Discretionary admission application

[StellaBrillante]

Hello

I'm hoping to start a degree course from next year. Unfortunately, I've got a 3rd world school education and have therefore contacted the course leader to find out more about my chances of securing a place on the course, preferably without having to complete an access course at the local college.

I am a mature student, with quite a few work-related qualifications (including 2 NVQ level 2 ones completed at the local college), language skills and 17 years worth of work experience in the UK and Europe. I currently work at middle management level for a financial services provider (and I am one of the very few non-graduate managers in my department!) and deal directly with senior management, heads of and directors.

I am wondering if anyone out there has been in a similar position and if so, how you approached it? I have got a meeting with the course leader on Thursday and have put together a portfolio with all my certicates and also samples of pieces of work that I have done which will hopefully evidence an array of trasnferable skills. Is this a good idea? Are there any key points which I should raise at the meeting to further support my decision to study (and with that, the career change that will follow!)?
Thank you!!!!!!

Hi.
don't overwhelm them with too many bits of paper.
write a one-page summary of your main qualifications with dates, grades and approx UK equlvalents. They can then ask you for the particular extra info that they need.

FWIW many courses have strict rules about entry requirements that are impossible to bend. In our case we would insist on some related study this year (access, A-level, foundation or OU).
remember that only part of this will be about them deciding if "you are good enough", it will also be about them evaulating your qulification against their list of requirements. So even if they decide you are amazinly fantastic they may have to insist on you getting some extra qualifications this year.

and more generally remember that it will take them some time to get their head around your unusual combination of qualifications. Give them time to read your summary. Suppress your instinct to start selling yourself until they have got to grips with your basic situation.