Any mature students on here who have gone back to study A-levels??

I've got B, C and D grades at A-Level from when I was 18. Not great, also not absolutely terrible, so I've been torn between trying an access course or just doing another A-Level to fix up my grades and have some recent study experience come the next UCAS cycle. Universities I've enquired to have left me with mixed messages.

Currently leaning towards doing an A-Level, local college offers a one year course which sounds ideal. I'd have to self-fund, but having been a big fat failure, living at home and working minimum wage for the past few years I've got more than enough money saved up.

Don't be too harsh on yourself!! I left my accountancy job to do 2 AS-levels whilst working part time as a delivery driver. Never worked so hard up until this year of my life!!

Sometimes I get a bit harsh with the self-deprecating humour I'm actually feeling fairly good, having a decent amount saved up takes some of the pressure off!

Enjoying looking through past papers at the moment, might try and get some self study begun before the academic year begins.

Hello all,
On the spectrum of mature students, I'd guess I'm at the older end. I'm 39 and resitting my A2s.
About 5 years ago, I changed careers, from being a news photographer to being a financial reporter. The process involved completing some professional qualifications, which rekindled my love of studying!
After completing my AS exams in Math, Politics and Economics, life got in the way - we had 2 babies in three years.
But, with qualification specifications changing, it is now or never. Either I complete the A2s in 2017, or it's back to the drawing board.
Well, that's it, just wanted to introduce myself. Best of luck all.

That's fantastic! You sound very keen and willing to study towards an A-level!! Maybe buy a CGP revision book and study through one or two of the chapters and make notes over the summer to see if you want to carry on by September. It's never too early to start!

What A-level are you hoping to sit exams for btw?

I'm a bit torn between doing Maths or doing Physics again...

Don't be too harsh on yourself!! I left my accountancy job to do 2 AS-levels whilst working part time as a delivery driver. Never worked so hard up until this year of my life!!

Aw, good luck! I'm studying Maths and Biology (self-teaching). So will you be going back to college or are you going to teach yourself?

Hi all. Nice to hear from others in similar situations. My story:

I did OK the first time around at A-Level, getting AAB, plus a B at AS-Level.

I then went on to Uni at East Anglia and was getting good grades (I was on course for a 1:1), but sadly had to drop out in my final year due to ill mental health.

Looking back and remembering how screwed up I was between of 15-24, I'm amazed I did as well as I did. I'm lucky to be alive.

Three years on, I'm fully recovered and symptom-free. Now that I've got this amazing new thing called "confidence" I want to go back into education and pursue my ideal career as an A.I. Programmer. I made this decision a wee bit late in the applications process for the year, but what can you do.

My background to date has a bit of an Arts/Humanities bent (English Literature, History, Government & Politics, Geography, American Literature, Creative Writing). By contrast almost all Artificial Intelligence courses require between an A*-B in Mathematics, and most would like you to have a A or B in Science too (preferably Physics or Chemistry), oh and they prefer A*AA to AAB students. So I'm a stretch on three counts for immediate entry. Plus there's the problem that I'll be flagged as a drop-out, and also STEM departments don't seem to like mature students as much (presumably because they worry that their skills have atrophied?). So I have basically no chance of getting in on the ground floor. Which is OK. If I'm not ready for that, I'm not ready.

So I instead applied for a few maths/science Foundation Years, but again it's late in the day and the drop-out strike against my name seems likely to tip the balance against me.

So my fallback position would be to do A-Levels Maths and Physics. Obviously there are lots of options to achieve this via long-distance learning. But my preference would be to do an intensive 1-year full-time course. The problem is finding a college that a) takes mature students, b) teaches physics, c) does intensive A-Levels, and d) is in the Greater London area.

So far, no luck. But still looking!

Hi! . I just wanted to congratulate you for getting back on track with your life. When mental illness strikes you young, it is extremely disruptive and can derail your life in so many ways. Well done for perservering

I'm starting a second law degree in October, but I want to find some way to combine technology, law, and journalism. The problem is how to advance in maths and physics alongside studying the law....

I'd like to chat. Could we pm sometime?

...So my fallback position would be to do A-Levels Maths and Physics. Obviously there are lots of options to achieve this via long-distance learning. But my preference would be to do an intensive 1-year full-time course. The problem is finding a college that a) takes mature students, b) teaches physics, c) does intensive A-Levels, and d) is in the Greater London area.

So far, no luck. But still looking!

@Philip-flop @Manamarak @PtGF @Schadenfreude65


Don't worry too much. If you ever lose motivation or need inspiration, read on. Good luck!



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Moeen_Nawazish

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/4398668/Teenager-gains-22-A-levels-in-12-months.html

[video="youtube;EbH_dWWIE1Q"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbH_dWWIE1Q[/video]

Have you tried Hackney or Westminster? I have a (rather short) list of colleges offering A levels for adults here:
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4126795

Maths A level is quite easy to self-teach from text books, but physics is trickier because of the practical side. You could however, do maths A level and follow it up with an Access course. Before you start on any particular course though, you should contact the admissions tutors at your target universities with a brief email describing your situation and asking their advice on how you should proceed.

Studying them in tandem sounds pretty ambitious. But you know yourself. What was your first law degree btw.