Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if you would find it unusual if a 21/22 year old was at college

91 replies

User442992286 · 13/05/2021 19:22

Or not?

OP posts:
DanielRicciardosSmile · 13/05/2021 20:51

Mature students, not nature students. Though possibly both I guess if you were into botany or something?

Ginuwine · 13/05/2021 20:51

@User442992286

No they just attend college no job.

Are you going to give more context or are we on one of those threads where you'll come back every 100 posts with one sentence to answer a specific fact, but offer no context?

Yeah it's going to be one of those..

ExcitingTimes2021 · 13/05/2021 20:52

No. Why would this be considered weird? Teenagers leave school at 16 and head off to college/apprenticeship and are expected at this young age, with minimal life experience, to select options which will shape their further career. Some are very lucky and know what they want to do from a young age and go out there and achieve it. However for many they just don’t know what is out there, what is right for them as they are only just starting out their adult lives.
Just as an example. I left school, went to college for my a levels but decided not to go to university, got what would be classed as a full time unskilled job for a few years. Then went back to college to train as a dental nurse probably around the age of 20. At the age of 28 I decided I still wanted to work in healthcare but wanted more, so I quit that job and started training to be a registered nurse which involved starting again and college and then off to university for three years. No one considered me strange for wanting to progress in my health care career by going back to full time education.
Another personal story. My dad left his job at a petrol station in his 40s to do a full time college course to become a groundsman. Again no one thought he was strange for wanting to better himself and do something he was passionate about. Although I do feel he his strange as he passionate about grass and weeds!! 😂😂😂

IHaveBrilloHair · 13/05/2021 20:54

Oh ffs, just tell us.

WhySoSensitive · 13/05/2021 20:56

This was utterly pointless.

LadyMacbethWasMisunderstood · 13/05/2021 20:56

No. It is not at all strange.

If this is you or someone close to you; don’t worry about it.

If this is someone you are looking to find fault with; give up.

Either way; it’s perfectly normal.

sonjadog · 13/05/2021 20:56

No, I would think it the opposite of unusual. I would have thought it was the average age for being at college.

CorianderBee · 13/05/2021 20:57

21 is still very young. Plenty of people are still figuring out what they want to do.

littlepattilou · 13/05/2021 20:57

I think

LIZS · 13/05/2021 20:58

To study what? Many courses are full time or part time and retaking maths/English, or for apprenticeships. Access courses do still exist as a route into HE especially for vocational courses. Could easily be doing so at 22.

littlepattilou · 13/05/2021 20:58

I'll come back with the rest of that sentence at 9.15pm. ^ Probably...

MatureStudent21 · 13/05/2021 21:01

This basically describes me

Butchyrestingface · 13/05/2021 21:02

To ask if you would find it unusual if a 21/22 year old was at college

Have you accidentally snipped off part of your post, @User442992286?

Like , "to ask if you would it unusual if a 21/22 year old was at college ... if they had Bubonic Plague "?

If so, yes. College attendance in such circumstances would be over and above the call of duty, I think.

Otherwise, no. Grin

theweebabydonkey · 13/05/2021 21:04

I teach in fe college and my classes are full of 17-45 yr olds. I have taught a gentleman of 60yrs.

There's no age limit on furthering your education, quite rightly.

Singinginshower · 13/05/2021 21:06

What's your problem OP?

partyatthepalace · 13/05/2021 21:06

No, because it isn’t

ethelredonagoodday · 13/05/2021 21:08

Do you mean uni or college or what?! But in all cases no regardless. Totally normal!

flashylamp · 13/05/2021 21:09

There are many things that would make it unusual for a 22 years old to go to college, say if they were a horse or something, but generally there are shitloads if adults in education. I'm in my 40s and at uni - it could have been college for 2 years then uni for 2 but logistically uni is easier

MoesBar · 13/05/2021 21:10

I went to college at 31 Hmm Am now at Uni.

Should education have an age limit?!

EveningOverRooftops · 13/05/2021 21:10

Nope. For any number of reasons they could put it off.

Not sure at 16/18 what to do. Worked instead then came back when matured a bit and knew their direction.

May have had to put it off because they were in care and dealing with shit.

May have had to put it off as they were a carer.

Might have gone back to get more qualifications. I returned to college at 25 for a second level 3 qualification to bolster what I had.

Might not have had the money to do. Education is free, materials, transport to and from isn’t.

MoesBar · 13/05/2021 21:11

@DanielRicciardosSmile they very much do exist, I did one, brilliant year.

DanielRicciardosSmile · 13/05/2021 21:13

[quote MoesBar]@DanielRicciardosSmile they very much do exist, I did one, brilliant year.[/quote]
Thats good to know. I remember my mum loving hers, and she's still in touch with lots of the people on it. Its no exaggeration to say it was life changing for her.

MoesBar · 13/05/2021 21:15

@DanielRicciardosSmile same for me too. I was the eldest by a good 8 years; the youngest was 19. We started off as a large group but it halved by Christmas (Science course) and around 10 of us have remained in contact.

Utterly life changing here, too. From no prospects to starting a PhD in a few months, beyond my wildest dreams.

Mrsjayy · 13/05/2021 21:16

No not at all, I'm just here to see what your on about, 1 of my children left school at 18 went to college and their course was 3 years long,

Mrsjayy · 13/05/2021 21:17

I've also been back to college in my late 20s.