Distance or full time?

[Murray_NN]

Guys I need help.

I cannot decide to study full time or do distance learning by OATS.

If I do distance learning I think I will not be able to keep myslef motivated and lose interest.

If I do full time it will be expensive and I will be motivated to studying.

I cant decide, any pointer?

Thanks in advance!

[Token Bird]

Obviously it's best to do it full-time, but it comes down to your personal circumstances and whether or not it's viable for you.

TB

[Nishko]

Rubbish. It is not obviously best to do it full time. It depends purely on the individual. It certainly wouldn't have been best for me, and that's got nothing to do with time, money or anything - purely personal prefs.

I think you meant to say that it was best for *you*. I wish people would stop going on about distance learning being the poor relation of a full time course, because it is totally misinformed rubbish. If you choose a good and reputable school (like Bristol) and have full time hours available to you at home, there is every chance that you will complete the full course and pass all of the exams in the same time, if not quicker than a full time residential course.

Motivation is the key factor, and if you are lacking now, it won't get any better after hours in the classroom that's for sure.

[Token Bird]

Nishko,

I wasn't saying that distance learning is a poor relation at all. It is a simple fact however that if a person is able to spend all day studying without the distraction of work they are likely to find is easier than a person who works 9 'til 5 then has to fit 3 hours study in every evening. Obviously this will take its toll on most.

You assume that a person will have full-time hours available. My assumption was that most people choose the distance-learning option precisely because they aren't able to dedicate themselves full-time. If a person can dedicate themselves full-time to a distance learning course then I agree, they have every chance of completing the course as successfully as a residential person.

My comment was simply to compare full-time and part-time learning. I was not comparing residential courses with distance-learning courses and did not intend to diss any distance-learning establishments. Sorry that this was the way it was perceived.

TB

[Nishko]

Ok, I see, didn't mean to bite your head off!

What I meant was that a person's ability to succeed may be more related to the time they are able to spend studying regardless of where and how. Personally, I found that doing a distance learning course at home (full time) was far better for me than being stuck in a classroom for 7 odd hours a day. At least then I can progress at my own speed and pay more attention to the things I found difficult, and less to the other topics.

Provided the school provide good brush up courses at the end of each module, the student will get the best of both worlds.

I certainly agree that the whole affair would be made far more difficult if it was done in conjunction with holding down a full time job! I left work to do it full time, but there is an obvious cost penalty involved because I had to borrow money to live on during this time. However, I feel that the advantage of doing it this way was to enable me to focus fully for the shortest period of time possible, thus reducing the overall cost (hopefully)

Didn't help me to pass the damn Instruments exam though :)

Reckon that this subject has already been flogged to death though. Ultimately it's all horses for courses, if you'll pardon the pun!

Nish.

[Flying Kiwi]

Having completed an integrated course here in New Zealand and presently completing the distance learning with OATS, I would opt for the full time course. Purely because you can concentrate on the study without distraction. After working for 9 or 10 hours a day and then trying to work your way through convergency and air law in your "free" time can become very tiring.

All the best with your studies whichever option you take.

[Murray_NN]

Thank you very much indeed Gents.

I think I will be opting for full time as I can concentrate more than distance learining

Thanks people.

[Rob 747]

Flying Kiwi

Ahhhh.....so its not just me struggling with convergency!!

What the f**k is all that about??

Anyway...ive chose F/T at ATA in Coventry. Purely because i am not an academic person. Also they told me that they dont even use the notes!!!

They TEACH you!!

I start in April 02.Maybe seeya there?