Getting on top by remaining VMC is a much safer option although still should not be necessary.
I just remembered an incident I overheard a couple of weeks ago.
PA-28 VFR into IMC. We came on frequency when the a/c was already at 1500' and perhaps 10nm from the runway. He was getting vectors to the ILS and they were confirming the frequency. His heading was 280 (the ILS was 269). There were a number of small heading instructions, between 260 and 275 and after a pause he was asked for his current heading.
"Heading now 180!"
My colleague and I stared at each other. We concluded that this was unlikely to end well.
By some miracle it did end in a successful landing as he broke out of cloud at about 700' and got the runway in sight.
Judging from the short radio exchange after his landing I really don't hitnk he understood the gravity of his situation. He asked why he should contact the ATC unit by phone!