Anyone on here doing (or has currently done) an Access course at college?

[boredandrestless]

Just wanting to hear people's experiences of it really, especially parents.

I'm hoping to do an access course starting September which will prepare me for uni. Still undecided on what uni course I want to do yet but something like OT/ Speech Therapist/Social Worker/Nurse. I'm seeing a career's advisor next week to hopefully narrow it down and get some advice on pathways on options but regardless of which career path I choose the access course is a definite so I'm wanting to find out how other people have found them in terms of workload, topics, etc.

I did an Access course three years ago. I really enjoyed it, it prepared me well for university. I found the workload manageable once I'd got into the swing of it after fifteen years away from study!

A lot of it was due to our teachers. One especially was fantastic, he had been a mature student too and understood how we felt along the way.

Good luck!

Thank you for replying - glad to see your experience was positive. Can I be nosy and ask what you went on to do at university?

I really just need to get my life back on track - I'm a carer to DS and I'm glad I've done this for him but I've finally started to realise I need something for me too.

No such thing as nosey on Mumsnet!

I'm doing an English degree, and hoping to go on to a PGCE. I was 29 when I started the Access course, and thought being older would be a problem, but the ages on the course were 20-50. So it was fine.

I think you should definitely do it for yourself. It has given me much needed confidence and improved my self esteem. The work load is more full on at Uni but it is manageable. As a busy mum you will be used to being organised anyway!

Sometimes, especially when I have a lot of work on, I think 'WTF am I doing-I could be working 9-5 and no bloody essays' but I know I really made the best choice and it will be worth it the end. Both in terms of a career and personally.

bored I'm also thinking of doing an access course, I'm really interested on SLT. I'm 42 and work full time, so i'd have to resign and go back to be being a student, (am i mad), i'd be 46/47 by the time i qualified/graduated, but the thought of doing what i'm doing now for the next 25/30 years arrgh!

Good luck, go for it, you'll only regret it if you don't try.

I did an access course in Sociology and Psychology and am just completing my Bsc in Psychology (just an exam to go). The whole experience has been good, but with hindsight I wouldn't have done psychology as I cannot afford to do a masters and I don't have very good employment prospects with just a Psychology degree.

Thanks for the further replies!

ThePathanKhans - I think you need to reread the last line of your post to yourself. I agree with what you say about how long you have left of your working life, many more years and you may as well be doing something you enjoy/get paid better for!

My previous working background is childcare. I love working with children but the hands on work is low paid, and to get higher paid (but still pretty crap) wages I would be doing more paperwork (nursery manager) which is not what i want. Would rather retrain for something completely new and in the few years I will be studying DS will hopefully be coming along more development wise, and be needing me at home less, or there will be more options childcare wise.

I turn 30 in September, would be nice to be starting a new path at the same time.

I did an Access course to get onto my current Bsc Nursing. Best thing I ever did, I had enough points anyway without doing it, but it prepared me for study and has given me a huge advantage had I not done it. Confidence building. Go for it! I am 36 by the way with 3 children, so all is very possible hard sometimes but rewarding. Good Luck!

bored i totally agree once i finished my level 3 ccld i went straight into a foundation degree which i finish in 3 weeks.....which i will then be a level 5 ccld...cant affort the masters ..but as the work is still so underpaid..i am looking at going into something completely different..maybe teaching...as it is better money than minimum wage...even though i will be a level 5 i will not be entitled to a payrise...oh how i hate working for the private sector and the public sector has no jobs grrrr

Good luck with it all OP, access course is great option, there IS a high work load but good preparation for university. You will need to do GCSE maths/english if you don't have those already, but the college will often run this alongside the access course.

doormat I have my ccld level 3 and know I don't want to do the foundation degree in childcare as even at the top end the pay is crap for the level of responsibility and the work is less hands on.

thanks boringnickname ,I did get good GCSEs but school was a long while ago - would be happy to re-do the ones needed, will ask careers advisor when I go in next week.

thepuddingchef - I am very interested in nursing but need to look into the placement side of the uni course, am a bit tied with my son and it may be that I do something with more family friendly hours like OT/SLT.

My placement hours are 37.5 a week when in placement, usually 3 x 12 hour shifts then make the extra up. Uni is 2/3 days per week 9 til 4. I get most of childcare paid for which is the saving grace, couldn't do it otherwise, that and good family help.

the pudding chef - Can you explain if you have time please how the course is split in terms of when do you do your placement time and when do you do your uni time? DS's dad has him 2 nights a week, I know a good local cm, and my mum is helpful if I ask but I really need to find out more about how nursing degree course is organised. Obviously I will be asking uni these questions too but asking on here can be so helpful!

Yeah sure. The start of the course I spent the first 5 weeks full time Uni, getting paperwork sorted, lectures etc.....then we have 6 week placements, then 2 weeks uni. Doesn't always work like that exactly, but more or less. The longer the course goes on....I'm in my second year you spend less time at uni in lectures, but you do have a lot of essays, presentations to do, you do have to organise your time. I used to try and do two shifts at weekends if possible as my two older children went to their dads. There are many of us who have families and to be fair the wards are usually really helpful with shifts. As an example we are two weeks in uni atm, this week we're in tues/friday. Rest of week off to do study. next week we're in 2.5 days. Then back at placement. Hope this helps.

Thanks for that explanation thepuddingchef, it really helps.

My DS goes to his dad's 2 nights a week, and already has a childminder too (though she doesn't do shift hours - will have to find someone else for that). I have decided to go for the nursing degree as it appeals the most and despite the shift patterns it is the best logistically too.

Careers advisor said I could apply straight to uni as I have good gcse grades and further quals but I feel I need to brush up on my study skills and ease back into the learning environment. Have done my assessments and have course interview sometime next month.

Am looking forward to September already.