Aiming High

When we are really young, we often have dreams of being a certain person when we are grown up. As we grow, that dream might change. Often, however, ambitions of going to a certain place in terms of our learning remain the same and so a dream of becoming a university graduate can be a lifelong one. Whether you are a school leaver or have decided you would like to attempt higher education later in life, there are many ways you can go about fulfilling these ambitions.

Choose a course

Throughout high school, you might be seen as top of the class in English Language. That does not mean to say that you are destined to continue studying that subject area at university. Your options are not limited purely to curriculum areas in which you have excelled. Far from it, there are many courses to choose from both academic and practical. The University of Law, for example, offers a range of undergraduate courses, most linked to curriculum subjects, but not subjects in their own rights. 

Check the entry requirements

Before deciding that you definitely want to go into teaching or you would like to read English literature, check the course’s entry requirements. Although they could differ slightly from university to university, things like teacher training are very similar with the GCSE C grade minimum in English, mathematics and science being pre-requisites. For mature students, the UCAS points system may be more lenient as experience within a relevant area can be taken into account. It is worth contacting the university directly to find out if they will accept your qualifications.

Choose a university (or several)

When applying to university as a school leaver, you will do so before you have your final results. Therefore, it is important to avoid pinning your hopes solely on one university. UCAS will allow you to apply to up to five universities, or certainly for five different courses, which could be each at a different university or several at the same one. 

Go for it!

For those of you hoping to go straight from school to university, now is the time to knuckle down and make sure that you reach your full potential. Achieving the grades you need will make it much easier to access the course you really want to, so make sure you study and revise effectively. It also means you will likely avoid having to go through UCAS clearing, which can be a stressful process. 

For those of you who are hoping to return to education as a mature student, if you are missing certain criteria, for example, a specific GCSE grade as a minimum, why not aim to achieve that by the end of the year? There are ways of studying online and then sitting the exam in a center elsewhere. If you already meet all the requirements, what’s stopping you from filling in the application form?

No one ever said that undertaking an undergraduate degree was easy, but it will be rewarding. Whatever subject you are hoping to study, we wish you well in doing so!