Self study A levels and independent UCAS (school leaver)

[LeylaOfCircassia]

Does anyone have experience with this? We are supporting DC2 who is almost 17 to do A levels and they want to go to uni. They are not aiming Oxbridge, but likely places with Foundation Year and 1-2 more ambitious ideas. They know they want to study in the humanities but have no idea around career path yet.

We are aware that they could take other routes and do other things, but I am really looking for advice on how to make the current path as successful as possible.

DC16 isn't in college for various reasons and will now be doing 3 A levels via distance learning. We have opted for ICS as this is within our price bracket.

Looking for advice on how we can help them and about the UCAS process (older sibling went through school).

1. will work through the ICS programme as if at school (timetabled and holidays off etc)
2. Plan is to commit 2.5 days to this (2 days working through and 0.5 day to revise and plan)
3. Additionally, each subject will have a 1:1 tutor once a month per subject for now (perhaps upping in y13)

When it comes to UCAS, I understand it all but:

1. who will write his reference, in the absence of school
2. Tutors? One will be an academic in the subject who has tutored A level extensively (history); we have to source the other two. Could they be references?
3. Could a part time job be a reference, though they won't be able to comment on academics?
4. Predicted grades? - Who will do this?

Obviously, we will also have to find exam centres.

They know and we know that self study even for the most academic is difficult. They have said that they are committed and will be contributing a token amount to cost to demonstrate this.

Any advice or answers to the above?

Should have said, thank you in advance.

Any tutor can be a reference, although you might need to provide them with some guidance. You only need one reference.

Can ICS provide predicted grades?

That is a good question, I should ask them.

Yes a tutor can give a predicted grade, you can Google this answer.
Be aware that the format of the UCAS form is changing in the personal statement section, it's 3 questions to answer instead of the long statement - you can goggle the questions as they have been released.

You need to find a tutor who is use to writing references, predicted grades and can give guidance on new PS format (ie they have been trained by a school they work in etc).

Thanks. Yes, I am aware of the UCAS format changing and we had a good talk at an open day about that.

If they aren’t aiming for Oxbridge, why not do an access to HE course via distance/online learning? It’s much geared up for the circumstances you are in, the centre you do it through will provide a reference, and he wouldn’t need to do a foundation year (unless he wanted to). It would mean you could apply in the next ucas cycle with a significant number of ucas points in hand. It’s a 1 year course worth 3 a levels that you can start any time.

He is 17 though, I understood that Access was for 19+. Otherwise, I absolutely agree, that would be a good way to do it.

Will do some research though.

you are correct about access courses being for 19+, A Levels still sound like the correct route for your son at the moment.

you do not need a tutor who has had any special training as a PP mentioned - there’s plenty of support on UCAS for both reference and personal statement.

can I recommend contacting the universities he is interested in and seeing if they have an outreach offer that might suit him? The widening participation or widening access teams would be a good place to start

They are not funded at colleges for under 19s, but that does not mean under 19s can't do them and as OP is paying for private tuition in any event she isn't looking for a free pathway anyway. Distance learning centre and learn direct offer them to under 18s. There are lots of science/engineering based ones but also humanities and social sciences - law, psychology, sociology combinations. If he knows what he wants to do might be worth asking universities how they would view it for the courses he is interested in alongside inquiring about the outreach courses. A levels are obviously the gold standard though - just saying other routes are possible,

Thanks, that is really helpful info. He has signed up to 3 A levels now, and we have history tutor who is an academic, an English tutor almost secured who is a trainee so just waiting on a recommendation for a law one. We've agreed to a 6 Jan start, and had a look at the learning dashboard etc.

That is really useful info on the Access course though - I can see how that could have been a good idea, given that they are designed to teach study skills along the way.