Open University

Milton Keynes

Any young OU students?

I've just come out of A levels and am taking a gap year and doing OU. I was originally going to do the whole degree in psychology, but decided against it because of the lack of university life. Is anyone else doing OU after A levels instead of going to uni, or has anyone in the past?

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Reply 1

becky=)

I'm only 19 and starting my first OU course in October. The main reasons for me were that I couldn't really justify getting into so much debt to go to a traditional university when I could do it all from home whilst working and earning money at the same time. Plus, I wasn't that fussed about having the whole uni social life and I enjoy living at home at the moment :smile:

Open University

Milton Keynes

Reply 2

-G-a-v-

I'm 23 and probably considered young by OU standards, but this is my second degree, lol. I think the OU is an excellent idea and if you're working and earning money you can still have a social life, work and degree :smile:

Reply 3

dr.phalange

I'm on a gap year and am going to do Law next year at Uni - I don't know much about the OU, but do you think it's worth doing, just to keep my academia up if anything?
What do you actually gain from it? Like, what can you do and how will it help you? :smile:

Reply 4

Jaee

I'm 20 but I didn't do OU straight from A levels. I did a year at a brick uni first and didn't get on with it so I dropped out. I like being able to work full-time at the same time as studying and I wasn't fussed about getting the university lifestyle either.

Reply 5

Kate.

Original post by Jaee

Same! I did a year of full-time uni, dropped out and got a full-time job, then started the OU the following year when I was 20. I've definitely been one of the youngest on most of my modules so far, but there have been a couple here & there who were younger than me.

Reply 6

Ellieh93

Original post by becky=)

That's exactly the same as me, it seemed so silly to get into £1000s of debt when I could do it all for free! Have you still managegd to keep up a good social life? Because i was definitely concerned about that.

Reply 7

Ellieh93

Original post by dr.phalange

You can do pretty much anything! Any degree, any course and they are just as well regarded as any other degree from a normal university as it shows evidence of a lot of independent studying and motivation. I'd check it out because it would certainly look good if you could show that you have been keeping up with studying and showing that you have been doing something productive with your gap year. You could even travel and do a course at the same time. I would definately check out the website :smile:

http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/index.htm

hope this helps!

Reply 8

Ellieh93

Original post by -G-a-v-

wow second degree that's amazing! The social life thing was what i was worried about, what with all my friends going off to uni i was mainly afraid of being left behind and not having any kind of social life at all. Have you found it ok?

Reply 9

-G-a-v-

Original post by Ellieh93

Well I work full time so I have plenty of friends at work as well as people I was at school/college with etc. I imagine the social life will be less prevalent than it was when I was at my brick uni where it's always there (especially as a first year, lol). I still have a social life - the only limit on mine is the fact that I work slightly funny hours. Having said that, the first module I've done was largely familiar ground so I haven't had to put as many hours in.

The second degree thing is more or less for fun lol, but also because the OU do quite a good MSc in Maths, but I need more pure maths background before I can take the pure maths options (my first degree was physics).

Reply 10

Bluku

19 here aswell and also starting my first course in October. Thought it was just me who was 19!
Never enjoyed the college life so here I am 2 years on doing a course in my own time!

Reply 11

becky=)

Original post by Ellieh93

Errmmm, well some of my friends I don't see or hear from very much because they've gone off to brick universities and have fallen into new groups of friends but tbh I think this would have happened had I gone to uni or not. I see my best friends regularly and have made quite a few friends at work so I don't necessarily feel as if I have lost out by not going to a traditional university. Having said that for those who like all the student parties and things like that then I'm not sure the OU would really suit their lifestyle. x

Reply 12

amison

I'm 20 and about to embark n a degree with the OU. I've never been interested in the "student party" lifestyle and would rather earn money than get into debt whilst studying. I doubt I'll lack a social life as I have friends from work, etc. and will probably end up taking up some more hobbies if I feel like I want/need to.

Reply 13

dr.phalange

Original post by Ellieh93

http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/index.htm

hope this helps!

Thank you! Love your enthusiasm, think I'm going to go for it! :smile:

Reply 14

Spinnerette

I'm 22. I'm considered pretty young but there's advantages to doing OU than the regular way plus I'm working whilst doing it.

Reply 15

Lord Jon

Hi!

I am 17 and I am in college. I am studying for my AS Levels and I just got my OU Material! :crazy:

Reply 16

a_keaney

I'm 18 studying Introduction to Social Sciences looking to do a PPE degree not sure if I'd stick with open uni, obv see how it goes though first
Am I the only young person here studying with Open uni that still wants to have the uni social life haha obviously I understand the difficulty but I still plan to make the most of it :biggrin:

Reply 17

napple

I did an OU course when I was 18 after my A-levels. I was studying towards a diploma in the Performing Arts at the time and only managed one course because my PA course became too time consuming. Now I'm 22, have finished my PA course and am working, and I am just about to start on my second OU course with a view to work towards a degree.

Also, the Open University is good because you can do what's called an Open Degree where you can choose a mix of subjects in order to make up your degree! Brilliant!

Reply 18

Foster88

im 22 studying towards natural science degree hopefully started sk277 today and have s104 ongoing

Reply 19

HumiT

I'm 17 and I've nearly finished my first module. I'm planning on doing my degree through the OU because I have more time to do other things that interest me and I don't want a ton of debt.

Original post by Foster88

im 22 studying towards natural science degree hopefully started sk277 today and have s104 ongoing