Is a Fast Track course for me? I Oxford Open Learning
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Is a Fast Track course for me?


Fast track courses can be a great way to get the qualifications you need in a relatively short period of time. These kinds of courses can help you to get GCSEs or iGCSEs that may be required to qualify for a place at university; to meet the criteria for a job; or even just for the purposes of helping to raise your self esteem and confidence in your abilities. In order to apply for a fast track course, you should have prior knowledge of the subject in question. This means of gaining qualifications is not advisable for people who are embarking on a subject for the first time. Apart from the fact that you are unlikely to be eligible, putting yourself under immediate pressure to succeed could scupper your chances of getting the grade you deserve.

If you’re applying for an undergraduate course that encompasses specific GCSE as well as A Level requirements, a fast track course could be your best option. Some postgraduate courses, such as primary or secondary school teaching, also have specific GCSE requirements as well as a need to have A Level and degree certificates. University applicants will already have completed a series of GCSE and A Level examinations. Therefore, you’ll probably have studied the subject in question previously. Perhaps you didn’t quite make the grade, or you were unable to sit the exam due to health or personal circumstances. In cases like this, fast track courses can be the best way to ensure your application for undergraduate or postgraduate study is successful.

Today’s employment market is increasingly competitive. Jobs that might have been awarded purely on the basis of work experience and soft skills in the past now often have hundreds, if not thousands of applicants. If you have studied for GCSEs in, for example, Maths and English, in the past, and narrowly missed passing or getting a good grade; a fast track course could help you to be more successful at getting any job. There are also some jobs that specify a need to have particular qualifications, such as those that involve working with young people. If you are able to meet the other criteria, and are already familiar with the subject you need to study, a fast track course could be the best way to ensure you get that job.

Fast track courses are an efficient means of getting the qualifications you need to gain a place at university or get that job you’ve been hankering after. However, it is essential that you are already familiar with the subject in question. These kinds of courses can also be a means of improving your self confidence after a disappointing grade that you felt did not reflect your abilities. These courses can be the key to unlocking a successful career.

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I'm a former English teacher and private tutor who is passionate about education. I've been writing professionally for the past three years and have written educational worksheets for use in schools as well as contributing to an educational journal. I've also written on every other topic under the sun!

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