To be hacked off with this?

[wowfudge]

I'm a student member of a professional body. Last week I received an email telling me the syllabus for the qualification I have been studying towards is changing. The changes come in in 18 months time.

Here's the rub: membership dues are due this week, but exam results are only out next week. The professional body will only tell me what my options are after exam results are out - they have said it is because they will tailor advice to each student. Worst case scenario for me is 18 months very full on study (if I have failed) on top of working FT and passing three remaining modules of current syllabus in that time. I don't want to do that because it will detrimentally affect my mental health - it has been hard enough already.

I had already decided to take a break if I had passed as I thought I still had enough time to complete the course within the necessary timeframe so I haven't started any study for the next exam. There was no warning any changes were due before last week btw.

They won't tell me what the changes are, but there is a series of presentations on them over the next two weeks, starting the evening subs are due, in a foreign country.

AIBU to think this is inflexible and unhelpful?

Sorry - that was long!

Tailoring advice to each individual sounds the opposite of inflexible and unhelpful

Maybe it was lost in my post, but I can't pass three modules in the 18 months remaining of the current syllabus therefore I don't want to pay £200 worth of membership fees if I am going to end up calling it a day.

What happens if youre a week late paying?

There's a £125 late payment penalty. Apologies for the drip feed. I'm hacked off about the whole thing.

Its hard as your info given is so vague...

Im sure they have plans for those halfway through or whatever. You will have to wait for specifics but i would think you can try and find out some general stuff that might help and see if because they are making the changes, if an arrangement can be made about payment and fees

I have already asked if the late payment penalty can be waived if I wait until I have all the info before I renew my membership. That was on Friday. I have had no response so have chased today.

What is vague about my posts? I haven't named the professional body or the qualification because I don't think that has any bearing on the situation and would potentially out me.

Assuming aqa or similar then what was the original time frame for completing the course? 18 months for 3 modules seem ample tobe honest with you

I think you'll struggle to dispute this because 18 months is likely to be considered ample time to complete three modules; even whilst working full time. It might not be possible for you; but it may well be deemed "fair notice".

They made fairly big changes to law degrees in some institutions a few years back; and only gave 12 months notice. That was deemed fair as most people could study the six now compulsory modules in a year even if studying part time, so I think there will be case law around this.

Oh well. They are looking my request to waive the late payment charge.

The original time frame for completion was 8 years. I have 4 years of that left.

The problem is that if 3 modules could be completed in 18 months just because you were chosing to have a break would not be a good enough reason.

Perhaps they will have a transitional period whereby the modules you have already completed will give you credit/exemption towards the new form of qualification

Who knows? If students have 8 years to complete the qualification, then shortening that period is bound to affect some people. The exams are tough - many, many people don't pass first time. I know because I've seen people I recognise from last time when I have retaken exams. You have to wait months for the results too, meaning you have to do lots of revision because the previous exam was 6 months earlier.

And I have seen the pass rates!

Would you feel comfortable pm-ing what the qualification is to me?

YANBU in the slightest. I would not want to pay for a year of membership to something I might not want to belong to in a weeks time.

Hope you get this resolved - if all else fails put it on Twitter, I bet you aren't their only affected member.

Seems unlikely that you are the only one in this situation, so maybe twitter or Facebook to get them to clarify the changes etc

@Allthebestnamesareused - do you think you know what it is and you may have details of the changes?

I had to pay for another year to get my grades too - was v pissed off and felt like they had me over a barrel.

My work paid in the end, would yours?

My work had been paying but have stopped. I have no obligation to pay them back, thank goodness. I've paid for resits, etc myself but there comes a point when you have to wonder if it's all worth it. I nearly had a breakdown last year as the pressure was too much.