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‘Don’t give up at the first hurdle’: North-east graduate discovers true calling in college

Hollie Dunn graduated with an HND in social sciences on Wednesday.

A north-east graduate has hailed her experience in college as key to finding her true calling.

After missing out on a university place in 2019, Hollie Dunn didn’t let the setback derail her plans and instead went to study social sciences at North East Scotland College (Nescol).

And although pursuing a diploma might have not been her first option, the 20-year-old from Montrose found earning her HND to be just the stepping stone she needed to achieve her goals.

Miss Dunn is now gearing up to go into second year of a psychology degree at Aberdeen University, having discovered a passion for the subject through her studies.

She said: “Despite being apprehensive about starting college, I quickly realised that I had made the right decision.

“My time at college helped me see that I actually wanted to study psychology at university rather than a more broad-based social sciences course.

“If I hadn’t gone to college first, I wouldn’t have had the chance to discover that. So I’m really glad I had the opportunity to properly explore the subject area before making a final decision.”

‘Don’t give up at the first hurdle’

After officially marking her accomplishment at Nescol’s virtual graduation yesterday, Miss Dunn is determined to raise awareness about the opportunities college can offer others.

She added: “Some people are giving up on their future plans when they don’t get a place at university straight from school.

“I’d love to give talks to senior pupils to explain how college to university articulation works and how great an experience it can be.

“Don’t give up at the first hurdle – there’s usually another way to get to your goal through college.”