henry d Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 (edited) Long story short, I`m retiring soon and am thinking of going to Uni to do a BA degree course (yeah, get it out of your system.... "You aint getting me on no course fool !"). Any, relevant, comments appreciated. If so, how did you get, are you getting, on with it ? Had you been out of education long ? Did that affect the process ? Was it all you hoped it would be ? Was it fun and ultimately, was it well worth it or not ? Edited March 16, 2011 by henry d Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulos Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 ******* students Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksdad Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 Doing it just for fun I think! I want to do a full time course as well, just don't know how to earn money at the same time: do you get a grant or suchlike, I'm 48 so would also be a mature student! Fancy studying Local History, a subject I really enjoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted March 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 (edited) If your retiring, what would you gain from this qualification ? I`m 51 and do some voluntary work, which I really enjoy, however I feel I could do much more if I were trained better and the course will allow that as I will be at college 2 days a week and in my placements the rest of the time. **EDIT** @Jacksdad, yes it is fun too! Edited March 16, 2011 by henry d Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyska Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 If your retiring, what would you gain from this qualification ? What a **** thing to say, he'll gain knowledge, experience higher education and a higher level of thought, experience university, be able to pass on skills in his voluntary work, have the self satisfaction that he's completed a BA....and so on and soon and so on....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdubya Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 What a **** thing to say, he'll gain knowledge, experience higher education and a higher level of thought, experience university, be able to pass on skills in his voluntary work, have the self satisfaction that he's completed a BA....and so on and soon and so on....... still not bad when you consider that the rest of the uk's workforce are being geared up to work till they drop and that early retirement will be via an oak casket. KW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyska Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 (edited) Crack On Nobody mentioned he had a placement, or done any sort of voluntarily work, so pipe down. As for experiencing university life, just go and get a loan, **** the money up the wall, usually on designer clothes, drink, drugs and holidays to Ibiza, and then tell me if you enjoyed it. On a serious note, if its going to help you in later life then GO FOR IT ! Im sure you will do your family proud, and the self satisfaction of completing the corse will be amazing, after all Education is priceless Yes, he did, and its a forum, so if we all pipe down because you don't like whats said it'd quiet here wouldn't it? I'm sure what you mean kdubya? Edited March 16, 2011 by kyska Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nial Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 (edited) If your retiring, what would you gain from this qualification ? There was a time when education was seen as a good thing in its own right. It wasn't all about passing exams to get to university. My 73 year old Dad is really enjoying his intermediate French conversational course he does every week! As for experiencing university life, just go and get a loan, **** the money up the wall, usually on designer clothes, drink, drugs and holidays to Ibiza, and then tell me if you enjoyed it. If you knew Henry, I don't think that's what he's looking to get out of any studies. completing the corse will be amazing, after all Education is priceless Go for it Henry, what are you thinking of studying, and where would you study it? Nial Edited March 16, 2011 by Nial Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted March 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 I'm (Not) sure what you mean kdubya? If that`s what you meant, kyska, then it`s a sideways swipe at me working in the forces then the fire service all my days and being able to retire at 51, if not apologies all round Go for it Henry, what are you thinking of studying, and where would you study it? Nial Something along the lines of Youth work &/or children &/or Community &/or ministry & applied/practical theology. Not sure where yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyska Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 If that`s what you meant, kyska, then it`s a sideways swipe at me working in the forces then the fire service all my days and being able to retire at 51, if not apologies all round Something along the lines of Youth work &/or children &/or Community &/or ministry & applied/practical theology. Not sure where yet No I missed out the 'not'... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libs Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 Go for it, theres a few old chaps on my course and plenty floating around campus. They seem to be the only ones that go to all the lectures! Whatever course you decide to go for I'm sure you will enjoy it, theres a wealth of knowledge to be delivered and the lecturers doing it are all very intelligent and (mostly) helpful people. I presume you are pretty up on computers as most work, for me at least, is presented/hosted/handed-in through an on line virtual learning environment. I look forward to pictures of your freshers messy lager chugging contests! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dooseydog Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 If so, how did you get, are you getting, on with it ? Took a Law Degree part- time , age group was 20 - 75 , being a mature student , experience of life and knowledge you pick up helps tremendously - however younger students do not warm to "know it alls" which the 75 yo certainly was Had you been out of education long ? Did that affect the process ? had been out of education for 30 years , not a problem ended up with a 2:1 Was it all you hoped it would be ? sense of achievement immense Was it fun and ultimately, was it well worth it or not ? brilliant fun and just because you will be a mature student is no excuse for not going to campus concerts or the odd beer or two in students union plus universities have some great clubs covering everything from rowing to flying and at heavily discounted rates Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 Henry - look at: http://www.u3a.org.uk/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted March 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 Cheers for the help guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon Fox Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 I came pretty close to returning as a mature student - I did a 10 month direct access course at Exeter uni, I learnt how to study again & gained A levels in maths, English, psychology & sociology. I was seriously considering a career in social work, the course helped me get unconditional offers to several uni's. After experiencing social work on the ground as it were .… I decided against that path. The direct course is a great way of preparing yourself for uni (my other half did it as well,got a 2:1 and works in occupational health) - you would have a good idea of what is expected and how to go about it. I don't regret it, might even use it one day - go for it Henry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vampire Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 I am 46 years old and completed my degree last year in construction management There were 60 students on the course and most were early twenties with a levels and not a clue about constrution,then there were us more worldly students ,the younger lot were a great help with the computers as everything is done on a pc and us older lot helped them in return with there lack of knowledge. So dont let your age stop you if you are computer literate,go for it,but be prepared for A LOT of work,every night i would be reseaching/doing assignments/presentations,etc etc,+ 1 day a week at uni for three years,then another 2 years to gain a bsc hon degree,so 5 years in total. If you are unemployed or below a certain wage then a grant is available through student finance and a bigger bunch of ####### idiots you will ever speak to,second only to the incompatent and work shy lectures that will hand out your assignments and then just show you some irrelavent item on the smart board that is about 30 years out of date. My course cost me personaly about 18k,was it worth it,yes and no,it hasnt gained me anything yet,more its just given me a formal bit of paper for what i already did. So in short,yes do a degree,but select the correct course/get funding/select carefuly the uni you attend and be prepared to be overwhelmed with work with tight deadlines and no help from any lecturer and except that they are the biggest bunch of pedantict, insular and institutionalised,in it for the holidays only bunch of #####. I f i had to do it again and if they did it,i would do open university course as its cheaper and you get more help. What ever you do,i wish you and your family luck as it will take a lot of there time away as well as yours,what with you always with your head stuck into a laptop :o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon Fox Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 (edited) I have to agree with you vampire, I lost count of the amount of times that lecturers did not show, one guy just had note pinned on his door "gone surfing" The younger students thought that was great, but it did pee me off as I could have worked the day & every penny was counted. Edited March 16, 2011 by Devon Fox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben0850 Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 I am 46 years old and completed my degree last year in construction management There were 60 students on the course and most were early twenties with a levels and not a clue about constrution,then there were us more worldly students ,the younger lot were a great help with the computers as everything is done on a pc and us older lot helped them in return with there lack of knowledge. So dont let your age stop you if you are computer literate,go for it,but be prepared for A LOT of work,every night i would be reseaching/doing assignments/presentations,etc etc,+ 1 day a week at uni for three years,then another 2 years to gain a bsc hon degree,so 5 years in total. If you are unemployed or below a certain wage then a grant is available through student finance and a bigger bunch of ####### idiots you will ever speak to,second only to the incompatent and work shy lectures that will hand out your assignments and then just show you some irrelavent item on the smart board that is about 30 years out of date. My course cost me personaly about 18k,was it worth it,yes and no,it hasnt gained me anything yet,more its just given me a formal bit of paper for what i already did. So in short,yes do a degree,but select the correct course/get funding/select carefuly the uni you attend and be prepared to be overwhelmed with work with tight deadlines and no help from any lecturer and except that they are the biggest bunch of pedantict, insular and institutionalised,in it for the holidays only bunch of #####. I f i had to do it again and if they did it,i would do open university course as its cheaper and you get more help. What ever you do,i wish you and your family luck as it will take a lot of there time away as well as yours,what with you always with your head stuck into a laptop :o Hear hear, couldn't agree more, I did much the same but in Architecture, been grafting since I was 16, old school apprenticeship and found doing my degree part time the single most patronising and frustrating thing I have ever undertaken! Lecturers preaching about subjects they have not practiced in the real world for decades...sorry chaps rant over... In answer to the OP, go for it, it's a ton of hard work but the graduation makes up for it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houseplant Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 i went back to uni at the tender age of 28 and it was something of a shock to the system! sounds like you want to study something that you are really interested in, so go for it. if you've got that thought at the back of your head, personal experience tells me that it won't go away until you do some thing about it. If so, how did you get on with it ? tough going. failed some exams - an experience which i have never experienced before. Had you been out of education long ? Did that affect the process? i was out of full time education for 6 years which doesn't sound like a very long time, but it really felt like it! Was it all you hoped it would be ? on the whole, i was quite disappointed. it wasn't as stimulating as i thought it would be. it was far more about learning lists rather than concepts and independent thinking. Was it fun and ultimately, was it well worth it or not ? had an awful lot fun. made some lifelong friends (i anticipate) and met a gorgeous girl 5 years younger than me was it worth it? it was a vocational course, so a means to an end. it got me the job i wanted and my career/financial future is secure - i consider myself fortunate to be able to say this. hope this is of some interest. if you need any further info, pm me. andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 (edited) Henry! A good friend of mine has just done his Masters at Uni I beleive. He is 53 years YOUNG!!!!!!!!!!! He has done quite a lot in Uni's and like yourself is a voluntary worker. He works with Disadvantaged Children and ex offenders etc and finds the work very rewarding He stuck it out 3 times now IIRC with very little in the way of cash but now has a nice student debt to pay off Edited March 16, 2011 by Lord Geordie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaybeNextTime Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 When I did my MSc I was 40. I was the oldest student on the course, on a par with most of the lecturers. Maturity does help as I was a lot more focused that many of the other students but as it was a post-grad course they were mostly 20-some things anyway. I would not consider going back as an under-grad. 18 - 21s would drive me nuts. You could do a very full on OU degree. They have tutorials to attend and it's very much geared towards those who haven't studied for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vermincinerator Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 My mrs is on her 3rd year of a BSc Hon.degree in psychology with the OU. Ian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted March 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2011 hope this is of some interest. if you need any further info, pm me. andrew Cheers, that was V helpful ...... He is 53 years YOUNG!!!!!!!!!!! .......He stuck it out 3 times now IIRC with very little in the way of cash but now has a nice student debt to pay off Look on the bright side, it gets written off in 12 years When I did my MSc I was 40. I was the oldest student on the course, on a par with most of the lecturers...........You could do a very full on OU degree. They have tutorials to attend and it's very much geared towards those who haven't studied for a while. Yeah, I will be on par or older than them ! I looked at the OU course and I don`t think it is geared up enough with placement work for me, but thanks for that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren m Posted March 17, 2011 Report Share Posted March 17, 2011 excellent read -- i,m mature myself 45yrs and have been thinking of becoming a student again to learn new skills to help get better jobs ,not sure what to do though as yet ( ideas welcomed ) so good on you and go for it. would be interested to know if there was any funding available to mature students full or part time thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted March 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2011 would be interested to know if there was any funding available to mature students full or part time thanks There is, depending on the course taken. Holiday Spanish...... possibly not, HND/C, degree etc. yes ! You may also be eligble for ILA too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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