Young students (18 to 25)

Sarah Beattie-Smith, 25, from Edinburgh, already has a degree in sculpture but wanted to venture into the academic world and upskill in a bid to tackle a competitive job market head first.

Sarah has moved out of home and into a flat share, works full time in public affairs and is studying economics with the OU to advance her career.

Chloe is the Study Magpie, a young OU student who writes and video blogs about her experiences - why she chose the OU, how she's finding working full time and studying for a degree and what it's like living in the Channel Islands.

She's also thinking about doubling up on courses and talks about the flexibility of OU study; how it suits her lifestyle much better than traditional university which she tried, tested and decided wasn't for her.

But what can the OU improve on? Four course start dates instead of two perhaps? Chloe wants to complete her degree as soon as possible and says the gap between course start dates is slowing her down a little. She also struggles to attend the face-to-face tutorials because of where she lives.

Find out more about Chloe, watch this video:

The NUS Extra Card provides an instantly recognisable student identity when you're on your travels and will be accepted as valid student identification at your OU exams. You also get the opportunity to enter competitions, apply for special offers and receive discount updates all online.

You can find out more about who is eligible for an NUS card here  - and apply via OUSA, the Open University Student Association, here.

How did you hear about the OU? Did you find out about Open University study through friends or family, careers advice at school, or through your own investigations?

What sort of careers/study advice did you get at school? Young student blogger Hayley is studying with the OU straight after A Levels and decided to go back to her old school and talk to some of the Year 12 students about the OU as an option. Watch her video blog here:

 

The OU is an increasingly attractive option for younger students, aged between 18 and 25. We hear from five young students about their lives, their OU study and why it suits them. You can also follow their progress as they blog about their studies…


Luke did his first OU course at 16. With no formal qualifications to his name the OU’s no entry requirements gave him a way in and now he’s studying law…

I’m Luke, a young Open University Law student. I started studying and passed W100 at 16, and now I’m doing W200. I was home educated and had no formal qualifications, due to the horrendous costs of privately taking GCSEs or A Levels. Thankfully, the OU held no entry requirements and the support from the Young learner’s team was fantastic. I’m hoping this blog will show how flexible an option studying with the OU is, assisted (or maybe hindered!) by my faithful (rescued farm dog) Muttley!

• Read Letters From a Law Student

Chloe works in PR, is studying with the OU and likes crafts…

I started the new job last Monday but have still yet to do a full week as I took Thursday and Friday off to visit my sister in Brighton and see the X Factor tour (for her birthday). It was a great weekend, and I always love the chance for a good shop on the UK high street! I should say though that being in a grotty student house reminded why I am glad to be studying with the OU! We had an awesome party but I don’t think I could cope with living like that full time!

• Read The Study Magpie

Hayley works part time and studies with the OU too. She keeps herself busy and spreads the OU word wherever she goes, including at her old school…

Let me introduce myself. My name is Hayley and I am a young student studying towards a Humanities Degree with a Philosophy Specialism… but not in the conventional way. You’ll begin to wonder what makes me so different from other young students, and hopefully my blog entries will fill the holes of curiosity. Throughout my journey I plan to illustrate what really captivates my attention and heart. From news headlines, to books I’ve read, from philosophy to politicians, I hope to embark on life’s experiences and share my thoughts with you. To break the ice a little, I thought I would share a few characteristics of mine… I adore books, fiction and fact. Once I have hold of one I completely absorb the magic written on those pages. And I always feel a little bit intellectual when holding a hard-back book too… ;-). I find cakes and tea one of the most perfect combinations. I think Philosophy and Ethics is the other! I am a keen photographer and proud owner of a canon SLR. I take photos constantly when I am out and about and I will no doubt share a few on here. These are just a few of my favourite things, but by following my blog, you will soon realise what captures the interest of a young student from afar…

• Read My Open Experience

Darragh felt she ought to attend a traditional university, because it was what everyone else was doing. But it wasn’t for her and when family suggested the OU she did her research, shook off any miconceptions and got stuck in...

So, this is my first ever blog post. I thought I’d start out by telling you why I decided to study with the Open University, rather than following the more traditional route of running away to study in a faraway place. Last year, when I was finishing my A Levels and applying to universities I really had no idea what I wanted to do. I managed to talk myself into applying to study Psychology, but by the time I realised I’d rather shove a rusty screwdriver through my ear than do that, it was too late to change my mind. After hyperventilating for about three weeks, I started discussing my problem with the family. My aunt suggested that I look into the OU, as she had had a great experience doing her second degree that way. I wasn’t completely convinced at the time, but I read around, and talked the ears off many a friend and family member. In the end it was my grandad that tipped the scale, I found out that hundreds of years ago (in the 1970s) he did his degree with the Open University. Before he told me this I sort of had the preconception that getting an OU degree wouldn’t be as good as with a “proper” university. He showed me a couple of articles that put OU study on a level with Cambridge and Oxford, which I have to admit, made me much more open to the idea. After reading about a thousand course descriptions I finally settled on AA100 (The Arts Past and Present), as it seemed to contain a little bit of everything that I love. I was completely convinced that I had made the right decision when I got my books delivered in September. It hasn’t been plain sailing, but I’ve loved every moment so far, and I hope that now you guys can enjoy it with me.
Darragh

• Read Doing it the Open Way

Nikki is 23, parties, reads and loves a bit of drama. She’s also working towards an Open Degree and learning Swedish in her spare time...

I’m Nikki (Nicola Jayne) and I am 23. My favourite things to do are sing or act, party, or read. I read a lot. I am a little bit of a geek and an invaluable member of pub quiz teams. I also party quite a bit, which balances my geeky side out. I am pretty outgoing, sociable, confident and fiery. I am dramatic (in an ‘OH MY GOD I’m in so much pain’ from a paper cut way). I like to be out with people, but because I’m an only child I need alone time as well, to do useful things like bum around on Facebook and Twitter, troll forums and play The Sims 3. I am studying for an Open Degree with the OU, with an emphasis on Art History. I’m a student ambassador for my course, hence this blog!

I have my eye on a masters in Curating Art at Stockholm University, so in my spare time I learn Swedish which I enjoy far too much because I adore the accent, even though it cracks me up. You will often find me going ‘Halloh-ahh?’ (hallå) and laughing myself silly. I’m easily amused. I went to the University of Kent from 2006-2008 and studied Drama, but dropped out halfway through my second year because the course was less acting and more watching videos of people harassing others masquerading as ‘performance art’. I’m a member of a local amateur theatre company. We’re doing Oliver in March 2011. I’m in the chorus and my parts are flower seller and drunken tart, because the choreographer thought I’d ‘do it justice’.

I have a great urge to visit every European country in my life. I’ve been to various European countries and cities, the most recent of which was Stockholm in December 2010. The next cities on my list are Amsterdam, Berlin, Oslo, Prague and Tallinn.

• Read Open All Hours

James, 24, from Wiltshire, is studying for his MSc with the OU and is a big fan of psychology...

"I'm a 24-year-old guy who is studying for his MSc in psychological research methods with the Open University. I've been interested in psychology since I was a teenager, but went on to study music at university before converting and achieving Graduate Basis for Resgistration (GBR) with the British Psychological Society. I'm interested in lots of different areas, but primarily identity in virtual spaces. This blog is largely an attempt to share my thoughts about my studies, my university and my life."
 

• Read Carpe Open

Three graduates, three very different points of view on whether the OU can genuinely be considered an alternative to the traditional university route... 

Adolescents into their 20s: why the OU beats conventional university

The website notgoingtouni.co.uk  claims that 37 percent of students felt pressured into going to [conventional] university. Only 37 percent? Nowadays parents, and teenagers, all seem to see university as the be-all and end-all of education, never mind what you actually study. The result is lots of university students who don’t know why they’re there, except to rack up large debts, and a university drop-out rate of approaching one in four. And young people who don’t go to university, for whatever reason, are perceived as having terminally destroyed their future prospects and put themselves on track for a life of menial jobs and low earnings.

I’ve always said University was wasted on me. Like the majority of those collecting A results this week,  I headed straight from school into uni because my teachers and my parents expected me to. I suppose the very fact that I was incapable of making my own decision proves they were right. I did need growing-up time and benefitted from the three years at Southampton,  learning how to motivate myself, manage my time, challenge received wisdom, construct an argument - as well as how to cook spaghetti bolognaise and co-exist with housemates  whose idea of socialising was playing Derek and Clive every 3am. Loudly.

Say hi to Hayley, a young student studying towards a Humanities Degree with a Philosophy specialism at The Open University. You can check out her blog about her student journey at My Open Experience.