Fastest route from zip to uni..

Paramount

Paramount

Paramount

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6 Jul 2003
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With the uni threads flying around I thought this would be good to post now. I have a problem, a problem that I've made 10x worse by myself and one which I'd do anything to go back and fix. Basically, I was very lazy at school, and I left with nothing (2 D's at AS) after 2 years in 6th form. I kinda just rode it out expecting everything to be fine, as it had been throughout the safety of school. I'm not stupid, infact I'd consider myself quite smart, I was just very distracted and had my mind on other things the whole time. After so many years of compulsory learning, I jumped at the chance to do something different and education took a back seat.

Anyway, now I'm almost 20. I've been working for the past year (when I would have been in my first year), and while having money is nice and the jobs are easy, although plain, I realise I want more. I'm limited to the jobs I can do (generally very boring, monotonous and mind numbing). I'm also craving to learn again, I want to keep my mind sharp, I can almost feel myself getting dumber each day. I'm also missing the great and invaluable experience of uni life which everyone goes on about. I always said it wasn't for me, but maybe I was misinformed and had the wrong idea. But I am so far behind now, would I be right in saying I'd have to do my 2 A-level years again? (which I wouldn't beable to start until next year now) I'm annoyed because I'll be so far behind where I should be if I had just been sensible and stuck with it, if I knew what I do now everything would be a lot different.

I really need some advice to show me what to do, give me a little guidence. Would it still be worth redoing everything to goto uni, which would be 3 years from now? Is there any faster way for me, or any other routes? Has anyone else been in the same situation? What would you recommend? Thanks for reading and any replys are greatly appreciated.
 
You might be able to get onto a foundation degree at a university, which once complete would leave you with some options. My mates doing a foundation degree and once complete hes jumping onto the last year of a BSc to make it a full degree. If you cant get that then its probably going to be a case of redoing college to get a few higher grades and then go for uni.
 
I was in the same position as you (Was a bum during high school lol). There are two routes you can go down.

The first is to apply directly to uni as a mature student, and request that they take into account your life and work experience. Usually this only works if the jobs you've been doing somehow relate to what you want to study. However Im not sure if it would work with the jobs you say you've been doing (ie. boring monotonous ones)

The second is to go to college, get an HNC, then go straight into second year of a uni course. This is the route I went down. Uni wouldnt take me, college would. Got my HNC, applied for uni, and they put me straight into second year. That was a year ago, Im now going into my third year.

If you go down the second route, you might find that even college wont take you. In this case, you can do highers and standard grades through most colleges, and some do an access/foundation course (I think some unis do too), where they'll get you upto the standard required to do the course you want.

Bear in mind though, that as you'll essentially be repeating a stage of education, you may not be able to get your fees paid. You'll have to pay it with your own money.
 
Xenoxide said:
The first is to apply directly to uni as a mature student,
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You have to be 21 to apply as a mature student IIRC.

I too spent my first year of sixth form fooling around, and came out with a C in the first half of my AVCE and a U in physics, after which i made the move onto a BTEC at a new college and ive really enjoyed it, and came out with DD, which is the highest possible and im awaiting to start uni on a BSc. My first year of fooling around put me back a year, but it gave me a kick up the rear to go properly the next year, and its encouraged me to do well.
 
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Well.. I'm only 16 so I realise you're not going to value my input as much as someone that has more experience but I'll go on anyway. :)

My mum had the same sort of thing happen, she decided to go and get married at 19 rather than goto uni etc. I won't go into that, but by the time she was 24 she'd owned two businesses and had her third house. So as you can see, there are still many oppurtunities for someone lacking paper qualifications.

About 3 years ago (when she was 39) she decided to do a degree in Art & Design and found out that the standard was so much lower than her that she felt that she wasn't actually doing anything worth while. She did a foundation year, then the first year of the degree. Then she put it on hold and is now managing our Organic Farm.

I know this seems like irrelivant information, but I'm just trying to give you all the aspects of someone that has had a slightly similar experience to yourself. :)

If it were me I'd go for it now, I'd want to go in as soon as I could. Even if you're not 100% sure it's not what you want it'd be better to find that out now rather than in 20 years..

Hope theres something helpful in that lot.
 
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Hmm same sort of idea here. Ended up leaving with a C at higher and a C at int 2.....i got an A in accounts in my prelim but havent appealed. Decided to take a year out and work........got bored of it and phoned college today and im starting a hnc in september,ending with a BA degree after 3 years.

All you would need to do is get a course at a college to get an nc/nq and get into an HNC course at college and use that to get to uni or just go through college.
 
What sort of degree would you like to do? As far as I know once you reach 21 you are classified as a mature student and in some cases can get into a degree based on previous experience and qualificatons. As said before foundation degrees are also quite good and lots of FE colleges offer university access courses which could get you into Uni a lot quicker. I think it's also possible to do A levels in a one year course at some FE colleges and most are only starting to enroll around now so you could always get an application in quick to start this year.
 
Do any relevant HNC/HND/DIPHE course etc that will count towards your 5/6 year uni course and you will be almost guarunteed a place. HND's etc simply count as the 1st or 1st and second years of your BA if they are closely related enough.

Personally i did crap at school too, i scraped through my standard grades with most being grade 3 and a couple of 2's as i went through my rebellious stage at that time. My highers (A levels) i failed 3 through hardly ever being there and passed english with an A (could never keep my nose out of literature even when trying to be rebellious :p). Since, i've done an HNC in electronic engineering, an HND in computing and technical support and am currently in my second year BA social sciences. I'm a sponge :D
 
Oh, it probably will be worth you looking at HNCs, i got offered onto one with half an AVCE in IT and a U in physics but decided i would rather do the lower BTEC :p It should get you into uni better than A levels and will be a bit more challenging for you.
 
I left school at 16 and went to work full time before i decided at 19 i wanted to go to uni. I am now about to start my 3rd year.

I went to a local college for a year and did an access to HE course in IT, it takes 1 yr and u can start it at 19. It is equilivant of 3 alevels and enought to get into uni
 
Paramount said:
I'm also missing the great and invaluable experience of uni life which everyone goes on about.
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Working life is also an invaluable experience, don't forget that :)

If Uni is what you want, then go for it, but don't think you need to.

A mac operator job's just come up with a 15k wage packet that I'm in with a good chance of getting, I'm 22 and never finished school at all. I did one and a half courses at college in graphics, and I could get that job, it's just down to luck from here on. I have the experience and so on to get it, is what I'm saying.

From my first college course (7 months long, no qualifications needed to get onto the course) I could have applied for uni and got in on the strength of my portfolio, so don't be too scared about getting in, you just have to find the right route - and that doesn't have to be the school route!

You're only 20, you're far from past it, so the world's your oyster. Don't worry about lack of qualifications, I literally have ONE qualification and I've already done two years in a decent job as a mac operator, and if I go for this job and it goes my way it'll be a big step in the right direction for me.

If I got myself on my feet from literally being a 'lost cause' by the age of 16, you can do it from being a bit of an underachiever at your age.

Just find what you want and aim at it, you'll be just fine.

There's lots of routes to uni, you just need to find the quickest and easiest for what course you're aiming for. If it's something creative you can get in on merit and the strength of your portfolio, if it's something more academic, just find the quickest way to take the exams you need to pass to do it.

Only real piece of advice is don't be scared you've gashed it all up, because it's honestly never too late - certainly not at 20 years old!
 
Wow, thats excellent advice, it really is. I thought I was probably too late to do anything about it for this academic year, I'll give a few colleges a call tomorrow to see how bad it is. So, a HNC in the subject close to what I want to do which will lead me straight onto the 2nd year? (was looking towards Archaeology or something business related to open the options). Do I still get the excitement of a first year at uni? Naffa, you seem to know exactly what you're talking about and I would've guessed you were a lot older from your writing style, I've definately taken your response on board.
 
The working life thing just isn't as much of a valid option these days. Sure loads get on with no higher education but some sort of grounding in whichever proffession you choose can be invaluable even at lower level qualifications.
The worst thing that ever happened was the changing/lack of popularity of apprenticeships an apprenticeship was a much more sure fire way of learning your trade and more valuable to the employer than uni qualifations are as a replacement nowadays. Nothing beats experience.
 
Paramount said:
Naffa, you seem to know exactly what you're talking about and I would've guessed you were a lot older from your writing style, I've definately taken your response on board.
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Thanks. :)

Nice to hand out advice that's of use.
 
Kabaala said:
The working life thing just isn't as much of a valid option these days. Sure loads get on with no higher education but some sort of grounding in whichever proffession you choose can be invaluable even at lower level qualifications.
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I'm sorry, but in reality, that's rubbish. In my closest group of mates none of us have gone to uni, and two of them are earning 14k, one is earning 13k. They'll all be on a fair bit more than that in a few years, and with no uni debts. Schools try to scare you into going to uni, but you really don't need to to earn a decent crust... not if you're prepared to work, anyway. Without meaning to sound harsh, most people who go to uni do it because they want to earn good money without actually working for it.



Kabaala said:
The worst thing that ever happened was the changing/lack of popularity of apprenticeships an apprenticeship was a much more sure fire way of learning your trade and more valuable to the employer than uni qualifations are as a replacement nowadays. Nothing beats experience.
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Damn straight. Thankfully, there are many employers who still see it this way.
 
Paramount said:
Wow, thats excellent advice, it really is. I thought I was probably too late to do anything about it for this academic year, I'll give a few colleges a call tomorrow to see how bad it is. So, a HNC in the subject close to what I want to do which will lead me straight onto the 2nd year? (was looking towards Archaeology or something business related to open the options). Do I still get the excitement of a first year at uni? Naffa, you seem to know exactly what you're talking about and I would've guessed you were a lot older from your writing style, I've definately taken your response on board.
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If you choose the archaeology route be careful in your choice of HNC/HND. Archaeology is the route i'm taking. I only plan to complete this next year in Social Sciences (my second year) then move onto a different uni in glasgow to do archaeology (2years out of my BA in SS = HND). Social Sciences doesnt necessarily let you into Archaeology but i'm a mature student and have funds to back myself up so the rules are slightly different. I feel that social sciences was a good grounding for understanding the civilisations politics etc that i will be learning about on the archaeology course.

Best way is HNC as you have no qualifications at present but is in effect the 1st year of an HND which a second year would complete. You 'may' get into Uni with an HNC but more chance with an HND.
The acceptance into uni isnt always about the black and white on paper either.
 
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Damn straight. Thankfully, there are many employers who still see it this way.
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Yep thankfully there are, but unfortunately not enough by far to let the population of this country be anywhere near as skilled as we used to be :mad:
 
Kabaala said:
unfortunately not enough by far to let the population of this country be anywhere near as skilled as we used to be :mad:
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I must argue with that, sorry.

Of all my mates who haven't gone to uni, plenty have successfully gone into trades. I know a couple of people who earn frankly sickening amounts just through hard graft, commitment, and enthusiasm for learning.
 
I'm sorry, but in reality, that's rubbish. In my closest group of mates none of us have gone to uni, and two of them are earning 14k, one is earning 13k. They'll all be on a fair bit more than that in a few years, and with no uni debts. Schools try to scare you into going to uni, but you really don't need to to earn a decent crust... not if you're prepared to work, anyway. Without meaning to sound harsh, most people who go to uni do it because they want to earn good money without actually working for it.
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In your particular circle that may be true but by no means is an across the board thing. 13k i could earn in admin tbh... my missus is on just under 14k working in admin for scottish gas.

I agree you dont HAVE to go to uni. In a lot of areas though even a 1 year course in something is much more likely to get them to take you on than coming outta school with a couple of standard grades. But at the same time we all know people who have went to Uni and ended up with crappy jobs with no relation to what they've spent the last 5 years doing. I'm not sure how it is now but the X amount of years experience thing was always bandied about in my younger years for jobs i was qualified to do and yet when i started college then there were no apprenticeships around to give me that experience. A month or 2 work placement in the middle of a 1 or 2 year course is no substition.
 
Mohinder said:
I must argue with that, sorry.

Of all my mates who haven't gone to uni, plenty have successfully gone into trades. I know a couple of people who earn frankly sickening amounts just through hard graft, commitment, and enthusiasm for learning.
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Still on a whole i dont believe us to be as skilled as before.

Edit - tbh i think i'm turning into an old fart :p
 
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