Universities with lowest entry requirements

[Umbrellasaregood]

Where can we start?
DS wants to go to Uni but is dyslexic and predicted Ds (or Cs at a big push). Looking at humanity/ social science type courses, possibly with a view to teach or social work.
Yes, it's vague but we would rather find a course that would accept him and compromise a bit on the subject than face rejections.

I never read anything about low entrance universities.
Everything is Oxbridge or Russell Group.

Hope this makes sense.

Why is a high paying job the only thing that makes uni worthwhile?

If everyone thought like that we’d be all out of the low paying professions, that require a degree and are fundamental in society. Goodbye teachers, social workers, nurses etc.

As it’s been explained numerous times, it doesn’t really cost a lot to the student, only if they pay it all back. Student “debt” shouldn’t be thought of like it’s some sort of payday loan. Again, if you have a problem with the cost of uni fees take that up with the government that increased them, not on individual students who I imagine would be very happy with lower fees but have no say in that.

A degree apprenticeship is harder to get into than uni.

And there isn’t one for social work yet.

It's not just a MN thing - I suppose it's a Capitalism thing . But the OP starts the thread very much saying she doesn't see threads about DCs like hers - and it does feel like the vultures circled straightaway. It's like catnip to those with certain viewpoints. All irrelevant to OP's boy. It's 'university is for People Like Us , not People Like You.'

I read recently that high earnings from Oxbridge are massively skewed by a few graduates, many of whom were ultra wealthy before university. The most common job post Oxbridge graduation (at least in part because of its redistricted to traditional degree offer) is secondary school teaching, followed by academia.

And yes, degree apprenticeships are hard to get on to and often have high entry requirements!

There is a degree apprenticeship for social work at Winchester Uni (saw it when I was looking at the social work requirements there for OP yesterday) however it sounded like you already had to be working for Hampshire County Council, who would fund the apprenticeship with the levy. If I understand correctly.

I think a lot of social workers in their 40s are now trying to get degrees as it becomes a graduate profession , in order to upskill.

I think it is one in the offing for degree apprenticeships, along with police and teaching - although I am very sceptical about an apprenticeship route for teacher which smacks of cheap labour to me... we have three in ours school now, all older entrants.

The degree apprenticeships in eg engineering, banking and accountancy are excellent, I hear. And like gold dust.

Yes there is.

But you have to be employed by the LA as an unqualified social worker first.

It does matter!

Like all courses, some universities have better reputations for their social work course than others. For example, 2 newly qualified SWs are equal points on interview, I'd take the one from Salford Uni over Manchester Uni - the course is known to be better.

Social workers are in demand so a job would be possible somewhere.
agree tho re Salford over man uni. I always recommend it.

And yes sorry I am aware of the unqualified route if working as a social worker assistant.

Also I highly recommend the Facebook group What I wish I knew about University. There’s less of a RG bias and it’s very inclusive. Having said that you have had great advice and support on here give or take a few!

As a point of interest how would you rate Liverpool Hope for SW?

OP, my older DS went to Lincoln to do politics with A level grades similar to your DSs. His grades were idleness, coupled with anxiety and some not fabulous teaching , not dyslexia. He was fine, has his degree and is now doing a Master's. I'll be honest, it hasn't all gone swimmingly and he massively struggled with essay writing and motivation. However in many other ways uni was good for him. In hindsight, I wish he had done a foundation year.

It's ok. There are worse courses (and there are better). I work in the greater Manchester area and we don't get that many from Liverpool, but I'd choose Hope candidates over Leeds for example.

I don't think he should pick his career just yet. What are his A level subjects? Were his GCSE grades okay?
He might do better in the sixth form as did all my children as they were then doing subjects they liked.

Foundation degrees are an excellent way in and the initial year usually costs less.
Ds’s ADHD was diagnosed just before his A Levels and his results were nowhere near what he was capable of achieving. He’s now at University of Liverpool doing a foundation year ahead of moving on to a full Engineering degree. He's fully supported with the organisation bits he finds difficult and from the DDD he managed at A Level, will be on a 3A tariff course next year.
As others have said, universities are much more set up to support students with additional needs than schools, there’s absolutely no reason why your son’s dyslexia should stop him studying at that level.

Bath Spa- lovely campus and they give unconditional offers to anyone who will accept them as first choice.

'Worthwhile' is a much wider consideration than merely financial though @Gummibär. Nursing (and physio, OT etc), teaching, social work and numerous other professions are very, very worthwhile. You just won't earn all that much.

But degrees cost a lot of money and you'd want that huge investment to be worthwhile

Of course 'worthwhile' does not just refer to the financial benefits, but to ALL benefits to society.

I'm just not convinced that every degree is worth it, given the high cost.

@Gummibär Smacks of intellectual elitism to me. Can you (and the other poster) stop derailing the thread? The OP hasn’t asked for an opinion on this. As a mother of dyslexic kids I find your attitude insulting and infuriating. This is real young person and mother here so take your “musings” elsewhere.

There’s nothing elitist about suggesting other routes than university for someone who’s not very academic.

Even if there were though we need to stop using “elitist” in a negative light. Elitism is a positive. Oxbridge is elitist, the Olympics are elitist, the top set in art in school is elitist.

Elitism means encouraging people to be the best that they can, and then selecting that elite and targeting them for specialist work in making them better.

We want our bridge designers, heart surgeons and fighter pilots to be the elite, but we also want the elite in the arts to be the ones working in it, and for our lorry drivers to be the best lorry drivers that they can be.

I have not read the whole thread, so apologies if I am repeating things here.

There are lots of things to consider. First of all, he has five choices, so why not go for unis offering a range of offers? Some unis even offer unconditional places if you want to remove all uncertainty, though they may not be the best places to study (they want to fill their spaces!)

Look at unis with a good dyslexia support team. Bangor uni, for example, has a great reputation for this. Think about geography too - how far from home does he want to be?

PS @Pharos that’s brilliant. Love hearing these stories.

On a similar note, my (very dyslexic) DS did badly in GCSEs, not great at A levels. Got into RG Uni through clearing. Has support in place and is pulling off 2.1 grades. Studying History. I could not be more proud.

Let’s believe in these young people. Not just write them off!

If he is bright, I would definitely aim for a foundation year course at a more traditional Uni than at the “bargain bucket” ex-polys.

What he needs are a peer group of similar ability to himself but with good learning support.

Interrogate their learning support offers carefully, but the standards of support (and administration) will generally be better at the more established university.

Obviously also investigate what dyslexic applicants usually get offered via DSA.

There’s nothing elitist about suggesting other routes than university for someone who’s not very academic.

Having dyslexia (or any other Spld) =/= “not being very academic”.

Two entirely different axes.