Gaps in uni study; worried about how much remembered from previous courses...

pinktulip · ‎09-07-2020

Hi there,

Has anyone been in the situation where they have had a gaps in their uni study due to bad mental health and are worried about how much they remember from previous study in the degree? But Uni only seems to be concerned re getting help about current courses people are studying in or about future course selection for major or degree you are in? Doesn't seem to be any self-assessment re prerequisites (apart from a get set quiz for incoming first year students - I guess because there are statistics collected on first year drop out rate)

I'm so worried because I have only a few courses left for one degree and finishing off another degree re splitting a dual degree program but I'm not sure how much I remember? but the degree I'm doing has multiple areas of skills and when I looked online for tutors; it's more for people learning something from scratch or doing a current course for one particular skill/area rather than find gaps and weaknesses from prior study? And I can't make a plan of doing a edX or coursera courses in a particular order for revision or for upcoming courses preparation because I'm too distressed to decide on one...

Confusedmum74 · ‎09-07-2020

Take a breath can I ask what you are studying you can also look up concepts on YouTube and khan academy both are free and put things into easy to grasp terms. I hope this helps.

pinktulip · ‎09-07-2020

It really doesn't matter what I'm studying... Let's say you've did Uni gotten depressed, had a huge break... and gone back to Uni gotten sick again... But you've not sure when you graduate finally how much you'll remember of each part... And how you can be confident in an interview... against someone who gotten 4s but did it in the minimum time... but you've gotten sick but you did the course 5 years ago albeit with a 7... but you didn't practise those skills because there were other courses to do or you got really sick... You don't feel good at anything... and you kind of wonder what's the point anymore...

Croix · ‎09-07-2020

Dear Pinkpulip~

I've read a number of threads of yours and think, if I've got matters right, the you have been having difficulties since 2011.

To be able to attempt study with the confusing number of diagnoses and treatments you have been given is a pretty good effort, and if there are gaps due to illness, well that's to be expected really.

Getting back, well as an ex uni educator, I'd make two suggestions. The first is to decide on a minimal course that gives you the most credits for what you have done already, then decide which unit or units you want to re-attempt. Armed with that knowledge see the lecturers in charge or the disability services and ask for a selection of old exams and tests from those units. Explain why.

Examine the exams and see what comes back. As you have not completed the units some questions will be foreign, but some should not, and you can them maybe try to do a couple using your old textbooks. If the lecturer is friendly you might be lucky enough to get a critique.

Then decide what's best.

Incidentally just about any authorized tutor will be a big help.

What do you think?

Croix

pinktulip · ‎10-07-2020

Hi Croix,

My uni uses program for course and course for unit... I might have confused you.

I was in a dual degree and split it into two different programs... (Well I changed one program to a slightly different degree) I can transfer 2 years worth of courses into the other program after I finished one program (which I only have 1 more course to do). However, I've got the remainder of the courses with 2rd,3rd,4th year courses to go because the dual degree option mucked up stupid ordering and illness.. Also there's the 10 year credit rule and exemption stuff etc...

There are old exams online via the library... I cannot see anyone at Uni being interested in arranging marking stuff for me... Also I'm afraid of it making me feel worse...

On a faculty level, I don't think they are interested... like I got a response back re mentioning this as a worry as well as asking about COVID-19 teaching arrangements but the person just reiterated... you only have 1 x 3rd year course left. In December with other Faculty, the admin person was like you've got 6s and 7s...

Secondly, I was doing a major which has two specific major compulsory courses; other courses are categories... so the capstone course didn't feel like it reinforced all things I had learnt... It's the kind of thing if you haven't done it in a while you forget...

Also disability advisor likes to deal with creating a SAPD but I can make a meeting about something but they don't want me to discuss emotional stuff... So I'm meant to say if I'm currently meeting deadlines but if I'm starting to feel hopeless or other stuff they don't like it... They arranged meeting with the course coordinators the last semester... but when I'm feeling distressed I don't like contacting people.... because... I wish there was a standard template for an email.. And I got emailed back yesterday about only making an appointment if I decide to study next semester when I asked Student Services about face-to-face classes or not.

Don't feel like mentioning the major because it wasn't that common to do because it previously was a dual major...

So my mother did say I could find a tutor... but I'm afraid that because I'm too miserable I'll get distressed about my illness and freak the tutor out... You can think of this field as an intersection of various fields like think of a venn diagram.. Some people did more of one discipline and then did some other discipline later...