Benefits and Difficulties

High school students who studied at the Open University noted favorably that Open University studies do not cut them off from their school. Moreover, students are free to plan their own program of study: They can concentrate on a specific field of interest or take courses in various fields so as to discover their inclinations. Students also indicated that they acquired self-study skills and learned to organize their time more efficiently.

Along with the benefits, we want to re-emphasize the effort demanded of Open University students and the double burden created by simultaneous high school and academic studies. Before registration, students should consider their willingness and ability to cope with this load and the extent to which it may be detrimental to their high school studies and grades. It is important to note that high school students enrolled at the Open University are not treated differently from other OU students - their studies are based on the same study method and they must meet the same requirements. In other words, students are expected to submit written assignments on time and to take exams on the designated exam dates (when the exams are graded, the examiners do not know that the examinee is a high school student), etc.

Students should also be aware that they may fail courses. Course failure does not indicate inability to contend with academic level studies. Usually, it only means that the student is not suited for academic studies at the present time. In most cases, the same student will succeed in these studies at the appropriate time in the future.

The decision to embark on academic studies should be based on curiosity, enjoyment and the desire to learn and to succeed. Occasionally, the enthusiasm wanes and the undertaking becomes a burden. In such a case, high school students are urged to terminate their academic studies and to re-enroll at a more appropriate time.