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.

Some universities are better than others. I don't know about social sciences but Aston for instance does more small class teaching.

Do ensure it's the right pathway though, dyslexia if supported shouldn't necessarily mean low grades, my dd got into a top university (arguably the best for her subject) and got support at university but she is very driven

His predicted grades would probably at him a place on a traditions degree through clearing, but 9f you can ffo

aghhh pressed send far too soon.

But if you can afford to support him for 4 years it sounds like a foundation year at a better university would be much better for him. He will have the chance to learn academic skills and be fully ready to start the degree proper the following year

Does he get extra time in exams?

Interesting, thank you. Liverpool students tend to want to stay in the city. And last time I checked there wasn’t a shortage of social workers in Liverpool.

Ex polys as good as worthless? Uol made me an offer. I knocked it back for the worthless, ex poly LJMU.

Shit! Nobody has ever actually asked which uni i went to.

And yet it seems that your “worthwhile” ex-poly has left you totally unprepared for the masters that you are currently failing.

So maybe there is actually something to the idea that better places would,have prepared you better.

Eh? I passed my masters over a year ago. I got a merit?

Have you been reading my posts? Did your uni teach comprehension?

😁

University was the making of my DS, who got pretty poor A-level grades. Like PP say, it's not all about academic excellence.
The Uni my DS attended allows those on Foundation degrees to move onto the BSc course after a successful year one, and complete the full degree in two more years, so worth looking for institutions that do that!
DS is now on a good grad scheme, he would not have achieved a place on a degree apprenticeship they are so competitive.
Good luck.

Gone quiet there, Qualityandquantity.

😉

Gotta admit I wasn't over the moon with a merit but it was all done online and I lost all interest.

You didn't just pass, then @bottleofbeer, you did better than that! Congratulations.

At DD's masters graduation their 'class' (if that's the right terminology) got read out. I'm glad that didn't happen with either of my degrees :)

It's a cohort these days. I know, sounds totally wanky.

I think thing47 means the class of degree (Pass, merit, distinction etc) not the named of the people in the cohort (also could be called a class!). Confusing.

Yes, Liverpool is a great city so I'm not surprised that most of their students remain there. It's the same with the greater Manchester universities - the vast majority of our NQSW applicants are from Greater Manchester unis, those that aren't tend to be moving back here, having studied in smaller cities or towns.

Ok I know this is completely out there but have a look at Deaf Studies and BSL / BSL English Interpreting.

There will be some essays but a lot of the units will be in sign language, and dyslexia doesn't seem to matter. I picked up BSL quickly and intuitively where I struggled wo write a single sentence in French after 3 years studying it.

A couple of other dyslexics on my course also found the BSL easy.

It can be a single honours, or a joint with an other subject. It goes well with 'Special Needs' and could get him on to a PG social work course, or teaching or teacher of the Deaf.

Bristol, UCLAN and Wolverhampton have decades of teaching. I know nothing of Bristol, Wolverhampton was good at the start of my course, then virtually every Deaf lecturer left.

I ended up commuting to UCLAN, and I found their dyslexia support much better.

www.uclan.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/british-sign-language-deaf-studies-ba

www.wlv.ac.uk/courses/ba-hons-british-sign-language-deaf-studies/#:~:text=Our%20BA%20British%20Sign%20language,our%20teaching%20on%20the%20programme.

Just tried to look at Bristol and it appears they no longer have a Deaf studies centre.

Ahhh, I get you now. No, classifications weren't mentioned. But although your name and course was in the book, you only got on stage to 'graduate' if you did hons or masters degree. Ordinary degrees/PG dips/PG certs didn't get their name read out or anything.

A couple of people mentioned Goldsmiths, and as a Goldsmiths student I genuinely can’t recommend it highly enough. They’re pretty flexible with entry requirements (especially in clearing). In fact, the foundation year in Anthropology has no formal entry requirements other than showing a keen interest. Also I can say from firsthand experience that the disability support is excellent.

www.gold.ac.uk/ug/integrated-degrees/

I totally disagree with the idea that it’s not worth going to university if you can’t get into a high ranking institution. Every university has something different to offer, even the ones at the bottom of the league table. If he wants to go to uni, then there will definitely be places who would be happy take him. And he deserves the opportunity just as much as a straight A student.

I’d also suggest having a look at Kingston Uni, Southampton Solent, Portsmouth, Plymouth, York St John, Lincoln, Northumbria and City just to name a few.

As pp have said, there is plenty of support for dyslexia. However, I would really caution your Ds about social work as a course/profession. There is a lot of written 'reflection ' work plus essays and recording when on placements. Depending on the branch of social work, there are court reports to write which will be picked apart by judges/legal teams. There is constant pressure (rightly so) to record accurately and quickly. It's a profession that needs maturity also and constant professional development.

He might be better off looking at an allied health/social care profession that doesn't have such onerous paperwork.

It is a great city and the people are so friendly.

Interesting that it’s a similar phenomenon in Manchester.

Agree with pp the suggestion of deaf studies at uclan.

Independent living is a huge factor. And DS won't be mature enough to enter a work environment just yet.
You mentioned this in your original post. I just thought I'd mention that it might be worth having a gap year. I was very immature, and got a live in job as a cleaner in a hotel, and it really did give me loads of confidence before going to university. I saw that life wasn't all about academia and getting As etc, so it might make him feel less overshadowed with his older sister as well.

Don't be so ridiculous. I know plenty of people who have been to universities like these and now have good careers. The world has moved on.

Hi,

Current MSc healthcare student at London South Bank University here. They offer social sciences courses, they have great disability support (first hand experience!) and a fantastic new library which has recently opened. I highly recommend it.

DS went to a uni ranked 80th, purely cos needed to be near home, now a solicitor at one of the city's top firms, its not all about oxbridge.

No. Of course it’s not all about Oxbridge but university should be about a certain level of academia and skill. Yes DC can be a solicitor when going to a local average university but you have to probably accept you won’t be a barrister or a high earning city lawyer. RG grads are overwhelmingly solicitors. So as long as Dc know that, then take your chance. I guess he didn’t have DDD at A level though. That’s the difference. DDD or even CCC narrows choice. It’s not an active choice to choose a university ranked 80. It’s a forced choice. Employers know this.

The shame about A levels is that everyone thinks DC should be at university afterwards. They shouldn’t. We need courses that act as a bridge to be more widely available. People need to find their niche. So I would suggest a foundation course or a lower level apprenticeship. Degree apprenticeships are hard to get. 3000 a year get them at 18. They are mostly for older people in work it appears. So work up through the educational rungs and see where Dc can go at a slower pace. Play to his strengths.