During my time on the Access Project, I have gainedmany valuable skills. I’ve learnt to travel independently, communicate professionally and grown in confidence over the year. Being part of this programme opened up many new opportunities including the chance to speak to new people at different events which helped me to build my communication skills.
It was not only the support from my tutor that made a difference but also in school. From workshops on preparing for university and course options as well as the 1:1 sessions with my University Access Officer I was able to develop my understanding of university options out there for me. I was also fortunate to visit Cambridge University with The Access Project for the day. It was amazing to hear from student’s what life at university is like and what steps I would need to take to get there.
When it came to my tutorials, this year I chose to be tutored in Maths. As a subject I used to struggle with and didn’t have much confidence in I wanted to receive some extra 1:1 support. After attending my weekly sessions, I have seen a massive improvement in my test scores, and I have regained confidence in the subject. When I began my tutorials, I had a lot of self-doubt that I wouldn’t be able to understand or solve basic maths problems. However, my tutor had been really patient and understanding making sure that we started at an easier level and built up from there. I am now able to answer questions at grade 8 and above which before my tutorials wouldn’t have been possible.
If I could go back and tell myself one thing at the start of tutorials I would say don’t be afraid of not knowing something right away because that’s the whole reason your tutor is there for you, to find out the topics you struggle with and help you to overcome them.Maths is now one of my favourite subjects and that’s thanks to my tutor who helped me to push myself out of my comfort zone and achieve my full potential.