While some people have been basking in the sunshine over the summer, more than 130 students at the University of Aberdeen have been getting stuck into an intensive 10-week study course.
After four days of exams, which ran from August 18-21, this year’s Summer School reached its climax today(Friday, August 25) when the students were finally able to collect their results from the University’s Regent Lecture Theatre.
The Summer School for Access has been running at the University since 1991 and has on average around 160 students each year studying to get into University.
The course is an alternative entry route for students into higher education, which aims to get people into university who have few or no formal qualifications. It is also aimed at school pupils who don’t feel they’re going to achieve the required results in their Highers.
This year’s Summer School students sat exams on a wide range of different subjects including English, History, Philosophy, Maths, Biology, and Chemistry. The Summer School courses give students the chance to develop and demonstrate their capability and their potential to cope with studying at first year degree level.
Tracey Stewart, Summer School for Access Co-ordinator, at the University, said: “Aberdeen is fully committed to opening its doors to people of all ages and educational achievement who could benefit from the university experience.
“The Summer School is one of the University’s most successful initiatives for enabling entry to University courses for those who may not come to the Institution via the traditional routes.
“Since its inception 10 years ago, over 1,000 mature students from all over the North of Scotland and from a wide range of backgrounds have successfully attended the Summer School and have gone on to study for full University degrees.
“The programme is designed to enable people to enter higher education, who have the potential and capability to study for a degree, but may not have achieved the qualifications, or may have under-achieved in the past due to various circumstances.
“For many of these people the course is not their second chance, but their first and only chance of progressing on to their degree studies.”
This year’s students included a boyfriend and girlfriend team who have been going out with each other for a number of years, who both joined up to the Summer School together. Elaine McAllister (23) from Buckie, and her boyfriend, Stephen Gibson (21) - pictured here - have enjoyed their time on the Summer School, although they both found it hard work.
Stephen, originally from Elgin, was nervously waiting for Friday to come so that he could get his results. He said: “The University of Aberdeen’s Summer School was very intensive but I found it to be really worthwhile. Fingers crossed, I hope to pass all my exams and join the University studying an MA in Film Studies.”
Stephen sat exams in English, Philosophy, Social Science and the Preparation for Higher Education (PHE) courses. His girlfriend, Elaine, who is originally from Buckie, sat exams in Computing, English, Social Science and University Study Skills and is hoping to go on to study an MA in Management at the University if she passes all her exams.
The University also has a mature student who, at the age of 46, is the oldest student who attended this year’s course. Brendan Cleary, originally from Northern Ireland but who now lives in Banchory, gave up a full-time insurance job to join the Summer School. He said: “I found the Summer School very enjoyable although it was very demanding. I particularly liked the practical side, especially the field trips involved in the Geosciences course. This is the area I would like to continue my studies in, and I hope, if I get the right grades, to join the MSC in Geology degree at the University.” Brendan sat exams in Computing Science, Geosciences, Social Science, and the Preparation for Higher Education (PHE) courses.
Tracey added: “The improvement in widening access highlights the success of initiatives such as the Summer School for Access, which helps put disadvantaged students on the fast-track into higher education.”