Surveys from 1971 to 1975 of knowledge and awareness of the Open University among the general public are analyzed. Three types of "knowledge" barriers were identified: lack of awareness of existence, lack of knowledge of special characteristics and "openness," and lack of knowledge of the range of courses. (MLW)

One faculty member's selective, subjective, and partial perceptions of counselling adult students in the Open University are offered. Consideration is given to problems of the counselee, skills, role conflicts, motivation, emotional adjustment, identity and personal development, and implications for the advisory service. (LBH)

An experimental program at Sheffield University, Britain, was designed to attract more "minimally qualified" students into the Open University and to test group admission to undergraduate studies. Most of the students would not normally have considered applying to the Open University. Ten of the 11 students passed. (SW)

A regional program of pre-university courses in northwestern England open to adults with no entry qualifications is discussed. It uses some distance learning techniques but is investigating expansion to technical education through distance learning. The complexities and potential costs of such a substantial directional change are examined. (MSE)

The Open University Younger Student Pilot Scheme, a five-year research project is discussed. Project objectives included: testing the suitability of students in the 18 to 20 year age group, developing predictive indices of success and failure, and assessing the level and nature of the demand for places. (Author/MLW)