Freebird Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 But I just don't know where to start. I'm just about to turn 21 and after working in the financial sector since I left school, I've decided it's the furthest thing from what I want to be doing. However I've still not figured exactly what it is I do want to do. I left school half way through fifth year becuase I absolutely hated it. Looking back, I regret that now because it leaves me without any highers. Now, what i want to know is, do I have to take like a year off and go to college to get a minimum of 4 highers, or are there other qualifications I can do that would help me get into Uni, like the Open University? Cheers folks, any info you've got would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartsfc_fan Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 Unlikely, unless you do something like nursing. Indeally, you don't need to go and do highers, but instead a HNC (basically a year in college) then with that HNC you will get entry to a university Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djf Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 If you do a HNC (1 year) at college that will allow you to apply for 1st year of undergraduate courses at universities or possibly second year if you do a HNC which is directly related to the degree you plan on doing. Obviously the most important thing to do is decide what you intend on doing in the future and if a degree is the most productive way to achieve that. Keeping in mind you are almost 21 now so the very earliest you would graduate would be 25 if you stayed on for an honours year and did a HNC that allowed you entry to second year of university. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartsfc_fan Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 If you do a HNC (1 year) at college that will allow you to apply for 1st year of undergraduate courses at universities or possibly second year if you do a HNC which is directly related to the degree you plan on doing. Obviously the most important thing to do is decide what you intend on doing in the future and if a degree is the most productive way to achieve that. Keeping in mind you are almost 21 now so the very earliest you would graduate would be 25 if you stayed on for an honours year and did a HNC that allowed you entry to second year of university. beat ya to it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Bateman Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 Sometimes it's worth contacting universities directly. I have a friend who went down this route having also left school with fewer highers than he was capable of, but because of his life experience he managed to get a place at Aberdeen University. You'll also qualify as a mature student so you should be able to get extra funding from SAAS (the Governmental awards/loan authority). The system can get a bit overwhelming, but it's well worth it, good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig_ Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 Sometimes it's worth contacting universities directly. I have a friend who went down this route having also left school with fewer highers than he was capable of, but because of his life experience he managed to get a place at Aberdeen University. You'll also qualify as a mature student so you should be able to get extra funding from SAAS (the Governmental awards/loan authority). The system can get a bit overwhelming, but it's well worth it, good luck! Don't you have to be 26 to be a mature student? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Bateman Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 Don't you have to be 26 to be a mature student? Hmm, mature student for entry, but not for funding, strangely. http://www.ucas.com/students/maturestudents/chooseuni/scotland I don't know how this works :S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartsfc_fan Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 I think its 25 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mature_student Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartsfc_fan Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 Hmm, mature student for entry, but not for funding, strangely. http://www.ucas.com/students/maturestudents/chooseuni/scotland I don't know how this works :S See where you are coming from actually... and yes it doesn't make sense... I'm 20, in 3rd year uni. So am I a "mature" student? shock horror! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cigaro Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 Really, how many students are mature?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CostaJambo Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 I misread the thread title and wrongly assumed that you had just got up, were thinking of going to Uni today but couldn't be ersed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freebird Posted October 8, 2008 Author Share Posted October 8, 2008 I misread the thread title and wrongly assumed that you had just got up, were thinking of going to Uni today but couldn't be ersed. You'd be surprised how much that sounds like me... Cheers for all the info guys, I've had a look on Stevenson College's website and for most HNC's it says you need Highers. Is this something I could get round by phoning up and explaining the situation and my (pretty decent) standard grades? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jambo1874 Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 Once you find a course you want to do it is worth calling colleges/uni's and maybe your work experience will count. Otherwise, is there any way you could convince your work to allow you to do an HNC day release or something and postpone going to uni for a year or two whilst you get that? Obviously don't mention you are going to **** off to uni once you have it! Or you can try to get them to sponsor you. When I left school (with only 1 higher in English) I went straight to an apprenticeship with Ferranti and got an HNC on day release. I decided to go to uni at the end of my apprenticeship just before I turned 21 and I wasn't the oldest student by any means. I wrangled getting redundancy AND sponsorship from Ferranti which all helped The HNC got me straight into 2nd year of my engineering degree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freebird Posted October 8, 2008 Author Share Posted October 8, 2008 Otherwise, is there any way you could convince your work to allow you to do an HNC day release or something and postpone going to uni for a year or two whilst you get that? Obviously don't mention you are going to **** off to uni once you have it! Or you can try to get them to sponsor you. Ideally I'd love to mate but I'm absolutely desperate to get out of the place. It's taking great restraint and willpower on my part to stick it out as long as I have! I'd love nothing more than to hand my notice in tomorrow. Christ, even writing about it has got me dreading going in tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djf Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 I dare say the best thing to do would be to decide where you see your career going and then you could get far more specific advice on what to do. In regards the HNC entrance requirements - it certainly couldn't hurt to call. Selection isn't exactly fierce and if you can come across as a mature individual who didn't attempt Highers due to a desire to work i'd imagine there would be scope for flexibility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cigaro Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 Pick something you enjoy. Its much easier to come across as passionate and interested in the subject if you actually are! I would assume this would make you more attractive to potential employers/educators also. I went for a degree based on what I enjoyed doing (product design). I didnt really think where my career would end up with this, but I enjoyed doing it, which IMO is half the battle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freebird Posted October 8, 2008 Author Share Posted October 8, 2008 I dare say the best thing to do would be to decide where you see your career going and then you could get far more specific advice on what to do. In regards the HNC entrance requirements - it certainly couldn't hurt to call. Selection isn't exactly fierce and if you can come across as a mature individual who didn't attempt Highers due to a desire to work i'd imagine there would be scope for flexibility. Deep down I think I do know what I want to do, pursue something in Forensic Science or along those lines. It's just whenever I look at the routes towards that, I get kinda downhearted because the only qualification I have even remotely related that that is a 2 in chemistry at SG. I guess a good way to put it would be starting at Mount Kilimanjaro wanting to climb it, then saying "Feck it, it's too high. I'll go climb the Pentlands." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djf Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 http://www.abertay.ac.uk/Courses/CDetails.cfm?RID=1&CID=208&Key=004 Well that is a DipHE in Forensic Studies which looks to move it's students onto the degree programme after two years. Couldn't hurt to give someone a call. I know Robert Gordon do a Forensic Science degree as well and i'm sure there are others. Dundee College also do an Access course in Forensic Sciences - http://www.dundeecoll.ac.uk/more.php?course=25005 Might be worth calling and asking what that would typically lead onto. They may have links with the local universities which could get you onto a degree course. Basically - Get looking! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johanes de Silentio Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 If you will be 21 at September 1 2009 you'll be classed as a mature student. If you've been out of full-time study since school, you will have to to an access course - contact Edinburgh Uni's Office of Lifelong Learning (11 Buccleuch Place) about access courses run by Edinburgh Uni. Stevenson College also run an access to Uni course, as does Jewel & Esk. There's also a course at Newbattle Abbey College in Dalkeith. I work in Admissions at Edinburgh - feel free to PM me if you like. Good luck! Al. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rawrrrrrrr Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 If your wanting to do it in edinburgh your best most accesible route I would imagine would be an HNC/D at stevenson in one of their biology courses with an application for direct entry into 2nd year of the forensic biology course at napier - which you should get with a pass. Your other option is to look at doing Highers at night although this may be difficult coupled with work and such and I reckon the HNC is the more likely to suceed. All their courses have started now but you might be able to pursuade them to let you start straight away if you can convince them your a hard worker and committed and will catch up on the 2 weeks or so missed although it might be difficult to get them to let you in. http://www.stevenson.ac.uk/courses/viewcourse.html?CourseCode=1839&function=marketingInfoCourseTitle=Biological+%2f+Physical+Sciences+-+University+Access+++Full-time http://www.courses.napier.ac.uk/U74111.htm?Nav=3 If you wait until next year to do the HNC your guarenteed a university place at the end of the HNC although it doesnt state specifically forensic science I reckon it would be one you could do Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irontart Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 forget uni get yourself on the bins..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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