Mature students of MSE!

Llyllyll

Name: 'Llyllyll
Year of degree/course: [Completed in 2001]
Course: HNC in Computing
Uni/School: Uni of Glamorgan
'Rough' age (or be precise if you're past caring!): 34
Other info: Married no kids (yet). Currently work for HMRC and have had a gutsfull. Need to get out and improve on what I have already (HNC in Computing). I was thinking about Electrical Engineering.

All advice/comments on career path, other careers, study options and absolutely anything else really would be appreciated.

Thanks very much.

mrsbaileybarchers

Name: Mrs Barchers
Year of degree/course: 3rd year/3 years
Course: Nursing (Mental Health)
Uni/Schoo: Leeds University
'Rough' age (or be precise if you're past caring!): 31 and proud of it !
Other info: Well im in my final year now.. never thought it would happen. looking forward to qualifying n then looking for a non existant job

dexters_mum_2

Name: 'Dexters_Mum'
Year of degree/course: 1st of 3 or 5 (depending if I do a Masters).
Course: BSc Surveying/Project Managment (have to do Foundation degree for first 2 years)
Uni/School: University of Glamorgan.
'Rough' age (or be precise if you're past caring!): 25
Other info: Second degree- trained as a nurse first of all.

Wishing all student money savers all the best with their courses.

black-saturn

Well I'm on a correspondence course, does that count?

dexters_mum_2

Of course, what are you doing Black-Saturn?

emma_b_4

how old is "mature" student classed as?!
im 23 but have worked for 5 years and then returned to be a student nurse, and feel pretty old compared to most on the course! having had a house since i was 19 and been married with baby on the way i do have dofrent priorities from many of my "colleagues"

also having mortgage etc means i have to work to pay the bills, not for beer money!

black-saturn

dexters_mum wrote:

Of course, what are you doing Black-Saturn?

I'm doing a HND in Travel and Tourism with Home Learning Direct. 'm about 3 quarters of the way through it now. I must admit I'm finding it difficult to get motivated to do it.

saintstreaky

emma_b wrote:

how old is "mature" student classed as?!

Technically, I believe you're "mature" if you are 21 or more on the first day of your course. So if you were 20 and 11 months this thread isn't for you, tough

I was an "immature" OU student, starting at 21 - but interestingly the age profile for distance learning is evening out, with more younger students, just as more mature students are studying at other universities. Ultimately, it doesn't matter - you just have to want to learn!

Good luck to one and all. Just be warned, learning is addictive - I can't stop taking courses even though I've graduated...

kelloggs36

I am doing a Primary Teaching degree and am in year 2. I find it really hard to fit in! I am 36 and have a hubby and 3 children (well, 1 is nearly 18 and wil be off to uni in September herself). The younger ones all seem to stick together so I feel isolated - there are a few mature students but not many in the groups I am in. Some of the younger ones are absolutely awful - give filthy looks to anyone who doesn't fit into their little clique and won't talk to you.

I find that it is usually me who speaks up in class then I feel paranoid that they think I talk too much (I do try not to, honest!) and I do wait to see if anyone else speaks before putting my twopennyworth in!

The uni itself aren't really helpful to us mature students. They have hand in dates on days when we aren't in which involves a 60 mile round trip for me and it is pointless saying anything because they just say to give your assignment to somebody else to hand it in for you! Not always feasible.

I do feel like packing it all in sometimes.

maureenjscott

Name: Maureen
Year of degree/course: 1st of 3
Course: BSE Nursing (Adult)
Uni/School: Bell College, Hamilton
'Rough' age (or be precise if you're past caring!): 26
Other info: Married almost 7 years, 5yo son, 1yo daughter.

Fairly new to the whole money saving thing - I am a debt-free wannabe - badly!!
Good to know there are others in the same boat!
Mo x