Personal Development

Kevin Parry from Oldham, Lancashire
Self Employed Financial Advisor
Studying Foundation Degree in Internet Marketing

Kaplan offered everything I needed and to be honest my only concern was could they really do it?

They could and the whole experience has been superb, with everyone so helpful, encouraging and understanding I have been happily married for 24 years with two wonderful daughters (aged 25 & 19). I left school with 4 O’levels and little else; I became a dad not long after! I have worked ever since to provide for my family and myself.

I enjoy watching sport, eating out with family & friends and walking my dogs. I enjoy travel to new places and would love to do more if finance and time allowed.

Since leaving school I have done a little study via work but nothing for me personally in an area I have an interest in. One of my daughters went to Leeds University last year and the other is midway through a foundation degree in child care via her employers and a local college.

Inspired by my girls and the arrival of my Granddaughter I gave some thought to studying for a degree. Then being uninspired at work I decided something must be done. I did some Google searching for studying for a degree/foundation degree. I was looking for something flexible and part time as I still have a family and work to do and the time I have is often limited. After a while looking at part time courses at local venues, none of which suited me, I came across online learning quite by chance and from there it was a “no brainer” –Kaplan offered everything I needed and to be honest my only concern was could they really do it? They could and the whole experience has been superb, with everyone so helpful, encouraging and understanding.

The study, to date, has been made up of reading, discussion (online postings) written assignments and a weekly seminar. There are deadlines for the completion of the work, but no particular times you have to do it-even the seminar is recorded in case you do not make it. This flexibility works really well, as work can be done whenever it suits you -dinner hours, leisure time, at work if allowed etc. If you have 5 mins, an hour or more there is always something you can do e.g. To read a post on the discussion board and maybe post a reply could take a couple of mins and all goes towards your study.

Personally I like to set a few chunks of time to deal with planning the units work, doing the reading, doing the assignments and I try to make the seminars each week (1 hour). I fit the rest into free time whenever possible. Sometimes bits are done in downtime at work and even in dentist’s waiting room!

The course has given me a new interest, motivation and the confidence that I really can do it. I have also been challenged and I have learnt lots about how to study and do the work. I have learnt all about Kaplan’s online system (really simple once you get started). I have also got to know some fellow students and know I am not alone in my studies.

My favourite bits about the course is how I can fit study in with a busy life and the fact I learn something new every single week, it really is the human face of technology, even for those like me who are far from experts with IT.