Should I stay at college and do my HNC or do a degree with OU?

Hi I am 21 now so I am classed a mature student now. I recently received an unconditional for HNC Social Sciences and I am very pleased about this. A close friend at another college got an unconditional for a course too but is deciding to leave it and do a course at the Open Uni. I have read some of the courses the uni has to offer and they have a great selection and now, I am unsure whether to stay at college or do a degree with them.

They are pros and cons to both. The college I go to is about 15 miles away from my house which means busy train rides every day, the OU course, I could do at home.

But the OU course is mainly learning from your computer, that sounds great learning at home but I am worried that would make me lazy and also I would maybe find something difficult and wouldn't have a lecturer next to me to explain.

I also feel as though there is a lot more course content in the OU course than the HNC, also I want to study science again rather than social sciences but I don't have the qualifications to do it at college but I do at OU.

Is the OU regarded as a good uni? You never really hear about them, its always Cambridge and Oxford :/

I hear that it can take about 6 years to finish a degree with them. That is exactly how long it would take to finish my HNC, then HND and then go onto a conventional uni.

Do any of you have any experience studying with OU?

Reply 1

Kate.

One factor to consider is money. With the college, will you get a loan? I was under the impression that you don't get loans for HNC/HND courses, and as you're a mature student I assume you will have to pay. How do the costs compare to the OU (which you can get a loan for)?

Do you plan on working? Working while you're studying with the OU is a lot easier than trying to work around a course that requires physical attendance. I've worked full-time throughout my whole OU experience, which has also meant I've been able to save up to buy a car and move out of my mom's house, which is something that hardly any of my friends who went to traditional full-time universities have managed to do. I have also got more 'proper' (i.e. non-retail/bar) work experience which has certainly worked in my favour and I was recently offered a position that was intended for a graduate, even though I don't graduate until the end of this year.

Secondly, 6 years is studying at a part-time rate of 60 points a year. I would recommend you start off with that, but you might find that you can speed it up a bit after that and finish your degree sooner. I did 90 points a year and finished in 4 years.

There are hundreds of universities in the UK. Of course you hear about Oxford and Cambridge a lot; they're generally regarded as the best. The OU is certainly far from the worst and generally OU students have a good reputation. In my experience employers are often impressed with OU students, especially those who have managed to study successfully while also working (or with other commitments, e.g. volunteering, caring for relatives, coping with disability or illness, etc).

Open University

Milton Keynes

Reply 2

Rum Ham

Thanks for your reply. If I stay at college or do the OU course, I will get my course fees paid by SAAS and can also apply for a student loan and a discrentionary fund.

I plan to study 90 credits in the first year and see how it goes. I plan tto study full time.

I don't think I will be working during studying.

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