Access course and Uni applications

[mumsgoingtouni]

Hi all,

I'm starting my access course next week and I'm hoping to be applying to universities for 2016. I'm mid 40's and am really looking forward to starting my new life!

Anyone in the same boat?

I have some university open days coming up and I really have no idea what to be looking for. All I know is that I want to do History. Any tips on how to get the most out of an open day? I will be on my own so I'm getting a bit nervous and am hoping there will be other oldies there!

Go to a subject talk, courses vary from Uni to Uni.
Speak to the students who are helping out in the department, ask them for a student's viewpoint.

Check out the library (my fave place! ).

That was me 6 years ago OP. I did an Access course followed by a History degree and I absolutely loved it. If I'd had the money I would have loved to have done a Masters :( I wouldn't worry too much about whether there are any other oldies there. To begin with I did feel like the younger students' mum, but after three years and once they'd grown up a bit and stopped pissing about some actually became good friends and I do keep in touch now, two years after graduating. There was only one or two mature students on my course anyway, so I did find myself having to make an effort with the youngsters. I did envy them being able to go down the pub after lectures when I had to get 40 miles home and cook tea!

With regards to open days - for me, it was important to know roughly how many hours contact time there were a week, what %age of the work was coursework and what types assessment methods were mainly used, eg. essays, presentations etc.

Good luck!

Thank you, both

The first open day was great. I loved the subject talks. They inspired me a lot. I could have stayed and listened all day. I plucked up the courage to talk to a lecturer about being a prospective mature student and he was really encouraging. He said they always get a few on the History courses. Access courses seem to be well respected too which put my mind at rest.

Three more open days to go. Luckily I have two universities within 30 minutes drive and another two within an hours drive so I have a lot of choice. Getting home in time for tea and kids homework is top priority!

Sounds good, you will be there before you know it!
Having just gone through two years sixth form with my DS and now packing him off to Uni next week, I can honestly say it's gone very fast!!

@mumsgoingtouni I've to go back to do a couple of months extension of my art and design access course so I'm going back through UCAS again. Plan is either a level 4 course as a foundation course then on to uni or straight onto uni depending on whether I have my background skills up to scratch. Main advice I can give is to get started on the personal statement for your UCAS application as soon as possible, I've made a start on mine today.