Distance Learning - Please Help

Tom

Hi All,
I have earlier this year completed my AAT NVQ Intermediate, and am looking to progress onto NVQ Level 4.
I was studying in college, but have recently moved to be nearer to my work. My work are sponsoring me for the course and wanted me to study at the local college.

Unfortunately, the local college are unwilling to accept me as a student as they only offer the Diploma Pathway.

I was wondering if you could please help me choose a distance learning provider - I know BPP and KAPLAN are the "big players" , but are they the best? And which one ?

Many Thanks,
Tom

NeilH

Hi

Why not just convert to the Diploma Pathway? If you have already completed a level (Intermediate) you can just start at the next level on the Diploma pathway (Diploma). There shouldn't be a reason why the college wouldn't except you doing this.

Neil

Tom

Hi, thanks for your reply. The local college tell me as I have not completed Proffesional Ethics I will not gain full membership to the AAT. And they are not willing to enrol me without me having completed proffessional ethics.
As I understand it PE is not studied under NVQ pathway - I pleaded with the college but they said "No Way"

NeilH

Hi

That sounds a little harsh, there could be other students who want to start at Diploma - such as those wth relevant degrees or who have the experience to be able to start at Diploma, neither of these would have PE yet in theory could do it has part of the Diploma stage even if by home study or distance learning. Also, since you could do PE off your own back by distance learning the college should have no issue with you doing Diploma with them.

Is it possibel that you could apeal to a higher level? Maybe a complaint to the AAT?

Neil

Tom

Hi Neil, I have e-mailed the AAT explaining , and am waiting for a reply.
I did say to the college I would do the PE on my own, or even attend additional classes with their level 3 students, but they were having none of it.
The said that it would open the door to too many other students who they had already turned away.
I did think it was not on, as it is through no fault of my own I do not have PE, but they said it is their policy to say no, and they are not going to teach it at level 4.
Now I am sat here on 11th September with no college, so I have no choice, in my opinion, but to do distance learning. As I am in the learning mode I do not want to take a year off as I was going so well!
All the distance learning stuff costs so much though - I thought the bulk of fees at college were for tuition, but DL courses cost the same!
I have found Amersham College, which offers DL. They let you sit in classes if you have problems with particular area of course, and also offer 20 minute sessions with tutor. Problem is it is a bit far for me!!
The flip side is that if you are struggling you can switch to a class taught course at same college - and I would have to travel there if I was not doing well at home study.

Tom

Hi again Neil, I was just wondering - do you think it is worth buying the books and booking exams myself - would save around £400 for the year.
I think that the money for distance learning is ridiulous, I appreciate that level 4 is a lot harder than level 3 but I just feel that spending almost £550 to have someone there to e-mail when you have a problem is silly, especially taking into account that these forums have answers for most questions...
Thanks again!
Tom

NeilH

Hi

Yes you could buy the books and study yourself, booking the emams yourself - with didstance learning you usually have to pay extra and book the exams yourself anyway.

Of course you will need to actually enrol for distance learning (or college) for the project and if you choose Audit and/or Cash Management options you will need to be enrolled with a centre for these assessments also.

Neil

sebastianforbes

as far as i am concerned, the only way forward for central exams is to buy the books and do it all yourself.

i did units 5 and 6 in just over 3 months and units 11, 18 and 33 in 6 months.

it really is very straight forward !!!

Tom

thanks for your help - have gone with BPP as books etc are, in personal opinion, the best. And they are cheaper than the local college anyway!
Thanks again - now to start studying!!

Elena22

Hi
Does anyone know which books better for self-study?
I decided to do 8 & 10 Units by myself, because local college offer part-time course only. They start in September and I dont want to waste my time waiting.
I am sitting ECR in December and use Kaplan book to study. I paid for course, but moved to different area, and Im kind of distant learner now. Do not see an advantage of it
Is anything better then Kaplan books?

Thanks

atlan

Hi
I went to college for foundation and intermediate which we were able to fast track in one as full time students - I then did my Technician level with BPP.

I found BPP were excellant - I found a course near my work which admittedly was easy as I was working in central London at the time!

But I liked their structure - we coudl do the majority of study at home but it was supplemented by classroom study adn also revision courses if we wanted them. On top of that we hada personal tutor whom we could contact by phone or email adn discuss any issues that we had.

I do not know very much about Kaplan, so I guess some would say my iopinion is biast but In reality I am jsut passing on my experience at BPP and it was brilliant