Q&A: Advice
Advice
Question
To my teacher, Rabbi Michael Abraham, may he live long,
I would be glad if the Rabbi could give me some advice on a few matters, as follows:
A. I am a Haredi yeshiva student, and I want to study for a degree [bachelor’s, master’s, etc.]. I come from a family of lawyers—that is, my father, grandfather, and uncle are all lawyers—but it doesn’t interest me that much. I’m looking for something more intellectually challenging, but I’m not familiar with the options at all. It would really help me if the Rabbi could recommend a degree that is, on the one hand, theoretical/analytical, and on the other hand, something one can also make a living from. [Not computer science.]
B. I don’t have a matriculation certificate, but I want to start studying on my own [I learn better on my own] the subjects needed for a bachelor’s degree at the Open University [English, mathematics]. Can the Rabbi estimate how long it takes [for an average person or above] to learn both of them to the level of 5-unit matriculation? And which books to use? And just general advice as well.
C. Does the Rabbi know whether there are differences between the Open University and another university, in terms of the institution’s name [how it is perceived publicly], and in terms of level.
With blessings,
A.Y.A.
Answer
1. This is a general question, and the answer depends on the person (abilities, inclinations, interests). You could study one of the engineering fields, economics, accounting, or the natural sciences (physics, chemistry, biology)—but in those fields you generally need at least a master’s degree in order to make a living from it (unless you want to be a teacher).
2. In general, I recommend that you not take shortcuts. In the end, that usually makes things take longer. Even if you are capable of studying independently, a structured framework almost always does it better. It’s worth consulting frameworks for Haredim, because they know the efficient ways to do this (scholarships, preparatory programs, special tracks).
3. The Open University seems to me like a good solution. I think they also don’t require prerequisites, and anyone can enroll (though I may be mistaken—you should check). As for the concerns, they have no basis. The level there is very good, and beyond that, the question of level is not all that important. If you have a bachelor’s degree, then you have a bachelor’s degree. After that, you can choose whatever institution you want for a master’s degree. By the way, after you complete a certain amount at the Open University (a year?), I think—but I don’t know for sure, you should check—that you can transfer to a regular university if you want, even without matriculation exams and the psychometric exam.
Discussion on Answer
I saw that Bar-Ilan has now opened a preparatory program [for the exact sciences] for graduates of Haredi education. I wanted to ask the Rabbi—[I come from a background without core curriculum studies, so starting a preparatory program of more than a year and then a degree is a serious undertaking].
Since it’s a preparatory program for the exact sciences, I thought about studying physics afterward, but I’d be glad if the Rabbi could advise me from his experience whether it’s really worth it from a few perspectives: A. Is it really intellectually enriching? B. Is there actually a livelihood in it, or is it one of those professions where only one in a hundred ends up with an actual job?
Thank you
It is definitely intellectually enriching, but it will be very hard for you. As for livelihood, in physics there is only really a future if you finish at least a master’s degree (and if you do computer science alongside it, that’s even better in terms of making a living).
I know of kids who studied at the Open University in parallel with high school, so it’s likely they have no admission requirements at all.
There is a transfer track from the Open University to all the universities based on grade average.
Each university specifies the grade level required for each department.
The transfer track is clear proof that the academic level at the Open University is equivalent to the level at the universities.