Talk

Flip

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Higher education

How to get started

6 replies

MrsNoQualifications · 09/06/2015 04:35

please help me. I've done s tiny bit of research online, but there is no straight forward answer.

I am 30 years old left school at 16 with no qualifications. I've worked as a health care assistant and an administrator. I then got married and been a stay at home mum for a few years.
I have this yearning to complete a degree but have no idea where to start. I have a huge interest in criminal psychology. Where on earth do I start without feeling too overwhelmed.
Thank you for your help

OP posts:

Report

LaVolcan · 09/06/2015 09:39

Two suggestions:
You could investigate the Open University, and dip into the access or level 1 modules www.open.ac.uk/courses/modules

Or if there is an FE college nearby investigate what sort of courses they offer - they also often offer Access courses designed for people like you.

Report

MrsNoQualifications · 09/06/2015 11:21

Thank you very much I will certainly look into that

OP posts:

Report

ivorynewbuilds · 09/06/2015 11:54

You'll need some qualifications to get into uni (unless you did it via the OU, which is a different ball game really - it's all distance learning, so quite a different experience).

The Access to HE Diploma is designed for people just like you - those who have been out of education for a number of years, and who have now decided that they want to go to uni. It's a one year course, taught at your local college, and all universities accept it - even Oxbridge, for some courses.

So, if you went down the Access to HE route, you'd start the course at your local college in September, put in a UCAS application by the usual deadlines (15th October for Oxbridge, 15th January for everywhere else), and then receive offers that are conditional on achieving certain grades in your course. You would then start your degree that September.

There is funding available for the Access to HE course via the 24+ Learning Loan (which gets written off when you complete your degree).

I'm happy to answer any more questions you might have - I work at a university and advise prospective students for a living :)

Report

UptheChimney · 10/06/2015 07:50

As others have said: FE. Look at a Foundation course, which can eventually be converted into Honours degree. Go to a couple of FE College OPen Days in your area.

And then there's the Open University.

Good luck if I ruled the world higher education would be available to anyone at any age who wanted to enter it. And at the end of anyone's first year of study, there'd be tough exams to sort out the serious studiers from the "finishing school for the middle class" students.

Wanders off channelling Harry Secombe's song ...