Student loans for very mature students

JimmyTheWig

This "tactic" is being seen as something that is now possible due to the new rules.
But presumably it is no different to what you could have done back in the days when we had free education?

heartbreak_star

davestretty, it still seems to me that you've drastically changed your attitude from your first post (Woo! Look at me! I want to beat the system!) to your last few "Poor me, I never went to uni, I can haz support now please?) to try and convince people you're genuine. I reckon you slipped up with your use of the word "Kerching" however, and so I remain unconvinced.

I reckon your should read Taiko's signature too for info on "what they're up to", and not brush away mine and another few peoples' suggestions about Open Uni if you don't get a conventional place, you'll still get help with funding. Incidentally, what happens if your son/daughter misses out on a uni place because you or your mrs gets one, or you get a place with no funding? You really need to look at all potential outcomes.

I really hope you are genuine and if so are successful in your studies, and best of luck to your mrs and kids too.

HBS x

davestretty

Not At all! And I make no apology for being pleased to find that, for a change, Tory govt policy does not actually penalise me, form which i could actually benefit. Once again I say that all I want is to remain occupied and useful in my enforced retirement by studying for a degree and at the same time support my family legally to the best of my ability. I must admit to feeling a sense of elation and satisfaction at finding a way to achieve both in these days of govt attacks on the aged, the disadvantaged and "middle england" in general.

Please tell me why certain of you find it "distasteful" that I should seek to maximise my entitlement to help when the "monied rich"of our society (many of whom are responsible for the regulations) find it acceptable to employ accountants to find tax avoidance loopholes to save more money in one year than I could possibly receive.

BTW "kerching" was not a slip-up but an intentional reference to a Jessie J song pricetag ("It's not about the money")

heartbreak_star

I'm more irritated at your sudden change of tone ot be fair. I've already said if you're genuine then good luck.

And believe me I detest the rich-loving Tory government, I remember then from last time round and I can see it gonig the same way. Quicker they're out the better.

HBS x

Firefox1975

I just don;t get it

what if your course is in a different city to where you live? will you move house?

surely the cost of going to uni everyday will eat into your loan and grant anyway?

what if you fail? you're off the course and get no fuirther funding, they don;t just give you a cash lump sum for the entire period up front!

I think you will fail the application anyway - Unis get kickbacks on placing students with large organisations who they then expect will devote their career to. you have no desire to work so you are of no benefit to the university as you will not generate a kickback. They won't spell it out like that but that's about it.

Do you really think you could keep up with people 3 times younger than you in a class everyday? your "long in the tooth" attitude wont get you anywhere with peer pressure, you will be outnumbered and emotionally drained.

ok im ranting abit and it might not all be true, but to be honest, why you think you should get a loan knowing full well it will not be repaid just beats me completely.

what you studying anyway? Dance?

davestretty

Hi Firefox thanks for your input but apart from being so obviously ageist and judgemental of my abilities, you are correct - you really don't get it - at all -in any way whatsoever. Any useful, intelligent contributions are gratefully accepted -this was neither.
HBS -please don't be irritated, I only wish to clarify a complicated and confusing situation

dizzyrascal

Firefox1975 wrote: »

I think you will fail the application anyway - Unis get kickbacks on placing students with large organisations who they then expect will devote their career to. you have no desire to work so you are of no benefit to the university as you will not generate a kickback. They won't spell it out like that but that's about it.

What utter rubbish. Total mis-information.

marybelle01

dizzyrascal wrote: »

What utter rubbish. Total mis-information.

I agree it's not accurate. But I also agree with the sentiment. And our friend davestretty has posted his "retirement plans" all over a public site. A site that is well known. And which has people who support, as well as oppose, the current government. Want to bet how many government inboxes this thread has hit??? Or how easy those regulations are to change? I am with heartbreak_star - the intent was clear from the start and the reconsideration of that attitude was only in response to other posters questioning his morals. One can only hope that davestretty is caught in the backlash - and that it isn't people who genuinely want to learn and be useful that he damages.

alyth

I've followed this thread with interest, having been utterly horrified at the intial post. I'm 41 and a mature student and I can categorically tell you that it's no walk in the park, and I'm, what, 20 years younger than you. I had to do an access course to gain the qualifications to even get onto my degree course, the way degrees are structured now (certainly at my uni) if we don't submit a single piece of coursework on time and pass it, we're given one further attempt, otherwise we're thrown off the course.

There are actually quite a few people older than me on my course, specifically one who is over 60, who has had to drop out due to the workload and health problems. She received funding from SAAS which she will have to pay back somehow.

And don't forget, as I was once told by someone, that someone of my age going to uni was taking a place from a younger person who could contribute to society for a lot longer than I could when I graduated - I'm not sure I agree with the sentiment but I understand why it was said. I'll still have 20 years to work when I graduate, probably longer, so will contribute something.

I'm sure there are other ways that you could get your degree, OU has been mentioned several times, supporting your family through a student loan isn't the way forward, and surely if you have worked for, what, 40 years, you will have pension provisions in place?

GotToChange

Dave - I can see all sides of this case and most particularly I can see that some of what you say is tongue in cheek but being taken literally ("Ker-ching" etc.), thus rubbing up some posters the wrong way.
I am absolutely with you in your wish to go to university/get a degree. so you will get no argument from me on that score. I also note that your original question re. loan/funding is still unanswered in any definitive manner - so, in your shoes, I would actually just call SFE and get an answer on that one point as such a lot hinges on it.
I say this as a person only a decade behind you on the clock and with many many thwarted ambitions, so have some experience of being frustrated and (somewhat) discriminated against.
My most recent toe-in-the-water conversation with an admissions tutor (for a course onto which I was accepted a few years ago....) felt a little as though I was being discouraged rather then ENcouraged, although that could be my flimsy confidence - but he did directly ask me to consider how I would feel being very VERY much an odd one out. It would take a stronger constitution than mine I suppose.... which you may indeed have.
Personally, I had narrowed my "choice" down to one course at one university, which is possibly what you should do although with a little more wriggle room now that other - wider - issues may play a part (university [STRIKE]discrimination[/STRIKE] limitations being one of those issues).
I too - despite being sent (against my wishes) to a Grammar school - was told that I would not be allowed to enter HE; consequently, together with other events that helped to create a perfect storm of disaster for me, utterly ****ed up my secondary education. At that point in time, HE would have been "free" to me and I believe utterly that my life would have been very very different had I not allowed myself to be prevented (by those who should have helped to make it possible). I don't even feel like saying "C'est la vie" about it either.
So Dave, in your case, yes - find out about the funding (without of course rubbing your hands gleefully (with irony or otherwise) together at the prospect of getting one over on the "Gvnmnt", but, at the same time, I would suggest narrowing down your wish list of courses (bearing in mind the chances of the the university considering [wrongly or rightly] your future prospects once you have the degree), so that you can talk directly to admissions tutors and establish your chances of actually being offered a place at all. It used to be that charm and self-belief could get you an offer (it worked for me twice), nowadays they may not be quite as lenient with their entry requirements, so you will need (sure you know this) to get your academic ducks in a row too.