Hello From The Impulsive Student!
I’m writing this blog as a way of sharing my experiences with all of you, out there. As the title of the blog says, I am impulsive, and I am soon to be a student. Again.
I once studied at Wolverhampton University, doing a BA (Hons) in Fashion Accessories. I started in January 2008, which was a bit of a mess. It was the first year they had done January starts, and the course itself was a new one. I stuck around for 18 months. However, I disliked the tutor so much, and the fact I was doing all my modules backwards, that I elected to transfer to Birmingham City University, formerly University of Central England, in September 2009. Here, I was to study Fashion Design. It wasn’t to be that simple though, as BCU told me the teaching at Wolverhampton was that poor, I would have to start from the first year. Which is where I started.
When I found out later that year that due to the Student Loans Company’s policy of only giving you four year’s worth of funding for tuition fees, I wasn’t going to have my tuition fees paid, I was forced to drop out, with a personal debt to the University of a whole year’s fees. As I had done a year and a half at Wolverhampton, this counted as two years. So I asked Wolverhampton to take me back. And they did.
I got into Wolverhampton University’s second year, and the course title had changed to Fashion and Textiles. Rumours were, their funding was pulled for teaching the courses separately, as they were undersubscribed and poorly taught. So, fees in place, I studied. And come March of 2011, I received a letter. It was a death blow from the Student Loans Company, that stated I actually WAS NOT entitled to the fee funding for that year, and my tuition fee loan offer, and all payments, were to be withdrawn.
I had done (rounded up) two years at Wolverhampton University, followed by a year at Birmingham City University, which totals three years. Even though I didn’t get fee loans for all three years, they still classed it as support, as I took out maintenance loans for all three years. The Student Loans Company say they have an entitlement to see you through to the end of your degree, so with only one year of tuition fee funding left, I again had to withdraw from my studies, as I couldn’t enrol onto the third year at Wolverhampton without paying off the previous year’s fees, just the same as at BCU.
So that is how I got into this position. I am enrolled on my new course with the Open University, as I am still entitled to part time tuition fee loans. All sixteen year’s worth. And, damnit, I intend to use some of them.
George.
WinsAndWounds 