“I was very nervous and sometimes would let nerves get the better of me. I never believed in myself and this probably showed in a lot of my interviews.” Former ED6 student, Eve Davies, recalls as she told us about the shattering moment she was rejected from all her university applications. “I always struggled in the interview as I did not have the experience that other people had…. I was very young compared to a lot of applicants and the lack of experience in this probably compromised my interview.”
Eve joined us in September 2017, and unlike many, always knew exactly what she wanted to do: midwifery. She had a rocky first year, struggling with the demands of A-level Biology, Chemistry and Psychology. “To study midwifery at university, you have to study a science subject, so this was my reasoning for picking these subjects at EDC. After my first year, I switched to study BTEC Applied Science. When I started studying this course, I knew that this was the course for me. I really enjoyed all the work, including the maths which has never been my strong suit.”
From this point on, Eve thrived with us under the mentorship of ED6’s own Wanda Scott and Adam Sawyers. “I found the work very enjoyable and all my lectures were interesting. Over my three years at EDC, I always felt like I got taught at the highest of standards and very prepared to study at degree level.” It was not until the spring term of her final year that she had the devastating blow of rejection from all her university choices.
Ultimately, Eve bounced back from this, thanks to the support of the ED6 staff. “I was always told by Wanda and Adam when I started EDC that they would get me to where I needed to be. They taught me to be resilient and that sometimes things might not go as planned but keep trying as your time will come. They kept me positive, told me about how clearing works and explained all my other options to me. This was really helpful to know that there were other options and there was still a chance for me.”
For Eve and the team, it would now come down to results day. “I actually wasn’t that worried about results day. I knew that I had continued to work hard throughout the year to achieve the best grades that I could. When I got my results, I started to phone up universities from the clearing line asking if they would take me directly. I got offered 7 interviews in total and my first interview was later that evening on results day.” Less than an hour after her first interview, Eve was already offered a place. “When I found out I had secured a place, I just cried, and I knew that all the hard work had paid off.”
In September, Eve left the North East and moved to study midwifery at Bournemouth University. “I’m currently 5 months into my midwifery course and I have completed a lot of clinical skills that I am currently practising in my placement block, so I have been working in the hospital and out in the community as well. The practical side of the course really solidifies why I choose this course in the first place and I enjoy meeting families from all walks of life. I definitely have more confidence and resilience since my time with EDC, which I thank Wanda and Adam for greatly. This has helped me with my midwifery course as this is the most challenging thing I have ever done.
“Living 345 miles away from home, the current situation with the pandemic and the demands of the course are not easy and if I was to do this course with the confidence that I first started EDC with, then I certainly would not have got this far.”
