Why go to uni if you can do HND with fees paid?

Hi, I wonder if anybody could give me advice about HND and degrees. I am just completing my A levels in Biz Studies, Eng Lit and Maths (predicted BBC).

I can go to my local college and study full time for an HND in business - because I am under 19 it means that all the fees will be paid. The college say I can then go to uni to top this up to a full degree (provided I get good marks). This means that I only have to pay uni fees for the final year and I can keep living at home for now.

This seems the obvious thing to do to me and I am wondering why you would go straight to do a degree rather than doing the HND and getting your fees paid - I must be missing something - is the HND really worth the first two years of a degree or is it not really as good.

Many thanks for advice.

Reply 1

Sigma2009

I'm doing ND Engineering and am over 20 so I don't think I can get HND for free. I wanted to do a HND at a college further away though because I thought it might be fun. One thing you have to think about is, that a HND is a 'Higher national diploma' its not a degree.

A HND follows on from a national diploma and is usually taught by college teachers in a college. It is centered around course work and there is a usually limited number of people in the class. I find the work relaxed and deadlines are relaxed too. You can't fail a HND either, the lowest mark is a pass.

A degree is taught in a university by university professors. You can pick the classes and lectures you want to take and your free to do pretty much what you want. This leaves you with a lot of responsibility.
There are exams and if you don't pass them you can fail the course. You will also be studying with A level students who are used to exams and from the start you will be working towards a degree which is one of the highest levels of general education attainable.

What I'm saying is a HND is good if you like a relaxed non-stressful type of learning but if you were to go onto university with university students who have been studying consistently for 2 years before you. Your going to have to try extra hard to catch up to them. Its like learning to swim at the local pool then being put into the Olympics! :biggrin:

I'm doing twice the work now and wish I could have taken A-levels!

Reply 2

3105

Well paying less sounds great and all, but surely going to university would just generally be more interesting? There's no way I'd want to live with my parents and attend a ****** college for another two years...

Reply 3

OJM32

Old post i know but just to let you know you DO have to pay for a HNC/HND course as it is classed as a further education course.

Although the fees are cheaper, for me it would just be an extension of college to me so i wouldnt.

In saying that i have just finished my ND and one person is going on to the HNC because he doesnt feel ready for uni (probably true) so it can be a good alternative if you dont want to leave home as well.

Reply 4

MonsoonFlower

22

StudentZ

Hi, I wonder if anybody could give me advice about HND and degrees. I am just completing my A levels in Biz Studies, Eng Lit and Maths (predicted BBC).

I can go to my local college and study full time for an HND in business - because I am under 19 it means that all the fees will be paid. The college say I can then go to uni to top this up to a full degree (provided I get good marks). This means that I only have to pay uni fees for the final year and I can keep living at home for now.

This seems the obvious thing to do to me and I am wondering why you would go straight to do a degree rather than doing the HND and getting your fees paid - I must be missing something - is the HND really worth the first two years of a degree or is it not really as good.

Many thanks for advice.

To answer your thread question, don't think you're too clever enough to understand what HNDs are and how much they cost to study. I am lucky to have got an overall distinction in my BTEC First Diploma and now I am studying halfway through my BTEC National Diploma. Just like you but I'm 19 I don't have to pay through year 1 and year 2 (second and final year) of the course and it just so lucky for me for just having to pay for university.

:colonhash:

Reply 5

Jez RR

14

Sigma2009

You can't fail a HND either, the lowest mark is a pass.

Just a quick clarification here - yes you can fail an HND. It goes Distinction > Merit > Pass, and then below the pass grade there is a Referral, where you have 3 weeks to repeat the assignment and the highest grade you will be able to get in it after remarking is a Pass. Below that is a Fail.

If you get a Fail in any of the assingments, or for any of the common skills which are graded in the same way, you will not be awarded the HND. You have to get a Pass or above in each of the 23 modules to pass the course.

Reply 6

tommytoolbox

Hello Folks

A bit late to the party. I did an HND, or more specifically a Scottish Higher National Diploma i.e. SHND between 1982 and 1984. There were exams, people failed (you had resits for up to two of your papers each year).

I now have a BSc (1st class), MBA and Post Graduate diploma (MSc without the project .... well you can't study forever !)

I have found the HND immensely useful for practical application and wasn't too phased by my BSc.

Whether things have changed but as a bench mark you needed three highers to do an SHND vs four or five highers to do a degree.

I would move away from home and look for a course where you can do a degree and get an HND once you pass second year .... my sister studied a degree and came out with an HND.

The fact remains though an HND is Have No Degree (or in Scotland Still Have No Degree !)

Reply 7

LoopyLou560

My child didn't get the grades needed for uni
And has voiced an interest in doing a BETC HND in computering and systems development. I guess what I want to know is do you pay to do this
Thanks

Why go to uni if you can do HND with fees paid?

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