Drop out students get help to finish their degree at home (Part 2)

Following on from my previous posting about this new initiative, it has now been confirmed that this is a pilot project run initially in the North East of the country. However the people I have spoken to at the Open University are hopeful that the West Country could be in the next round if they let this idea develop. Of course many students who do not finish their full time degree for all sorts of reasons, (Illness, personal issues, family pressure), can take their HE work they have already completed, gain credit for it from the Open University, and then keep on studying to gain a full degree. Something to consider when looking at HE options perhaps.

Drop-out students get help to finish their degrees at home

There can be many reasons why students might not complete their studies, indeed about 20% of all potential graduates leave before they have finished studying. If this happens it can sometimes be difficult to get back into HE, and you can feel wary of signing up for another 3 years. However one of the best kept secrets is how you can use your previous studies, if you finished a year or more, as advanced standing with the Open Univerisity, allowing you to complete that degree you always wanted whilst staying in Somerset. It seems other people also agree as Gordon Brown PM today announced an £12 million plan to help some of the 35,000 students who drop out each year from their studies finish their degree with the OU. Along with some other advisers I have a meeting with the local Open University regional office a week Monday and I'll see what else I can find out about this initiative. Press report here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/jun/24/drop-out-open-university-fund