Mature students of MSE!

DrFluffy

Hi ya all...

It can be quite a different experience going to university as a mature, or undertaking a second undergraduate degree. I know from my many years in student welfare that us oldies face a whole different plethora of problems, not necessarily experienced by our younger class-mates, and for which many university 'Advice and Counselling' services are not set up to cope with. Many of us will be 'isolated' in that there may not be many old farts on your course in whom to confide in/!!!!! with when needed...

So, !!!!! away/spill your heart here, if it helps!

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Name: 'Fluffy'
Year of degree/course: 3rd year of 5.
Course: Medicine
Uni/School: Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry.
'Rough' age (or be precise if you're past caring!): 30
Other info: Second undergrad degree.

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Name: Cypher
Year of degree/course: 4th year of 5.
Course: BSc (Hons) Computing
Uni/School: University of Bolton.
'Rough' age (or be precise if you're past caring!): 39
Other info:
The course was a 4.5 year part time degree but I've also been doing a HNC in Computing as I've gone along, so this has extended it to a 5 year joint course. I finished the HNC in June, and now have 2 more years to complete the degree

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Name: 'Elisebutt65'
Year of degree/course: 4th year of 4.
Course: Tourism Business Management
Uni/School: Birmingham College of Food, Tourism & Creative Studies aff -Birmingham Uni.
Age (I'm past caring!): 41
Other info: SIngle parent to 2 kids under 12 - sigh - Rod - Own back anyone???

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lisa_75

I think I must be pretty lucky as on my course about half are mature students, so I had no trouble at all fitting in. My course leaders are also pretty clued up about childcare issues and have changed courses times to be more family friendly when us parents complained about 9am starts and 5pm finishes.

I love being a mature student and know that at 18 I would simply not have had the life skills or dedication to get through a degree ( I was also pregnant at the time!) so I am so pleased I had the confidence to do it now, despite being a parent and an old fart.

justruth

Hello Dr Fluffy, I am a mature student doing an access to medicine course for which I receive absolutely no funding, and then have 5 years of uni ahead! I shall be returning to you (pending interviews Fingers crossed) with mature student questions regarding the funding no doubt. I was told that as I am 25 and a proper mature student (that bit upset me) the HSBC do a loan for us oldies on top of all the other loans and grants etc available. Do you happen to know anything about this? I believe that it's called a proffessional development loan.

Cypher

Name: Cypher
Year of degree/course: 4th year of 5.
Course: BSc (Hons) Computing
Uni/School: University of Bolton.
'Rough' age (or be precise if you're past caring!): 39
Other info:
The course was a 4.5 year part time degree but I've also been doing a HNC in Computing as I've gone along, so this has extended it to a 5 year joint course. I finished the HNC in June, and now have 2 more years to complete the degree

The main problems I've found is funding. As a part time student I'm not entitled to a Student Loan, and I'm also not eligable for any grants as my earning are just above the earnings threshold, so they assume that means you can afford to study. I have a mortgage and children to support. My son is also at college and most of his class get EMA money, he looses out on that as well.
I didn't expect a grant as thats free money, but I'm really annoyed at not being able to take the student loan.

elisebutt65

Name: 'Elisebutt65'
Year of degree/course: 4th year of 4.
Course: Tourism Business Management
Uni/School: Birmingham College of Food, Tourism & Creative Studies aff -Birmingham Uni.
Age (I'm past caring!): 41
Other info: SIngle parent to 2 kids under 12 - sigh - Rod - Own back anyone???

I've done an extra year as well cos I did the 1st year of an HND to prove I was up to a full degree - having done my A-levels ever so many years ago - lol.
I've also got another year to do after this one to do a PGCE in Post-Compulsory 18+ Ed.

The late nights are a real bugbear for me - I'm the only mature student on my course at the mo' and I finished a compulsory Student Led seminar tonight at 6pm!!! Got home at 7.20 - luckily have a very understanding bf who has picked up kids for the last 3 years when I've got a late one. Otherwise I'd be scre*ed!!!

I've managed to inveigle my way into being class rep this year so I intend to bring this up as with new Age Discrimination laws, they should have to make allowances for mature(or maybe not so mature - lol) students with families.
I may be pushing this tho - lol - Don't think it'll stand up - hahahaha
I have to leave Leamington at just after 7.30 to get in, in the morning!! Luckily I'm only in 2 days in my 3rd year but my first year I was in 4 long days a week!!!

I am having so much fun though - and I seem to be the only one with the guts to speak up in class as our lecturers encourage discussion and hearing our own opinions - the others don't seem to have any - opinions,that is!!

Money can be tight - esp.as Housing Benefit have screwed up this year and I'm on full rent until they sort it out!!! I only usually pay £35/week when I'm in college and none in the summer but at the minute I'm shelling out £400/month so my overdraft is going to be used this year so I'm going cap in hand to the ALF soon.

DrFluffy

justruth wrote:

Hello Dr Fluffy, I am a mature student doing an access to medicine course for which I receive absolutely no funding, and then have 5 years of uni ahead! I shall be returning to you (pending interviews Fingers crossed) with mature student questions regarding the funding no doubt. I was told that as I am 25 and a proper mature student (that bit upset me) the HSBC do a loan for us oldies on top of all the other loans and grants etc available. Do you happen to know anything about this? I believe that it's called a proffessional development loan.

Are you second degree-ing? The reason I ask it the most professional studies loans are only available to medical students from the 3rd year onwards, unless you are already a graduate, then they will bend the rules. I took one out in my first year, but have relied on charitable bursaries instead over the last two years, as even at a 1% above base rate of interest, PSLs soon get very expensive...

There are a couple of charities who will provide interest free loans to mature medical students too.

If medicine will be your first degree, you will ifnd it much easier as you will get full fees help (providing you are not cohabiting, then you will be means tested on your other half), a full student loan and other associated grants. If medicine will be your second degree the only help you get is your student loan.

My top tip is to put in the effort an apply for charitable funds - you will lose a weekend of your life to form filling and letter writing, but it can pay off - I managed to secure £2,550 this year, which is making life much easier...

aurora_borealis_2

Thank goodness I've finished!

I spent the last ten years gaining a BA(Hons), MA and PHD.
When I started my third child had just gone to school and i was working two nights per week.
I had no funding until the PhD for which I won an ESRC studentship. £9k per year. I carried on working throughout. This has helped financially and kept me in the loop, careerwise. I was and still am exhausted!

Anyhoo, I'm sitting pretty now with a very well paid job

So tell me ... why am I having urges to do a medical degree? I must be off my trolley.

SamMoffatt28

Hello all!

Name: SamMoffatt28
Year of degree/course: 1st year undergrad
Course: Social Work
Uni/School: University of Central Lancashire
'Rough' age (or be precise if you're past caring!): Proud to be 30!
Other info:Married mum of 4. Spent the last 2 years studying Avce health & social care and volunteering for Age Concern which gave me the entry req's for the social work degree. First 5 assignments and 2 exams due on 18th Dec :eek: :eek:
Also studying for an ECDL and have passed the 1st 2 modules (only another 6 to go!!)
Main life lesson I have learnt so far is to let others help especially with the school run as it is hell in the mornings trying to get all the kids to school and myself to uni for 9am! (esp when the schools are 20 miles away from the Uni and I have 15 minutes to get there after dropping the kids off)

belleooo

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Name: 'Belleooo'
Year of degree/course: 6 year of 6
Course: BA Open
Uni/School: The Open University
'Rough' age (or be precise if you're past caring!): 38
Other info: To convert an HND into an open degree then later maybe a named degree. Probably a BA in History.

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C_Ronaldo

Name: Chris
Year of degree/course: 1 of 2
Course: Btec Bnd IT practitioner sys support
Uni/School: Local college
'Rough' age (or be precise if you're past caring!): 27
Other info: maybe get a job after or go to uni

justruth

DrFluffy wrote:

Are you second degree-ing? The reason I ask it the most professional studies loans are only available to medical students from the 3rd year onwards, unless you are already a graduate, then they will bend the rules. I took one out in my first year, but have relied on charitable bursaries instead over the last two years, as even at a 1% above base rate of interest, PSLs soon get very expensive...

There are a couple of charities who will provide interest free loans to mature medical students too.

If medicine will be your first degree, you will ifnd it much easier as you will get full fees help (providing you are not cohabiting, then you will be means tested on your other half), a full student loan and other associated grants. If medicine will be your second degree the only help you get is your student loan.

My top tip is to put in the effort an apply for charitable funds - you will lose a weekend of your life to form filling and letter writing, but it can pay off - I managed to secure £2,550 this year, which is making life much easier...

Thanks for that, it will be my first degree, assuming I get in.