If the OU featured in uni table rankings, where do you think it would finish? (Poll)

As the tittle says where do you think the Open University would be placed? Obviously depends on assessment criteria etc, but remember this is hypothetical.

Do most people have enough experience/knowledge of the OU to vote in this poll?

Probably not, but it is interesting to get an insight into the general perception of the it. I myself, am currently trying to decide between Sheffield and the OU, as I'm not really keen to move away from home, get into debt etc. So this might of some help to me in making a decision.

My guess would be that people will vote lower than the actual appropriate option. You'd be better off talking to people who've actually done OU courses.

But surely they would be biased.

Edit: and to be fair, it's not doing too badly.

How exactly is this going to help you decide?

I'm not saying I'm going to base my entire decision on this, but it can't hurt to get a sample of the general student perception of it, can it?

No, but general student perception isn't really important in making your decision, especially considering few people that will reply will have studied at the OU, or possibly even any university. They almost certainly will not have experience as an employer looking at qualifications of applicants.

Ok, you're right, it's not really helpful. It was just on my mind, I'm on TSR, one thing led to another and before I knew it, I had started this poll.

Oh, that's happened to me many a time.

I wouldn't like to place it somewhere in a league table, but in honesty I don't think it would do very well compared to more traditional universities considering research can feature heavily, which the OU isn't really into. However, I've heard good things about their teaching, support and that a degree from them is very respected.

If you want to go to a more traditionally structured uni and stay at home, is there not a more local one you can apply to?

Hmm... not really, I live in North Wales. My only concern really, was that a degree from the OU would not be respected as much as a degree from elsewhere.

I take it you don't live close to Bangor...? How 'deep' into Wales are you? There's a few unis on the dark side of the border...

Define 'elsewhere'. It might not be as respected by Joe Public as a degree from Oxford, but I'm sure employers as a whole respect that someone with an OU degree had very little contact time and studied everything under their own steam, often whilst having full-time jobs.

I'm from Caenarfon. I have accepted Sheffield as my firm choice, so I guess there is 'elsewhere'.

North-west Wales? Surely Bangor is commutable..?

Yes, and I suppose, at a push it could be. It's a little late now though, like I say, I have accepted an offer from Sheffield.

Google Maps says twenty minutes by car.

Hmm, not necessarily... What course do you want to do?