IMC IN VFR FLT BY NEW PVT PLT IN SMA.

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AT MT PLEASANT IA I CALLED FLT WATCH. I GAVE PLT RPT AND ASKED FOR WX UPDATE. WAS TOLD IFR AT KIRKVILLE; COLUMBIA VFR 3800. DUE TO BUILD UP TO S STARTED TO DEVIATE TO BLOOMFIELD. HAD ADF ON 269 HAD LOUD TONE; VISIBILITY 1 MI. STILL VFR. HEADED FOR ALBIA AND SET VOR FOR OTTUMWA. NEAR ALBIA; LOST VFR. WAS IN CLOUDS. CALLED FORT DODGE FSS IMMEDIATELY AFTER LOSING GND VISIBILITY. ASKED FOR DF STEER; INFORMED FSS WAS IN IFR CONDITIONS NOT IFR RATED. WAS INSTRUCTED TO SQUAWK 2700. AND CONTACT CHICAGO CTR CALLED CHICAGO CTR ALT 2300. WAS 10 W OF OTTUMWA; IA. ASKED BY CHICAGO CTR FOR FUEL HAD 19.5 GALLONS 2:30 HRS FLT TIME. LOST RADAR CONTACT BUT WAS VFR. AT 5 MI W OF OTTUMWA; HAD ARPT IN SIGHT. NO TWR LIGHT IS A CTL ZONE; LANDED RWY 4. PARKED AND CALLED FORT DODGE FSS TO INFORM ON GND. WAS INSTRUCTED TO CALL CHICAGO CTR. ACTION BY PLT: WAS ATTEMPTING TO STAY VFR SECTIONAL SHOWED HIGHEST POINT AT 2200 FT. QUESTION; HOW LOW COULD I GO? WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND AT NEAREST ARPT. 180 DEG TURN WOULD HAVE ONLY PLACED ME IN WORSE WEATHER. HAVE PLT CERTIFICATE ONLY 4 DAYS. INEXPERIENCE OF PLT. NEED TO MORE RAPIDLY RECOGNIZE CHANGE OF CONDITIONS. I FEEL ACTION WAS GOOD. WAS GOING TO NEAREST ARPT. RELIED ON INST CALLED FOR HELP. SITUATION LASTED ONLY 5 MIN. DO NOT FEEL PLANE OR PAX SAFETY IN QUESTION.