Frustrating experience as a mature applicant

[Whereyoufrom]

I’ve been in correspondence with a university about entrance onto a vocational course- it’s NHS funded, an undergraduate course and the only one I can travel to without moving house (I have school age children).
They said they won’t consider my previous degrees (both of which are in a related subject) unless I re sit a GCSE. My masters degree incorporated the subject they want me to re sit and so it feels pointless and just plain short sighted.
Anyone else had a similar experience whilst applying for a career changing degree as a mature student? And what did you do? Thanks!

Is it maths or English?

Why don't you just resit the GCSE? It sounds like you should easily know the material already.

Maths

Cost and time- I’m currently working 2 jobs with 2 children.

And it just seems like a ridiculous/ shortsighted thing to ask considering all the higher level qualifications and I have all the suggested professional experience.

If the masters is using maths then I'd say at the very least you'll want the GCSE. If you're saying you're way above that level now anyway then just quickly do the revision and exam and you should pass with ease?

I might end up doing that. But it’s just annoyed me because a) I did pass the GCSE, it’s just one grade lower than they’d like b) there is no maths content in the degree I’ll apply for c) all my other degrees have very high marks d) there’s still no guarantee they’d accept me after re sitting the GCSE.

I was really looking to hear from someone who might have had a similar experience to me and how they handled it. And also just to vent some frustration when unis are tick boxing rather than considering who would make a good student with relevant experience.

If you don’t have the relevant qualifications then they don’t have to accept you.

@Whereyoufrom I had a similar experience. I already had a related degree but I had to sit my GCSE in Maths in order to be accepted onto a degree course to study Social Work.
I ended up going to night school as it was the only way I could fit it in. Maths is not my strong point so I was pleased to get a decent grade.
Hope you manage to achieve your goal.

this obesession with the exact thing- GCSE maths, is ridiculous. I have friends who have fallen foul of this despite O-Level maths, A-level maths and maths use in economics degrees.

Such a waste of resources not to be able to override a "computer says no" when the skills are clearly already there.

Thanks for that. That’s helpful to know.

Yes, it’s a similar degree into health care. It looks like I’ll have to do the same as you, I was just really surprised they discount any higher qualifications/ professional experience. Ironically, I’ve got a place on an MSc in the same subject, but it’s just too far away for me to make it work with my family commitments. This closer course is a BSc, so it’s lower level but they won’t even consider me. Oh well, back to school it is.

This is exactly how I feel. It’s massively short sighted and puts unnecessary barriers up for people who haven’t had a linear qualification path, but might be great candidates for the profession. Thanks for your comment.

Ha - that does seem quite horrifying. I have an Oxbridge first degree, a ‘high status’ professional qualification, and a Master’s - and failed my Maths O’ Level … Not a single institution has ever mentioned it.

But it does look as if you’ll either have to suck it up or choose a different institution, @Whereyoufrom.

Yup! Suck it up, I will!

Sadly, not much choice at all. It’s the only institution that offers this qualification that is commutable for me.

Have you actually spoken to the admissions tutor for the course? Sometimes, applications are first screened by admin support who automatically send out rejections to those who don't meet the entry criteria, which of course is usually fine and appropriate. However they don't always understand the prior learning of mature students

I'd phone up and ask if you can speak to the admissions tutor for the course (assuming you haven't already) and politely ask if they would consider qualifications x and y ( which you do have) instead of the GCSE.

The term for this is APL ( assessment of prior learning). If your current / previous work roles have included the use of the concepts in the GCSE they are asking you to resit, you could also ask them to consider APEL ( assessment of prior experiential learning).

Thanks so much for all of that. It’s really useful to know key concepts/ language that they employ when looking at these applications.

I have chatted things through with the department and they advised that they would only consider my application (and take into consideration all my other qualifications) if I sat the GCSE. They are aware of everything else I hold/ current relevant job etc. but I might contact them politely again incorporating the two terms that you mention.

It was a very ‘computer says no’ experience altogether with no sense of meaningful dialogue or justifiable decision making. Just a disappointing experience.

@Whereyoufrom have you asked if they would accept functional skills level 2 in mathematics? It's equivalent to a grade 4 GCSE and you can sit it whenever you want, so no waiting time.

Great idea- I’ll look into that!

Even those with O level maths? I was the last year of O levels and they have always been accepted as GCSE equivalents in various jobs/pg applications.
I feel for you OP, but hopefully you can get it done fairly quickly - at least it’s the right time of year to enrol!

Two points from me who works in a college with adult learners most retaking maths and English courses, up to GCSE:

• If you are going to do a level 2 instead, check whether it is recognised by your university and jobs in your chosen work field. Yes it is equivalent level, but it is NOT universally recognised like the GCSE grades.

• Also what is your current Maths grade? As a College, we have funding to enable learners to take Maths and English courses for free, if they have less then a 4 or C and need to get one.

Thanks for that. I’ll definitely be talking to them as I prepare to apply for next year.

My grade is above that eligibility criteria, I mainly had Bs and As for my GCSEs.

Really grateful for all the supportive messages on here.

Yeah…I couldn’t get into an English teaching post-grad because I had a lower than acceptable maths GCSE.

It’s such a stupid blanket computer-says-no rule. If you want to go this course, you’ll have to do the GCSE, despite it being completely stupid.

I work at a uni, while I don't work in 'admissions', I think you need to check if the NHS (for that particular job) requires GCSE maths. If they do then it could be why the unis stipulated that it's required.

No but they often do if you can demonstrate capability through other qualifications

They don’t necessarily discount your degrees. I’m starting a healthcare BSc in September despite not having the science A Levels they ‘require’. They made me an offer based on my unrelated MA.

They don’t necessarily discount your degrees. I’m starting a healthcare BSc in September despite not having the science A Levels they ‘require’. They made me an offer based on my unrelated MA.