My final furlong approaches. I have less than two weeks until my EMA is due in, but it’s not just any old EMA. It’s the last EMA I have to write for my Honours Degree; the last piece of work I EVER have to do as an undergraduate. Aah, feels good.
Or at least it would feel good if it was the last piece of work I was actually going to do as an undergraduate. The trouble is, it’s not. I’ve already begun another module which I stupidly signed up for to ‘bridge the study gap’ between the end of undergrad and the start of postgrad, so from now until October I’m doing a 30-point level 1 ICT module (then I move on to a 10-point level 1 science short course, why do I punish myself so?).
Undergrad isn’t actually my issue at the minute anyway. I don’t have a problem with undergrad; I’ve been doing it for years, I know how the OU works and am dangerously comfortable with it and know that I can pay for it sensibly using my OUSBA account (god bless OUSBA accounts, I’d be completely stuck without mine!), so undergrad is my safe zone.
What my worries are now turning to is my postgrad. My mind is consumed at present with thoughts not about which one I’m going to do, I already have that sorted; apply to Uni 1 which has entry criteria which I’ll struggle to achieve but have been told it’s still worth applying to anyway. If I don’t get in there, I have Uni 2 to fall back on as it has no entry criteria other than that I must have an honours degree so I will almost undoubtedly get accepted. No, my worry isn’t about entry or applications. My worry is about finance. Neither uni’s offer reasonable payment plans (one offers payment split over five months - £750 a month, where on earth will I get that from?!), the window has passed for funding at Uni 1 which is a part-time course and no funding is available for Uni 2 which is distance learning (funding for DL courses just doesn’t seem to exist!), I don’t have rich parents, I don’t have a secret stash of savings and I refuse to borrow extra money on my mortgage when I’m so close to paying it off. The only option I seem to have is to apply for a Professional & Career Development Loan which would be great, if I thought I stood a chance of getting accepted for one. It’s a loan from the government to help towards re-training or doing higher level study, it’s basically to help out those who aren’t eligible for a standard student loan but it’s still a loan from a bank on which they have to carry out credit checks etc which is where my concern lies, I’m not the greatest when it comes to financial matters.
Doesn’t it seem to be the case though that no matter where you’re at and no matter how much progress you think you’re making (or indeed ARE making), there’s always something else right round the bend for you to worry about. I’m a natural-born worrier anyway, so if I’m not worrying about SOMETHING it worries me why not. I’m inclined to think that’s healthy; if I’m worrying about something then it means I care about it and am passionate enough about it to have concern, but then 99.9% of the time I show myself up because, and without wanting to sound like an utter cliché, these things do have a tendency to work themselves out somehow and a solution will likely reveal itself in time.
I want to do my Masters so much. I’ll feel like a failure if I don’t even manage to scrape together enough money for it, how pathetic is that?! I’ll find a way somehow. I need to lose some weight anyway, maybe I’ll just not eat for the next year, that ought to save me a fortune!
Comments
Even if you leave University study, you'll still come back! I think that you get a secret bungie cord attached when you sign up for your first OU course - the harder you try to get away, the harder you eventually get pulled back (even after a ten-year gap)!
There speaks a woman of experience, Ruth you're too smart NOT to study my love
Caz,
Is Uni 2 the OU? If so, have you investigated the Crowther Fund? I was talking to someone yesterday at the Glasgow graduation who had benefited from this to do a Masters. She got about half the cost of her fees paid.
It seems your first degree must be from the OU and must be either a first or a 2:1. Also preference is given to students who parents did not study in higher education.
If you meet the criteria it would be worth looking into.
Susan
Susan, no Uni 2 is the University of Ulster. The OU don't do postgrad social science at the minute so can't do my Masters with them.