THERE ARE MANY REASONS  why students don't submit their TMA01 or CMA41.

Three important things to remember are:

1. The University does not see non-submission as "failure" - you do not get any "bad marks" on your record for non-submission.  On the contrary, we realise that non-submission will be the best thing to do in particular circumstances.  It may still be possible to catch up.  But if you are thinking of withdrawing, then:

2. Do be sure that withdrawal is the right thing to do and there are no reasonable alternatives.  For example there may be sources of help that you haven't tapped or other ways round the difficulties that we could help you explore.

3. If in the end withdrawal is the right option, then don't worry - you're in good company !  In fact nearly a quarter of OU students have been forced to withdraw at some stage of their studies and have then come back and continued successfully.
 

DID YOU NOT SUBMIT BECAUSE  -  YOU FELT THE COURSE WAS NOT RIGHT FOR YOU ?

Inevitably some people find their course is not what they wanted.

If there were particular points about the course which deterred you, do let us know - contact Regional Study Support.

If it was just simply the wrong course, do look at other OU courses - we would be very willing to advise you.  If you have decided that the OU is not right for you but you still want to study, we may still be able to advise you - write to our Regional Enquiry Service telling us what you want to do.
 

DID YOU NOT SUBMIT  -  FOR FINANCIAL REASONS ?

There are several sources of help if you have financial difficulties.

1. The OU's own Financial Assistance Fund - if you are an undergraduate and on Income Support, or just on a low income, there may be a chance of financial assistance from the University.  Ask us for an application form.

2. Your Local Education Authority - they are still helping some students.

3. Your employer - employers increasingly recognise the value of OU qualifications and some offer help to their employees.

4. Other - there are other sources of help - contact Regional Enquiry Service in your Regional Centre for information on financing your studies.

DID YOU NOT SUBMIT BECAUSE  -  YOU DID NOT HAVE THE TIME?

Finding time is always difficult:

•   perhaps like a lot of people your circumstances changed?  A new job, illness, a house move and so on can all make it quite impossible to stick to the best laid  plans. We hope that when things have settled down you will consider starting  again.
• perhaps it took more time than you expected?  Adapting to study is not easy,  but it'll be easier next time.
• finding time is also sometimes about motivation and priorities.  Perhaps, for  very understandable reasons, there are more important things in your life at  present?

Catching Up

Sometimes, in our experience, students do give up too early when they feel they can't catch up. The way courses are organised deliberately allows for students occasionally getting behind - some parts of courses can be skimmed, the Substitution Rule allows assignments to be missed without unduly affecting your final results, and so on.  Discuss the possibilities with your tutor who will still be happy to talk with you, and browse through the "Overcoming Study Problems" leaflet.

DID YOU NOT SUBMIT BECAUSE - YOU FOUND GETTING DOWN TO STUDY VERY DIFFICULT?

You may have experienced "Study Stress": this affects many people who return to study after some time away.  See the "Overcoming Study Problems" leaflet.

DID YOU NOT SUBMIT BECAUSE  -  YOU WERE ALREADY WORRIED ABOUT THE EXAM?

Most people get stressed at the thought of exams.  A little stress is probably helpful in getting your best performance.  But too much stress can be disabling.  We can help: see the "Getting Through" leaflet.

DID YOU NOT SUBMIT BECAUSE  -  OF FAMILY OR PERSONAL CRISIS AND CHANGES?

If so, we can only sympathise - the range of problems that face adult students are simply overwhelming at times.

Remember
 

•  you're right to bail out for a while when the going gets too tough.
• you may be able to re-start this year and you can certainly re-start in another year  when things are easier for you.

HOW COULD WE HAVE HELPED YOU?

Obviously you may have reasons for non-submission that the University could not help you with.  But it may be that there was some part of the University system that did not help you as effectively as it might have done.  Or perhaps there is some problem over University requirements - about fees or Residential School, for instance.  If there was anything we did or did not do that was a cause or partial cause of your non-submission, let us know.  Contact your Regional Study Support Service.

Even if there wasn't anything we could have done we'd still like to hear your opinion on our courses and services, so do feel free to contact your Regional Centre.  Your help will assist us in improving our support and will be very much appreciated.

HOW CAN WE HELP YOU NOW?

WITHDRAWAL -  If you've decided that withdrawal is the right thing to do now but you'd like to return at some point in the future, then let us know how we can help you. We might be able to offer you special tutorial help or exam counselling, for example.  Let us know.  Consult our special "Re-entry Adviser" by returning the form asking her to contact you.

WHAT TO DO NOW?

1) If, after reading this you have changed your mind about not submitting, then it may not be too late to re-start.  Make contact immediately with your Tutor and Regional Student Service about your decision and discuss ways of catching up if necessary.

2) If it's early enough in the course it may just be possible to switch to a different course and even transfer some of your fee - contact your Regional Student Services straightaway.

3) If you don't want to continue or re-start this year but might want to at some time, then remember:
 

•   if you are withdrawing in the first two thirds of a course you can   transfer to another presentation of the same course, [but not a different one] starting within a year and transfer some of the fee
• you can return in any future year by simply reserving a course for its next  presentation - see note 3 in the "Special Points"
• you can "read" your course, that is, receive all the materials, go to   tutorials, even work on a TMA or CMA. You'll be liable for fees of course  but when you wish to re-start you'll be well ahead.

WHATEVER YOU DECIDE TO DO

We hope that you have got something interesting and useful from your time with the OU and we wish you the very best of luck for the future.

SPECIAL POINTS TO NOTE IF YOU ARE GOING TO WITHDRAW

 1.  Course Fees

 Withdrawal does not cancel an obligation to pay the full course fees, even if paid by instalments.  This is because the University actually saves very little through withdrawal.  Fees may very occasionally be waived but only in very exceptional circumstances such as illness.  If you think you have a case for a fee waiver, contact your Counsellor or this Regional Centre.

 If you are a new student this year and withdraw in writing before 28th April then you will only be liable for 50% of the course fee.  (There are no separate arrangements in respect of the Residential School element of the fee).  So act now if you can.

 2.  Residential School Fees

 If you have a Summer School with your course, the fees are included in the Composite Course Fee.  There is no entitlement to a separate waiver of this element of the Composite Fee on withdrawal.
 

 3.  Coming back

 If you are an undergraduate and have withdrawn but want to come back in a future year, then you should contact us in the summer before you wish to re-start asking for a reservation form.

'You missed TMA01' was written by Ormond Simpson at the Open University East Anglian Region, 12 Hills Rd, Cambridge CB2 1PF.  Tel  01223 364721
 

We hope you've found this text helpful - if you have any comments on it or if you've got helpful suggestions of your own do post your comments to Ormond Simpson.  If you have any problems or queries that need answer or solution do not mail him: refer directly to your own Regional Centre.