Starting an OU degree at 16

[Cogcog]

Why don't more people do a degree with the OU instead of racking up university debt?

The son of a friend of mine is 16, and has just started A levels after a long list of excellent GCES. He has now decided to also start an OU degree this month just before he is 17. He has reserched and aranged it himself. He has dropped the A levels with the same content as his degree course and intends to leave college at 18 after A levels and get a job to contuinue his OU degree which by then will be more than half done. He has retained his lanaguage A levesl as he is already tri-lingual having come to the Uk from Europe at the age of 5 and lived in a bi-lingual house.

I think he was inspired by his sister who started university, dropped out after 6 weeks, got a learning support job in s school and started an OU degree. She used the holidays to catch up OU work and did 2 credits in the first year. She is now 21, nearing the end of her course with no debt, with money in the bank, a car and a CV of work experience which will blow most other graduates out of the water.

Both of them are bright kids but not the genius most parents believe their kids to be. They are both well adjusted, grounded young adults from a working class family, not home educated hippes.

As an employer I know which I would be more impressed with in terms of personal responsibility, application, foresight and fiscal responsiility than someone with £30K of debt and a beer belly from their uni days who has had the traditional 'uni experience'.

[Cogcog]

rhinochopig said:

Because Uni isn't just about the bit of paper you come out with at the end. Leaving home, sorting out your finances (or not) mixing with all types, etc. has a huge impact on who you become IMO.

I wouldn't knock anyone with life experience from doing an OU degree, but at 16-18 you'll miss out on a lot of growing up.

I keep hearing that said, but cannot see the evidence. I see graduates who have lived away from home for 3 years at a cost of many thousands, still unable to wipe their own bottoms to be frank. Ok, he may miss out of sitting up all night, chillin' with his mates etc but I am not seeing that type of life experience transfer into employability.

[Cogcog]

Amateurish said:

The cost will rise to £5k per full year equivalent next September. However, existing students will retain existing pricing which is much much cheaper. You can currently do a 60 point course (one sixth of a degree) for £700.

To get these fees you need to be an existing student or start a course before 1 September 2012. You will then keep payng cheaper fees until 2017.

May be why he got in now!