Open University Chat Thread

Lunarsea

Careful, you're going to be giving me a bad reputation talking like that!

Too late

raspberryswirl

I HAVE FAR TOO MUCH WORK TO DO ARghsghshhhhhhhh I feel like my head is going to explode. I'm never doing five courses at once again!!!!!!

Yep, I have no idea how you do that. My head throbs with two going at the same time. Three for one short period stung, but 5? Wow.

Maybe it's just psychological, but it seems two 30's are more work than one 60 even if the exam element is disregarded. In fact, I recall Y162 (10) taking more work than MU120 (30). /minitangent

Good luck though. Hopefully you'll survive, even if the dreaded T191 is in your list.

Reply 982

SunburnedCactus

11

Two 30s tend to be more work because you have twice the assignments and exams, but like you say the general workload varies a lot more than the points awarded per course. I still advise taking level 1 courses to fill up any free points you need towards a degree though, but that might just be my work evasion strategy :p:

But yeah doing 5 at once put me off considerably, the overlap was only 3 or 4 months but the 10 point course ended up requiring way more work due to team issues and as soon as it finished it was exam time sooo stress built up a bit.

Reply 983

Moggs

Too late

Yep, I have no idea how you do that. My head throbs with two going at the same time. Three for one short period stung, but 5? Wow.

Maybe it's just psychological, but it seems two 30's are more work than one 60 even if the exam element is disregarded. In fact, I recall Y162 (10) taking more work than MU120 (30). /minitangent

Good luck though. Hopefully you'll survive, even if the dreaded T191 is in your list.

I know what you mean. I've got two on at the moment and it's hard going. I've got a residential school in July, I nearly cried when I saw that they were sending the pre-reading for it (you have to start it in May). Of course, just to be awkward I get to do this pre-reading around the time I'm doing the biggest parts of my other courses. I must be insane. :woo:

I've heard people say that it is harder to coordinate two 30 point courses than a 60 point courses. It's to do with assignment deadlines I think. :idontknow:

Reply 984

lupinpooter

4

SunburnedCactus

I still advise taking level 1 courses to fill up any free points you need towards a degree though, but that might just be my work evasion strategy :p:

Doing multiple short courses to make up the free points works out more expensive than doing one 60 pointer though, plus I worry a bit about the quality of my degree so I've opted to do an extra level 3 in the hope that it'll strengthen it. I think juggling multiple short courses is way harder than doing a single level 3 60 pointer. Hats off to anyone who manages it! :eek3:

Reply 985

inksplodge

17

Lunarsea

I had a whack at it last year. I didn't like it personally. I'll tell you way in the thing below, although giving a critical review of it because it makes me feel like I'm moaning. :p:

More information on the course.

Maybe I'll pass on it, then! The questions don't sound bad to me but meh, I was only interested as a thing to do between now and October :P Thanks :biggrin:

Reply 986

inksplodge

Maybe I'll pass on it, then! The questions don't sound bad to me but meh, I was only interested as a thing to do between now and October :P Thanks :biggrin:

No problem. As I say I thought the workload was a little heavy but depending on how much time you have available that won't be a problem. I didn't care for the topics but if you like them/don't mindthem then that won't be a problem either. It's all a matter of personal taste. :yes:

Reply 987

dg2009

13

A finance question here -

I have a module starting in October 2010, one in May 2011 and another in June 2011. The october mod's registration is open but one of the others doesn't open til Oct and the other I'm not sure about yet.

I want to get finance for all three courses (80 credits) can I? One costs £575, another £155 and the other £650. I would have to fill in the forms before the start of my Oct mod but what should I do about the others?

Anyone used the online form?

Reply 988

Juno

20

dg2009

A finance question here -

I have a module starting in October 2010, one in May 2011 and another in June 2011. The october mod's registration is open but one of the others doesn't open til Oct and the other I'm not sure about yet.

I want to get finance for all three courses (80 credits) can I? One costs £575, another £155 and the other £650. I would have to fill in the forms before the start of my Oct mod but what should I do about the others?

Anyone used the online form?

The maximum amount of course fees that can be paid is £820 if you're studying less than 90 credits, and short courses usually don't get funded anyway.

Reply 989

This thread has gone quiet again. How is everyone getting on?

I've just had my first mark back for S104. I was a bit annoyed with myself on that one because I made a bit of a mess of the maths and was a bit rushed so didn't do as well as I could have. Nevermind.

I've also started looking at what courses I'm going to do next year and having trouble deciding. :frown:

I know it's a bit soon to be thinking about it but I like to sign up early anyway. This year especially since one of the courses I'm thinking of doing has it's last presentation next year. I don't want to miss a place. :no:

Reply 990

SunburnedCactus

11

Yeah I know what you mean, it just clicked in my head that I'll have to get next Febs courses registered. Although I don't have any choice in the matter, just the last two to finish the degree. Man, I am going to breathe the biggest sigh after the exam next October, it might extend to several minutes of pure sighing. Then probably expiration.

Reply 991

Lunarsea

many things

DelboyJoe showed me an excel Gantt chart last week that really helped with planning everything from start to finish. It might be worth putting one together :smile:

Also, didn't you already do S104? - I must be imagining things.

In other news, this site found me last week. It sells OU course materials and donates the proceeds to OUSET.

Because I dropped T211 and it effectively put me 8 months behind, I decided to buy T207 and T356 to study in advance of the Feb starts. This will allow me to do 145 points next year at a relaxed pace.

This could be an excellent low cost fix for anyone with big gaps in between their course starts.

SunburnedCactus

Man, I am going to breathe the biggest sigh after the exam next October, it might extend to several minutes of pure sighing. Then probably expiration.

That good huh?

Reply 992

Moggs

DelboyJoe showed me an excel Gantt chart last week that really helped with planning everything from start to finish. It might be worth putting one together :smile:

Also, didn't you already do S104? - I must be imagining things.

In other news, this site found me last week. It sells OU course materials and donates the proceeds to OUSET.

Because I dropped T211 and it effectively put me 8 months behind, I decided to buy T207 and T356 to study in advance of the Feb starts. This will allow me to do 145 points next year at a relaxed pace.

This could be an excellent low cost fix for anyone with big gaps in between their course starts.

Nope, I did S154 last year as preparation. Doing S104, S250 and SXR103 this year. :yep:

I made one of those. :proud:

The problem is that I've got two level 2 60 pointers to do but I'm worried that 120 points might be too much. Particularly since there are a couple of residentials to do alongside, which would actually bring next years total up to 140 points and I'm not sure that would be allowed even if I thought I could cope.

My other option is to do one level 2 60 pointer and one level 3 30 pointer plus the residential schools but I'm worried about the step up to level 3 (as I'm finding the leap between levels 1 and 2 quite substantial) and particularly as there will be exams involved. Also they do recommend not doing the residentials unless you are doing the associated course and so the material may be over my head. One of the residentials isn't compulsory but I thought it looked really good but unfortunately next year is the last start date for the level 2 residential schools. I might just miss it but that still doesn't really help!

The whole thing has been causing me a few headaches lately. :p:

/waffling rant

The website looks interesting though. :smile:

Reply 993

Lunarsea

Nope, I did S154 last year as preparation. Doing S104, S250 and SXR103 this year. :yep:

Must have confused S104 and S154 when you mentioned it earlier.

Lunarsea

I made one of those. :proud:

Everyone in on the secret but me :pinch:

Lunarsea

The problem is that I've got two level 2 60 pointers to do but I'm worried that 120 points might be too much. Particularly since there are a couple of residentials to do alongside, which would actually bring next years total up to 140 points and I'm not sure that would be allowed even if I thought I could cope.

My other option is..

It seems everyone has this same problem at some point. I certainly did, and I haven't met anyone who hasn't yet. Though you get the lovely added fun of the residential schools being dropped.

So does this mean no named science degrees at all after those are dropped? Seems a real shame, I was hoping to do the astro/phys one after I was finished with engineering.

Reply 994

Juno

20

My essay is done and submitted :proud:

Reply 995

Juno

My essay is done and submitted :proud:

Grats

Good news for this one?

Reply 996

Juno

20

Moggs

Grats

Good news for this one?

I haven't had my mark back yet :sad:

I was just really stressed as I had that to do and maths to do, and I work in retail and it's nearly Easter...

Yeah, I'm just glad it's done :smile:

Reply 997

Moggs

Must have confused S104 and S154 when you mentioned it earlier.

Everyone in on the secret but me :pinch:

It seems everyone has this same problem at some point. I certainly did, and I haven't met anyone who hasn't yet. Though you get the lovely added fun of the residential schools being dropped.

So does this mean no named science degrees at all after those are dropped? Seems a real shame, I was hoping to do the astro/phys one after I was finished with engineering.

Yeah, they have to drop the residential schools because various funding cuts and every resi makes a huge loss, they are no longer financially viable. Plus I think a lot of students were having to claim the Open Degree because they couldn't get the time off work/children to get to the residentials.

The OU is introducing practical courses to complete at home (including some that include going off to weekend schools to be taught) but the because of the residentials being dropped the new science degree won't have enough practical content to be a named degree. It's a real shame but needs must I suppose.

Reply 998

cinderella-rockafella

Hey everyone!

Hope you're all dandy. :smile:

Has anyone finished TMA05 for S104? I fould it a lot friendlier than the others I've done... which probably means written a load of rubbish! =p

Anywho, how're things in general? :smile:

Anyone off to uni this autumn?

Reply 999