My World Turned Upside Down

[fedupnorthernmum]

I am 47 years old and always wanted to go to University. Due to support from father 2 years ago did access course and for past year being studying for a degree, and I loved it! Worked hard and got excellent grades. Now fathers business has after 25 years gone into receivership and the impact on my family is really substantial (My dad is OK by btw has rental properties etc). On the other hand, I am having to give up degree and get back to work, which worries me as I am 47 type1 diabetic with complications relating to my eyes, partial amputation of foot and trigger finger! yes, I'm dropping in bits!!and take my daughter out of private education. Anyway my last two exams are on Tuesday next week and then one the week after. However I cant see the point of revising as I will never get the chance to finish and every time I do pick up a book I cry. AIBU to just withdraw now and not take exams?

Do you have a student loan or have you been studying through the Open University? Are you able to transfer credits if you have to withdraw for a period of time?
Speak to your tutor to see if there is any funding available. Don't drop out until you have had advice.

Don't drop out, do your best in the upcoming exams because if you do decide to continue later you will be able to pick up where you left off. I did 2 years of my degree took a year out and recontinued at another university. My previous grades ensured I didn't have to repeat a year. Good luck I hope things get better for you soon.

Don't stop now. If you think you can somehow focus and revise, take the exams. Especially as you have done well so far. You might want to check the regulations for your course but the grades you get in first year generally don't count towards your final grade - you just have to pass it. You will then have the option of completing ( if you can sort out £) rather than having not a lot to show for 2 years work. Even if you need to take a year out. Assuming the original plan was an access course plus a 3 year degree, at 2 years in, you are half way through.

Take your exams and regroup from there.

You have achieved wonderful things and you must continue!!

If you stop now I think you know that you'll never follow it through and catch up again. Get this under your belt.

Don't drop out, take your exams and do your best in them.
how long do you have left to go for your course? Just one year?
talk to your university. They may have funds to help you or be able to give you a fee waiver due to your unexpected change in circumstances. A lot of student support sources are restricted to people whose expected source of funding dries up mid course so you may find there is plenty of help available. They may let you do the final year part-time over 2 years so you can combine it with work. All these discussions can wait till after exams, so for now just keep your hopes and spirits up, revise like crazy and ace those exams - the brighter you shine academically the more your uni will be willing to bend over backwards to help you stay.

You can get a loan and you can finish it. The loans are structured so that you don't pay a penny until your income is above a certain amount (think just over £20000). In two years you will be in a much better position to get a job which you can do despite your disability. There are also often grants available to help people with disabilities and children. Talk to the university. You won't be the first person to have had their financial situation change during the degree. You already have the first year completed so it will only be 2/3 of what it would have been. You can and should do it.

It must be hard too thinking about the transition for your dd but she will move on as many children do when they move schools. My dd1 has had about a third to a half of her classmates leave (a popular oversubscribed school) for one reason or another and all of the new ones have slotted right in and those whom I am still in contact with have also adapted. Make sure too that if there is an extenuating circumstances form that you fill it in - although as someone else said if you are completing your first year then you probably just have to pass to proceed.

You do also have the option of transferring your credits to another university. I would probably be reluctant to do that without exploring other options at your current university but for instance an OU degree is cheaper than many and can be easily spread over more years so although it would take another 4yr to finish you could maybe work part time. Hope it all works out well for you.