Well, with the Open University you can choose to be totally isolated if you wish (by not attending tutorials, day schools, not picking courses with residential courses but you will have to go to exams and human beings will be encountered there!). And on the other hand, with the Open University you can meet as many people as you want! Make friends/discuss academic issues on their FirstClass conferencing facility, attend tutorials, go to residential summer schools, outings organised by the OU’s student services etc, etc…. Its like anything in life – you choose how involved you get into it.

I am in my 6th and final year with the Open University, but I choose this way because of their brillant and high achieving reputation in the UK, good research facilities, value for money, polls saying they were tops on student value and monetary value, and because I work full time and started my degree when I was 24 years old.

But I would say going with the Open University is a choice to be considered seriously as its very hard going as the teaching and assessment levels are high and tough!! Also, pick a university because of its reputation, standards, location, financial resources (to yourself) etc, because when you get to a brick conventional university you can isolate or involve yourself as much as you want.

Good luck with whatever you decide and well done for deciding to get a university standard education!!!