Access to HE or continue with my current course?

To cut a long story short, which I have explained in more detail in previous posts, I am currently doing a History degree, and want to change to a Japanese degree but didn't have the A Levels in order to apply outright.

So I applied this year on the basis of a CertHE and got rejected, however, by that point I hadn't finished the first year of the course. I got rejected because they wouldn't take the CertHE into account.

Now that I have actually finished the first year of the course and now actually have a CertHE, do you think my application would be viewed more favourably?

My other option is to leave my current course and do a Access to HE course.

In short, in the long run what is going to serve me better to change degrees, do an Access to HE course or finish two years of another degree and leave with the equivalent of a Foundation Degree?

I hope I've explained the situation clearly enough. Thanks in advance for any advice.

From what you've said it sounds like you are still enrolled on your history degree, so you can't have a CertHE yet.

No, but the fact of the matter is if I were to "cash in" my first year I would be entitled to leave with a CertHE, so surely whether I actually have it or not is immaterial? What matters is if I am entitled to it.

Why should I be expected to leave my current course before I apply with no guarantee I would even be accepted anyway? Why would that make any sense at all?

On the contrary I find I am getting very mixed opinions on this forum.

You clearly think that my application would have a better chance now that I have actually finished the first year, while the other poster said that me applying again would make absolutely no difference as if they were interested in offering my a place they would have made me a conditional offer.

There is no guarantee that you will be offered a CertHE, you need to actually have one (and not just be entitled to one) before you apply. If you begin your second year (and use student loans to pay for it) you will be ineligible for a full student loan if you then began a Japanese degree. I can't think of any reason to stay enrolled on a course you don't want to do.

You make a good point about finance. I haven't enquired to that many universities, but when I emailed a couple about whether they would accept a CertHE, one didn't reply and the other sent me a very generic email about acceptable entry qualifications that didn't really answer my question.

Have you found universities to be helpful in giving you an accurate and honest assessment of your likelihood of being offered a place, or have you found that their advise if often quite vague and not particularly helpful?

If I emailed different universities and asked them to tell me whether I have any chance of being accepted or whether my application is pretty much a waste of time and money, would they give me an honest response or would they just tell me to apply and wait for my application to be considered?