"Mature" Mature Students (past, present & future)

dankosheemo

Hi everyone!

I thought I'd branch out from the payment pads and so happy I found a mature student network! :j I've really enjoyed reading through this thread and think it's brilliant you're all working or have worked so hard towards your studies, well done! :T

I too am returning to University this September to do my PGCE. It's been a few years since I graduated but really looking forward to getting stuck into the work and starting a new career at the end of it all. I've been working full-time since leaving University and taking the plunge, leaving my full-time job at the end of August and heading back to full-time study - almost a scary prospect!

A big issue for me is how do I afford it?? I've been so used to a salary! I'm currently paying off numerous CC's and loans (signature shows a multitude of sins :rotfl: ) but of course don't want to jeopordise my studies by having to grab a part-time job (if I can help it) - any top tips?

UKroseblue

This thread is great with virtually everyone who has done, is doing it, or is planning on doing it, saying 'go for it,' so that must give us all hope!

I'm 'going for it' in September and am a lone parent to a 13 yr old DD, I will be 42 when I start and never thought I would be able to gain a degree, but my access course has helped me realise I do have a brain and some intelligence and with the experience I have gained of life, work and relationships, there is nothing stopping me

I do have concerns - mainly financial as I have debts and a mortgage so will need to continue working 16 hours pw for the tax credits in addition to the loans and grants I've applied for. I'll also need to travel for about an hour each way to Uni so this, along with working will no doubt impact on my studies and I know i'll have to put my time management skills to good use...

I'm really looking forward to it though and can't wait to start a new chapter of my life story!

Good luck!

bad_doo

I will be going to Uni in September and I am really looking forward to it. I have no concerns about fitting in with the youngsters there and won't even try to keep up with them socially (I'm 33) but I think my age and experiences will stand me in good stead.

I attended an open day at the uni I will be attending and some of the younger attendees looked quite scared being there, while others could barely be heard when answering a simple question. It certainly made me review my expectations of going to study with a bunch of cocky, mouthy teenagers.

squirrelchops

Hi all, I am 32 and in second year at Uni. The degree I am doing (social work) is geared towards all ages and our class of 45 has people from 18 to 50+ on it.

there has never been any issue with us all rubbing along together. Regarding the social side, the students living at Uni have found ti really hard to go out a lot due to the sheer amount of work we have. Mind you there was always one morning lecture that was a bit light on students as was the morning after the bid student night out of the week!!!

Sometimes we meet after an afternoon lecture for a quick couple of drinks or a few of us go out to lunch together or the like but to be honest we are all soooooo busy. As we have to do long work placements too we just don't have the chance to meet up a great deal.

Also, us mature ones can live up to a 35 radius from the Uni so is hard to coordinate!!

kelloggs36

I found it quite tough - I started when I was 35 and although the work wasn't too bad, it felt very uncomfortable in my group. Had my friend been in my group it would not have been so bad, but as it was, I was one of the oldest in my group (there was 1 older and 2 other mature students who were still 10 years younger!) and I noticed that he didn't make any friends either! We didn't gel (he didn't do any work lol) so basically I felt the whole time as though I were intruding and they didn't want me working with them!

At home though it was fine - I was able to get on and do my studying. Obviously the social side paid off in the end, as I got a First!!! I was the only one in my group to do so, so I don't care if I didn't make any friends - afterall I went there for a purpose, which was achieved and I am now a newly qualified teacher working in a school I love!

BorrowingMoon

Since being made redundant at the end of 2008 I had contemplated going back yo Univeristy.

I must admit I was totally lost about the whole process, but luckily there was a lot of great resources online that helped me out.

My favourite was http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Mature_Students - had a map showing me what courses are available near to me, and the videos were good, showing that all types of people go back to Higher Education.

I think my worst fear being a Mature Student is being the 'oldie' of the lecture theatre and not having that much common with the other students, but I soon learned that everyone is learning the same subject and has an interest in it so there is at least one subject to start talking about!

dankosheemo

kelloggs36 wrote: »

I found it quite tough - I started when I was 35 and although the work wasn't too bad, it felt very uncomfortable in my group. Had my friend been in my group it would not have been so bad, but as it was, I was one of the oldest in my group (there was 1 older and 2 other mature students who were still 10 years younger!) and I noticed that he didn't make any friends either! We didn't gel (he didn't do any work lol) so basically I felt the whole time as though I were intruding and they didn't want me working with them!

At home though it was fine - I was able to get on and do my studying. Obviously the social side paid off in the end, as I got a First!!! I was the only one in my group to do so, so I don't care if I didn't make any friends - afterall I went there for a purpose, which was achieved and I am now a newly qualified teacher working in a school I love!

:hello: Hi Kelloggs, well done for getting a first and getting to where you want to be! :T I'm due to start my PGCE in September after have a few years out of Uni - how did you find juggling the work with homelife?

I must admit, the Student Finance group have been brilliant and well worth speaking to if anyone's thinking of heading back to Uni this year. I've been able to get get my fees paid, a maintenance loan and a supplementary grant - without that additional support I don't think I could go back and do it all! I may still need a P/T job of an evening and juggle my Uni work as there are still bills and a house to pay for! I may be able to get access to bursaries once I've started but we shall see.

Nevertheless, I'm excited and looking forward to doing something I've been wanting to do for a while now.

Best of luck to everyone who's studying and going back to Uni!

Oldernotwiser

BorrowingMoon wrote: »

.

I think my worst fear being a Mature Student is being the 'oldie' of the lecture theatre and not having that much common with the other students, but I soon learned that everyone is learning the same subject and has an interest in it so there is at least one subject to start talking about!

Don't rely on this. I very much found myself in this situation and can't remember anyone discussing their subject!

ipswichblade

Hi, I'm going to Uni this year to do a 3 year primary education degree. I've had 2 years of previous study but for various reasons I didn't enjoy it and I dropped out. My A-level grades weren't brilliant but I've still got an offer from Worcester Uni. I have my final interview on tuesday, this time for York St John which is my first chioce. Already had rejections from Sheffield Hallam, BG University College in Lincoln and after an inteview-Huddersfield.
I work as a teaching assistant and a playworker at the moment which is helping me save up for paying for my tutition fees. I work from 8.30am-2.30pm as a teaching assistant and then go straight to my next job from 3-6pm as a playworker at an after school club.
I can't wait to go back to University, I'll be 23 when I start.

Gem

folkestonelisa

Hi I am a mature student of 38 (39 next week) and im on my first year at uni. Im doing criminology and social policy. And i do have to say that though the work is hard, i am loving it. I am one of the oldest in most of my seminar groups, am actually older then all my seminar leaders, lol, and i find that the "youngsters" dont treat me any differently then any other student. I get along well with them and dont have any problem when we are doing group work.

I have made a couple of older friendships through the lectures which is great as well as we tend to meet for luunch with some of the young ones and have a laugh about the work and everything else.

I was worried when i started but now im so glad that i did it and hopefully the degree will open up doors that would have remained closed for me.