Open University advice.

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Hi bit of advice needed.

My son who is very reluctant to get off his arse and do a full time degree has asked me if i will get off his back if he does an OU one.

Are these any good? Will he really learn what is needed? What university do they actually write on the degree itself when its completed?

It will be a business related course of some description.

I cant help thinking this is one of his usual cop outs, but i suppose its better than him not doing anything.

Anyway any experiences people have had, lets hear them.

Thanks in advance.
 
OU is more difficult as you need to be more self motivated than if you are a full time undergrad. Considering the circumstances I don't think this is a good idea.
 
See i knew this is what i was going to hear.

He works for me now, but in a job i had to sort of make for him, the lazy ****. I want him to get a qualification so i can justify paying him proper money.

Without going into it all he went through a stage of having fights all the time like i did when i was young, but i dont want him going as far down the wrong road as me, so now hes ended up spoiled and having this job invented for him to keep him occupied.

However now its starting to grate on my nerves his lack of motivation.

Say i let him start one of those courses how easy would it be for me to see if he's doing the work?
 
Echo the sentiments about being a cop out on some level as it means you don't have to go to lectures etc have to be very self motivated with assignments etc.

Unless there is something that he is really interested in studying and pursuing as a career, both an OU degree and a conventional degree will be a waste of money.

Then again, if he is a particularly academic person, then the studying route may be the way to go - preferably in a subject that is of interest.
 
He'll usually have to deliver a TMA (tutor marked assignments) every 2 months or so and he'll get grades on those, other than that there is not really any other way of checking his progress. As already stated, self motivation is a must for these courses.....
 
It should be easy enough, and OU attendees have advisors with whom they have telephone and online meetings etc., so you could easily check with the tutor whether he's pulling his weight.

It all depends on whether you believe he truly will put in the effort instead of just disappearing for a while and waving some books in your face when you question him.
 
If hes not motivated to do it, it will end up just being a waste of money. Ive found out the hard way with my first year of uni, looking like ive failed due to lack of motivation. I can only imagine OU will take even more motivation.

Saying that its made me realise i need to give myself a kick up the *** and start doing some work + having to budget my money and leaving by myself has helped. Couldnt just go **** all my money away on alcohol and diving as i would have no money for food then. Learnt very quickly living of 21p meals from sainsburys isnt much fun.
 
It depends, completely, on why he's not motivated.

For one person they are anxious, depressed and unwilling to go out much, a OU degree lets them gain a qualification without leaving the house and gives them something to build confidence with, and end up with a degree to go and get a job afterwards.

For other lazy spoiled people who have no real problems, just can't be bothered, it will probably be another in a long line of grandious idea's for things they think would be cool to do, but after a week lose all motivation for and really didn't care about in the first place.

With OU though you don't pay by the term or year, or degree, you pay by the module(at the moment around £400 for a 30credit module, less with financial assistance which lots of people are able to receive), so you can always start with a light(cheap ;) ) load and see how it goes, if he does great, it motivates him and he enjoys it, continue, if he doesn't, he doesn't and you haven't lost much or made a massive commitment.
 
OldCoals said:
Have you asked him what he wants to do?
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Im past caring what he wants, he is going to work for me and one day thank me for it.

What he needs to realise is the sooner he gets some sort of useful abilities round him he can earn a grand a week instead of a few hundred, a concept he seems to be finding hard to grasp sadly.
 
I finished an OU degree some years ago and believe me it is difficult working full time and studying. If he is not motivated to go to Uni or College now then there is no way he will keep up with his studies with the OU.
 
Brian Stuart said:
I finished an OU degree some years ago and believe me it is difficult working full time and studying. If he is not motivated to go to Uni or College now then there is no way he will keep up with his studies with the OU.
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Out of curisosity what was it in, and how long did it take you to complete? On my second course now.
 
Also you do have lectures/workshops every 3-5 weeks (depends on course) with most courses as far as I know with Open Uni study so it's not 100% from home. Although these are optional I've found them helpful so far.
 
DiamondMark said:
Im past caring what he wants, he is going to work for me and one day thank me for it.

What he needs to realise is the sooner he gets some sort of useful abilities round him he can earn a grand a week instead of a few hundred, a concept he seems to be finding hard to grasp sadly.
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Not everyone is driven by money.

How old is he by the way, I can understand your frustration but pushing him to work for the family business may just not be for him.
 
If done right an OU degree is perfectly respectable, if you're concerned about the quality of the end-product. My Mum did an MA with the OU and it was an awful lot of work to manage on top of a regular job with long hours. I'd echo the sentiments above, really - if the motivation's not there, you're wasting your time and your money and only getting frustrated in the mean time.

It might sound harsh, but bailing him out by giving him a job probably isn't helping him to actually get motivated. Why not encourage him to do something he's actually passionate about?
 
alex_tank said:
Out of curisosity what was it in, and how long did it take you to complete? On my second course now.
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Sociology and philosophy were my main subjects and I started in 1987 and graduated with Honours in 1994. Hard work but the sense of achievement is fantastic. Good luck with your studies.
 
OldCoals said:
Not everyone is driven by money.

How old is he by the way, I can understand your frustration but pushing him to work for the family business may just not be for him.
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He is 21, and money will become his motivation because he likes nice things. I just wish he would hurry up and grow out of this useless stage.

That boy is becoming the bane of my life, he should do what his sister is doing, go to college learn to cut hair and il get her a shop.

But no not him, he would rather pick his nose round my office all day and get on my nerves :)
 
A.N.Other said:
If done right an OU degree is perfectly respectable, if you're concerned about the quality of the end-product. My Mum did an MA with the OU and it was an awful lot of work to manage on top of a regular job with long hours. I'd echo the sentiments above, really - if the motivation's not there, you're wasting your time and your money and only getting frustrated in the mean time.

It might sound harsh, but bailing him out by giving him a job probably isn't helping him to actually get motivated. Why not encourage him to do something he's actually passionate about?
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Because the only thing he has shown any passion for is going to the gym and having fights at the weekends, neither of which are going to provide him with an income.

Im between a rock and a hard place, i really do feel like telling him to **** off and make his way in the world, but the problem with that is 2 fold, 1 i dont really want to be visiting him in the shovel and 2 his mother wont let me tell him that.
 
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