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Q) Age
A) 36
Q) Where do you live?
A) Tokyo (and sometimes Swindon, Wiltshire)
Q) Which course are you currently studying?
A) BA (Hons) Business
Q) What are your living circumstances?
A) With husband in our apartment with 2 children and no. 3 due in November
Q) Do you work full-time or part-time and where?
A) Part-time, self-employed from home
Q) Why did you choose RDI?
A) Flexbility, ability to study from overseas (many providers charge
additional fees, or state you need to return to the UK to sit exams),
interesting choice of courses and good accredited universities and
examining bodies were the main reasons. Beyond that, friendly helpful
staff whenever I contacted them, and no pressure at all.
Q) Did you always think you'd be studying for your qualifications?
A) I always knew I would get my degree one day, but this specific topic
(Business) I could not have predicted, nor the fact that I am enjoying
it so much I now plan to go on and get a masters degree later on.
Q: Any adversity or issues along the way?
A) Plenty! Lack of confidence in my abilities in the beginning. From
there, juggling work, family, kids and study was the main issue. My
daughter was admitted to hospital for 2 weeks and had 2 operations a
month before my final exams last October, so I had to study in the
paediatric surgery ward while I was staying with her! But I didn't want
to say anything to the examiners or tutors about it because I wanted to
get my grades on my own terms with my own effort, not with any special
circumstances applied to them (and I did pass - yay!).
I had to give up my job as a result of her illness, but that actually
pushed me into working from home which is now much more flexible for
me, so I guess every cloud has a silver lining!
Q) How has Higher Education changed your career, personal life or you as a person?
A) It hasn't changed my career yet, because I am still working towards
that as a future goal once the children are older. Personally I am much
happier and more confident in myself and my abilities. I always hated
the reaction of people when they found I didn't have a degree - they
just assumed I therefore wasn't that intelligent when in fact I`m not
that bad (in my humble opinion!) but circumstances beyond my control at
the time led to me not going to a conventional university.
Q) What do you believe are the main benefits of distance learning?
A) Beyond the obvious examples of obtaining a qualification, flexibility
in study, etc, I would say:
Self-confidence, pride in oneself, improved discipline and
self-motivation, the ability to look at issues from different
perspectives, to study as little or as much as it suits you and your
circumstances, the good example being set to my children to adopt good
study habits, the opening of doors I never even knew were there before
I started - the list goes on. I almost feel sorry now for the students
at traditional bricks and mortar universities who will be coming out
loaded with debt and with very little if any work experience. Distance
learning (through an accredited institution) is in my opinion in the
process of crossing over into the mainstream now, and I think that
trend will continue as the economic crisis continues to bite. It
demonstrates to current and future employers that you have the skills
and experience necessary to get on with the job and get the job done.
Q) What will your qualification give you and what is next?
A) I'm in my final year top up of a BA Business with the University of
Wales. Beyond that I am thinking of a Masters degree in an IT-related
field, and then either returning to my IT background in the future, or
taking a PGCE and teaching Business and IT, or starting my own
business. One problem this experience has left me with is too much
choice!!!
Q) Anything you'd like to add?
Thank you. I loved doing my HND. I'm excited about the BA Business
course. I really enjoyed making the video testimonial for RDI and am
enjoying writing my blogs. I enjoyed the course more than I ever
believed I would and now feel passionately that the benefits of
studying by distance learning should be communicated to other people
who believe they "couldn't" get a qualification or "shouldn't" even try.
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