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>> No. 4460 Anonymous
7th May 2013
Tuesday 1:06 pm
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Porridge wog here. I didn't really do well in high school because of the ennui and all that nonsense.

Now I've realised what I want to do, and to get there, I need to put a lot of hours into education. This includes getting my highers.

As I didn't do any, what is the plausibility of being able to do my highers at night whilst working 40-60 hours a week?

Do universities even consider anybody that isn't fresh out of high school?

I'd like to study electrical engineering, if that's relevant. Am I better going through a modern apprenticeship or getting and HNC/D over a degree?

And again, if a modern apprenticeship is my best bet, how old is too old? I'm almost 21.
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>> No. 4461 Anonymous
7th May 2013
Tuesday 1:19 pm
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>>4460
>Do universities even consider anybody that isn't fresh out of high school?
Unis are quite happy to accept mature students.

>what is the plausibility of being able to do my highers at night whilst working 40-60 hours a week?
Studying anything whilst working 60 hours a week sounds like a recipe for a breakdown to me, but your perseverance and fortitude may be greater than my own.
>> No. 4462 Anonymous
7th May 2013
Tuesday 1:26 pm
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>>4461

Thanks.

The 60 hour week thing is that we have a bunch of overtime that needs doing. I can get off with 48 hours minimum. In my head though I probably will have to quit the job if I'm going to university or the HND, as those are almost always full time, aren't they?
>> No. 4465 Anonymous
7th May 2013
Tuesday 2:49 pm
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>>4462
Have a look at foundation courses. My uni does one for general engineering with the option to specialise into mechanics, motor-sports or electronics at the end of it. The entry requirements are likely to be quite low as well.

I would say that universities look more favourably towards older students, or should be at least, especially if you can prove persistence such as holding down a job for a length of time. Many of the people on my course who came straight from A-levels have either dropped out or are struggling in comparison to the older lot.

What has happened with fees over Hadrian's wall, are they (or were they) free?
>> No. 4466 Anonymous
7th May 2013
Tuesday 4:00 pm
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>>4462

You'll need to think seriously about your working hours. There are lots of options for part-time study, but you'll find it extremely difficult to combine study with long hours unless you've got incredible stamina. Learning can't be done through sheer brute force - if you're not mentally fresh and focussed, time spent studying is a waste.

The best option for most mature students is to do an access or foundation course. Nearly all universities run a course of this type, for mature students who don't have A-levels/Highers. These courses are usually a year long, taught part-time in the evenings. Access courses usually have quite minimal entry requirements - usually five GCSEs/Standard Grades, sometimes just a numeracy and literacy test. Once you've finished the access course, you'll be able to start a degree normally, either full- or part-time.

Universities generally prefer mature students. People who've returned to education tend to have a much clearer idea of why they want to study and have often picked up useful skills through work, so they're usually far more motivated, better organised and easier to teach.

If you're considering an HND, this might be an easier option to fit in around work - FE colleges tend to be very good in accommodating part-time students and in running evening sessions.

You can study a degree full-time or part-time, but even a part-time course will take at least 16 hours a week of good quality study time. A lot universities have few or no night-time courses, so it might not be possible to keep up a full-time job and study a full time job. Most people find it much easier to study part-time if they have some amount of flexibility in their working hours, so they can take time off work for assignment deadlines and exam revision.

The other popular option is to study with the Open University. The OU has no entry requirements, so you can enrol even if you have no qualifications at all. OU courses are very flexible - a 30 hour module takes about eight hours a week and can fit in around whatever other commitments you have. You have to be quite self-motivated and disciplined to stick to the course schedule, because most courses have no more than one session a month of face-to-face tuition. Employers generally respect OU qualifications highly for this reason. The time it takes to complete your degree will depend on how much time you can dedicate to study. In Scotland, you can claim a grant for OU fees if you earn less than £25,000pa.

I'd suggest that you have a look on the website of your local universities and FE colleges. Give them a ring and ask to speak to someone about access courses and enrolment options for mature students. A lot of universities are quite flexible in admitting mature students. I'd also recommend looking into the OU - they offer a lot of short courses, which are an excellent taster if you just want to try it out. Again, give them a call and talk to an advisor about your situation.

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