Being a Mature Student

[Ayatollah Hermione 13869]

I know some of you probably got kept back a year or two at school but I'm thinking about, finally, doing my English Lit and Creative Writing course at university I.e. What I should have done from leaving 6th form instead of the degree I did. Current job is pissing me off and think I need some new focus to work toward and include some of my passions along the way so this seems about right.

 

I know that applying through UCAS is the way to go but has anyone actually done it before? I'll only be 28 like - I'll be prime older man territory for the blart but is it an interview? Do your A-Levels get weighted too much? Because our English teaching in Upper Sixth was a total shambles from start to finish and it's the reason I went for History in the first place. Did people get anything from it if they have? 

 

Basically, just seeing if anyone has experience with doing it at my age or even older.

[Rayvin 5223]

It's not quite the same although I was technically a mature student, but I did a masters degree when I was 27 and just had to apply to the institution directly. Didn't go through UCAS. You're gonna get hit with fees though, and the loan arrangement is different as I understand it for mature students.

 

What do you hope to gain from what you're doing though?

 

 

Edited September 21, 2017 by Rayvin

[Ayatollah Hermione 13869]

Some kind of pathway into a new career, ideally. On a more personal, psychological level, something to shake me out of a rut and give me something to actually work on so I don't think life is a meaningless waste of time.

[Alex 35083]

Could the conversion masters route be an alternative to starting from scratch at degree level?

[Park Life 71]

Creative writing course at Uni?

 

Check your privilege.

[Ayatollah Hermione 13869]

3 minutes ago, Park Life said:

Creative writing course at Uni?

 

Check your privilege.

 

The cheek on this one!

[Tom 14011]

When I was at Uni studying Film & TV (lol) there were a good few students on my course in their 30s so I don't think it's particularly unusual.

 

Go for it tbh, I'd probably have appreciated the stuff I studied more now. 

 

 

[Rayvin 5223]

26 minutes ago, Ayatollah Hermione said:

Some kind of pathway into a new career, ideally. On a more personal, psychological level, something to shake me out of a rut and give me something to actually work on so I don't think life is a meaningless waste of time.

 

Assuming you have the £27k or so it'll cost to do this over three years (unless you take Alex's option which may be cheaper), what do you think university will give you that quitting your job, keeping yourself afloat for a year or so, and simply starting to write things, won't?

 

Do you want to write, or are you thinking of going into marketing or perhaps journalism? I can absolutely see the benefit for the latter two, but not so much for the former.

 

Having said that, I appreciate you're not looking for a critique of your actual decision - with respect of being a mature student, it can be tedious with all the young ones around getting bladdered every evening, but you'll probably find you outstrip most of them anyway just through diligence. I absolutely do think it was rewarding when I did it, and helped me to re-frame the way I was looking at my life up to that point.

 

I'm tempted to go back again in future, if the circumstances are right, which is likely a good sign. Learning things can be incredibly satisfying.

Edited September 21, 2017 by Rayvin

[ewerk 30616]

It's a lot of money and given that you already have a degree you won't get a loan for it. Also, given that it isn't a vocational degree is it likely to open any career paths that aren't already open to you? 

 

Would an Open university degree be of interest to you? It's cheaper plus you can also keep on doing reasonable hours of work to maintain an income.

[Park Life 71]

1 hour ago, Ayatollah Hermione said:

 

The cheek on this one!

Why don't I set you some ''coursework''.

 

There are a lot of intensive 6 week courses in Film/Novel writing that are probably better than getting drunk for 3years and losing your mind to acid.

 

 

[wykikitoon 20151]

32 minutes ago, ewerk said:

It's a lot of money and given that you already have a degree you won't get a loan for it. Also, given that it isn't a vocational degree is it likely to open any career paths that aren't already open to you? 

 

Would an Open university degree be of interest to you? It's cheaper plus you can also keep on doing reasonable hours of work to maintain an income.

I looked at one of the OU degrees last year, its a lot more than I thought it would but.  But I know a few lads who have done them and its a good option.

[Alex 35083]

Doesn't have to be the Open University route. Loads of places (inc Northumbria) offer part-time courses with lectures outside of normal work time. I.e. a masters would take 3 years instead of 1 with the final year being your dissertation. I think it would be difficult to do something without having that face-to-face contact and an assigned tutor you could meet. It's a fucking chew on like going to lectures when you've finished with work. Advantage of a full-time masters conversing course is that's it's 1 year instead of the 3 a degree would take.

[Park Life 71]

One of the best places for creative writing is the University of East Anglia.

Edited September 21, 2017 by Park Life

[Alex 35083]

Is Malcolm Bradbury still there? I quite like Norwich fwiw

[The Fish 10857]

2 minutes ago, Alex said:

Is Malcolm Bradbury still there? I quite like Norwich fwiw

Lad I do the podcast with went to Norwich. Loved it and is now a fairly successful comedy writer.

[Dr Gloom 21924]

the mature students on my course were all pompous wankers, always trying to dominate seminars with their long words and experienced world views. 

[The Fish 10857]

1 minute ago, Dr Gloom said:

the mature students on my course were all pompous wankers, always trying to dominate seminars with their long words and experienced world views. 

to support this view I was technically mature student.

[Tom 14011]

7 minutes ago, Dr Gloom said:

the mature students on my course were all pompous wankers, always trying to dominate seminars with their long words and experienced world views. 

 

Aye a couple of the lads on mine were utter tossers like. One thought he was hilarious, proper wannabe comedian but he just wasn't funny.

 

One had already worked in Swedish TV for about 8 years so the fact she was there at all was unusual. 

[Alex 35083]

Found the mature students a bit of a mixed bag but some of them were sound.

[Ayatollah Hermione 13869]

2 hours ago, Rayvin said:

 

Assuming you have the £27k or so it'll cost to do this over three years (unless you take Alex's option which may be cheaper), what do you think university will give you that quitting your job, keeping yourself afloat for a year or so, and simply starting to write things, won't?

 

Do you want to write, or are you thinking of going into marketing or perhaps journalism? I can absolutely see the benefit for the latter two, but not so much for the former.

 

 

I also have a TEFL accreditation so any kind of English degree would see me get ahead of the pack in terms of teaching English abroad, which is something that's appealed to me for a while. It definitely opens more career paths considering the current crack is dire, up and down the country. Plus, as alluded to, I was too young and stupid to properly appreciate the education I was getting at the time so a year of actually furthering myself a bit seems appealing atm. Didn't consider the Masters conversion and I'll have a look into that to see if it can apply.

 

Anyway, I'm at the ripe age where if these kids want to even TRY to outdrink me, they'll be hoying up inside their Uber so quickly, their winkle pickers will blow off. 

[wykikitoon 20151]

33 minutes ago, Alex said:

Found the mature students a bit of a mixed bag but some of them were sound.

When I went to building college the majority of the class was mature students.  There was only 4 of us under the age of 21.  Was miles better, it helped everyone wanted to be there (via work like) rather than just the conveyor belt of School - College - Uni.

[Rayvin 5223]

9 minutes ago, Ayatollah Hermione said:

 

I also have a TEFL accreditation so any kind of English degree would see me get ahead of the pack in terms of teaching English abroad, which is something that's appealed to me for a while. It definitely opens more career paths considering the current crack is dire, up and down the country. Plus, as alluded to, I was too young and stupid to properly appreciate the education I was getting at the time so a year of actually furthering myself a bit seems appealing atm. Didn't consider the Masters conversion and I'll have a look into that to see if it can apply.

 

Anyway, I'm at the ripe age where if these kids want to even TRY to outdrink me, they'll be hoying up inside their Uber so quickly, their winkle pickers will blow off. 

 

 

Cautionary point with the teaching abroad thing though - it becomes harder to qualify for those positions once you're over 30 years old. If it's something you're interested in, I would look into the programs for specific countries you might want to move to now, just to make sure that the door will still be open to you when you're done with the course. If they cut off at a certain point, you're probably better off just jumping in for it now.

 

I taught English abroad as part of my year in China, but I did it illegally  Decent fucking money!

[Tom 14011]

11 minutes ago, Ayatollah Hermione said:

 

 

Anyway, I'm at the ripe age where if these kids want to even TRY to outdrink me, they'll be hoying up inside their Uber so quickly, their winkle pickers will blow off. 

 

Providing you don't drop your pint anyway  

[Kevin Carr's Gloves 3894]

I started my History and Politics degree when I was 37. Best thing I ever did.

[Ayatollah Hermione 13869]

54 minutes ago, Rayvin said:

 

 

Cautionary point with the teaching abroad thing though - it becomes harder to qualify for those positions once you're over 30 years old. If it's something you're interested in, I would look into the programs for specific countries you might want to move to now, just to make sure that the door will still be open to you when you're done with the course. If they cut off at a certain point, you're probably better off just jumping in for it now.

 

I taught English abroad as part of my year in China, but I did it illegally  Decent fucking money!

 

Ah right, cheers. I know that primary schools tend to prefer young lasses (dirty bastards) but I'll have a look into it for other places. If they were teetering on the brink of a total nuclear wipeout, I'd be bang up for South Korea.