Alumni

I am now working as a qualified Midwife in my local hospital - Katie Gleed

Now

After completing my Access Diploma with DistanceLearningCentre.com, I attended the University of the West of England and studied for my degree in Midwifery. The main challenge was having the self-discipline to ensure I set aside time to complete the work especially since I continued to work full time as a dental nurse. I found it helpful to plan my weeks ahead and set myself goals, this also allowed me to ensure that I had the much needed down time to relax and see friends and family.

I started my Access Diploma with DistanceLearningCentre.com course when I was 28 and so it had been a while since I had been at school, the access course helped me to get used to being back in education, with meeting coursework deadlines and researching the areas I found more challenging. I am now working as a qualified Midwife in my local hospital, a dream come true! (Nov 2021)

Then

I have always wanted to be a midwife but at the age of 29 I felt it would probably never happen. I didn't have any A levels and thought it would take years to achieve them, I also couldn't afford to give up work to go to college. Doing the Access to Midwifery course with DistanceLearningCentre.com was the best decision I ever made! I was able to continue working full time whilst doing the course from home at my own pace.

During the course I had some difficulties in my life which meant I was struggling to focus and had even considered giving it all up but my tutor encouraged me to continue and helped me to get back on track with my assignment deadlines. She was genuinely interested to see how I'd got on at each stage of the interview process and was as excited as I was to hear I'd been offered a conditional place at the University of the West of England.

Both my tutors helped me to achieve over and above the grades that I needed to meet these conditions and the course gave me the confidence to go to university after being out of education for over 13 years. I'm now due to start university in a few weeks and my dream that once seemed only that is now actually happening!

Thank you so much to everyone at DistanceLearningCentre.com! (Jun 2018)

My advice to current DistanceLearningCentre.com learners would be to throw yourself in and accept that you won't get quite as much sleep as you want - Lucy Depla

Now

I'm currently in the final year of my Nursing studies at Edinburgh Napier. Covid has been a pretty big adjustment. I started my training the September before the pandemic hit, and as a result my course has been massively chopped and changed. Being flexible for my studies is a skill I've developed.

My advice to current DistanceLearningCentre.com learners would be to throw yourself in and accept that you won't get quite as much sleep as you want. I'm doing a pre-registration postgraduate course, and DistanceLearningCentre.com gave me the biology knowledge that I needed to start my training. It also got my brain rolling again after a few years out of education. (Nov 2021)

Then

After completing a languages degree and flitting between jobs in the hospitality and travel industries, I found myself feeling unsatisfied with my day to day life.

An amalgamation of autoimmune diseases cropped up throughout my family, which lead to me extensively reading into the likes of diabetes, MS and vitiligo, and my fascination in these was what was really giving me the joie de vivre. Whilst job hunting I kept finding myself researching my lifelong goal of nursing, but falling at the hurdle of qualifications. DistanceLearningCentre.com has allowed me to not only get into a nursing degree, but into a masters in nursing.

At school I always struggled with biology, and to be frank I hate exams, so this style of study with coursework and assessments suits me perfectly. Any difficulties I had were met with assistance from my tutor, but I found all my modules were very clearly explained, and wouldn't say I struggled majorly at any stage. Of course the flexible nature of DistanceLearningCentre.com was the only way I could prepare myself for starting my degree; not only working long hours, but equally travelling for work on top of this, meant that I would go for weeks at a time, with no opportunity to focus on studying. The Individual Learning Plan (ILP) was a great way to make the amount of work to be covered more achievable, and is something I will adopt for future studies. (Jul 2019)

For those getting back into education (like myself) I found the mode of study at DistanceLearningCentre.com a fantastic steppingstone - Sam Stott

Now

I successfully completed my BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy with Plymouth University, with First Class Honours, and finished top of class for graduation in 2021.

What I found most challenging was the transition from working full time to studying full time. I would strongly advise that current DistanceLearningCentre.com learners accept the advice on academic writing that your tutor provides. This advice is invaluable, and you might not receive that degree of help again when you start undergraduate study.

As expected, the demand was much greater in university, but for those getting back into education (like myself) I found the mode of study at DistanceLearningCentre.com a fantastic steppingstone. I am now enrolled on graduate entry Medicine at Warwick University (Nov 2021)

Then

Having failed to meet the entry requirements for a BSc in Physiotherapy and not being accepted into a foundation degree in Healthcare Professionals, I decided to search for Access courses. During my search I come across DistanceLearningCentre.com. Initially I was sceptical of how one can achieve the entry requirements for university within a year, but after enrolling, I soon understood the effort I had to apply.

The skills I acquired from the learning materials and tutors are immeasurable, from time-management to academic writing, every requirement of higher education has been neatly wrapped up into one package.

The diploma even helped me before completion; I managed to secure a position as a Physiotherapy Assistant, with the Access to HE Diploma being the hottest topic within my interviews. Not only is it seen as an incredibly positive qualification by employers, it also demonstrates your work ethic and commitment to professional development before you set foot in the room.

My tutors were beyond helpful; my appreciation for all of there time, effort and patience does not equate to the support they provided me with. My tutor scrutinised my UCAS application and provided a supportive academic reference, improving my chances for a successful application.

What I am most truly thankful for is the collective service which enabled me to gain my offer for University studying what I set out to, Physiotherapy. (Jun 2018)

As a mature student, I wish I had used my Access Course guidance more in depth, so as to prepare myself as much as possible - Rebecca Mutch

Now

After completing my Diploma with DistanceLearningCentre.com, I attended the University of Derby and have just graduated with a BSc Honours degree in Diagnostic Radiography. The most challenging aspect of my undergraduate study was adjusting to referencing and formal layouts. As a mature student, I wish I had used my Access Course guidance more in depth, so as to prepare myself as much as possible.

My studies with DistanceLearningCentre.com provided a good introduction and definitely helped me prepare. The topics that were covered in my Diploma were very useful as they were then taught in more detail during my undergraduate studies. I was glad that I had decided to complete the Access course just before starting the degree, especially after many years out of education.

I have now started a full time job as a Diagnostic Radiographer in my Hospital Trust of choice. (Nov 2021)

Then

Before I started at DistanceLearningCentre.com, I was working as an administrator for radiographers, now I am on my way to becoming one! I've studied the Access to HE science Diploma and although it took me a little longer than first planned, I have gained knowledge and received offers at my university choices; all whilst working full time and juggling family life.

I did not want to give up work for a couple of years to go back to college so this course has been perfect for me as I could continue working up until I start university! The tutors were very supportive and approachable, even when I was struggling with the assignment or the timescales. I'm very happy I have studied with DistanceLearningCentre.com and would highly recommend them. (Jun 2018)

Resilience you build during the DistanceLearningCentre.com course provides the building blocks to succeed at university - Jordan McNulty

Now

Upon completing my Diploma with DistanceLearningCentre.com, I went on to the study BSc (Hons) Marine Biology at the university of Hull, achieving a First-Class Honours degree. Impostor syndrome and my mental health were what I struggled with quite a lot in the early phase of my undergraduate studies. Having messed up at school, it was hard to shake the feeling that I did not belong at university and that I was wasting my time. You just have to fight through it and remind yourself that you do deserve to be at university, as you would not be there if you were not capable of doing it. Staff are always very helpful and accommodating if you are struggling at all, always speak to them if you're struggling and need support. The mental health services and support available at the university were also tremendously helpful for me, as I had a few problems throughout my degree with home life and my mental health during my studies. I managed to finish my degree with support from friends at university and the staff working there.

Being organised and aware of when your deadlines are for different module assignments is also crucial. You can get away with being less organised in the first year sometimes, but the second and third year will heavily increase in workload and the difficulty of the assignments. If you keep yourself organised and work at a steady pace you can avoid having to do assignments the night before. If you plan properly and effectively, you're more likely to get a better grade too compared to if you do not prepare. Leaving everything to the last minute will not show the best work you're capable of producing and is in my opinion you would be doing yourself a massive disservice.

Also make sure to fully immerse yourself within everything that the University you choose offers. I'm quite introverted and I found it a challenge to do but having done so I feel I gained a lot from getting involved. Things you can get involved with include university societies and clubs, guidance from the library departments to help you with things such as improving your academic writing and literature searching/reviews, and also tapping into the knowledge that your supervisors and lecturers provide. You can get out as much from university as you wish, but I believe that to perform to your best, you need to surround yourself with likeminded people that are there for the same purpose. Having a support network to collaborate and share ideas with is not a prerequisite to successful study, but I found to be very helpful. I would also re-emphasise the importance of digging into the expertise and knowledge of your Academic Support Tutor (AST), head of modules and any lecturers you find interesting. They are always willing to help with any questions you have about assignments if you're struggling to understand, always willing to provide advice about future careers and many other useful things. When you first arrive at university it can be very daunting, and you can miss the opportunity to really make the most of everything you can do from day 1. I didn't take advantage of most things until my second and third year and I regret not getting more involved in the social aspects of my degree and other extracurricular tasks. Always keep these things tempered however and remember why you are there (personal growth and to come out with a good degree). Enjoy yourself, it's an incredible experience, it's the starting point of a new journey into the rest of your life.

Studying with the DistanceLearningCentre.com was a steep learning curve at times, and it is about as robust as it could be to prepare you for the rigours of undergraduate and postgraduate study. Over the last year I have completed my Masters by Research remotely due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and I tapped into my experience of working completely online during my Diploma studies to push through when I struggled. It is very useful, indeed. The resilience you build during the DistanceLearningCentre.com course provides you with the building blocks to succeed as you have to work independently and learn to trust yourself and your own judgment. Now that I have completed my Research Masters in Ecology, Evolution & Behaviour at the University of Roehampton (achieving a Merit grade). I am thinking about either starting a career, or possibly pursuing further education by studying for a PhD. I am the happiest and most fulfilled I have ever been. I finally believe in myself as a human being. I believe I am capable and worthy of being successful, and happy in life. Where I am today is largely due to the opportunity that DistanceLearningCentre.com provided me, giving me; someone that messed up at school, a second chance in education. (Nov 2021)

Then - Fab5 Award Nominee

I have always dreamed about becoming a Marine Biologist, however due to lacking motivation and suffering from depression, I wasted numerous opportunities gifted to me during my teenage years. As a result, I moved from one unsatisfying job to another, feeling empty without ever understanding why. I only began to appreciate why I felt this way 6 years after having left full time education.

Having worked as a Police Officer for a few years, I decided to finally turn my dreams into reality and applied to DistanceLearningCentre.com to complete an Access to Science course with the long term goal being to study Marine Biology at University in September 2017.

Initially the course was tough and very daunting however anything worth doing in life will be a test of your character and resilience, making you question, at times, how much you really want it. Through a combination of determination, hard work and amazing support from my tutor I am well on my way to achieving my dreams.

Half way through the course my mum became very unwell. This had a huge impact on me and left me feeling as though I would not be able to finish. However my tutor was incredibly supportive, giving me encouragement and all the time I required to finish an assignment by granting extensions when needed. Without my tutors support I am unsure that I would have completed the course or achieved such high grades.

It can be hard to see the benefits of sacrifices you have to make to do well when you first start, due to being nervous and lacking belief in yourself. However the fruits of your labour will pay off without a shadow of a doubt and you will soon be at ease and comfortable with the workload.

Completing this course is one of my best achievements to-date and I am eternally grateful to DistanceLearningCentre.com for giving me the opportunity to follow a path I never believed would be achievable. I didn't believe, before I started, that I would be good enough however the support of my tutor helped me to believe it was possible. Having completed the course I am due to start at my preferred University in September. My tutor and Student Services helped immeasurably with my UCAS application, making sure that everything that was required was included, as well as a reference which helped me secure offers from all of my five university choices.

It's never too late to begin a new chapter in your life and to follow your dreams, DistanceLearningCentre.com can help you achieve this, all that's required is a leap of faith and you could be starting your own amazing journey on the path you were always destined to tread. (Jun 2017)