u/xXCherry-BlossomX

I’ve applied for an Access to Higher Education Science course, starting in September (if I get accepted), but I’m honestly stressing and really anxious about how hard it’s going to be.

I missed a huge amount of Year 10 and Year 11 biology and chemistry content because of COVID. Then I started A Levels in 2021, and it felt like everyone else already had the GCSE knowledge that I was missing. On top of that, everyone seemed to come from different exam boards, so it felt like they all knew things I’d never even been taught. Biology and chemistry lessons genuinely didn’t make sense to me, it was like they weren’t even speaking English?!
I ended up dropping out of college, and I haven’t studied properly for about 4 years.

Recently I’ve been going back over GCSE Biology and Chemistry content to try and fill in the gaps before September, but I’m still worried.

The universities I’m hoping to apply to for BioMed want 36 Distinctions and 9 Merits (roughly AAB equivalent), so I know I’ll need to do really well.

How hard is the Access to HE Science course actually?

Is it manageable if you’ve been out of education for a few years and are catching up on GCSE content, or is the jump quite big?

I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who’s been in a similar situation or completed the course! ☺️

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some advice because I honestly feel completely lost at the moment.

When I was 18, I dropped out of college. At the time, I was dealing with a really difficult situation at home and a lot of personal issues, and I just wasn’t in the right place mentally to continue with education.

I’m now 22 and I’ve finally started thinking seriously about my future. I want to go back into education and eventually do a science-related degree, but because I don’t have A Levels, I would need to do an Access to Higher Education Diploma in Science first.

The thing I’m struggling with the most is feeling like I’ve wasted the last four years of my life. While people my age have graduated, built careers, made friends, and moved forward, I feel like I’ve been stuck. I don’t really have much of a social life and have like 1 or 2 friends, and most days feel like I just go to work and come home.

Because of everything that’s happened, I’ve become really depressed and I constantly feel like I have nothing to show for my life so far. Sometimes I genuinely feel like I’m a waste of space and that I’ve fallen too far behind everyone else.

Recently, I’ve been trying to figure out what direction I want my life to go in. I actually applied to join the Army because I wanted to do something meaningful and build a future for myself, but I was rejected due to my mental health history. That rejection hit me quite hard because it felt like yet another door closing and made me question what I’m capable of.

Now I’m looking at going back into education, but I’m terrified. I feel like I’m going to be judged for my age. Starting college at 22 feels so old compared to everyone else, and the thought of eventually starting university when other people my age might already be graduating makes me feel embarrassed.
I know logically that 22 probably isn’t old, but it feels like I’ve missed the normal path everyone else follows and that I’ll stand out for all the wrong reasons.

My biggest worry about going back to education is that I’ve missed out on so much knowledge. Everyone else going to university will have done A Levels and have years of knowledge behind them, whereas I haven’t studied properly in years. I’m scared I’ll be completely out of my depth and spend the whole time trying to catch up.

Has anyone here gone from an Access to Higher Education course to university? Did you feel prepared enough?

Has anyone gone back into education in their 20s after dropping out or having a difficult few years? Did you feel behind everyone else, and did it get better?

Do mature students actually feel accepted at college and university, or did you feel out of place at first?

I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has been in a similar position. Right now, it feels like I’ve wasted my chance, but I’m hoping maybe I’m looking at things more negatively than they actually are.

Thank you. :)

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some advice because I honestly feel completely lost at the moment.

When I was 18, I dropped out of college. At the time, I was dealing with a really difficult situation at home and a lot of personal issues, and I just wasn’t in the right place mentally to continue with education.

I’m now 22 and I’ve finally started thinking seriously about my future. I want to go back into education and eventually do a science-related degree, but because I don’t have A Levels, I would need to do an Access to Higher Education Diploma in Science first.

The thing I’m struggling with the most is feeling like I’ve wasted the last four years of my life. While people my age have graduated, built careers, made friends, and moved forward, I feel like I’ve been stuck. I don’t really have much of a social life and have like 1 or 2 friends, and most days feel like I just go to work and come home.

Because of everything that’s happened, I’ve become really depressed and I constantly feel like I have nothing to show for my life so far. Sometimes I genuinely feel like I’m a waste of space and that I’ve fallen too far behind everyone else.

Recently, I’ve been trying to figure out what direction I want my life to go in. I actually applied to join the Army because I wanted to do something meaningful and build a future for myself, but I was rejected due to my mental health history. That rejection hit me quite hard because it felt like yet another door closing and made me question what I’m capable of.

Now I’m looking at going back into education, but I’m terrified. I feel like I’m going to be judged for my age. Starting college at 22 feels so old compared to everyone else, and the thought of eventually starting university when other people my age might already be graduating makes me feel embarrassed.
I know logically that 22 probably isn’t old, but it feels like I’ve missed the normal path everyone else follows and that I’ll stand out for all the wrong reasons.

My biggest worry about going back to education is that I’ve missed out on so much knowledge. Everyone else going to university will have done A Levels and have years of knowledge behind them, whereas I haven’t studied properly in years. I’m scared I’ll be completely out of my depth and spend the whole time trying to catch up.

Has anyone here gone from an Access to Higher Education course to university? Did you feel prepared enough?

Has anyone gone back into education in their 20s after dropping out or having a difficult few years? Did you feel behind everyone else, and did it get better?

Do mature students actually feel accepted at college and university, or did you feel out of place at first?

I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has been in a similar position. Right now, it feels like I’ve wasted my chance, but I’m hoping maybe I’m looking at things more negatively than they actually are.

Thank you. :)