Dilemma! Please Advise!

[LawDegreeBarbie]

I'm in university at the moment as a mature student. 2 DC's (10 & 7) and expecting DC3 late August. Studying LLB Law in a less than respected university. I just passed the first year with a high 2:1 that should have been a first apart from a horrible exam that dragged me down.

I now have the opportunity to study an LLB Law and Politics at a Russell Group university the next city over. It's a far more well respected university but I'd have to go in in Year 1 rather than straight into Year 2 like I would be if I stayed in my current course at my current university. I'm aware that Year 1 in this RG university is twice as hard as Year 1 in my current so either way I'm expected to put in a lot of work.

Do I take the hit and go back to Year 1 for a better degree? I'm not looking to become a solicitor or barrister, I'd hope to go into local government or HR after I graduate or maybe teaching after a masters which is why I'm hoping the combined LLB with politics may give me an edge in knowledge. I've been assured a 2:1 from this RG uni would be appreciated more than a first from my current uni but it's a lot to think about.

I also have the issue of having a relationship with my current course leader who is brilliant regarding studying with a newborn which I won't have transferring schools.

Can anyone with any insight give me their opinion? I'm 30 now so I'm very set on studying while parenting and making a better life for us and I'm not currently willing to defer a year.

Thank you!

If you switch to the other uni having already done a year then you wouldn't be eligible for student finance for your masters afterwards as you can only get it for 4 years if that is relevant.

It depends which 2 unis they are eg. Bath is not rg but I wouldn't leave there to go to Bristol.

I now have the opportunity to ...

That's a passive way to describe it. Either the opportunity found you or you found the opportunity. Which one was it? Let's dig a bit deeper here.

Bath isn’t “less than respected” though is it? I think it really depends how lowly this university is when looking at your future career plans. Does RG matter or not? Local Govt isn’t that picky. I know several people who are in HR with degrees from non RG and with less “worthy” degrees than Law.

If you have an understanding about how you are going to cope at your present university, I think doing joint honours somewhere else will be a massive struggle. Plus the travelling. I think, on balance, I would stay put. You don’t need a masters to teach in a school. I would research this avenue of Work and see if Law grads go into teaching. If you mean lecturing at a FE college, then research that avenue. University lecturing will need a masters so do that at a more respected university.

I applied without the hope of ever being able to get in. For reference, I'm talking about the University of South Wales v Cardiff University so a big jump in terms of league tables etc.

I would like to teach further education so Law at A-Level or a lecturer in Law at a university down the line. I'd like experience in government first but I'd like to have the ambition of teaching later on when I have some experience to still be achievable. Possibly public law as I have an interest in government but I'm aware those are decisions for the future.

I applied without the hope of ever being able to get in

So it was an impossible dream that has come good? As long as you think that you can keep up with the work (more demanding, combined with baby. yikes!) then carpe diem.

Have a word with Cardiff to check that you do actually like them and they will be supportive and have a word with USW to see if they will accept you back if it all goes pear-shaped.

I'd stay where you are because you've already completed year one.

Why would year 1 be twice as hard at the RG? Is the standard of teaching that much lower at the RG?

Public sector recruitment is, usually, blind so where you study isn't relevant. Considering what you want to do, I'd go with where you think you'd get the best result.

Can you afford to accrue an extra year of debt loan? Us your first year effectively treated as a Foundation year? I'm not sure there is a huge demand for teaching Law in FE and HR has specific requirements unless you mean to do Articles in Employment Law and become a solicitor.