I live in the UK and want to go to University, but I'm 33, is it worth it?

Question

I really want something to be proud of, but I'm not sure what the workload will be like, or how much I'll have to live on...are mature students looked down upon by staff or young students?

Answer 1

First please don't give a damn about how others will see you as a mature student.
Yes it might surprise them to begin with but believe me it'll be a one day wonder.
Yes it's worth it.Any self advancement is.
As to the workload-you're probably better able at 33 to take this on than an 18 year old might be-especially if over the last few years you"ve experienced the work ethic in employment.
How much you'll have to live on,I can't answer because I don't know your own financial circumstances.
I'll tell you this though.I'm now 55 and because of family reasons had to give up doing a degree at London.I bitterly regret and resent it now .Why? Because I'm unemployed.
Go for it.A few years pain will reward you.Good Luck

Answer 2

It always worth getting education, If you study something you're really interseted in it'll be brilliant. It could totally change what you do in the future and i'm sure as an employer if they see you have a degree with your life experiences you're more likely to get a job compared to that of someone who has just finished univresity.Definately go for it. I know a lot of mature students studying and they mix just as well as the younger ones and lecturers are fine about it. I guess if you're living away it could cost anywhere between 8-10, 000 (rent, tuition and living) but if you live at your own home then it'll be a lot cheaper.. Workload for undergraduate is fine as long as you have good time management it would probably be about 30-40 hours a week (lectures and work). Although year 1 and 2 will be a lot easier..

Answer 3

33 isn't old, by any stretch of the imagination! I generally think that people who've had a bit more experience in life do better out of education anyway - lots of 18-year-olds just go to University for the sake of it, because their families expect it, without really thinking it through. Whereas if you do decide to go, you'll have made a conscious choice.

If, after doing all the sums, you're concerned about how much you'll have to live off as a student, you could always consider part-time study - either attending lectures, or distance-learning (i.e. the OU or similar), although obviously in this scenario you'd have to combine work with study.

Another possibility, if you aren't sure about the workload, is to do some form of course to 'warm up' for study - to get you used to learning again after (presumably) some years' gap. You can probably find all sorts of short courses locally that you'd enjoy, and doing something like this might also strengthen your application if you do go ahead with your plans.

It would probably also be a good idea to get visiting different Unis - find out when their open days are, get a feel for them, see if you can find out what proportion of mature students they have, and so on. I know when I was studying we didn't look down on the mature students in our year - they were great, we all got on really well with them (and they were considerably older than you!)

Best of luck with your plans!

Answer 4

im at college and most of my class is under 25 but we have about 5 "mature students" who are great fun and contribute so much to the class because of their experiance. dont give a damn about anyone, if you want it go get it!

Answer 5

It is never too late to educate yourself.
And who cares what others think? In fact I think you will get respect. It is very easy to study at a later age. As one is mature enough to understand so many things.

Wish you the best,

Answer 6

My mum is 50 and she started going to university last yera.

She is having a great time, if you want to do it then do it.

Remember though you will end up with a student loan debt.

Answer 7

dun give any damn of what other people think... study from the day u were born till the day u die.......