i'm 21 this dec and am really considering going back to university. a few years back i hated the idea and it took me a lot to get my a-levels but now i'm starting to see that it might be right to do now. but i have a mortgage and would still have to work so most of university life is out of the question, it would purely be for the degree.
but i don't know how i feel about starting university almost 4 years older than everyone else, or how i'd get back into the way of learning again, and also the confidence i'd need. every school i was at from the age of 9 i was severly bullied and i don't want to get there and find out that my life as it is, which is completely different to almost all students at uni, gets me down again.
it's something i really want to do, but i have no idea what to expect.
has anyone else been in this situation or something similar? could really use some advice on what it would be like as a mature student?
take care,
Jacqui
xXx
My dearest daughter, Chloe, i miss you more with each day that goes by and i am deeply sorry i never got to know you,
but know that i have never stopped loving you.
you will always have a place in my heart.
take care my child xXx
hey,
i really dont think you would be alone at all. nowadays there are a lot more mature students at university.
on my course there was only 4 people under the age of 24 and quite a few in their 40's wanting a change on career etc. so at 21 i think you will be absolutely fine, especially as a lot of people take gap years now before they start uni.
what course are you thinking about taking?? uni's usually hold open days so you can see whether it is something you would really like to do. you could always think about doing a open uni course where you do most of the work at home or an evening course...... but i seriously think you shouldnt worry about being a little bit older. from what i found there isnt much bullying that goes on at uni, people have kind of moved on from that when they go to uni
good luck, follow your dreams:) xx
this pic is so i can always remember jen who was my l'il sock monkey friend who has left ryl and i miss her!!!
i'm looking to taking a fine art degree to later go on to doing a MA in art therapy. but part time it will take 9 years to complete, as opposed to the 5 years full time. open day is defnitly a good idea though. might try and find out when they are. leeds met though i think was at the begninning of sept, which is the uni i was considering applying for. is there any other way i can go and look round if i missed the open day? and how do you apply as a mature student?
take care
Jacqui xXx
My dearest daughter, Chloe, i miss you more with each day that goes by and i am deeply sorry i never got to know you,
but know that i have never stopped loving you.
you will always have a place in my heart.
take care my child xXx
Hi :)
Im 21 and Im planning to go back to uni,either next year or the year after, so ill be 22/23 when I start....theres a lot more mature students studying these days, my mum is 45 and shes just completed her degree :) The great thing about uni is that age isnt something that with segregate you.
It will be the same for you as for the other students, as long as you dont find yourself turning down invites to the pub etc because you dont think youll fit in youll make friends :) xx
There are times to stay put, and what you want will come to you.
But there are times to go out into the world and find such a thing for yourself.
I aint no abacus but you can count on me.
you could try phoning leeds met and just asking them if it would be ok to come and have a look round as you are really interested. plus if the course has started it will be good to 1) see the ages of people who are doing the course and 2) you can see some of the course objectives
9 years does sound a long time but you will only be 30/early 30's when you finished and that is sooooo not to old to be starting your chosen profession.
i know someone here that goes to art therapy and finds it really useful so i def think it is a worth while course
xx
this pic is so i can always remember jen who was my l'il sock monkey friend who has left ryl and i miss her!!!
thanks, sounds good. i can get the number for the uni off the net. will def make some enquirys as its something i do want to do, but guess i'll make my mind up fully when i've seen the uni and facitlites available. hope your right about the age thing :) will be good to sociallise, although i must admit i've never really been out in a group with mates. i've lived a sheltered "married" life for 5 years so god knows what it will be like :) hehe. am looking forwards to it now.
an griddlebone - hope all goes well and you get to follow your dreams too :)
take care
Jacqui
xXx
My dearest daughter, Chloe, i miss you more with each day that goes by and i am deeply sorry i never got to know you,
but know that i have never stopped loving you.
you will always have a place in my heart.
take care my child xXx
on my course at uni, there are a lot of students over the age of 21, in my specific group there are atleast 3 people over the age of 21 out 10 people. within the whole course there are a lot of mature students, a lot that have families and jobs that do the course part time.
the age group of people i know at my uni range from 18- 60's, you get to mix with so many people of different backgrounds, life experiences etc
Good luck with contacting the uni you are interested in going to.
oh oh!I went to leeds met before I dropped out, I love leeds :D and leeds met is great!
There are times to stay put, and what you want will come to you.
But there are times to go out into the world and find such a thing for yourself.
I aint no abacus but you can count on me.
yeh it looks really good there. am now really looking forward to ringing them tomoro to sort something out. hehe
take care
Jacqui
xXx
My dearest daughter, Chloe, i miss you more with each day that goes by and i am deeply sorry i never got to know you,
but know that i have never stopped loving you.
you will always have a place in my heart.
take care my child xXx
over here you have to 25 to be counted as a mature age student... there are probably equal amounts of young and older peoples. go for it and good luck!
"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."
Im the second youngest in my class and course and im comming up to 20 this will be my first year there are so many older students so i would go for it defo dont worry because at uni's you get all shapes sizes age its a real diversity so dont let it hold you back
Don't walk behine me I might got you lost!
Don't walk in front of me I may not follow you!
Don't walk beside me the path is to small!
All we can do is walk our own paths,remember your not alone because we are all walking our own paths together!
I'm in the US, but at the Uni I was at it was pretty normal to have students over 21 there. You didn't find that many living in the regular student dorms, but there were some living in the graduate student dorms and family dorms.
Well it breaks my heart to see you this way,
The beauty in life, where's it gone?
And somebody told me you were doing okay,
Somehow I guess they were wrong.
there will be other mature students, in my first year, in my french classes there were only a few of us, an 18 year old girl, me (was 19), two 24 year old men, and 3 women in their 30s)
i dont think you are actually considered a mature student until you are 25 (mature students get more money from student loan because their parents arent expected to help them, and i know you cant get extra until you are 25 and over)
doing fine arts you will probably have lots of choices of courses to do... of course there will be compulsory ones for the first years, but you will prob be able to choose lots too, so will have students from all years in your class.
i went to York uni when i was 22 and i was the second youngest person on my course. had a blast, and spent my money on train rides to leeds all the time as i loved it over there.
i also worked... part time to start with, then full time at the end... it was crazy, but i found i was more organised as i had to make sure everything was on time. and i still had time to enjoy part of 'uni' life as we imagine it - but it was nice to come back to the real world of my real apartment and real life...
hey. i phoned the uni earlier today.
the person i had to speak to though was off sick - typical.
she's going to give me a call back in the next couple of days and if i don't hear from her gotta ring on thurs.
and thanks to all, settled my mind a lot. i never realised so many "older" (hate using that word but you know what i mean) people went back to education. i was brought up with the thoughts that if you didn't go straight from college you didn't go at all, so thankyou. :D
take care
Jacqui
xXx
My dearest daughter, Chloe, i miss you more with each day that goes by and i am deeply sorry i never got to know you,
but know that i have never stopped loving you.
you will always have a place in my heart.
take care my child xXx
Leeds met main selling point is 'its the uni with the pub shaped like a boat opposite it' haha.
There are times to stay put, and what you want will come to you.
But there are times to go out into the world and find such a thing for yourself.
I aint no abacus but you can count on me.
this pic is so i can always remember jen who was my l'il sock monkey friend who has left ryl and i miss her!!! 
yeh it looks really good there. am now really looking forward to ringing them tomoro to sort something out. hehe
