Name: Cath Palmer
For me, enrolling at Arden was cathartic. An opportunity to write the wrongs of the past. Although I felt daunted, I was so well supported by the tutors whose feedback was brilliantly constructive!
"It’s incredible to write 'BSc' after my name at long last!
At 18, I enrolled on a campus degree straight from college. As a high achiever I got my first choice of university studying a subject that (at the time) I was really interested in.
However, after two years I dropped out feeling disillusioned and doubting my own ability. I struggled both with the academic style of writing and feeling unsupported by the faculty whose expectations felt unattainable. Autonomous study felt alien to me having only just left home and I lacked the skills to focus independently.
For me, enrolling at Arden was cathartic. An opportunity to right the wrongs of the past. Although I felt daunted, I was so well supported by the tutors whose feedback was brilliantly constructive! I was soon achieving great scores each module, which was great motivation for the next.
When I didn’t do so well, the tutors provided feedback and support so that I had an opportunity to close the gaps in my learning. I was working autonomously but with the safety net of knowing that support was available at the end of an email!
As a working mum of four children, I could never have afforded to stop work altogether to study, so I needed a course that would fit my busy life.
My degree in psychology complimented my role as a therapeutic counsellor beautifully and helped me to understand my client’s internal processes.
Although I’ve just finished the degree, it has already impacted my life greatly! I’ve been headhunted to teach counselling to adult learners, and I’ve enrolled on an MSc research programme to further develop my undergraduate research project.
Life at last feels exciting. I’m achieving more than I ever thought I was capable of!"