Do I need a degree?!

[DoIReallyNeedToDoThis]

Signed up when DD was little to do a degree, mainly because in my field they tend to be expected. That said I’ve climbed the ladder without issues with just professional quals. But figured learning is good and an Open Degree with the PU lets me pick subjects that enrich and enhance my chosen career. I completed the second year in 2014.

2026 (completion date) always felt ages away, but with 3 years to go and 2 more years of study needed I decided to sign back up in Sept. It’s been a nightmare. I have recently been diagnosed with ADHD and have struggled so much with everything now being online. At the same time work has been mental and I’ve been working 70-90 hour weeks since Sept.

I begged for textbooks for weeks, as the info just doesn’t go in when it’s on a screen. They arrived on Weds this week and it’s so much better being able to scribble on paper. I have an assignment due in at midnight tomorrow and am trying to cram 100 hours of study into today.

I’ve just been offered a new job with a massive salary (despite no degree) and I think at this point I’m
just making life difficult for no real reason.

I can defer and start the course again next year. Or quit completely. Or submit something so much worse than I am capable of and feel like shit if I get a crap mark. Who knows how much harder the next assignment will be.

So, I guess this is a AIBU to stop? What would you do?

I'd defer

The reasons you say for wanting to do a degree - learning is good, learning enhances - are still true.

Probably too much to do whilst finding your feet in your new job, so I'd wait

If sounds like you are doing well regardless however it was important enough to you to start it so you should finish it. On the other hand if you now find that don’t want the hassle then just quit, you don’t need to justify it to anyone except yourself.

Defer, I did an open degree and it’s hellish whilst working FT. Defer, at year two all assignments go towards your final degree classification.

The crap mark you fear will impact your degree outcome. So I would suggest deferring and then look for 30 credit modules that take less time if a degree is really something you even want or need.
It’s too late to ask for extension now.

Defer.

I’ve completed year 2 in 2014. This is year 3.

Emailed Tutor who has extended it for another week.

This assignment is only worth 15% of the module.

I don’t know what to do.

You’ve got a week and you’ve come this far. It will be a headache but you’re on a good path, get it done.

I would keep going up Xmas and then see.

Though if not done since 2014 I'm not sure it would add much to your cv particularly-yes it would be a degree completed but stlll done over 20 years?

Though if you always have to also include the half finished degree on the cv and can't leave it off, that may raise questions so best to finish it from that viewpoint.

What module are you doing? Best way to cram the study in is read the end part of each chapter/unit, read the tutorial notes and build something from there. Ask for an extension for this TMA and tell the uni you've got an ADHD diagnosis and need support.

Book a phone call or better yet a video call n with your tutor and get a 1:1 tutorial booked in

Use the extension to do the assignment.

Strategic Management.

They know about the ADHD diagnosis but it took me almost having a complete breakdown on the phone for them to agree to send me printed materials.

You've got an extra week. Ask work if you can take some time off to get it done. Work In your lunch breaks, WFH but study etc etc.

Student support are your friends here and lean heavily on your tutor.

You'll regret giving it up this close to completion

Honestly in your shoes I’d drop it. It’s taken a decade.

Focus all your energy in your new job, then in a year or two get them to sponsor you to some executive course with a top uni (the ones where you stay at Cambridge campus for two weeks and it costs 30k).

Have you signed up to the student groups on Facebook and WhatsApp? Chat with them about what pages to focus on

What job do you do?

Nobody knows if you need a degree!

But it sounds like there is no need. If you started before 2014 and haven’t completed it then I would be inclined to give up. You have done well without it.

As an aside, I have read that many people with adhd actually tend to work better with deadlines and last-minute cramming. Is this not the case for you?

It is, but the way it’s set up now you can’t just read and understand, you have to undertake the online exercises to understand the concepts. It’s really frustrating as that isn’t the way my brain works.

I can usually pull it out of the bag at the 11th hour but 100 hours of study in 2 days is pushing it even for me.

I’m a fully qualified senior HR professional. Don’t need the degree for work but the subjects I’ve chosen are complementary.

new job not likely to start till April/May due to screening and notice. By that point I’d have nearly finished this.

I reckon if I can get something in for this I can catch up over Xmas (I don’t celebrate but have to be off work) and be in a much better position for the next assignment. Maybe.

You don't have to do the activities though. You're not assessed on them.

If you're happy you can pick up what you need through your own active reading style to pass the assignment, that's all that matters.

Ok so just do this assignment. Only think about that.

Then do the next one.

Then once you get there, see how things are.

One step at a time. You don't need to have everything mapped out until next spring and you don't have to make the decision now.

Are you a recent student? The materials alone don’t give you all the info. You have to do the interactive exercises to get all of what is needed for the assignments.

If you have the printed version, isn't the end of the book just all the solutions to the activities? Read those?

Or download the Word version because the end of that will be all the activity solutions?

No. The printed version has the links to the online activities and answers. So I read and then have to go online to view the answers.