Learning later in life? The Mature Student
Learning is probably more accessible today than ever before, and as such a lot of people are choosing to either return to university at a later age, or maybe to continue their education beyond the a level previously achieved.
This can be for many different reasons, often it is for a career change, but equally it may be for a sense of achievement or fulfilment or simply out of interest.
The mature student has a lot to offer a further education institution and with competition for places at universities so fierce, the mature student (technically anyone over 21 year old when they commence their university course) is actually often at an advantage over the younger student. It is often thought that a more mature student can bring greater life experience and will often be more focused and determined in their studies than some of their younger peers for example. For certain professions (for example those relating to health) it is almost favoured if you are a little older simply due to the level of understanding and maturity that such a profession demands.
It is also often the case that due to the other experiences (both in terms of previous professional / work based learning, life experience and other qualifications) often offered by a mature student, that more 'formal' qualifications required for admission to some degrees / universities are often relaxed a bit. For this reason the chances are that you will find it easier to get into one of the 'top' universities as a mature student than someone applying directly from college.
Of course, being a mature student often means that you have other things to worry about aside from your learning. It is often the case that the student may have a spouse, children and household to worry about running and, financially, this can be very tough especially if you are single. There are various financial packages in place to help people in this situation and if you are thinking about applying for university or further education / training, it will be well worth your while looking into these.