Adive/Opinion - Uni as a mature student

Sin_Chase

Sin_Chase

Sin_Chase

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Interested to hear the experiences of people who have gone to University as a mature student, either returning or for the first time. Particularly though in a Full-Time course as opposed to distance/Part-Time.

In short back when I was in education I stopped shortly after GCSE in A Levels. Just was not for me and did not get on well with it. I went into work instead. Since then I have held down various IT jobs with various roles but for the best part mostly support. I am 25 now and I want out.

I considered getting out of IT entirely, to that end I am actually eligible for appointment to the local police force for 12 months, having passed the full assessment days etc. This only assumes vacancies open up, I cannot put my life on hold waiting for that though so am weighing up my options.

IT is what I do, and do good. It's where all my experience is and what I am naturally apt at. So I am considering specialising in a field which is at least IT related but not, obviously, support.

Despite the job market hardly being an opened armed welcoming hug of vacancies I am only getting older and opportunities are only getting slimmer. So while I might still find myself in less than ideal jobs if I graduate, at least I have made a positive start to getting what I need behind me degree wise. I do not regret not going to Uni back when the 'norm' was but I feel now I want to put my mind to something and open up my career prospects.

I am looking at the Forensic Computing degrees right now as I find it very interesting, has a legal aspect as well as a technical one and could also, potentially, link in with law enforcement. Local job postings are becoming more frequent in this field, for example. Far more research into what is available degree wise is needed and I am far far away from deciding what I would study if I did chose to go to Uni.

Anyway, background information aside, how did you other mature students find it? Did you feel like you 'fitted in' ok from a social standpoint? Not that it bothers me but it is something I am curious to know about.

Financially how did you manage it? Did you take loans or did you have saved cash behind you, something else perhaps?

Realistically would you say a Full-Time course as a mature student is an attainable goal assuming you had the financial backing or do you think something part-time is more appropriate? Personally I feel if I am going to go to Uni I want to do it Full-Time for the duration the degree dictates.

I do not have A levels, well I have a single AS in IT as I took it early with GCSEs, does not count for much though. Entrance wise this puts me at a disadvantage. Does industry experience count for much, do mature students have different eligibility criteria?

Any other Pros/Cons that attending as a Mature Student has? I appreciate many of the answers to these questions vary from person to person and what one wants to achieve.

I am severely out of the loop when it comes to higher education and will be seeking some advice from local institutes but am keen to hear of the opinions and experiences from those of you who might have dome the same.

So fire away, cheers!
 
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I won't lie, I've had a very rare (for me) drink, so I've not bothered reading all your post. Sorry. :o But I got the gist. I started as a mature student and loved it, and 25 is hardly old! The members of my course ranged from 18 to 70 (seriously) and we all got on great. It's not school! Just go for it, and have fun. It'll open so many doors you won't know what's hit you. I left school at 13 due to serious multiple kidney surgeries and clawed my way back into uni via Access later on in life. You won't regret it.

More serious advice will follow in the morning. :)
 
I'm a "mature student" now at 27. A lot of people seem shocked by it, but nobody really cares socially.

It can be hard, though, for different reasons. The ones I find are:

1. The campus wide mentatlity to get as drunk as humanly possible. A good example being "pre-drinks" before going out. Its something i phased out by 20. I dont need to be wasted before even turning up to a venue, and in fact i'd rather avoid being drunk at all and would rather just have an awesome night whilst drinking. This makes socialising hard sometimes, although it can be easily countered by being able to outdrink everyone there.

2. People on my course expect me to be better at things because i've been doing them "professionally", which is sometimes true, but it's also annoying because they seem to try less. I learn new things every day, even from 18 year olds who have more skill and talent than i will ever have. It's frustrating at times to be put up on a pedestal. It's rare, but it does happen.

The good things however outwigh those.

1. I am paying to be here, and I'm working harder now than i ever would have at 18.
2. As a mature student, I know what to expect when i leave here. I know what the real world is like. I can offer that advice to my friends that i'm making. Not in a "i know everything" way but in a good way. Hard to explain.

Anyway, fire any questions you want at me.
 
Oh also I dont have any A Levels or education higher than GCSE. I got 2 rejections from my 3rd and 4th choices, but my first and second choices were fighting for me. Just depends on the institution. My tutor was saying he loves havign mature students as it really mixes up the dynamic of the class and benefits both the younger and the older students.
 
The drinking thing, well - I do not drink, never have and have had to deal with the 'abuse' you get for not doing so. Well versed in it, should not bother me too much but I totally get the point!

Regarding being expected to know more, had not really considered the 'being put on a pedestal' aspect. I guess that might be inevitable. I can deal with youngsters (:D) being gifted and far more knowledgeable than I. I did not do A levels so more my own fault :p
 
If you can see it as the only way to advance your career, you have to do what you have to do.

It does annoy me when I see people promoting apprentices in support rather than university, because they will likely end up the same position in the future.

You can try getting some certs, if you don't want to go full degree.

I didn't drink, or do anything remotely "student" like in my degree. I'm boring, and consistently look serious and I took it at the proper age. -_- <--- Always
 
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I don't see it as the only way but having spent the best part of a decade between 4 firms in an IT role (some for IT firms) I have not felt like progressing to any of the higher roles they could offer. I need to specialise in what I feel is a niche area.

Career/Job prospect aside I feel like I am wasting my mind and do not want to look back in 10/20/30 years and think I wish I had done something more. It's a career push yes, but I have motive outside of that also.
 
Sin_Chase said:
I don't see it as the only way but having spent the best part of a decade between 4 firms in an IT role (some for IT firms) I have not felt like progressing to any of the higher roles they could offer. I need to specialise in what I feel is a niche area.

Career/Job prospect aside I feel like I am wasting my mind and do not want to look back in 10/20/30 years and think I wish I had done something more. It's a career push yes, but I have motive outside of that also.
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Most students come in at 18, pretty immature tbh.

By the third year, they're pretty damn mature.
 
Damn, I am only 17 and studying an ICT - Software Development course at BMC (Belfast Metropolitan College) it is a 2 year course but I honestly don't know what I am going to do afterwards. (It is also free for me)

But there is this guy starting the course at 30, after working in Sainsburys for over 10 years. That is a big eye opener for me.

I messed up in Secondary school by being lazy and never going in and boy do I regret it.

I don't know how that relates to your post or even if it answers your question but I just threw it out there anyway.

Stay in education as long as possible man, that is what I plan on doing. The lack of jobs is scary.
 
Sin_Chase said:
The drinking thing, well - I do not drink, never have and have had to deal with the 'abuse' you get for not doing so. Well versed in it, should not bother me too much but I totally get the point!

Regarding being expected to know more, had not really considered the 'being put on a pedestal' aspect. I guess that might be inevitable. I can deal with youngsters (:D) being gifted and far more knowledgeable than I. I did not do A levels so more my own fault :p
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As a uni student who is now 20 in my third year I can't say i'd consider you old or out of place. If anything I'd probably be more drawn to being your friend purely because you'd be more mature.

However I would ask if you're going to be in halls then. I ask because halls is a hideously immature year. Full of lots of people with no consideration for others. Loud music, clashing around at 4am wasted etc. All common problem. Particularly for me as I was in a house of 80 people. It had just as many up sides as down sides. Great fun when you're the drunk group, horrible when you aren't.

Now the reason I bring this up is because you will always be the not drunk group if you aren't a drinker! Personally I consider uni to be half social and half work. I couldn't do that sober. But that's me. The question is, are you planning on actively socialising with your peers? If so that's a lot of heavy nights out drinking.

Also I feel obliged to point out that leeds uni is a great place to be.
 
I am planning to avoid halls if practical and affordable. While there might be Pros I think the cons, some of which you listed outweigh them.

I enjoy socialising, just not on a drinking basis. So for me, likely far less 'socialising' than others ;)
 
Sin_Chase said:
I am planning to avoid halls if practical and affordable. While there might be Pros I think the cons, some of which you listed outweigh them.

I enjoy socialising, just not on a drinking basis. So for me, likely far less 'socialising' than others ;)
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Just join a nerdy club, probably plenty in the cs department.
 
Sin_Chase said:
I am planning to avoid halls if practical and affordable. While there might be Pros I think the cons, some of which you listed outweigh them.

I enjoy socialising, just not on a drinking basis. So for me, likely far less 'socialising' than others ;)
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That's fair enough. It's a shame really because halls is a great way to meet people. Just not always the most fun place to be. I am glad I'm out of halls if I'm honest but at the same time it was the best way to meet people in first year.

If you could afford to be in one of the better halls, like one which doesn't have 80 people in (I didn't choose it but I got put there anyway). Then maybe your hall experience would be better with the drunks than mine.

When I think about all the socialising I do, I think the only socialising I've done over uni which didn't include alcohol would be playing fifa with people and going food shopping haha. I go out for meals quite a lot but that always has a bottle of wine or two attached to it as well. Sometimes a bar after.

What are your reasons for not drinking? Does clubbing not interest you?
 
8igdave said:
What are your reasons for not drinking? Does clubbing not interest you?
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I despise clubbing, as for drink, well. I do not particularly like the taste and don't subscribe to the getting smashed mentality.

I do not have anything against drink, but if you do not need to be smashed, and do not enjoy alcohol, no point drinking it for the sake of it! :D
 
Sin_Chase said:
I despise clubbing, as for drink, well. I do not particularly like the taste and don't subscribe to the getting smashed mentality.

I do not have anything against drink, but if you do not need to be smashed, and do not enjoy alcohol, no point drinking it for the sake of it! :D
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So many people claim they don't like alcohol. I simply believe they haven't found the drink for them ;). I went on a quest for a friend who said she didn't like alcohol. In the end I gave her tarrango. It's a red wine which tastes of ribena almost and yet is 12.5%.

For the sake of hoping you find a drink you like you should try these if you haven't. Alcohol can be rather pleasurable:

1- Peroni, easily the best larger around. I can't drink calsberg/carling etc

2- Jack daniels and coke, many people who don't like most alcoholic drinks find they like this.

3- Gin and tonic/lemonade, it's actually a very nice drink.

4- Redbull and vodka, I detest redbull but if you like it this one was made for you.

Don't give up the search! Decent wine is always a good start too, too many people drink the bargin bucket stuff.
 
I don't know if this helps but I go to college to study for my A levels, the age range is quite big, you've got people as young as 17 and as old as 35 in one class, we get on fine.
 
A couple of good friends who I met at uni were a few years older 23, 24 and 25 I think they were.

Age is only an issue if you dwell on it and make it an issue. I recall one guy who always bought up the fact he was older and lorded it over people a fair bit.


In summary go for it! Dont let the drink thing stand in your way, there's plenty of fun and friends to be made without getting off your face. I like a drink but I always paced myself, and never got legless unlike some. Was never an issue.

My friend didn't have any A Levels but had worked for BT for a number of years and had the rate attitude so best thing to do is ring an admissions dept. and see what they say.
 
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