I chose to study at Loughborough because it has a brilliant reputation for sports, which is something that I enjoy and made a lot of use of during my studies, and a fantastic campus with some top facilities. Loughborough also offered a Foundation year for the particular undergraduate course that I wanted to enroll in.
I left school to join the army and as such had no A-Levels. As a mature student, it would have been very difficult for me to spend time completing A-Levels so when I learned about the Foundation programme, this was very attractive to me. It would enable me to gain the specific knowledge and skills needed for an undergraduate programme, reduce the time needed to qualify for an undergraduate degree course, and allow me to study in a university environment. Although this is not the path most students will take, the Foundation year was vital for me to leave my career in the army to go to university.
Having been out of education for 10 years, the initial months were a steep learning curve for me. The Foundation year lecturers were incredibly helpful in spending additional time outside of lectures to provide assistance. Loughborough also hosts a Maths Learning Support Centre where students can study or speak with one of the on-hand academics for additional assistance.
After spending a year getting to know Loughborough University, studying with fellow Foundation students who are on the same degree programme, and meeting several of lecturers, the transition between the Foundation year and the full degree programme felt seamless, almost as though moving between the first and second years of the full degree.
Having enjoyed my time at Loughborough so much, I remained in academia to complete a PhD. Thanks to the fantastic education I received, I was able to secure a funded PhD at the University of Oxford, where I have now graduated from. I currently work in a tech start-up in Oxford. During my PhD and for my job I still use many of the skills I learned during the Foundation programme – the course is well designed to ensure that practical skills are taught.
The most valuable things I learned during my time at Loughborough are that I can master new skills, and that if you work hard, focus, and have the right support, you can achieve goals that seem far off or difficult to begin with.
