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So, at the beginning of September last year I got some spam in the post and part of it had an advert about college, and so I ended up applying for an Access to Higher Education (in science) course because I screwed up A levels quite badly 9 years back. Something to do as I was unemployed and really doing nothing with life, and I'd spent much of the past few years independently studying anyway.
So I’m half way through the course now, and to cut a long story short, I've been declined for every university I applied to and I'm quite frustrated. I'm predicted 60/60 distinctions, which is roughly equivalent to a student getting about 3 A's at A level (I know what 45 is, so I'm extrapolating) although there's no official comparison - though that figure is taken from an independent body that monitors such things. There being no direct comparison though has turned out to be really crap.
For reference, I want to study physics (specifically theoretical physics) and despite being certainly capable, the fact I don't have A Level maths specifically has meant I've been declined everywhere, even for 1 year foundation options. The kind of course you apply to if you don't have quite the right courses or the right grades. I’ve phoned those that have declined me and it’s been the same story throughout “well you don’t have 12 math credits at level 3” and “Yes, I know it says we accept alternate qualification routes, but you don’t have an A Level in it”. !!!!!!
I've had 2/3 maths tests for the year and achieved 100% and 97% respectively, and yet I'm consistently being told that because I don't have A level maths that I'm unsuitable for those courses, even despite tutors expressing on my behalf that my math skills are quite certainly beyond A level. I'll have 6 credits at level 2 and 6 at level 3, they want 12 at level 3 and yet there's nothing I can do to get the final 6 at level 3...if they even had an entrance test or something I could sit I could prove my ability quite easily, and yet lacking that tiny bit of math skill on paper has meant that I'm writing this blog, instead of planning for university next year.
Fortunately there are still university lectures online to tide me over, and I'm getting the Feynman Lectures on Physics to read through soon which I'm really looking forward to, but seems I'm going to be spending much of the next year sat at home, again. Hopefully doing something to get an arbitrary piece of paper that says my math skills are actually up to the level they want.
So yeah, I guess my cautionary tale to anyone studying in the UK is 'don't screw up your A levels'. I just needed to write this down somewhere, been trying to not express it in real life.
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Yep UK unis can be a pain with their A-Level/GCSE requirements, especially science subjects. It sucks to not have the mainstream exam certificates since some unis don't understand what they are.
Have you emailed/called the unis that refused you and explained the situation?
One course I applied to required GCSEs, which I didn't do, and I got declined. After that I emailed them in telling them about the equivalent exams I did, and they gave me an offer. So it's worth a try. Keep hassling them, get through directly to the department if the admin people say you need a-levels.
I'm really surprised that you would be refused, as I'm guessing you're a mature student (since you took A-Levels 9 years ago), and most unis are more relaxed on entry reqs for mature students, since they have more life experience. And the exams you did are to a similar standard of A-Levels. That sucks.
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You could do a year in the subject you want to study with the Open University, then if you prefer studying with a brick and mortar uni, credit transfer from OU to a university of your choice and hop into year 2 straight away; I have a pal from some obscure Balkan country who was a high school drop out and now is doing a Masters in engineering at Nottingham Uni after doing a year or two with OU.
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On February 19 2013 03:20 Mongoose wrote:
Yep UK unis can be a pain with their A-Level/GCSE requirements, especially science subjects. It sucks to not have the mainstream exam certificates since some unis don't understand what they are.
Have you emailed/called the unis that refused you and explained the situation?
One course I applied to required GCSEs, which I didn't do, and I got declined. After that I emailed them in telling them about the equivalent exams I did, and they gave me an offer. So it's worth a try. Keep hassling them, get through directly to the department if the admin people say you need a-levels.
I'm really surprised that you would be refused, as I'm guessing you're a mature student (since you took A-Levels 9 years ago), and most unis are more relaxed on entry reqs for mature students, since they have more life experience. And the exams you did are to a similar standard of A-Levels. That sucks.
Yeah, I've contacted them, had my tutors contact them, and even had an Access official person get involved but been declined throughout, always because of not having 12 credits in maths at level 3. One university at least, after quite a lengthy discussion with their admissions person, did say they could refer my application to another 1 year course at the university which had easier math requirements and I could prove myself there, but I haven't heard back from that yet and it's nothing to do with what I want to study - though frankly I'd put 100% in to it if it gets me where I want to go.
But yeah, I did contact them and tt always came down to something along the lines of "without a math A level, it's too risky for us to offer you a spot." Thank you for the suggestion though, if I hadn't done that it would certainly be the best option.
On February 19 2013 06:03 Salazarz wrote:
You could do a year in the subject you want to study with the Open University, then if you prefer studying with a brick and mortar uni, credit transfer from OU to a university of your choice and hop into year 2 straight away; I have a pal from some obscure Balkan country who was a high school drop out and now is doing a Masters in engineering at Nottingham Uni after doing a year or two with OU.
Yeah, I think I'm definately going to have to contact OU. Honestly I don't know enough about the options they can provide at the moment though, so I'll need to really look in to it. I would rather study in a traditional university setting but if the OU can get me there, I think I'll have to really consider them as an option. Thanks. 
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why don't you do the A-level maths exams then? a lot of schools let you sit exams at their centre and they don't cost much. hell you can still apply to take the exams this summer.
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On March 01 2013 01:22 Daitro wrote:
why don't you do the A-level maths exams then? a lot of schools let you sit exams at their centre and they don't cost much. hell you can still apply to take the exams this summer.
Hm, I didn't realise that was an option honestly. Thank you for that, I will will definately look in to the logistics of that!
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EPT
