How old are you? And you're in a much better position than me! I have to redo all of my gcse's at the age of 20 because I had to leave school in year 10 due to an illness.

Anyway maths and English gcse's are free to anybody who does not have grade c or above... So you qualify for the free maths gcse.

secondly google distancelearningcentre and they have access courses which include maths, English and science gcse equivalents, granted its expensive but you can pay in instalments.

or you can study via the open university and if you're not confident starting with a degree you can work your way up to a degree :smile:

. That way you don't have to stress over university requirements.

I would say your in a better position as I'm 5 years older than you! id kill to be 20, but saying that someone who's 30 would probably kill to be 25.. yea I did just come across adult education offering free gcse maths which is ideal. I also saw someone write that over 24s might get financial help with access courses but i'm not sure, I will look into it. I am really anxious to get the ball rolling as I already feel far behind in life! im sure we will get there in the end! definitely helps having forums like this.

Reply 103

TheRealJT

6

I feel like I'm far behind aswell, I'm terrible at maths... I literally fear it! but there are people in their 40's doing access courses, so you shouldn't worry. Also most people these days are probly fed up with their current job/career so they decide to return to education only to find out that their qualifications are too old, so they have to redo their English and maths gcse's.

yeah I think if you're over 24 you can apply for the 24+loan, anyway what is your preferred universities/university?. I think the OU offers a degree in youth studies btw.

Reply 104

Adenosine

7

Original post by TheRealJT

I feel like I'm far behind aswell, I'm terrible at maths... I literally fear it! but there are people in their 40's doing access courses, so you shouldn't worry. Also most people these days are probly fed up with their current job/career so they decide to return to education only to find out that their qualifications are too old, so they have to redo their English and maths gcse's.

yeah I think if you're over 24 you can apply for the 24+loan, anyway what is your preferred universities/university?. I think the OU offers a degree in youth studies btw.

Have you done you GCSEs? If not just do the core subjects of English, Maths & Science. GCSEs will change in I think 2015.

Reply 105

TheRealJT

6

No I have 0 gcse's, I had a illness which forced me to leave school at the start of year 10. I've obviously recovered now.

i start college in September for adult literacy and numeracy, they said for maths I'm working at entry level 3(shocking I know) and for English I'm at level 1(gcse grade c-g, not bad considering I never studied gcse before) most universities say they will accept these as equivalents to gcse providing I complete the level 2 version.

i will be at college twice a week for the above, the rest of the week I will have to do some gcse's in other subjects... but I'm not sure which subjects to pick... I favour law,psychology and sociology but I'm not sure if they are useless :/

also you mentioned that I should do gcse in science, I would like to do that but as science gcse involves practical examination it's near enough impossible to do as a private candidate. There are a few adult colleges nearby offering gcse in science but most demand an assessment :/ and I only ever studied science up to the end of year 9... So I'd probly fail the assessment and I assume most people on the science course will be people who have already taken a gcse in science but didn't get the "c" grade...

also I'm rubbish at maths currently :/ so how would I cope with a science gcse when it involves physics :frown:

. a few months back my brother showed me his gcse maths mock paper.... And I saw questions about trigonometry and geometry and stuff I have never learned about in my life! I wanted to die after looking at those questions LOL.

is it normal for a guy who has only studied basic maths to be worried about gcse maths? also I haven't been In education for a few years so my math is somewhat rusty :/

anyway I could always study IGCSE biology and IGCSE chemistry at home via distance learning but then again people have told me that igcse is harder than gcse so that would probly rule me out from doing that aswell :/ I want to avoid physics if that's possible....

anyway I was never dumb in school it's just a combination of no experiance of gcse level plus being out of education for a while= feel like a retard LOL

hope somebody can advise me on my options....

Reply 106

ktsmiffy

Regarding science - you are right, you can't do a GCSE science now because there is a practical assessment as part of the exam which has to take place in a school. Schools will not take on private candidates for this as they have obviously not taught you how to do practicals. So that only leaves IGCSEs.

I am a mature student and needed a science GCSE to get a teacher training place. I took on IGCSE Biology as I am not good with Maths. I enrolled on a distance learning course and really applied myself. I knew I was a bit flaky during revision - I just couldn't retain the facts. For me, the two papers I have just sat have been a disaster. IGCSEs in sciences are really for those who intend to take them to A level. Lots of people on the thread for the course (mostly independent schools or selective state) said the exams were ok, but it looks like they are the sort of guys who are going to get 10 A* s.

This is only my experience, loads of others might disagree. I have had to let go of my dream of teaching, despite 6 years of OU study to get a first class Eng LIt degree as I realise no amount of study is going to get me that science GCSE if the only way is an IGCSE. It is possible that you may find it a struggle too, given you also have other subjects to distance learn. Good luck with your studies - it's great you are ready to take them on now.

Reply 107

oldie_2013

7

Original post by ktsmiffy

Regarding science - you are right, you can't do a GCSE science now because there is a practical assessment as part of the exam which has to take place in a school. Schools will not take on private candidates for this as they have obviously not taught you how to do practicals. So that only leaves IGCSEs.

I am a mature student and needed a science GCSE to get a teacher training place. I took on IGCSE Biology as I am not good with Maths. I enrolled on a distance learning course and really applied myself. I knew I was a bit flaky during revision - I just couldn't retain the facts. For me, the two papers I have just sat have been a disaster. IGCSEs in sciences are really for those who intend to take them to A level. Lots of people on the thread for the course (mostly independent schools or selective state) said the exams were ok, but it looks like they are the sort of guys who are going to get 10 A* s.

This is only my experience, loads of others might disagree. I have had to let go of my dream of teaching, despite 6 years of OU study to get a first class Eng LIt degree as I realise no amount of study is going to get me that science GCSE if the only way is an IGCSE. It is possible that you may find it a struggle too, given you also have other subjects to distance learn. Good luck with your studies - it's great you are ready to take them on now.

Hi,

Have you thought about taking a core/single science GCSE?

(http://www.ool.co.uk/subject/gcse-science/)

You can do that by distance learning and you don't need to do the practical in the labs.

I imagine it's very disheartening to have had a set back but you may well still get the C grade that you need. If not then another crack at the science sounds a lot less onerous than 6 years of OU? Did you go through past papers? It may have changed since my day but exams rarely changed year to year.

Do you have a maths GCSE? You'll need to take a numeracy test to get qualified teacher status (as I'm sure you know) so might be worth working on the maths now rather than panicking later.

Without wishing to give you my life history, I am an economist but work in an advertising agency (technically I'm an econometrician). There are lots of people who have decided they can't do maths and I've had to give a few remedial classes at work (my highest qualification in maths is an A at GCSE so I'm hardly bloody Rain Man). I believe very strongly that everyone can do the basics - fractions % etc. The idea that maths is either something you can or can't do is ridiculous. Persevere and you will be fine.

Reply 108

mackers_ire

13

Original post by TheRealJT

is birkbeck a terrible university? I can't even find it on the league table :/ does that mean its so bad that it can't even get on to the table?

Up until 1-2 years ago Birkbeck only offered part-time degrees and so was not displayed on the main league tables. However you can find their quite good 2001 RAE rankings listed here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birkbeck,_University_of_London#Rankings

Reply 109

ktsmiffy

Original post by oldie_2013

Hi,

Have you thought about taking a core/single science GCSE?.

That route no longer exists. Last year was the final run of the single science GCSEs for distance learners. There was an option for me to do IGCSE Science but it's a double award - hence double the study and double the cost (and for me double the failure😄).

Thanks for your encouragement though. Will push on with my teaching assistant job until I have a better idea.

Reply 110

carlaraptor

9

Original post by Nitrogen

Adenosine is actually right. Im sorry to burst your bubble, but even english graduates at oxford receive an average salary of £19,500. Just imagine what its like at other unis.

I understand what you're saying, and perhaps in terms of getting a degree specifically to make money, you're right. But that isn't why I'm doing it. I honestly don't care - and I'd be perfectly happy with £19.5k! I'm doing it because it's what I've wanted to do for years, because it's my passion and because I would regret it if I didn't do it.

I'm considering going into teaching afterwards, if it's right for me and I'm in a position to train for it.

Reply 111

TheRealJT

6

btw you can still take gcse science! adult colleges near me offer gcse science for adults....

Reply 112

TheRealJT

6

-----, i will probly be doing a gcse psychology course, maybe you could aswell

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 113

_hj

I don't want other people have said or think they know, but psychology, alongside geography, is one of the most employment degrees someone can get. Due to the fact that its a very relevant subject and the skills you learn are transferable.

So yeah, psychology is definitely worth doing

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Reply 114

_hj

Original post by JessicaGarlai

a psychology degree from plymouth will end you in another dead end job alongside the 27k debt...

You actually don't know what you're talking about. Ask any university, psychology is one of the most employable degrees, if not the most.

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Reply 115

_hj

Oh my word, can't even believe how stupid, and narrow minded some people on this thread are. Should definitely not be the kind of people who should be given the opportunity to go to top universities.

How about, You stick to concentrating on the degree you want to do, and the university you want to go to, and let other people get on with what they want to do. There's nothing I hate more then people who belittle others just because they made different choices to them. You clearly know nothing about psychology and what opportunities having a a psychology degree can offer o a person. Psychology is a highly employable degree, and that isn't just in the field of psychology.

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Reply 116

Octopus_Garden

16

Original post by TheRealJT

also you mentioned that I should do gcse in science, I would like to do that but as science gcse involves practical examination it's near enough impossible to do as a private candidate. There are a few adult colleges nearby offering gcse in science but most demand an assessment :/ and I only ever studied science up to the end of year 9... So I'd probly fail the assessment and I assume most people on the science course will be people who have already taken a gcse in science but didn't get the "c" grade...

You don't know you will fail the assessment until you try.

Besides, I was once in a similar situation to you. No science education, although I'd picked up a few things from science-fiction. So I took a single science GCSE at college in year 12, having had no science lessons in my life, and no prior GCSE at any grade. I worked hard throughout the year, and I got an A*.

Explain your circumstances to them, and they might not even do an assessment. Colleges offer these courses to give people another chance, including people in situations like we've had.

The teacher will probably be lenient, and feel happier about teaching someone who missed school through illness, than someone who got a grade D because they didn't do any work, and hasn't changed their outlook. And you might well pass this test anyway, with year 9 knowledge, especially if you buy a revision guide.

And as for "gcse in science but didn't get the "c" grade..." So what? If I'd taken that kind of attitude, I'd still only have 1 GCSE! As it is, I did most of them in retake classes, where everyone else except me had taken the course already. It was fine.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 117

username845765

3

Original post by _hj

You actually don't know what you're talking about. Ask any university, psychology is one of the most employable degrees, if not the most.

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LOL im sure :redface:

Reply 118

beyou

Thanx a lot this has helped me so much. i chose psychology at degree level and submitted my application a few days ago. i really love it and are fascinated by it so i also applied for a joint degree psychology with business. but some of my relatives are not being very supportive and keep on saying that i won't be able to achieve anything with it.i did research and everything for like 3 months before i made my choice. i love psychology and thanks for making me feel better about my choice.

Reply 119

tinyflame

15

Original post by SarahGummer

I considered study psychology myself because it is a very interesting subject. I've since reconsidered and will be studying medicine in September, mostly because of the poor job prospects a psychology degree brings (that is related to clinical psychology). I'm a registered nurse at the moment and have worked or the nhs for 7 years. There are very very few jobs for clinical psychologists as it isn't well funded. It is true that to work as a psychologist you need to complete a phd and competition for places is tough. Many psychology graduates tend to work in marketing or other people related professions rather than in mental health.

If you want to work in mental health consider mental health nursing, you can go on to do counselling courses but at least you will definitely get a decent paid job upon graduation. Much of the mental health service is ran by mental health nurses, unless you fancy doing a medicine degree and becoming a psychiatrist. It's not to say its impossible to become a clinical psychologist but its ridiculously competitive

What about me??

I'm only interested in a niche area of psychology, mainly crime, violence and childhood? So I would like to do research in a Phd (which I dread) or work as a forensic psychologist (which seems difficult to get into)

Also, since the NHS is in crisis, it further drives home the message that I can study a psychology degree, but working in psychology is unlikely? :frown:

Not only that but at the moment I'm in a situation where I am choosing between doing a psychology foundation year or an engineering with foundation year, as I got bad grades due to depression last year? :frown:

is psychology worth doing??

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