Going to university in your 30s :o

I did uni at 27. Honestly I found the work easy, got a first, whereas my friends found it quite challenging. I guess it's because they'd only got school and college to compare, I had 10 years of full time hard work. I made some lifelong friends, and my fiancee who is 8 years my junior (26 Vs 34) but outside of that small group I found most people to be highly irritating and childish. It was a struggle at times to be social and not seen as a recluse, whilst hanging around with kids who were living away from their parents for the first time.

Overall though, totally worth while.
 
GothicGhost said:
I feel a bit old starting university in about two weeks being 34.

I suffer from dyslexia and struggle with doing courses, always been put off doing anything like this before but I need a different/better job because of health issues now.

Most probably will be the oldest student on my course lol.
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One of my best mates went to university in his thirties. I think he was about 30 when he enrolled in night school doing digital media, graduated 3 or 4 years later with a first. 10 years later, he now works as a texture artist for Naughty Dog in Santa Monica and has just been granted a green card.
 
sneakysnail said:
If anything we're the ones looking down on the new wet behind the ears Freshers. Some of them look like they've never shaved and are a bit naive to say the least. Life experience is a big benifit to uni life.
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This is what I'd expect too; I think typical students will be generally accepting of someone older, it is more likely that you could find yourself not wanting to bond with some of them e.g. because they may have such little experience that their whole world revolves around uni / themselves. As much as I like the idea of going back to uni, and in fact consider myself more sociable than I did 20 years ago, hearing the stuff students talk about on the train etc makes me wonder if it would all feel a bit alien as someone who has spent more time working than in education, wife and kid etc.
 
I've seen, in many fora, a lot of people that are a bit worried about starting their degrees at 30's.
As I told them, first: Be calm, study, get your degree and that's all. Your age doesn't matter.
 
As others have said - never too old and good luck with your course.

I hope your lecturers are more supportive than mine have been. A lot were similar age to me - mid 30s & 40s and that adds to it because they don't mess around.

Get your support sorted for your dyslexia and take anything they offer. :)
 
As others have said - never too old and good luck with your course.

I hope your lecturers are more supportive than mine have been. A lot were similar age to me - mid 30s & 40s and that adds to it because they don't mess around.

Get your support sorted for your dyslexia and take anything they offer. :)
 
Im now in my second year of uni at 31, and its the best thing ive ever done by miles. sure its a worry with the low income but 3 years is nothing, its worth it in the long run.
 
The only thing that will hold you back is yourself, so go for it. :)

Now for the bit where I contradict myself: I'm forty-four and have just gone back, though by lunchtime on the first day I had decided that it wasn't for me.
I'm still intending to remain there but will start at a much, much lower level, even though I had initially accepted the place offered. I could just tell straight away that it wouldn't be right for me.
 
I guess if you go straight from work to study (depending on the work you do) it could be a bit of a culture shock and perhaps if it has been some time since you were in any form of education it is best to perhaps complete a foundation year or similar first or perhaps undertake some preparatory study in your own time.

I guess also a lot depends on the course/university too. Studying at a former poly or FE college could be more manageable than at a top university or a red brick. Prior work experience can certainly help too. I mean I'd assume that say a nurse or similar medical professional with 10 years experience who chooses to study medicine would likely be highly motivated and would have some significant relevant experience.

There is also the fact that age can get in the way a bit re: genitive ability, this perhaps is more of an issue in some subjects (and at some universities) than others - as an extreme example someone in their mid thirties or forties trying to study say undergrad maths at Cambridge is going to be at an inherent disadvantage to the 18 year olds simply as a result of their age and the vast majority of those 18 year olds are going to have a decent work ethic or would need to be super smart else they'd not be there in the first place.

Alternatively someone going to a lower ranked university and studying say a vocational subject is probably going to be among quite a few students who are there because going to university is the thing to do these days and quite a few more who, though they are keen on the subject are also not going to want to put in quite so much effort - such a person can probably work the same 9-5 hours they used to work in their regular job and absolutely smash the course.
 
My ex is 48 and has just finished BSC. Just starting her masters now. Best thing is, as far as I’m aware your student loans get written off at retirement so she won’t come anywhere near paying it all back lol
 
I got a 2:1 in my BSc and a merit in my MSc and I guarantee you this:

If I were to do it all again at 32 rather than 18 I would get a first and a distinction. With 10 years of full time work under my belt, it would be absolutely no problem to treat my degree as a full time job and do the required study to get the higher marks. Younger me definitely struggled to put in the work but as a mature student, and this may sound arrogant, but, I dont see why uni wouldn't be a bit of a breeze if i went back now to do another course.
 
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