Access course gripe

[Parmaviolets13]

Just wondering if anyone has done an access course?

I started one a few weeks ago, think it's gonna be tough work load wise and the college is pretty pants in terms of timetables etc but I'm hoping it'll be okay once I just get my head down!

However, my understanding is an access course is for adults who have been out of education for a long time, wanting a career change etc. My class has 23 students (which for college is massive!) and they are accepting people everyday, every class someone new appears. We actually ran out of places for people to sit today!

Also, at nearly 28 I am only one of the many few (I think maybe 4 of us?) over the age of 21. Everyone seems so young; the youngest being 18 and the classes are being tailored somewhat to them because they are so fresh out of school/previous college study that we get overlooked when we don't know something. (Speed of lessons, the way they talk to us etc)

Not sure what I want to gain from this post, just curious if anyone has done it as a 'mature student' and succeeded.

Yeah. Did it at 36. Was easy. Workload very light compared to uni!

Did it years ago when I was 25. Was a 1 year full time intensive course. I was one of the youngest and I think the minimum age was 23 years plus had to have been out of full time education for quite some time to be accepted onto the course.

Was immensely enjoyable and enabled me to get accepted into my choice of uni on the degree I wanted.

My class has 23 students (which for college is massive)

They may accept extra students in the expectation that some will drop out, and they'll end up with the number they want.

Good luck with the course.

I think you have to be 19 or over to do an access course. Loads will drop out though, as a pp said.

My course started with 26, and by the end there was eight of us... I'd expect a lot do them to drop out. Our collage didn't allow anyone under 19 on the course though.Ifound it fairly easy and really enjoyed it.

Our was for 19+. I was 22 at the time. We had an 18 year old but he already had Alevels but needed maths to do the degree he wanted so did our access course instead of doing another 2 year level Alevel. It was really good fun, lots of work. I didn’t have as much work to do at uni.

You no longer have to be 19 or over to study an Access course - so you do get 18 yr olds. Also once you reach 19 you have to pay (still free at 18). There will be drop out over the next few weeks. Keep attending and doing the work - things will settle down. Access courses are brilliant.

I was 42 when I started my Access course! Students had to have been out of full-time education for 3 years in my case, so things must have changed if you have 18 year olds on yours. Drop-out rate is always high on Access courses. Expect there to be a lot less returning after Christmas. I enjoyed mine, although I did find it hard, having been out of education for 24 years. I went on to get a 1st class honours Psych/Eng. I've actually part written a screenplay about my access course as the characters I met there, and their personal stories were so interesting and diverse. I must dig it out and finish it! Good luck!

They’re free for under 24’s in my area.

FE colleges are funded per student (retrospectively) and most are in serious financial straits at the moment so I’m afraid they will be desperately trying to recruit as many students as possible. There will be a cut off point though, probably as you approach half term, and things will settle down then.

You will get a one to one tutorial soon and you can use that opportunity to remind your tutor that some of you have been out of education for a while and need a different pace and approach, if you don’t feel able to raise this immediately.

My experience is that many mature students can struggle in the first few weeks but, if they don’t give up, often get the best results in the end.