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Has anyone done a degree as a mature student?
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 Michaelawt85  Bexley 04 Sep 17 1.04pm |
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Has anyone here taken up study (full time degree) in their 30s+ . How did you find juggling the study alongside family / work etc, etc. Any advice or tips?
When I was a young girl my Mother said to me.. You listen here kid you're CPFC |
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 Direwolf Lincoln 04 Sep 17 1.11pm |
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I did a few years back. Are you doing it mostly online or with day release from work? I did mine with the OU. Their courses are pretty much all online now so you can grab study time whenever you have internet access.
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| jamiemartin721 Reading 04 Sep 17 1.13pm |
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With family and work, its hard, especially full time study. I can just about manage part time at the OU and I don't have kids - but I am quite lazy. Full time is a big commitment in terms of time, dependent on the degree you do, and how familiar you are with the subject - and how focused you want to be on the subject matter.
"One Nation Under God, has turned into One Nation Under the Influence of One Drug" |
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| Midlands Eagle 04 Sep 17 1.14pm |
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.......... Edited by Midlands Eagle (04 Sep 2017 3.06pm)
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| jamiemartin721 Reading 04 Sep 17 1.22pm |
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Originally posted by Michaelawt85
Has anyone here taken up study (full time degree) in their 30s+ . How did you find juggling the study alongside family / work etc, etc. Any advice or tips? Are you going down the OU route or full time go onto campus? Also what are you studying. Different subjects have very different needs (Science you'll need to do lab work, where as English Literature you'll need to read a LOT of books, you probably would never dream of reading). What tends to throw people is when their subject strays outside the areas you think. When studying Psychology, I put more effort than I wanted into Research, Essay Writing and Statistics, than I did into actually studying psychological theories. Despite what some people will tell you, there are no easy degrees.
"One Nation Under God, has turned into One Nation Under the Influence of One Drug" |
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| Michaelawt85 Bexley 04 Sep 17 1.28pm |
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Originally posted by jamiemartin721
Are you going down the OU route or full time go onto campus? Also what are you studying. Different subjects have very different needs (Science you'll need to do lab work, where as English Literature you'll need to read a LOT of books, you probably would never dream of reading). What tends to throw people is when their subject strays outside the areas you think. When studying Psychology, I put more effort than I wanted into Research, Essay Writing and Statistics, than I did into actually studying psychological theories. Despite what some people will tell you, there are no easy degrees. Couldn't do the OU. I need the structure and discipline of going to the place of education and being taught as opposed to learning at home where there are distractions / looking at other things which need doing Edited by Michaelawt85 (04 Sep 2017 1.30pm)
When I was a young girl my Mother said to me.. You listen here kid you're CPFC |
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| Badger11 Beckenham 04 Sep 17 1.34pm |
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Hi my first post. My Nephew is currently doing an OU degree, he hopes to be a teacher. His wife works full time for the NHS so they rely on her salary. During the day he is a house husband and looks after their 2 daughters. He then works evening / night shift at a supermarket to bring in some money. Anyway it seems to work for them. The great thing about an OU degree is that you can invest as much or as little time as you can afford. His mother is doing the same degree yet he is ahead of her as for him it is work for her pleasure. Hope this helps
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| DanH SW2 04 Sep 17 1.39pm |
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No point doing a degree in this day of age. Anyone remotely qualified in a specific area is viewed with suspicion and their views dismissed. Best to just shout loudly and ignorantly over and over if you want to get ahead.
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| Michaelawt85 Bexley 04 Sep 17 1.44pm |
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Originally posted by DanH
No point doing a degree in this day of age. Anyone remotely qualified in a specific area is viewed with suspicion and their views dismissed. Best to just shout loudly and ignorantly over and over if you want to get ahead. Oh do shut up!
When I was a young girl my Mother said to me.. You listen here kid you're CPFC |
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| jamiemartin721 Reading 04 Sep 17 1.45pm |
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Originally posted by Michaelawt85
Couldn't do the OU. I need the structure and discipline of going to the place of education and being taught as opposed to learning at home where there are distractions / looking at other things which need doing Edited by Michaelawt85 (04 Sep 2017 1.30pm) I get that, oddly I found more distractions when I went to university, than I did at the OU. My advice if you're going to university, is to do as much study as possible at the university. In my first year I had a lot of spaces when there was two or three hours between Lectures, Tutorials or Seminars or Labs etc - So I'd take my notes, go to the library, write them up and do the background reading and additional study in that spare time. Use your tutor as much as possible, and always be 'the after class nerd' with the lecturers and tutors. Its worth getting to know them sooner rather than when you need something. Books - It might not be the case in the digital age so much, but books are a premium, and you can't always rely on getting the library copies - As soon as you can, go to the library and book out any books you need and don't want to buy. Usually there is also a kid or two who can get books cheap. These will probably be stolen - but hey, students are poor. Learn how to write essays and reference properly. This is a vital university skill and being able to reference and structure an essay, will pay off in each of your years. Its probably the most important thing you do in year 1 - Learning how to write, how to reference, the grammar and structure of the subject language and formatting. Don't make all your spare time, study time. Its vital to not slip into a pattern of being either student or non-student - you need to socialise in both your student circles and do ordinary things. Its vital to spend time with other students, doing both student and non-student things. You need student friends for when you miss a lecture, or are sick, or need a study buddy or baby sitter. As a mature student, you will never need to be short of baby sitters.
"One Nation Under God, has turned into One Nation Under the Influence of One Drug" |
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| hedgehog50 Croydon 04 Sep 17 1.45pm |
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Originally posted by DanH
No point doing a degree in this day of age. Anyone remotely qualified in a specific area is viewed with suspicion and their views dismissed. Best to just shout loudly and ignorantly over and over if you want to get ahead. Like many students do when they want statues pulled down or speakers banned who they disagree with?
We have now sunk to a depth at which the restatement of the obvious is the first duty of intelligent men. [Orwell] |
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| Michaelawt85 Bexley 04 Sep 17 1.52pm |
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Originally posted by jamiemartin721
I get that, oddly I found more distractions when I went to university, than I did at the OU. My advice if you're going to university, is to do as much study as possible at the university. In my first year I had a lot of spaces when there was two or three hours between Lectures, Tutorials or Seminars or Labs etc - So I'd take my notes, go to the library, write them up and do the background reading and additional study in that spare time. Use your tutor as much as possible, and always be 'the after class nerd' with the lecturers and tutors. Its worth getting to know them sooner rather than when you need something. Books - It might not be the case in the digital age so much, but books are a premium, and you can't always rely on getting the library copies - As soon as you can, go to the library and book out any books you need and don't want to buy. Usually there is also a kid or two who can get books cheap. These will probably be stolen - but hey, students are poor. Learn how to write essays and reference properly. This is a vital university skill and being able to reference and structure an essay, will pay off in each of your years. Its probably the most important thing you do in year 1 - Learning how to write, how to reference, the grammar and structure of the subject language and formatting. Don't make all your spare time, study time. Its vital to not slip into a pattern of being either student or non-student - you need to socialise in both your student circles and do ordinary things. Its vital to spend time with other students, doing both student and non-student things. You need student friends for when you miss a lecture, or are sick, or need a study buddy or baby sitter. As a mature student, you will never need to be short of baby sitters. Thankyou. Some good advice there. I am already familiar with the Harvard system of referencing from previous study. My long term intention is to apply to the met police as part of their graduate scheme . The law and legal system is my passion and my calling. The fire which burns inside if you like. In addition to this, almost an aside, is the example it will set to my children. Seeing me study and work hard will, I hope, encourage and drive them on in their own education.
When I was a young girl my Mother said to me.. You listen here kid you're CPFC |
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