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Original poster

Thinking about doing a degree but really scared!!!

63 replies

schneebly · 14/06/2006 21:50

Hi
I am currently a SAHM and have have 2 DSs aged 2.10 and 17 months. DS1 will be going to nursery 12.5 hours PW as of August and I have a friend who will take DS2 a couple or mornings per week while DS2 is at nursery. Would I be mad to try and study for a degree - it is mostly online learning so I could also do some work in the evenings when DSs are in bed and I am usually Mnetting! It is a course I really want to do and by the time I completed it would be around the time I would be looking to re-join the workforce. I am just really worried that I will not cope - I feel like I need more mental stimulation and want good prospects for the future but not sure how I would manage. What do you guys think?

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peachyClair · 15/06/2006 10:07

If you still struggle to find funding do look at the OU. I only did a year with them but I agree that they are fab, and they will help you with funding also. The tutor / mentor system at the OU was great- poor chap kept me going through Hyperemesis, pre eclampsia and a newnorn .

countrylass · 15/06/2006 10:11

Hi schneebly

I finished my degree one week ago (YIPEEEE!). I did it for three years, full time, attending a college four days a week. This involved a 50 mile round trip daily which obviously took a lot of my time. I also have a young son, who, in my first year was only at nursery for 2 hours a day. It is very difficult to do, but well worth it. I did the vast majority of studying every evening, and did the minimum I could regarding housework, etc, as there just isn't enough time to study at that level and maintain a perfect house. Is your course over three or six years? If it is part time, you may not find it too bad - my full time course required 15 hours of lectures a week and we were advised to put in approx. 20 hours at home, so it was more or less 'full time'. However, I found myself doing more than that, because I've been aiming to get a degree at the higher end of the scale.

With regards to funding - for part time courses there is some funding available, but it is very limited, which is one of the main reasons I decided to do my degree full time. Unfortunately, they have also upped the fee limit this year, so you may be shocked at the expense!

However, despite all of this, I would really recommend that you do it - it has really broadened my mind and has built up my confidence and I'm going on to further study in September.

Good luck

peachyClair · 15/06/2006 10:17

Hours do vary, I was only in Uni 12 hours full time last year (ist year), you can check this out with your Uni.

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slug · 15/06/2006 10:50

I find it helps to section off chunks of time. Part of my day is work, part of my day is family and part of my day is study. I don't mix them. However tempting it is to do a little baking, clean a few things away, study time is study time.

I find it helps, though this might not be possible for you, to study AWAY from home. I work on the assumption if I can't see what a tip the house is, I'm not tempted to clean it up

spacedonkey · 15/06/2006 10:52

If you're in Scotland, am I not right in thinking that you don't have to pay tuition fees up there at brick unis?

I'm sure I heard this from someone recently!

MarsLady · 15/06/2006 10:53

Go for it babe! I'm doing an OU degree and there are several other MNers who are doing various degrees. The only trouble is popping in here when you should be studying. Nighmare!

FillyjonktheFluffy · 15/06/2006 10:56

you know what I do? When I can get someone to watch ds, I take dd, asleep in the pushchair, to Starbucks. Buy a huge peppermint tea for about £1.20, I think. Sit there at the back (theres a big table) for 3-4 hours and study. Its great.

(you might want to buy two teas if you are not as naughty as me)

Main thing is get out of the house so you can't MN or clean.

peachyClair · 15/06/2006 11:00

I do all my studying at home! I find I feel guilty if I stay at Uni (no cafe'shere, bar one that charges a fiver a cup!)

i think you have to fdo what works for you. I can't do the bit a day approah, BUT i can zone out for a day or two to complete someything when DH on down shift.

TooTicky · 15/06/2006 11:09

I'm so jealous! I'd love to study but I'm sure I wouldn't get any financial help to do what I want to do. I can't even console myself that our house is cleaner than yours, because it couldn't possibly be.

spacedonkey · 15/06/2006 11:11

lol TT

what is it you want to do then?

peachyClair · 15/06/2006 11:13

everyone who studies a full time degree gets a loan, which is paid back only when you are working and earning over about £15K

FillyjonktheFluffy · 15/06/2006 11:15

yeah, i still don't have to pay back my first student loan, due to continued skintess

even for OU courses though peachy? Cos you don't get a student railcard of a topshop dicount.

Stargazer · 15/06/2006 11:15

Hi Schneebly - I say go for it. I'm doing molecular science (chemistry) with the OU at the moment - my kids are now 4½ and 10½, and I'm in my third year. It does take some organisation - but it's well worth it.

Good luck with your studies.

peachyClair · 15/06/2006 11:17

no, Ou not considered ft by student loans

bvut they do offer other forms of help, we qualified for a smaller loan from them (though that was six and a half years ago!)

FillyjonktheFluffy · 15/06/2006 11:18

oh ffs. my course is 16 hrs pw (in theory . That would be f/t anywhere else. I actually don't get it.

spacedonkey · 15/06/2006 11:19

Feel like I'm a stuck record here, but the rules are different in Scotland!

peachyClair · 15/06/2006 11:23

I know Filly, that's why I gave up OU and waited to go to Uni.

peachyClair · 15/06/2006 11:23

SD, and some are different in Wales too- My Uni has had about a 30% rise in applications coz of the fee thing

MarsLady · 15/06/2006 11:27

You can get an NUS student card with OU for your topshop discounts. You can also apply for financial assistance and also they will sometimes send a student loan which is actually a grant that you don't need to pay back.

Now I have REALLY got to get off of MN for the day. Far too much to do with time passing.

thewomanwhothoughtshewasahat · 15/06/2006 11:27

I'm doing a masters which has been great, but I'm doing it f-t and it's only been possible coz I've spent a load of money on childcare. even so it has still had a knock on effect on the rest of the family. studying for exams has been very stressful - with me trying to scrape every moment I can and landing dh with the kids far more than is his fair share. One thing we did though was plan ahead a bit - I cut dh quite some slack earlier in the year - he went away for a couple of weekends and went ski-ing with friends, meaning I had time in the bank come exam time. life-saver for me has been the local uni library - my masters is in central London but I have an outer london uni literally across the road, so I made enquiries and am able to use it as somewhere to work. seriously don;t know how I would have managed without it - even when dds are being good and playing in the graden and dh is looking after them, it's incredibly difficult to concentrate at home. Agree with starbucks too - you can filter out a hum of background noise and get a huge amount done in a cafe. you should definitely go for it - it might be difficult at times but no pain no gain and other cliches

However it has been amazingly interesting, I've met some good people - most of whom are proper grown ups - though only a couple with kids. I have managed to combine getting to know these people with work, by being in self-organised "study groups" (which seems to be the way people do stuff where I am) and which has been great.

thewomanwhothoughtshewasahat · 15/06/2006 11:29

that last bit was a bit random. I'd forgetten it was there. very poor composition

TooTicky · 15/06/2006 11:52

I dream of the masters in writing for children, but any decent creative writing course would be great and give me a much-needed kick up the bum. I would have to study at home though, because of children.

FillyjonktheFluffy · 15/06/2006 11:53

oooh, thanx marsy. I do like Topshop and I don't think i can be a proper student unless I shop there.

FillyjonktheFluffy · 15/06/2006 11:54

does it have to be a degree though, tt? Could you not do one of these correspondance courses? Or join some kind of online group to give each other collective kicks?

(god I would love to do that...I used to get stuff published...very very occasionally...ffs)

beansontoast · 15/06/2006 12:02

ironically, the hardest thing i find about studying full time with a family is.... staying off mumsnet!

when i have a deadline you iwll find sincere posts from me on carpet shampoo,hamster cages etc

dont knwo much about the funding stuff...but once you have that sorted, teh studying is massively rewarding.go girl x

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