Applying to university not at the "normal" age - Advice

Samantha M · 10-11-2009, 21:51

Hiya
I am in my last year of college and the big talk with all teachers is university choices etc, and how it needs to be done, but I dont know what I want to do, and I THINK I want to defer a year anyway as I dont feel ready to go.
But my question is, has anyone here applied themselves say next year, and not through college? and if so would you say it is hard to do it on your own? as all the teachers at my college are saying it is better to do it with a college, its easier, but surely if I dont know what I want to do yet then it isnt worth me applying until I do.

So just wanted to know if anyone has done it, and was it ok to do?

Thanks

poppypinkie · 10-11-2009, 21:55

Apply when you are ready for it and not before.

There is no point like I did going to uni straight from school to do something I didn't want to do when I wasn't mature enough to do it.

I applied again when I was 28 and the course was perfect for me and I was mature enough to do it well.

Samantha M · 10-11-2009, 21:56

Thank you for your reply

How was it different applying with a school, than it was when applying on your own?
as thats my main worry about it

sp2782 · 10-11-2009, 21:58

I applied through college and then deferred it for a year once I got accepted. Its definately easier to do through college because they help you to write your personal statement and you have a ready made reference from your tutor.

I ended up declining the deferral and re applied when I was 24. It was much harder to get a reference sorted out and to write a personal statement with NO help whatsoever. Plus you've got to make sure you can explain away your break in your education.

scofield · 10-11-2009, 21:58

I applied on my own, and I'm not from the UK, so if I can do it, surely you can! it's pretty easy, all you do is write like a personal statement saying why you should be given a place in such and such a course, then you get a reference from a teacher, probably a recent one from your college. Then just choose up to five Universities that you wish to apply for. It doesn't take long if you are an organised person, and if your reference is an organised person you could get it done in a week.

Samantha M · 10-11-2009, 22:02

sp2782, if you dont mind me asking what did you put as your reason for a gap?
could you put something like as yiou wasnt sure what you wanted to do, and wanted to find something that you had an interst in, or wouldnt that be right?

scofield, I know what the process is like, im saying I dont want to do it yet, so I wouldnt be able to get a reference from a teacher as im not applying through them, would I?

sp2782 · 10-11-2009, 22:10

I can't remember what I put to be honest, I graduated this summer. I got a reference off my first boss who I worked for for about 3 years, and she was also dating my brother for 7 years

. She also very kindly checked my personal statement over for me and made it sound super good.

I ended up doing the same course I originally applied for though, and ended up wishing I'd just got it over and done with when I was 18.

Wait, I've just found my personal statement, I put:
"Following my A level studies of x, x, x, and x, I decided to work for a couple of years to earn some money to buy a car and to gain knowledge of essential life skills before settling down into the commitment of university lfie. My work experience has provided me with the ability to adjust to changing environments."

I found it much harder to do without the support from college though. How much time are you thinking of taking off?

poppypinkie · 10-11-2009, 22:11

In my experience as long as you've been doing something for the years inbetween no uni will hold a gap against you. That could be caring, travelling, volunteering or working.

Writing a personal statement is no hassle btw. In fact I'd go so far as to say if you find it difficult you're not cut out for uni.

Any employer or person that has known you in an voluntary post can write a reference.

Samantha M · 11-11-2009, 00:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by sp2782

I can't remember what I put to be honest, I graduated this summer. I got a reference off my first boss who I worked for for about 3 years, and she was also dating my brother for 7 years

. She also very kindly checked my personal statement over for me and made it sound super good.

I ended up doing the same course I originally applied for though, and ended up wishing I'd just got it over and done with when I was 18.

Wait, I've just found my personal statement, I put:
"Following my A level studies of x, x, x, and x, I decided to work for a couple of years to earn some money to buy a car and to gain knowledge of essential life skills before settling down into the commitment of university lfie. My work experience has provided me with the ability to adjust to changing environments."

I found it much harder to do without the support from college though. How much time are you thinking of taking off?

Thank you

I only wanna take the year out, as hopefully if I manage to get a full time job (I know may be unlikely) or even just more hours in my part time job I have now in a shop, I hope doing that, and not having the worry of college will help me to decide what I actually want to do. Because I have no idea what that is, and everyone says do something that you enjoy, but I dont know what I enjoy anymore, I loved health and social care but college has amde me hate it. So having a year out im hoping what I loved about that/or somethnig else might come back.

Quote:

Writing a personal statement is no hassle btw. In fact I'd go so far as to say if you find it difficult you're not cut out for uni.

I am struggling with mine, but I think thats cos I am finding it really hard to talk about myself. As I dont think their is anything "good" or anything interesting to write about lol.

tegan1973 · 11-11-2009, 06:00

It is so much harder going to university as a mature student. You have financial commitments, like bills to pay and no safety net of a family home. Think carefully about your decision. The only way I could afford it was to do an Open University degree.

marvola45 · 11-11-2009, 11:15

If you don't feel you're ready, taking a year out is probably a good move. I went straight into uni and ended up dropping out a year into my course because I wasn't ready. I then worked for two years before going back. I needed that couple of years to sort my head out.

It is difficult though if you leave it for too long - I found it hard sometimes to connect with the 17 and 18 year olds who had just gone straight into university as the previous three years for me had been very different.

kit123 · 11-11-2009, 15:08

id take all the help i can get from the college, and apply through them, its more backing

10-11-2009, 21:51	#1
Samantha M Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 1,276	Applying to university not at the "normal" age Hiya I am in my last year of college and the big talk with all teachers is university choices etc, and how it needs to be done, but I dont know what I want to do, and I THINK I want to defer a year anyway as I dont feel ready to go. But my question is, has anyone here applied themselves say next year, and not through college? and if so would you say it is hard to do it on your own? as all the teachers at my college are saying it is better to do it with a college, its easier, but surely if I dont know what I want to do yet then it isnt worth me applying until I do. So just wanted to know if anyone has done it, and was it ok to do? Thanks

10-11-2009, 21:55	#2
poppypinkie Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 9,493	Apply when you are ready for it and not before. There is no point like I did going to uni straight from school to do something I didn't want to do when I wasn't mature enough to do it. I applied again when I was 28 and the course was perfect for me and I was mature enough to do it well.

10-11-2009, 21:56	#3
Samantha M Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 1,276	Thank you for your reply How was it different applying with a school, than it was when applying on your own? as thats my main worry about it

10-11-2009, 21:58	#4
sp2782 Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 163	I applied through college and then deferred it for a year once I got accepted. Its definately easier to do through college because they help you to write your personal statement and you have a ready made reference from your tutor. I ended up declining the deferral and re applied when I was 24. It was much harder to get a reference sorted out and to write a personal statement with NO help whatsoever. Plus you've got to make sure you can explain away your break in your education.

10-11-2009, 21:58	#5
scofield Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Aberdeen / Dublin Posts: 2,071	I applied on my own, and I'm not from the UK, so if I can do it, surely you can! it's pretty easy, all you do is write like a personal statement saying why you should be given a place in such and such a course, then you get a reference from a teacher, probably a recent one from your college. Then just choose up to five Universities that you wish to apply for. It doesn't take long if you are an organised person, and if your reference is an organised person you could get it done in a week.

10-11-2009, 22:02	#6
Samantha M Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 1,276	sp2782, if you dont mind me asking what did you put as your reason for a gap? could you put something like as yiou wasnt sure what you wanted to do, and wanted to find something that you had an interst in, or wouldnt that be right? scofield, I know what the process is like, im saying I dont want to do it yet, so I wouldnt be able to get a reference from a teacher as im not applying through them, would I?

10-11-2009, 22:10	#7
sp2782 Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 163	I can't remember what I put to be honest, I graduated this summer. I got a reference off my first boss who I worked for for about 3 years, and she was also dating my brother for 7 years . She also very kindly checked my personal statement over for me and made it sound super good. I ended up doing the same course I originally applied for though, and ended up wishing I'd just got it over and done with when I was 18. Wait, I've just found my personal statement, I put: "Following my A level studies of x, x, x, and x, I decided to work for a couple of years to earn some money to buy a car and to gain knowledge of essential life skills before settling down into the commitment of university lfie. My work experience has provided me with the ability to adjust to changing environments." I found it much harder to do without the support from college though. How much time are you thinking of taking off?

10-11-2009, 22:11	#8
poppypinkie Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 9,493	In my experience as long as you've been doing something for the years inbetween no uni will hold a gap against you. That could be caring, travelling, volunteering or working. Writing a personal statement is no hassle btw. In fact I'd go so far as to say if you find it difficult you're not cut out for uni. Any employer or person that has known you in an voluntary post can write a reference.

11-11-2009, 06:00	#10
tegan1973 Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: sunny Brighton Posts: 657	It is so much harder going to university as a mature student. You have financial commitments, like bills to pay and no safety net of a family home. Think carefully about your decision. The only way I could afford it was to do an Open University degree.

11-11-2009, 11:15	#11
marvola45 Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 909	If you don't feel you're ready, taking a year out is probably a good move. I went straight into uni and ended up dropping out a year into my course because I wasn't ready. I then worked for two years before going back. I needed that couple of years to sort my head out. It is difficult though if you leave it for too long - I found it hard sometimes to connect with the 17 and 18 year olds who had just gone straight into university as the previous three years for me had been very different.

11-11-2009, 15:08	#12
kit123 Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 1,114	id take all the help i can get from the college, and apply through them, its more backing