Mature student- Need advice how to approach a decision about my degree

[Yorkshiremummy2023]

So I returned to full time education last September, after giving up a full time job. I have a 3.5 year old and due to cost of living crisis it has been a juggling act. I had savings and I've also been working temp part time positions.
Most recently I was successful in securing a student internship position organising a well known art Festival over the summer and now have got another freelance role working with mental health patients doing art at a local hospital, which is something I've always wanted to do. Anyways my question is around my studies, I've just completed a foundation degree in art assessed by Open University but my local college and got dinstinction, I can continue to do full BA Hons degree but I've been offered a place at an art college in a big city to finish my degree so one more year. I really don't know what to do. It's a juggling act as it is with my son still being at nursery, I want to spend quality time with him which isn't easy on top of uni work as it was last year and not sure how easy a long commute will be. But I don't want obstacles to make me turn down a place at this art college either. I'm in a real quandary but don't want to put too much pressure on myself and it all becomes really miserable really fast. So any advice about how to make a decision whether to continue where iam or not.. When I'm through my degree I just don't want people to judge me for going to the local college and hold me back from getting a job in the future

I don’t know about the art world but generally people don’t care where you went to uni unless it’s an amazingly prestigious one. What will matter is the quality of your work, extracurricular activities that build your experience and network (like the mental health role) and how you approach job seeking.

I think if the longer commute and extra year might cause difficulties for you, that reduce your enjoyment and quality level, it’s worth factoring that in.

in my experience it’s sometimes easier to thrive in a smaller supportive college than it is to do well in a highly prestigious one where lecturers think students should be dying of gratitude just to be there.

Thank you you your reply @Septemberlady that's exactly where iam at. It is a supportive college and my tutors do want me to do well and it really would be stepping into the unknown interms of that going to this other place. I have to work so juggling my son, studied and a job is hard adding in a long commute would get really stressful. It's good to hear others views on it. :)

It sounds like staying put would be good. I think in the long term it’s the extracurriculars that really make a difference.

I’m bumping so you can get some morning traffic.

Ahh thanks for that @Septemberlady

Will going to the college mean you get a higher profile graduate show? Do they have a good careers service? Does it mean having teachers who have better connections?