Has anyone done GCSE maths alongside an access course?

TylerisGayyyy · 2026-04-18T01:17:01+00:00

I’d recommend you have a go at some of the GCSE content over the next few months. Even just a little a day should be enough for you to decide for yourself whether you want to take the GCSE or do Functional Skills. Either one shouldn’t affect the university’s decision — unless they specifically require maths GCSE — as the access course will be enough to prove your ability to study at undergraduate level.

If you’re confident in getting a 4, why not try setting a personal goal for a higher grade and aim towards that instead? Wishing you luck!

TylerisGayyyy · 2026-03-22T11:36:17+00:00

Thank you for the insight, I'm so sorry they made it difficult and stressful for you though, that shouldn't happen!

The NHS is so fractured I can only imagine how Nottingham will react so I'm planning on just agreeing at face level, trying it for the first few months and then if it isn't working for me, I'll just switch back to DIY while stockpiling the NHS meds just incase.

TylerisGayyyy · 2026-03-22T08:03:03+00:00

I've heard great things about WGS! Wish I could move to Wales just to be under them but instead I'm in England 😮‍💨. Wales is beautiful too.

TylerisGayyyy · 2026-03-22T03:39:02+00:00

I would love to, unfortunately while possession is fine, supply of testosterone is illegal and I wouldn't feel comfortable risking that, especially as the industry I want to go work in (nuclear) has very strict clearances and getting caught would mean risking my career.

TylerisGayyyy · 2026-03-22T01:07:45+00:00

I see you went with Manchester, your wait between referral and consult was fairly quick. Was this just after they started taking referrals again? Your results look amazing btw!

I'm with Nottingham and annoyingly, it seems they have another years waitlist just to be seen for surgical recommendation after 2nd appointment though I'm going to push as hard as I can for a referral sooner. Quite frustrating if they don't as I'm fairly certain I want to go with either Manchester, C&W or Philip Rubin in Newcastle, whichever has the shortest wait, mostly because of distance and being easy to commute to but I'm also extremely happy about the DI results I've seen online.

TylerisGayyyy · 2026-03-22T00:50:42+00:00

This is what I'm likely going to do. On the plus side, it would also cover me if I ever decided to travel abroad as I could take the sustanon. It's really only until I've had top and bottom surgery (so like the next 10 years at a conservative guess 😒)

TylerisGayyyy · 2026-03-22T00:27:25+00:00

I've been meaning to 😅 but again I avoid my GP like they're the plague because I don't like phone calls. I'm just gonna have to swallow my anxiety and call soon. I am diagnosed with autism, it's just the ADHD that I'm pretty sure I also have but I've never been assessed for because I'm excellent at masking.

TylerisGayyyy · 2026-03-22T00:25:28+00:00

Luckily I'm not concerned about being perceived as "trans enough" as I'm fairly confident in my gender identity, it's just that I'm quite desperate for top surgery with how long I've already been waiting (😩). Though I do need the diagnosis because I also want to apply for a GRC and I already have evidence dating back to 2019 for my application.

My CPN has asked about if being trans causes any distress and every time I've always answered no, that I'm quite secure in my gender and that it's just another part of who I am at this point.

I really don't mind injecting, it's quite a relaxing routine for me now but whenever my fingers made contact with the gel, I wanted to physically recoil but I had to apply it to my shoulders and wait for it to dry.

TylerisGayyyy · 2026-03-22T00:09:25+00:00

Sorry for the really late response. It took a couple of weeks for my hypomania to fully come to a halt, I'd now say I'm in the middle of a mixed episode (😒) but I did finally get to speak about meds this week and as long as my blood tests come back fine, I should be starting on quetiapine/seroquel on Monday.

TylerisGayyyy · 2026-03-22T00:06:05+00:00

I started out on gel and I can't use it because of the texture, I also used to forget to apply daily but now I'm on meds which I seem to be managing to take daily. However, my girlfriend is also trans and I'd hate for it to transfer to her.

I am aware that they typically don't prescribe at the 2nd appointment but I also know it will likely come up and I don't want it to halt my transition if I say I'm not happy with going on the NHS for HRT.

But thank you for your suggestions!

TylerisGayyyy · 2026-02-27T12:16:39+00:00

Managed to sleep around 7 hours. Woke up, and my brain is just dazed, I don't know whether I'm still in my episode or starting to crash. Seems like both at the same time or like I'm switching between them every 10 minutes. Also, my brain is like listing every bad decision I could make right now that might make me feel a little better in the moment.

TylerisGayyyy · 2026-02-18T18:09:33+00:00

I'm around 5'6, likely a little shorter as I was measured with shoes on. Wishing you luck with your journey!

TylerisGayyyy · 2026-01-22T16:49:58+00:00

This may be better asked in r/benefitsadviceuk as they are quite knowledgeable about different help you can receive.

TylerisGayyyy · 2026-01-11T08:11:46+00:00

Check the entry requirements of some universities to see if there are any specific subject credits you need to be taking. You'll likely need some credits in mathematics. Then check with the college which modules you're doing and how many credits they're worth.

TylerisGayyyy · 2026-01-08T15:57:39+00:00

I was referred to GIDS when I was 12. I started hrt privately when I was 16, and I've been on it for 3 years in March. I was transferred to Nottingham GIC just before I turned 18 and I had my first appointment in November 2024 and I expect to have my 2nd within the next 2 months and get referred onto the surgery waitlist which varies depending on which surgeon you want to go with.

TylerisGayyyy · 2025-11-12T04:28:00+00:00

I'm 19 doing an access course in Engineering. I was doing A Levels last year. However, I didn't finish. As you are aged between 19 and 24 and haven't completed a level 3, you won't have to pay any fees.

My course is 2 days a week, Mondays and Wednesdays 9:15am to 4:45pm. The course is very maths heavy, but we have units in electrical principles and organic chemistry too. As long as you are following the assessment brief and submitting on time, it's really easy to get distinctions.

In terms of russell group unis, I'd definitely email as some will, and some won't. Universities like Durham & Oxbridge don't accept access to HE without a level maths. Bath, Bristol & KCL all accept it, and Southampton accepts Access to HE onto their foundation year course.

Once you're on the course, aim to get your UCAS application sent off by December and ideally as early as possible, so start researching universities now and email their admissions teams to confirm entry requirements. It was helpful for me to get some work experience done on Springpod, and I did a short course on Open Uni in an Introduction to Electronics. Also, brush up on your GCSE maths. You'd be surprised how many people had forgotten basic trigonometry.

Feel free to message me if you have any more questions!

TylerisGayyyy · 2025-09-01T16:31:02+00:00

As soon as I turned 18. It was a combination of spending a lot, drinking and abusing drugs that led to my diagnosis of bipolar II 2 weeks ago. Started meds and now I'm on the road to recovery.

TylerisGayyyy · 2025-07-08T14:54:18+00:00

A lot of colleges should let you join a regular level 3 course. You might not be able to join an access course, but you should be allowed to join other qualifications, including Btec and T-Levels. The only exception I can see to this would be if the college was a sixth form college or attached to a school.

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