A PhD from scratch

Hi all,

I'm an IT student in Paris. Not your average student though. I'm 25 years old, have learning disabilities (undiagnosed) and I'm quite hungry for more regarding life. It's been more than ten years that I've been dreaming to study physics and then either Cosmology or Astrobiology in order to understand, discover and teach awesome things about the Universe.

I had this insane idea that I may be able to study online. I tried that long ago when I had just graduated from high school but barely opened my books. Then I had the opportunity to go to a brick University around the age of 21. It was 35h of courses per week which is quite decent actually but not when you consider the simple fact that I couldn't sleep right 3/4 of the time. I tried as hard as I could during 1 year and a half but I simply couldn't do it.

It wasn't useless though. I met interesting people of course and did interesting things (like rugby). I also learnt that I do love Mathematics and Physics and many more topics. I love spending time learning and practising. I just have to find a way of doing it properly, at my own pace, for the right reasons and with the right tools.

The University never kicked me out. I just never got back from some vacations. They had a slow-paced program but at the time I wouldn't want to hear about it. I would have felt even more like a failure. Which is stupid.

I now came to terms with the fact that my life won't end next year or in the next three years. By that I mean that, yes, I can still die, like anybody else but I can still learn and it doesn't matter which year I was born in or if I'm not the youngest to do this or that or if it takes more time and I don't ace everything.

I want to learn, discover and teach because I love it. Will I find support with Open University and its community ? Will I be able to go as far as I dream to as long as I hang in there ? Will a brick University let me do a PhD if I do my complete education at OU ?

Reply 1

amongsttheweeds

Original post by PiouPiou

Will a brick University let me do a PhD if I do my complete education at OU ?

Yes, if you show the aptitude. You are best off speaking to the OU directly and mapping out your path well in advance.

Open University

Milton Keynes

Reply 2

BestProfileName

You can do an undergraduate course here and get a masters/PhD from a brick university, yes. I WISH I had known about the OU, or at least that I had not been so dogmatic in attending a brick university, when I was younger. It's much cheaper (for me) and more flexible. You study on YOUR terms. I have always had trouble sleeping and asking me to get up at 8 in the morning to get to a 9am lecture, wherein the lecturer just reads from the slides anyway, is not only sub-optimal but a waste of my time.

Also, you'll probably fly through the computer activities due to your IT expertise.