Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

Psychology with an access course?

I've been given the offer of doing an access course (social sciences) at my local college for one year instead of re-doing my A levels, which would take two years... How is it viewed for Psychology?

I'm under no illusions, Psychology is bloody hard to get into but like I and the admissions tutor at college said, there's no point me doing the access course if no decent unis will take it! Because I want to work in Psychology when I graduate (rather than taking it to marketing or whatever everyone else seems to do :p:

) I need to be aiming at a decent uni - I've discounted the top 10 because that's just ridiculous :p:

But I'm aiming for top 10 - 30. The few that I've earmarked so far are Leeds, Sheffield, Birmingham, Warwick, Nottingham... Thought I might try my luck with Durham! These are mainly because I know people who study there and I don't need to look around so urgently. Plus they're all in the top 20/30 :smile:

Obv. I need to check out modules and stuff, and everything else, but back to my original question - What's the likelihood of them saying 'yeah, you get a distinction, we'd be happy to have you'? I think Durham, Warwick and Brum might object a bit? I'm phoning them all tomorrow so hopefully I'll know and this will turn into either a '****, I've got to spend two years instead of one!' or 'yay, so, access courses info please!' thread!

Reply 1

inksplodge

See what they say, but I think it'd probably be a lot easier just to do the A levels? :dontknow:

Reply 2

kiss_me_now9

Well, depends on whether the unis I want to go to would let me in with an access course really - 1) It'll save me £1500 (I won't have to pay for two years, only one), 2) My parents are moving at the end of next year anyway so I'll be in a 3 bed house on my own, 3) I can get stuck into uni quickly (I've been missing it since I dropped out!).

The downsides to doing it so quickly would be that it's a bit of a rush to get it all sorted, I won't have an awful lot of time to decide where to go and I won't have time to do the extra curricular stuff.

ETA - I'm playing Animal Crossing as we speak, lol

Reply 3

SuicideCommando

Definitely ask them, rather than us. We could make an estimated guess, but the universities will know for sure.

As with other subjects, there are plenty of ways to get into a certain area, so, you may be in luck. The best answer to give you is to tell you to ask them. :o:

Reply 4

kiss_me_now9

Bah, TSR is meant to have the answer to all my questions!

Reply 5

Sakura-Chan

kiss_me_now9

Bah, TSR is meant to have the answer to all my questions!

Pretty much all the universities you've listed have an online PDF prospectus, which might be worth a look?

I just had a quick look on UCAS out of curiosity, for Warwick C800 it says:

'Access to HE Diploma (QAA-recognised) including appropriate subjects with merit grades in level 3 units. Candidates must be able to meet essential subject requirements.'

Don't know if that mean anything to you, other than they allow access course students? :p:

Reply 6

kiss_me_now9

Sakura-Chan

Pretty much all the universities you've listed have an online PDF prospectus, which might be worth a look?

I just had a quick look on UCAS out of curiosity, for Warwick C800 it says:

Don't know if that mean anything to you, other than they allow access course students? :p:

Oh, helpful! Yeah, thank you, he mentioned today that they'd probably want a distinction or merit (he seemed to think based on my previous grades a distinction would be more than achievable, a merit may be a lot harder to get though) What I'd be doing would be a level 3 course (basically, it's an equivalent to A levels) so that's fine.

He said that in the social sciences one you do a bit of psychology, a bit of sociology, maybe a bit of law if you want to, some english if you want it, or some more psychology/sociology.

Reply 7

minime123456

Original post by kiss_me_now9

Did you manage to get onto a course? I have just been offered an access course and unsure whether it will secure my chances in the future ? HELP Thanks !

Reply 8

Rebs99

I'm in the EXACT same situation ! I'm starting Access to Science in september. I chose this instead of social science. I went to an open day at portsmouth and the tutor for psychology actually said I made the right decision in taking Science rather than Social Science. I did it because some Uni's require Science subjects and I felt this would prepare me better for psychology. Plus I have no interest in Law or Sociology but I much prefer biology and physics.
Let me know how you get on please !
xx

Reply 9

anongirl123456

Im in the same posititon too. Im doing an access on psychology and counselling and i want to do psychology at uni, hopefully (fingers crossed) but I dont want to be wasting my time. I wanna know if its worth my time. can u guys update me and let me know what happened - weather u got in or not.

much appreciated x