the ANSAC course at Cambridge! It's basically an exactly designed British Isles (plus some European) medieval studies course
Particularly notable it offers a lot of the key language options needed if you want to go into graduate study in the area, and key ancillary skills options in e.g. palaeography, codicology etc. That said the Course II variant of the English lit course at Oxford is also not a bad option for that if you really want to focus on the Old English side especially.Definitely try for Oxbridge if you're keen on medieval literature/studies as they really offer a lot of great options in that vein which are much harder (or sometimes impossible!) to find at other unis
You may also want to consider UCL, whose English department also has some decent offerings in Medieval English lit plus Old English/Middle English, and also you may be able to take some relevant modules from other departments (e.g. some of the modules from the Viking & Old Norse Studies course there from SELCs in Old Norse and early Scandinavian/Viking literature and material culture). I gather York and St Andrews also have some decent medieval studies offerings too so might be worth exploring as well!
(edited 3 months ago)
•
In response to Matt:
I do not mind the essay part of a course, due to the fact writing is a passion of mine. My difficulty is often staying inside the word count due to having a lot to say and my tendency to get creative with my analysis. For example, when analyzing Shakespeare, I'd go into depth about the historical aspects that encompass a specific play as well as the portrayal of mental health struggles(in the cases of Ophelia and Lady Macbeth). I enjoy essay writing, especially when it involves a subject I can really sink my teeth into.
•
In response to artful lounger
I will definitely have a gander at the ANSAC course at Cambridge. I am intrigued by the mythological aspects of it. Seeing the mention of Viking poetry on the course description has me tempted to familiarize and teach myself the language in order to translate and eventually analyze the structure as well as the message the poet in question is conveying. I have an intention to eventually teach myself how to translate scripts written in old English(it is on my study agenda).
Oxford's English course is one that I am interested in, especially with the medieval literature themes that are mentioned. Cambridge's English course also interests me, but I know I can only apply to one of them. So I would have to make a decision between the two(when the time comes). I did look at Oxford's foundation year, but they ask for an a level alongside the access course, which would be difficult for me due to the fact I've never done a levels and I would struggle to pay for a levels out of pocket.
I will have a look at UCL's syllabus. York is a uni I intend to apply for(which will be my top choice if Oxbridge is unrealistic). I saw Manchester has some modules in medieval English, which I will look into. I will also need to think about what is realistic for me(in terms of being able to afford rent if I do live on campus).
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