UoL LLB/ BPP GDL top up LLB/ Open Uni LLB

HI guys,

Im sure topic has been discussed several times, but i would still appreciate your views and advise :smile:

I'm considering to qualify as solicitor in the UK sometimes in the future once I obtain QLD, further applying for TCs.

Resraching the legal sector, i identified the following disadvantages and advantages on my side:

Disadvatges:

non UK, bachelors in economics, hence afraid i may not stand the competition from UK taught candiadates. I'm aware of the equal opportunities thing officially posted here and there, but lets face the truth foreign LLB is a downer :frown:

writing English requires some improvement to reach native level :smile:

( just to note the comprehension and speaking level of English is excellent, 4yrs prof experience in English speaking countries plus masters from UK pays off :smile:

i'm on visa, NOT requiring employer sponsorship, but I'm not a permanent resident, hence disadvantage.

Advantages:

nearly 2 years of experience in the financial sector but somewhat related to law, i.e. workinjg closely with the leagl department on the contracts, restructuring matters, corporate tax issues, etc.

good knowledge of the business matters iof one of the emerging markets and issues related to doing busiess there from international perspective, covering legal matter and taxation issues (my current occupation being related to this).

fluency in Russian

Question time:

Am i really disadvantaged that I dont have strong LLB?

should i igo for a shorter route and obtain GDL further converting it to LLB (BPP offers it), takes 1,5 years? or should i take longer route: 2-4 years open uni/UoL LLB?

the first option is faster to obtain and more appealing to me, but given that my LLB is weak, GDL/LLB from BPP may not help to obtain training contract, so dont want to lose 11 000 GBP and obtain a piece of paper which may not be usefull? am i correct or am i just to pessimistic about foreign bachelors and BPP GDL/LLB tops us on the top?

I have a real dilemma here :smile:

please advise.

OP

anyone??

Original post by Kotenok

anyone??

Are you living near London? If so you should try for the Birkbeck LL.B instead of the UoL or Open Uni. BPP..... best forget it :smile:

Reply 3

Kotenok

OP

1

Original post by Herr

Are you living near London? If so you should try for the Birkbeck LL.B instead of the UoL or Open Uni. BPP..... best forget it :smile:

thanks for advise.

I live in London. Birckbeck is out of choise because it is quite costly option for me, i would have to pay around 40Kfor the degree :eek:

as int'l student.

THe other options (UoL, OU and BPP) i ilisted may not be good, but those are quite "cheap" compare to the part-time studies, so i'm just trying to choose the best from the list.

My heart is really set on law, so i cant just forget about it. If i dont start now i will regret later.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 4

Herr

13

Original post by Kotenok

thanks for advise.

I live in London. Birckbeck is out of choise because it is quite costly option for me, i would have to pay around 40Kfor the degree :eek:

as int'l student.

THe other options (UoL, OU and BPP) i ilisted may not be good, but those are quite "cheap" compare to the part-time studies, so i'm just trying to choose the best from the list.

My heart is really set on law, so i cant just forget about it. If i dont start now i will regret later.

If you already have a degree you can do the Birkbeck 2 year LL.B program I doubt that will cost you £40k in fees.

I think if I'm not wrong most unis in UK have a 2 year LL.B for candidates that already have a degree, you might want to give those a try first instead of going the route of BPP or the UoL external programs which can be extremely difficult to do.

I did the Birkbeck program, all I can say is even if you have to pay international student fees it is well worth the money as it really does help you understand the material significantly better than a distance learning program.

Reply 5

Kotenok

OP

1

Original post by Herr

If you already have a degree you can do the Birkbeck 2 year LL.B program I doubt that will cost you £40k in fees.

I think if I'm not wrong most unis in UK have a 2 year LL.B for candidates that already have a degree, you might want to give those a try first instead of going the route of BPP or the UoL external programs which can be extremely difficult to do.

I did the Birkbeck program, all I can say is even if you have to pay international student fees it is well worth the money as it really does help you understand the material significantly better than a distance learning program.

yes, there are quite a lot of 2 years graduate LLB programs, but I work full time, hence I can not go for a day time study. Birckebeck is the only one which offer evening courses, but the cost of the Birkbeck LLB for int'l student is around 13k pa (this year fees TBC). :frown:

They do offer QLD LLM for those with the first degree, 2yrs FT or 3 yrs PT, same price as LLB, again, costly option.

I accept the fact that all DL LLB or LLB GDL top up programs are losing the points compare to the full time in-class mode counterparts, but I do not have many choices left, so I just need to choose the best option from the list of the whorst :smile:

the main question fo me is which one looks better on CV when i apply for TCs?
it seems like first degree is one of the most imporatnt factors when applying for the TCs.

If you do not mind me asking did you apply for TCs with your Birckbeck degree?

Reply 6

Herr

13

Original post by Kotenok

If you do not mind me asking did you apply for TCs with your Birckbeck degree?

I didn't finish at Birkbeck as during the last recession I decided to transfer out and finish it fulltime.

However having since graduated I haven't quite bothered to apply for a TC as I found a job in my previous industry and since then have also started a new company hence the idea of a TC has since been put on the back-burner as I don't have time to pursue it.

Hopefully sometime in the next few years I will do it.... but it won't be so soon.

Where are you from? You might also want to check whether some of the routes you're planning will allow you to practice once you return home.

Reply 7

Kotenok

OP

1

Original post by Herr

I didn't finish at Birkbeck as during the last recession I decided to transfer out and finish it fulltime.

Where are you from? You might also want to check whether some of the routes you're planning will allow you to practice once you return home.

thanks for the tip. i don't really know if im going to return to my home country or if go to another country, in most jurisdictions GDL/LLB top ups and DL LLBs are not acceptable. as for now i would like to qualify here , but have to scratch out full time day time courses and also long study options.

it will be difficult to compete with OXbridge or red brick English native graduates with my DL degree, but i hope to chose the right option which will light up my way to obtain TC at the end.

good you found your way around and started your own business. LLB as QLD is valid for 7 years since you graduate,so you still have time to decide.

Reply 8

Clip

19

The UoL LLB is a bit of a nightmare, but by far the cheapest option.

Reply 9

Forum User

19

I'm doing the part-time LLB at BPP so feel free to post any questions if you are still considering that option. I will try and be more objective than the BPP 'student representatives' that post around here occasionally.

Reply 10

Kotenok

OP

1

Original post by Clip

The UoL LLB is a bit of a nightmare, but by far the cheapest option.

I've heard its a difficult program, you essentially just pay to sit the exmas, thats why it is so cheap.

I don't mind the hard study as soon as it pays off with the training contract at the end. I'm just afraid many employers may not take distance learning program seriously.

In fact, did you speak of your own experience with UoL LLB? are you doing this program?

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 11

Kotenok

OP

1

Original post by Forum User

I'm doing the part-time LLB at BPP so feel free to post any questions if you are still considering that option. I will try and be more objective than the BPP 'student representatives' that post around here occasionally.

thanks Forum User, i will PM u to get the insider view on BPP LLB. I was initially considering GDL/LLB top up with LLB, which is different, but treaditional LLB with BPP also can be considered as an option.

Reply 12

Clip

19

Original post by Kotenok

I've heard its a difficult program, you essentially just pay to sit the exmas, thats why it is so cheap.

I don't mind the hard study as soon as it pays off with the training contract at the end. I'm just afraid many employers may not take distance learning program seriously.

In fact, did you speak of your own experience with UoL LLB? are you doing this program?

Yes, I am.

The UoL LLB is the most widely read LLB in the world, with well over 10,000 students at any given time. The majority of these are in Commonwealth countries outside of the UK.

It is also an institution at the very heart of British education - I'm pretty sure that places like UCL were actually formed to do the "teaching" for students to be examined by the external system, but I'm happy to be contradicted.

The LLB is very cheap = under £1000 per year and that includes most of the core texts.

However, this is offset by the fact that this is the University of London as it was always intended - an examining board. The LLB is almost entirely unsupported, and there is no coursework - just a single exam (per subject) at the end of the year.

What makes it tough is that there is no feedback or supervision during the year - so being entirely on your own, you may be completely misunderstanding key concepts, but have no idea until you get your results in July or August and you've done badly.

It's particularly tough on first-time undergraduates who may have no idea on what constitutes a good LLB essay - there won't be any practices or any tutors to tell you that you've gone wrong.

Unless you are very smart and have other degrees, I would strongly recommend taking up any other options you might have first.

I have no evidence to support this - but I have the feeling that employers (law firms) won't really be swayed by the "look how much adversity I've been through" argument.

Reply 13

**lion king**

hi guys

i'm wanting to study law at birckbeck uni (evening full time). However grade requirements are AAB and I got BBC at a levels.

do you think they will still consider me?

(got A/A* at GCSE and ABB at AS level, screwed up A2's due to really bad news :s-smilie:

)

pls pls someone reply :s-smilie:

thanks

UoL LLB/ BPP GDL top up LLB/ Open Uni LLB

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