A levels vs Access to HE science.

Congrats! I got 1sts in everything except one exam I disastrously failed (I got 4%), which I'm re-sitting in two weeks so fingers crossed.

Given that the resit will be capped at 40% mark maximum (standard practice), what will the grade average be that you are expecting for the first year.

Also ps, why did you do so badly in that exam?

This exam will end up as counting for 1/16th of this year so I'll still average a 1st luckily. It's an incredibly hard topic (Quantitative Methods), and instead of getting stuck in and asking for help I buried my head in the sand... for 4 months

Did it include spss by any chance. I also took exams on that! Wow. But you know you still need to get a pass 40% score to pass the year Good luck with the resit.

Also ps you probably already know this, but you only need to pass your first year, because only the second and third years count towards your final grade. And you could try asking your lecturer if you need extra help, an extra tutorial for example??

Do all access courses consists of some exams and some coursework or some are just coursework only?

Nope.. we used Minitab for coursework but for the exams it's all on paper. On my course my first year counts 10% towards my final grade, otherwise I wouldn't care. Thank you though!



I have heard of some Access courses which are 100% coursework, but how well that prepares you for uni I don't know

Nope.. we used Minitab for coursework but for the exams it's all on paper. On my course my first year counts 10% towards my final grade, otherwise I wouldn't care. Thank you though!



I have heard of some Access courses which are 100% coursework, but how well that prepares you for uni I don't know

Do all access courses consists of some exams and some coursework or some are just coursework only?

Are resits capped at 40% at your uni, like they are at mine? And what is the name of the degree and uni you are doing, thanks?

Both im afraid.

Thanks for the reply






I always assumed they were composed of 100% coursework.

Yep 40%, I study Investment & Financial Risk Management.

My access was about 60 40 coursework exam. i did take it over ten years ago though.



And where Hamo? pm me if you like??

Thanks for the reply






I always assumed they were composed of 100% coursework.

I've just completed an Access to Science course. I did my A-levels 19 years ago so I can't give an opinion on which is better. I chose Access because it was taught in one academic year, and less expensive. If I complete an undergraduate degree, the Access fee will be written off.

It is quite intensive as you are being taught a mixture of AS and A2 but in half the time, 9-10 months. After an initial settling in period we had three, four assignments at a time, with a fortnight turn-around to the next three, four assignments etc. I didn't have a job during mine, but if you change your mind re working you will need to be incredibly organised.

Assignments were workbooks, tests, assessed lab practicals, assessed discussion, presentations, posters, leaflets, factsheets but no essays as such. As Hamo said, the grading criteria for assignments are included at the front of each assignment, just make sure you're answering the questions asked with refence to the grading criteria. If your presentation, spelling, grammar and syntax are good, and you include several quality references, then you can pick up distinction marks for quality alone.

The upside to continuous assessment was no final exams. The downside was feeling that I was learning just enough to get me through each assignment, learning for the test, so-to-speak. We moved from topic to topic so quickly that I am spending my summer refreshing myself on content I was taught within the last ten months. I was not as organised as I could (should) have been, so this may be more a reflection on my time-management skills.

I would recommend Access. It's a good course and my college taught it well, testing us rigorously and with variety. Whichever course you decide, good luck!