Hi,
Any help with my situation would be really appreciated! I am 23 and am looking to finally get my A levels. I left school with good enough gcse results but didnt bother with college as money was more appealing at the timebut now (after bouncing from job to job) I would really like to get back into education but don't know where to start.
I need to get 3 A levels with a view of going on to uni and I also have the ability to change my working hours to part time in September if needs be, depending on the amount of studying. However I am stuck between long distance learning or attending college as I have found one close to me that offers part time A levels over 2 years.
Has anyone completed any home study A level courses and overall how did you find it? (I have heard horror stories about people not receiving course material or the work not being up to date.)
Or has anyone studied part time at college? If so how many hours a week did you attend and were the classes mainly made up of mature students?
Sorry this is a bit long but I have been looking into this for a long time now but havn't found much help.
Thank you for reading!
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calicali
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- 05-04-2013 17:55
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longdayatnight
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- 05-04-2013 19:40
Alongside my Access course at the moment I'm taking two A Levels (well completing an A2 in History as I already completed the AS and doing the entire A Level in Gov&Pol all in a year).
I'm doing it by myself without college/long distance support, just going though the textbook and paying for the exams through an exam centre which is fine if you are motivated. I did the AS of the Gov&Pol in January and received the results in March (an A).
Unless you find/think that you'll need the support, I believe that anyone can do it by themselves with the right textbook and revision/study guides. I do appreciate that this is my personal opinion though. -
calicali
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- 05-04-2013 20:22
Thats pretty impressive! How are you finding your access course?
Actually i wouldnt mind looking into doing that. I have been able to teach myself in other areas (nothing as full on as an A level though). Have you found anyway to test yourself? Like mock exams, to make sure you're covering the right areas?
Thank you for you reply! -
longdayatnight
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- 05-04-2013 20:35
I love my Access course! I find that it's much easier than A Levels. I'm not too humble to say that I'm doing extremely well, please don't take me wrong though (so far I have 28/28 distinctions...).
Well as you A Levels with an exam board, you can use the specification to know exactly the topics you need as well as the textbooks which always have a summary on them. You can also access past papers online and test yourself with them as they also include mark schemes. They have plenty of material online ( particularly with the main boards AQA, OCR, Edexcel etc). Often the revision/study guides include activities and tests that help to cement your knowledge and also how to answer and structure the exam answers. -
SuperCat007
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- 05-04-2013 20:42
I think it depends upon the A-levels you want to do. Science ones are very hardcore and have a coursework element which can only be completed in a college. I think they are tough if you've never studied at that level before, but if you're really keen then they're not as hard as some people make out.
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Dannyhemms
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- 05-04-2013 20:50
Ignore A levels and do the access course. It's the most simple way to get into uni, and then your degree will trump the previous qualification.
I done my access course in social sciences (biology, sociology, psychology and English) and it was evenings (twice a week) surrounded by similar people wanting to pursue a university degree!
I did that last year and worked my but of this year to save loads of money to cover my mortgage and bills while I'm at university for the next four years! And I've been accepted by my first choice uni on an unconditional offer!
What are you wanting to study at university!? And what commitment do you have to studying!?
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- 06-04-2013 09:55
See if you can decide which courses you'd like to do, then approach each uni and ask about entry requirements. Some will prefer A Levels, some an Access course, some will require both. In some circumstances e.g. you have relevant professional or practical experience, you may not need either.
Entry requirements for mature students are very flexible and can be decided on a case-by-case basis. There were two mature students on my undergrad degree. I wasn't required to do an Access course, but the other mature student had been. It depends on the uni, the course and your personal circumstances.
Making an assumption about what's needed without asking, might be a bit risky. It would be a shame to spend a year or two doing an Access course or A Levels, only to find that's not what you target unis want. -
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- 07-04-2013 11:51
(Original post by calicali)
Hi,
Any help with my situation would be really appreciated! I am 23 and am looking to finally get my A levels. I left school with good enough gcse results but didnt bother with college as money was more appealing at the timebut now (after bouncing from job to job) I would really like to get back into education but don't know where to start.
I need to get 3 A levels with a view of going on to uni and I also have the ability to change my working hours to part time in September if needs be, depending on the amount of studying. However I am stuck between long distance learning or attending college as I have found one close to me that offers part time A levels over 2 years.
Has anyone completed any home study A level courses and overall how did you find it? (I have heard horror stories about people not receiving course material or the work not being up to date.)
Or has anyone studied part time at college? If so how many hours a week did you attend and were the classes mainly made up of mature students?
Sorry this is a bit long but I have been looking into this for a long time now but havn't found much help.
Thank you for reading!
BUT, it's definitely do-able. You just need to get in to a good routine and be motivated. One thing i've learnt about a-levels is the greater the number of past papers you do, the greater your grade will be. Get all of the theory and note-taking done as early as possible, and spend at least a month or 2 going through past papers and you will be grand. Expect your social life to take a bit of a battering, but there is always time to go for a couple of drinks in the evening, and have a big night out on a Friday or Saturday.
In terms of resources, i've bought several books from amazon, and then I get my past papers and other notes from the exam-board website. AQA in my case. Also, this forum is fantastic for studying help. I do maths and physics and can generally get a question answered within an hour, tops.
Hope this helps. -
calicali
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- 08-04-2013 08:58
Thank you for the replies everyone, nice to know other people are going through the same...
(Original post by EMassey)
I love my Access course! I find that it's much easier than A Levels. I'm not too humble to say that I'm doing extremely well, please don't take me wrong though (so far I have 28/28 distinction)
(Original post by Dannyhemms)
Ignore A levels and do the access course. It's the most simple way to get into uni, and then your degree will trump the previous qualification.
I done my access course in social sciences (biology, sociology, psychology and English) and it was evenings (twice a week) surrounded by similar people wanting to pursue a university degree!
I did that last year and worked my but of this year to save loads of money to cover my mortgage and bills while I'm at university for the next four years! And I've been accepted by my first choice uni on an unconditional offer!
What are you wanting to study at university!? And what commitment do you have to studying!?
Posted from TSR Mobile
(Original post by kingm)
I'm self-teaching a-levels alongside a full-time, manual labour job at the moment. It can be tough.
BUT, it's definitely do-able. You just need to get in to a good routine and be motivated. One thing i've learnt about a-levels is the greater the number of past papers you do, the greater your grade will be. Get all of the theory and note-taking done as early as possible, and spend at least a month or 2 going through past papers and you will be grand. Expect your social life to take a bit of a battering, but there is always time to go for a couple of drinks in the evening, and have a big night out on a Friday or Saturday.
In terms of resources, i've bought several books from amazon, and then I get my past papers and other notes from the exam-board website. AQA in my case. Also, this forum is fantastic for studying help. I do maths and physics and can generally get a question answered within an hour, tops.
Hope this helps. -
calicali
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- 08-04-2013 09:01
(Original post by SuperCat007)
I think it depends upon the A-levels you want to do. Science ones are very hardcore and have a coursework element which can only be completed in a college. I think they are tough if you've never studied at that level before, but if you're really keen then they're not as hard as some people make out. -
SuperCat007
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- 08-04-2013 10:51
(Original post by calicali)
This is the only thing that worries me about home study. I need to do biology or chemistry so might run into problems there -
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- 08-04-2013 13:30
(Original post by calicali)
Nice to see that it is doable along side a full time job, and it must be nice not having to work your schedule around classes. As you are doing physics, is there any practicle work you have to do as part of the A level?
At first everything was really complicated for me to sort out - it was a little stressful finding these centres too - because I had no-one to tell me what to do. But it doesn't need to be complicated. Ring your exam board and find out where they accommodate external candidates for practical exams and you're away.
Good luck. -
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- 19-04-2013 22:28
Hi All! I have a question as well! I'm an Italian girl of 26, with an Italian BA in Languages and I would like to switch my future into physiotherapy. I'm in Italy now...but I would love to get the chance to study in UK. After having read a bit here in the forum, I think that I would need to do an access course in science in order to enter a BS in physio, isn't it? One of my problema is that I haven't decided where I would like to study for the access course...Then, am I eligible for a loan?
I have another question: is it different to do an access course in Scotland and then uni there? I know that in Scotland the Bachelor are 4 years long..but I know also that scottish end european students have lower fees...is this the same for mature students with previous degrees abroad?
Hope to receive an answer! -
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- 19-04-2013 22:34
I'm doing an online A Level I just started this week. I hope to get it finished in a year and go on to Uni next year.
I've already studied Architecture at university and hope to do postgrad studies in architecture history.
Have you considered doing a foundation course at university? -
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- 19-04-2013 22:40
Were you referring to my post? For what I know..there aren't foundation course to go to physiotherapy..I think that the best route would be the access course..But I'm looking for the cheap route as well...and I'm interested in bursary/loan as well (this is why I was asking for scotland as well..)...I come from Italy so I don't know exactly how it works..
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- 20-04-2013 18:47
(Original post by Elenac86)
Hi All! I have a question as well! I'm an Italian girl of 26, with an Italian BA in Languages and I would like to switch my future into physiotherapy. I'm in Italy now...but I would love to get the chance to study in UK. After having read a bit here in the forum, I think that I would need to do an access course in science in order to enter a BS in physio, isn't it? One of my problema is that I haven't decided where I would like to study for the access course...Then, am I eligible for a loan?
I have another question: is it different to do an access course in Scotland and then uni there? I know that in Scotland the Bachelor are 4 years long..but I know also that scottish end european students have lower fees...is this the same for mature students with previous degrees abroad?
Hope to receive an answer!
To be sure of being eligible for an NHS busary funded course, you need to have been resident in the UK or channel island for 3 years prior to the start of your course for non academic purposes. If you have been in the UK for academic purposes for the last 3 years, you or your partner must have been resident in the EEA for the 3 years prior to your UK based studies. If you don't meet this requirement you would probably have to fund the course yourself.
Note you have to apply for a place on a course and be offered a place prior to applying for a busary. The course you are interested in is popular and places are limited.
In Scotland you need to meet similiar rescidence rules, but if you have been resident in the UK but not within Scotland, you would not eligible for Scottish student level fees. You may be eligible for up to 2 years funding under SAAS for a course classified as an Allied Health Professional. See http://www.saas.gov.uk/_forms/sas4.pdf page 16. -
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- 20-04-2013 19:06
Yes..regarding the NHS bursary it refers also to europeans...so since I've lived in Italy I can be eligible..
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