Bsc Economics and Management from UoL external...pls advise!

Hi,
I have recently finished my Alevels and awaiting results. I applied to uni of manchester, leicester etc and got offers from all, but due to lack of financial muscle and other personal problems i was unable to accept the offer and go to UK. As i was too late to realise this i didnt applied to any local institutions in Pakistan.

Now i have 3 options, either to do LSE external programm or to do ACCA or just to sit at home and wait for next year! though i dont really appreciate the latter one.

i have read that LSE external program is of lesser value and a problem when gettin jobs and this really disappointed me as i wanted to persue a career in economics.

i have 94 and 96% in GCE O and AS level respectively, in accounts and 95 and 97% in GCE O and AS level respectively in Economics.

I do well in accounts but i am not so sure whether ACCA interests me.
is ACCA of a higher value than LSE external program degree?? i am stuck between these two options.

and besides what other options do i have? and what can i do?

Pls help guys, m in a total mess!

Reply 1

nfs_pk

plus if i do my external program i dont know whether the faculty to cope with the course is available or not. I contacted LSE and they said that they dont have any formal relations with the tutors of external program, although the institute i am preferring for studies is listed on UoL website. :s-smilie:

and they said that they can't tell about the teaching standards of any particular institution.

London School of Economics

London

Reply 2

Slothuus

Stay a year in Pakistan and do all you can to secure some work experience and internships! Then if you get AAA/AAB you should apply to e.g. Oxford, LSE and UCL (or where you would like to go). You'd have a year to write a killer Personal Statement, earn some money, and get a break.

That's just my idea, and personally I'm not taking a gap year.

Reply 3

nfs_pk

I thought about that also but personally i dont feel like taking a gap year and still be uncertain about getting into top unis.
As i said i am looking forward to LSE external program or ACCA...which one is better in terms of employment ? and if i get excellent marks in external program like highest in Pakistan, will i be guaranteed a place in the internal program??

Reply 4

jabed786

Have you also considered Open University? It's more cheaper than london external and they have lots of guidance and help.

Reply 5

jabed786

nfs_pk

Also, I'm sure if you take a gap year and do something productive, then reapply - you will get offers from the unis you have applied to in the past (manchester, leicester etc)
Atleast I hope that is the case, coz if I dont get the grades for uni, I'm doing a gap year (self studying alevels)

Reply 6

nfs_pk

open university? never heard of it, atleast in Karachi.

Once i thought about giving 2 to 3 more Alevel papers as i have already got 2A nd 2B and more papers will further enhance my ability to compete for a seat in top universities. But as i said before that i dont have a very strong financial muscle, then unless the university give me some scholarship or aid, which i am not sure of, then its no use of taking a gap year :frown:

Talking abt LSE, well is it good enough? i mean can this program guarantee me good career nd salary nd etc etc, provided that i go for my masters from a top university???

Reply 7

nfs_pk

oh nd i forgot one thing, should i go for ACCA instead of this external program? i though about doing both, but that will seriously deter my results and will produce average results in both, so i have to choose one of them.

Reply 8

abcboy

How the hell is it cheaper when UoL costs 3000 pounds for the whole degree, and OU costs 2000 pounds for just 1 single (out of like 5-10) courses.

jabed786

Have you also considered Open University? It's more cheaper than london external and they have lots of guidance and help.

Reply 9

jabed786

abcboy

How the hell is it cheaper when UoL costs 3000 pounds for the whole degree, and OU costs 2000 pounds for just 1 single (out of like 5-10) courses.

no it doesnt, it can cost around £800 for 60 credits at the OU and you usually need 360 to get the full degree so lets say he does 6 of these 60 credit modules he will pay £4800 for the whole degree. That includes very good support from OU which beats the crap out of London externals support, this is just what I've gathered from other threads.

And also with the London external, the OP has mentioned something about an institution which will probably cost further amounts of cash - I dont know how much but I bet it aint cheap, not to mention the textbooks (£300 per year) he'll need.

Reply 10

nfs_pk

first of all i don't need to buy books, i live in Pakistan and there are lot of pirated ones available here!
plus lets dont talk abt the money here for the LSE program or OU, becoz comparatively they dont cost as much as the universities! Just tell me which is the better option? i guess open university program aint available here in PK.

one more thing i am asking for so long, that should i take the UoL risk or should i just leave it and go for ACCA ? :s-smilie:

confused

Reply 11

Nidz45

ACCA will just give you exemptions once u go into the CA or Cost and Management field.. plus UOL external degree leevl studies has far more worth than ACCA alone.. coz ACCA is kinda certification only where as UOL degree is a proper degree

Reply 12

drjmpc

Just go to UoL. I will be in the same program as you this fall, so we can trade notes and debate "the point of diminishing returns" or Smith vs. Keyens! Seriously, No one will care that it was external unless you are applying at some major investment bank without going on to grad school. And if it doesn't workout in London or Asia, come to the states -- distance education is booming and fewer people continue to hold bias against it.

As for me: I will be completing my BSc Economics and Management and LLB @ UoL and pursuing my MBA in Financial Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology [online as well]. From there, I am not sure as I am considering Computational Engineering or Systems Engineering from Purdue [I hope], with a possible DBA from Instituto de Empressa... but that doctorate is a long shot. Its the most cost affective way to becoming a 1 man Quant Strategy Hedge Fund... who knows how it will all pan out, but that is the plan for now. I just decided that I don't care what anyone else thinks -- I will be build the best skillset with the best 'bang for the buck' education I can find and let the chips fall where they may. Just go with a plan and purpose -- it gives you a great story to tell interviewers.