Has anyone done a degree with Open University?

Yes a long time ago.

did it get you a high paying job is the real question as to whether it was worth it really?
usually degrees and stuff are to unclock jobs above minimum wage, into the 50k plus a year range.

did it get you a high paying job is the real question as to whether it was worth it really?
usually degrees and stuff are to unclock jobs above minimum wage, into the 50k plus a year range.

I remember my A levels and asking for help from my teacher with a previous year's exam question.  His answer, "That's an unusual type of question it's unlikely to come up this year.".   Translation: he hadn't a clue how to answer it.  In reality it was a bog standard question that tested understanding of the basics and a very similar question came up in the actual A level exam.

I agree with you about the diffrence between school and uni teachers, most of my teacher's wern't interested in teaching us anything, school was more like a warehouse for adolescent girls.

The big difference between school and a top class university is that at university the lecturer often is an expert who sets his own syllabus and marks his own exams.  At school, half the teachers are ignorant of half the syllabus.

Being taught by people who really knew their subject was one of the things I found most rewarding at uni. We had 30% from course work and 70% from exams and a distertation in the final year.

Education varies from institution to institution.  In the better UK universities you are actually taught by leading experts in their field and you have to pass rigourous exams.  Some of the former polytechnics are experimenting with course work only because taking exams could be detrimental to students mental health!

When I was at the Open university they were 50 :50 exams and course work.  But, one had to pass both components.  You could get 100% in the coursework but still fail the course because you still had to pass the exam.

ah yeah in that case i can still do it for free in a more fulfilling way by using duolingo to learn a language.

by learning a language theres a diffculty wall that makes you have to learn and fell like your learning, so you get something real out of it.... with alot of college courses theres no learning just signing papers then at the end you get a degree for signing your name to confirm you listened or read something.... i was actually discussing this with a indian at work, she said indias education is better because they make you learn stuff and you feel like you learning and at the end you can do stuff, she took education here and got some masters degree or something and she doesnt know what she learned from it as it was mostly as i said just signing your papers to a form and listening to someone lecture or speak.... she is going to move back to india soon because she says she doesnt want to raise kids here because they will grow up stupid with this type of education lol

Ouch!  I admit that I am fortunate in still being able to work part-time at the age of seventy, and thus afford to put a bit of jam on my meagre crust ...  I have never been one for going away on holiday, but I do enjoy occasional conferences, lectures and exhibitions that suit my autistic temperament, and sometimes that includes a restaurant meal afterwards. My point was that, whatever we have in the way of disposable income we can make choices as to our "entertainment".  The last time I went to a pub was before Christmas with some clients, and being mean I booked it as company expenses. It certainly felt like work ...

My academic study was partly professional, but also partly for pleasure. My point was that study does not need to be related to one's career, it can be rewarding for its own sake. I am about to start studying for my Radio Amateur's licence, just for interest.

Buying a round down the pub every week.

Well known Autistic pursuit... 

We are after all, well known for our copius disposable income, and vast swathes of friends.

This forum just exudes that energy doesn't it?

Or one can enjoy learning for its own sake ... Doing a degree with the OU is probably not much more expensive than a gym membership or buying a round down the pub every week.

My problem is that by now I do know quite a bit about my chosen subjects and have problems getting books and stuff, I really need access to a university library, my subject/s arn't technical, but I'd love to have the stimulation of discussion and feedback. I'd have to move back to England, probably Exeter to follow some of my more esoteric interests as they seem to do the courses that I'd want to do, only I don't want to move to England not even Exeter, its to busy and crowded and I'd have to do so much catching up with tech. If I ever won the lottery that I don't do, I'd be a perpetual student.

TheCatWoman said:

When you read at home, there's no essays to write, no seminars, no one to ask questions of, no feedback

That is a big problem.  When you're at university whether it's a brick or mortar one or online like the open university.  There are always colleagues in the same boat as me. And tutors to help me out.  At home when I get stuck on a technical problem, it's textbooks or the internet.  My extended family are useless, not even an A level between them, (council house mentality).

I was lucky when it came to education fees, I got government grants, training grants from the DHS and the OU was very cheap in my time.  In 2012 I paid £7000 for a one year master's Degree and my money was refunded on the first day because one student who had a research council grant didn't turn up and didn't inform them in advance that he wasn't coming.  It was too late to re-advetrise the grant so they offered it to me and refunded my tuition fees.

Nathan I agree studying is fun, I'd love to do another degree, I went to uni as a mature student at the age of 42, hung out with people younger than my kids, had great relationships with my lecturers, it was one of the best times of my life. I simply can't afford to do another degree and few places do the courses I'm interested in.

I don't like this thinking that mixes education and training, education isn't always about getting a "better" job, it can be about the joy of learning and having the oportunity and structure that a proper course gives you. When you read at home, there's no essays to write, no seminars, no one to ask questions of, no feedback, other than a confused, 'what do you want to read that for?' from bemused friends and family.

i dunno its pretty passive. sit back and take money for nothing. if your tenant bugs you all the time evict them and get a new one... there is millions of people needing housing so you can fill a tenancy spot in a single day.

peoples main complaints often are just the dirt they refuse to clean themselves... like mould... yeah houses get mouldy, its up to the occupant to clean where they live. i never understood the complaints like that.... its like whining your teeth are dirty because you refuse to brush your teeth and then claiming its the dentists fault and expecting the dentist to clean your teeth every day. 

can always hire a letting agency to manage it for you too, and they can be brutal and to the point and get your rent without spending much on maintenance.

Except studying is fun and being a landlord would be a pain in the ***

I've checked my open university fees in the 1990s.

A 30 credit course was £275

A 60 credit course was £425

120 credits is a full time student.

So it was possible to study full time for £850 per year.

aye prices of degrees these days dont seem to be worth it... for the price of a degree now i can buy 2 properties in a cheap place like hull and rent them out and earn more than minimum wage a month off the rent and be set for life with no need for work. so smart person would more like get a property portfolio these days instead of a qualification.

No, no high paying job, but at that time the cost of the OU degree was much much less then it is now.