Going back to law school OU?

[Kzjxudgsbs]

Not sure if this is the right place to post but wasn't sure what other topic to post under

I originally went to uni after college, studied Law undergraduate. Got to my third year but fell pregnant and then (very stupidly) dropped out

it's about 7 years on now, I have my diploma of higher education for completing the first two years but I'd really like to get my full degree. Looking online it seems I can do a credit transfer, and the cheapest option for finishing my studies would be the open university as I would have to self fund and I can't afford 9k for my final year from a traditional uni.

my question is, if I do this and I get my degree from the open university, will i have a look in for training contracts etc? I know law is so competitive and the open university is kind of looked down on. Would I be wasting my time or has anyone any success stories with this?

Why can't you get a final year grant for the fees?
Let me tell you this - I've just been accepted on the 3rd year of a degree I started 20 years ago, and I've got a student grant to cover the fees & get the maintenance /living grant.
Can't you apply for this? You have 4 years of grant & from what you've said, you've only taken two years of it.

I mean finish your degree at a regular uni?

I think you'd have to do that either way as it's the next stage of training img after you get your undergraduate degree when you need a training contract? That said a lot has changed with the new sqe qualifications

You can take out more loan for your last year at a physical Uni if you want to do it that way. You're allowed one additional year.

What was your original uni?

It depends a lot on what type of law you want to go into, but broadly your grades (A-level and degree) are likely to be more important than the university you study at unless it's a very elite university. I can't say for every firm, but assuming your A-level grades are strong, the university you attended initially was strong for law, and you can show you were doing well before you dropped out (i.e. 2.1 or 1st in your second year exams), I don't think completing via OU will be a big deal.

On the 9k - is there a reason you wouldn't be eligible for the standard student loan?

One issue will be how you explain why you dropped out - you have a very good reason, and by the time you come to start actual work you'd presumably have a child in secondary so no actual childcare issues but mentioning you have kids is usually not advisable not just in law but in general, and will send a good recruiter into a bit of a tizz over how they deal with it! In your circumstances I'd mention it because I think explaining the benefit of having a good reason for dropping out (as opposed to not being capable of completing the course), but I never normally would having once been not offered a job by a MC firm because I had kids (obviously I don't have that in writing!). You have a while before you have to decide this though.