One thing that most mature students have to go through is the transitional period where they go from being an employee or parent to being a student. What many of these individuals expect is that their university experience will be similar to high school, especially if these students have not previously attended a post-secondary institution. Before becoming a student graduate, however, these students will quickly realize just how different university is from high school.
This is not a place to be if you are expected to be walked through the entire learning process, as these student programs are geared towards people who want to learn how to function in the real world. This should provide an advantage of these mature students, as they will have accumulated a lot of real world experience over the years that many other students will not have. Therefore, these mature students should expect that these classes will be much like any other job, as all of the expectations are placed on the individual to succeed with little to no supervision.
What many mature students are often surprised by is the amount of reading that must be done in between classes. Since there is so much subject matter to cover and a limited amount of time in which to cover it, mature students can often be overwhelmed by this reading.
This is especially true if the student has a family to think about at home, as families, while wonderful to have, do take up a lot of spare time. For a student graduate, this time could be used catching up on reading or doing an assignment, so a juggling act is often necessary. This is one of the main differences between a mature student and a traditional student, as other students have the luxury of getting their readings done in their downtime, when a mature student will probably be saddled with family obligations. Many mature students who are not successful in their student programs are unable to find a healthy balance, which significantly cuts into their ability to study.
This is not a place to be if you are expected to be walked through the entire learning process, as these student programs are geared towards people who want to learn how to function in the real world. This should provide an advantage of these mature students, as they will have accumulated a lot of real world experience over the years that many other students will not have. Therefore, these mature students should expect that these classes will be much like any other job, as all of the expectations are placed on the individual to succeed with little to no supervision.
What many mature students are often surprised by is the amount of reading that must be done in between classes. Since there is so much subject matter to cover and a limited amount of time in which to cover it, mature students can often be overwhelmed by this reading.
This is especially true if the student has a family to think about at home, as families, while wonderful to have, do take up a lot of spare time. For a student graduate, this time could be used catching up on reading or doing an assignment, so a juggling act is often necessary. This is one of the main differences between a mature student and a traditional student, as other students have the luxury of getting their readings done in their downtime, when a mature student will probably be saddled with family obligations. Many mature students who are not successful in their student programs are unable to find a healthy balance, which significantly cuts into their ability to study.
A student graduate will be expected to be proficient in a number of different aspects of learning, as most of these programs end up being very broad. Because of this, students are often forced to take courses that are out of their comfort zones. For example, an English student is sometimes required to have science credits in order to become a student graduate, which can further complicate things for a mature student. The reason that this is so difficult is that most mature students probably have not dealt with these other courses in years, possibly even decades. If a mature student returns to school after 20-years away, that student will probably be forced to take courses that he or she has not dealt with in at least that long. That type of layoff can create a significant knowledge deficit that other students do not have to deal with. That is just another obstacle that a mature student has to deal with in these student programs, even though it really does not seem fair.
The good thing about this layoff from schooling, however, is that the potential student graduate does not have to worry about past grades influencing admission. Since so much time has passed since the student attended school, those grades are viewed as being irrelevant, since so much life experience has been acquired since then. Student programs look favorably upon this life experience because it generally signals a higher level of intelligence than most would think. The industry in which you have been working is also important in this process, as schools look favorably upon certain jobs from your past. You might also be forced to write a proficiency exam for admission, so all mature students should prepare for this exam thoroughly because it will be very important to the end result.
In the end, mature students do have a much different path to becoming a student graduate than other students. Some of these differences are positives, while others can be viewed as negatives, so each mature student will probably have a different opinion on this. In the end, the student programs that are taken will usually lead the mature student to a better career, making any path that is taken well worth the time. If you are a mature student who is thinking of returning to school in the future, make sure that you look into all of your options and find the path that is right for you. Keep in mind that different student programs will provide you with different learning options, so meet with an advisor if you have any questions.
The good thing about this layoff from schooling, however, is that the potential student graduate does not have to worry about past grades influencing admission. Since so much time has passed since the student attended school, those grades are viewed as being irrelevant, since so much life experience has been acquired since then. Student programs look favorably upon this life experience because it generally signals a higher level of intelligence than most would think. The industry in which you have been working is also important in this process, as schools look favorably upon certain jobs from your past. You might also be forced to write a proficiency exam for admission, so all mature students should prepare for this exam thoroughly because it will be very important to the end result.
In the end, mature students do have a much different path to becoming a student graduate than other students. Some of these differences are positives, while others can be viewed as negatives, so each mature student will probably have a different opinion on this. In the end, the student programs that are taken will usually lead the mature student to a better career, making any path that is taken well worth the time. If you are a mature student who is thinking of returning to school in the future, make sure that you look into all of your options and find the path that is right for you. Keep in mind that different student programs will provide you with different learning options, so meet with an advisor if you have any questions.