Has anyone deferred & successfully returned to study?

the_devil_made_me_do_it

I started the first year of a BSc Hons degree 2007 -2008. Unfortunatly due to a number of health reasons I couldn't sit the exams and so have had to defer entry into the second year. To enter the second year 2009 - 2010, I will need to sit exams this coming summer. I haven't been able to get into Uni at all since deferring & am wondering what my chances are with regards to successfully going onto the second year with a view to completing the degree in 2011. Has anyone else had similar experience & it has worked out ok?

Oldernotwiser

As you're obviously still unwell (I assume) might it not be better to just start the course again?

the_devil_made_me_do_it

Would firstly have to find out if it was a possibility and secondly I did well on the assignments so would it be a shame to have to re-do them all again?

If I started from scratch, it may be better to start a completely different degree?

bestpud

I deferred for one semester last year and have gone back part time.

I was at uni regularly while deferring though, as I was catching up with assignments, and also seeing the student counsellor weekly.

I found (after I deferred) they usually take the student card and library access off students while they are deferring and I argued this on the basis I had assignments to complete before I was due to return. I found the library staff were very helpful and allowed me to have 'guest' access free and a guy in registry agreed not to take my card but asked me to keep it quiet! So, if you need to use the facilities at all, for your exam revision, then do check you are still able!

Tbh, I've found the work ok, but it is a very different place without my friends! There was a group of us, all mature students, who got on very well, and I travelled with two others too, and I miss that. It's easily the most difficult part for me in fact.

Lots of people do manage to go back and finish so I'm sure you will be fine. If you are still unwell, is part time an option for you?

If you enjoy the degree and have been successful so far, then I see no reason for starting a different one?

the_devil_made_me_do_it

I never really had a chance to make friends. There wasn't many mature students on the course.

I can't really say whether I actually enjoyed the degree or not, due to illness, I found attending a struggle, so missed out on any enjoyment there might have been.

Part time would be difficult in terms of funding I think. Although I'm unsure how funding works for part time students.

bestpud

Do you have a partner, or children, and/or receive any disability benefits?

the_devil_made_me_do_it

bestpud wrote: »

Do you have a partner, or children, and/or receive any disability benefits?

No children but do receive incapacity benefit.

Oldernotwiser

the_devil_made_me_do_it wrote: »

Part time would be difficult in terms of funding I think. Although I'm unsure how funding works for part time students.

For part time study on a low income you would receive a grant to pay fees and would then support yourself by working or living on benefits.

There are pros and cons regarding getting into the second year v starting the same degree from scratch v starting a totally new degree. Why not discuss these issues with a counsellour at the university or with someone from the university Careers Centre?

bestpud

I agree.

There is lots of people at the uni who will help you with this decision.

Perhaps it is worth contacting the financial advisor too. If you make appointments for the same day, you can go in and come away with all the relevant information to ponder over?

And your personal tutor too, perhaps?

MrsManda

I dropped out of university due to illness and although I deferred a few times I ended up dropping out completely as I was too ill to continue. 4 years later I am now healthy and have started again. Finding it hard but as I am still really interested in my subject I think its worth it. Doing my degree part-time/distance learning wasn't a possibility which is why I ended up dropping out. However, a friend of mine was doing a joint honours of philosophy and English lit when she fell ill. She deferred a few times during the course of her degree but after 5 years did eventually finish with a good mark so it is possible.
I think it really depends on your degree programme, how much work you can do while feeling ill and how determined you are. Doing a degree when you're healthy is hard, being ill as well makes it doubly so. As others have suggested, speak to your personal tutor, the university finance office and also go speak to your university's disability centre.
Have you applied for Disabled Student's Allowance? You should be entitled to an assessment at least and they'd be able to help you with how to manage your time and study skills to enable you to make the most out of the time you are well. The assessment also suggests how the university can help in terms of extra time, longer loan terms on library books, being allowed to hand in assignments by email etc... They can also provide equipment to aid your study when you are unable to reach university.

Good luck

the_devil_made_me_do_it

I had a disability assessment quite late on in my first year, so to be honest, I never really benefited from it.

My personal tutor is a ghost I think, as I only managed to see him twice during the year, same as contacting lecturers, it was akin to contacting the queen, hardly ever got a reply. This might have changed since I was there last year, hopefully they will have sorted themselves out.