• What motivated you to apply for Step Up?

“I was referred to the Step Up from the university enquiries team after wanting to get some information about finance when it came to university. I explained my circumstances and was recommended the Step Up course as a perfect starting point to getting into university and the degree I wanted to progress on to”.

• How did you feel on the first day? 

“On my first day I was a tad apprehensive but that soon went after meeting all the tutors and drying off from the torrential rain that happened to appear on the first day!”.

• How did you find the teaching and support here at Staffordshire in comparison to past educational experiences?

“The difference in comparison with my past educational experiences was huge. The teaching staff are very firm but fair in their approach to tutoring you on what is needed for university study as everything they did was in our best interests as students. Nothing was too much trouble on the course. ”

• Has Step Up helped you in anyway, if so, what?

“Completing the Step Up course successfully has made me more aware of the need to write academically and objectively but also settled any worries about university life and how to cope with the workload. Half way through the course I had a mini crisis about how I would get on at university but got through the doubts I had with the right support from the team.”

• What are your hopes and plans for the future?

“Step Up has made my lifetime ambition in going to university a reality. Since Step Up I have embraced university life to the fullest. I am now a university rep, a Student Ambassador and have created a new society at the university. As for the future, who knows? However, I have ambitions to work with young offenders in order to create positive role models and influencers for their futures”.

For more details on how to apply for the next intake of Step Up to HE follow the link: http://www.staffs.ac.uk/stepup