Applying to Uni as a mature student...

Former Member

Ok so I've already taken a year out, I got into Southampton uni but I deferred my entry for a year because I wanted to travel in South East Asia and Egypt (now changed to Australia), which I've done/am doing and I fucking love it!

You see, as some of you know, depending on what happens when I go to Australia in May... I MIGHT end up living out there for a year, and then possibly going travelling in South America and Africa for a year after that.
Even if this doesn't happen, I'm still not totally sure I'm ready for Uni yet... there's still so much of the world I want to see. Even if I don't end up living in Australia, I'm still considering cancelling Uni for another year just to do more travelling.

The problem is, I'm scared I'll never get to Uni lol.... but is Uni even that important, do half the degrees even help you get a job, or is it just something to do cos everyone does it, which then leaves you in fuck loads of debt?
Also, I've only applied for Uni through UCAS, with my college's password e.t.c... has anyone else applied for Uni at a later stage, how do you go about it? And what's it like being at Uni and a few years older? Do you still have the wild social life?

EDIT: Sorry this was supposed to go in STUDENT. Can someone move it for me please?

Former Member

I think uni is more or less important depending on what kind of job you want to go in to. Some jobs require certain qualifications, some don't.

I did a college course after school but I never went to uni. Instead I just started at the very bottom of the company I work for and slowly worked my way up.
In terms of debt and time I feel I was better off not going to uni and I now have nearly 5 years of experience behind me to back me up for getting new jobs in the future.

The one thing I would say is that I do sometimes think that I might have missed out on uni more for the experience of it all than what you actually get out of it in the end. Saying that though you don't many better experiences than travelling the world!

Former Member

How important Uni is really does depend on what you want to do, although it's worth bearing in mind that if you stick with travelling you'll find yourself behind both those who went to uni straight from school/gap years and those who went straight to work as you'll have neither the degree or the experience.

I was 21 when I started my second year, so not as young a most but not really what you call old. I find some people very young, immature and irritating, but have a great time with some brilliant friends. Social life won't necessarily be any different unless you are really old by the time you get to uni.

Former Member

I agree that it really depends on what job you want to do at the end of the day. I have to say that if your willing to work hard then i'm not sure that there is any particular point going to university unless you want to be a lawyer or something really specific.

I have to say that i can't see a dramaticly difference in salaries between my friends who did and didnt' go.

In general degrees are worth much less these days then they were previously as everyone and thier dog seems to have one.

But if you want to go because your genuinely interested in studying something then i would say its worth it. I made a massive effort to work harder at university than i did at school becuase i kept on reminding myself that i could be in much nicer places - so i really had to justify why i was there.

i guess that meant i missed out on the whole university going out and getting supidly drunk scene but tbh i was so over that by the time i got there.

Ohh and lastly i started at 20 and was the 2nd youngest on my course.....

Former Member

I'm in first year and started when I was twenty..it's coming to the end of first year and I'm now twenty one. I fit in pretty well with my friends but you do get frustrated at the immaturity of others. Otherwise there isn't a big difference and people just assume that I'm the same age as them.

Former Member

You see I really have no idea what kind of career I would like to do. I chose my course because it was something I have an interest in and thought I'd enjoy, with prehaps some help when I'm there about career choices leading on from the course.

I don't want to be a Lawyer or anything like that. Hmmm

Former Member

pill 'ed wrote: »

You see I really have no idea what kind of career I would like to do. I chose my course because it was something I have an interest in and thought I'd enjoy, with prehaps some help when I'm there about career choices leading on from the course.

I don't want to be a Lawyer or anything like that. Hmmm

I think you should carry on with what you are doing if you are enjoying travelling. I looked at your profile and you're only nineteen, not exactly over the hill to take time out and go to uni if you ever feel you want to.

Former Member

clementine_the_tangerine wrote: »

I think you should carry on with what you are doing if you are enjoying travelling. I looked at your profile and you're only nineteen, not exactly over the hill to take time out and go to uni if you ever feel you want to.

Hmm Yeah that's what I'm thinking. But I just feel like I should go because it does look fun and someday I do need to actually think about what the fuck I wanna do for a career, because right now I'm pretty clueless.

The thing is, I got a letter from my Uni this morning asking me to confirm whether I still want my place in Sedptember....well for a start I don't know what I'm doing about Australia until May. So what do I do? Should I just say 'yes' and then cancel nearer the time if I want to? Can I do that?

Former Member

I would say spend your time doing what you enjoy. I wish I had fucked off uni and went traveling. Theres so much more to life than uni and getting a degree.

Your still only young, you could even join uni around the age of 22/23 and still be fine.

If you got the opportunity to go traveling around, then go with it. As long as you have never had a lifelong ambition to be a doctor, lawyer etc then roll with it. Going travel can be just as beneficial as getting a degree, and I would guess more for filling.

Good luck

Former Member

I started as a mature student by phoning up and saying I wanted to join the course when I was 20. They dithered about it but a quick mention that I was a county hockey playerand would join the squad got me in stright away (Ithought that was funny as hockey practice was the same day as I trained with a dance squad so I never actually played for them, I did start the dance and cheerleading squads though so they can't complain.) because I was only 20 not 21 I did one module of the course as a kind of entrance test, then officially joined a s a mature student the next semester when I was 21, having passed my one module. Made loads of friends, the good ones were/are mature students, don't take part in all the student antics but still get some of the drinking action with department nights out etc. I would say, if you really have better things to do, go and do them first.... hasn't harmed me.

Because I'm part-time I work at the same time so when I graduate I'll have work experience and a degree and I did 'nuff cool stuff when I was 17-20 without my head in the books. I like the way I'm doing it but it wouldn't suit everyone as it's taking alongtime, but I'd be staying in this area anyway to keep mydaughter in the same school and stay near my family.

You wanna travel, well you could do it now, or do your degree and travela fterwards. I did the travel a little first thing, which would have been more if I didn't havefmaily commitments. One of my brothers did the uni first thing, then got a proper job and he still manages to travel, the oppurtunities are out there, make a decision and run with it, nothing is irreversable anyway.

Good luck.

Former Member

hi

i applied as a mature student 3 years ago. (25 now!). Uni matters-but it depends on what job you wanna do. Personal choice-me thinks.
Yeah there was various ages on my course, the majority went out every week end and partied like sheep. ;-)

Former Member

There's some great stuff here about why anyone would want to go to uni, whether a mature student or not ? how it helps careers, whether it's worthwhile, what the debt is likely to be, etc. The same site (www.push.co.uk) also has advice about coping with it all.

Former Member

Mature student...god I feel old now, you're only 19, old enough to be my kid

Mate I was so mature by the time I started my History degree we were studying events I'd lived through (no joke!!!). You're never too old to study, trust me. Go out into the world and live your life until you're 100% ready. Most of my friends who went at 18 have never used their degrees as they chose them without really knowing what they wanted to do. At 3-4 k a year in tuition fees its worth waiting until you're sure its right for you.

Forget the age gap, it meant nothing to me and I was twice the age of my fellow Freshers. Although I often found myself on nights out turning into Dad role, deterring sleazebags from my female friends and putting them into cabs at the end of the night when they were spinning out. :yeees:

But hey I don't regret anything :thumb:

Former Member

*charlotta* wrote: »

i would sooooo much rather (and one day i will be i hope) travel the world than go to uni. definately, i mean the experiences, the sights, the people...no debt. (god i wanna go nowwww)

no disrespect to anybody, but i personally dont think its a good idea to go to uni unless you have a career in mind. i have friends who are studying primary school teaching and artitecture which is good cos at least they will get a job afterwards. then theres my cousin who has a degree in media studies and she is now 25 and has never had a full time job. my other friend is studying geography...what the hell kinda job you gonna get with that!!!

Geography teacher?