Is there a specific Mature Study & Retraining board?

[Edmontine]

I know there have been mature student threads. But I feel I’ve read countless, tentative Am I too old to - threads, with each OP believing they’re the first person ever to consider a degree or postgrad at 30 / 40 / 50 onwards - and almost talking themselves out of the idea before they’ve even posted.

It would be helpful to have a dedicated space - with a note at the top assuring people that they’re not freaks and would be welcomed by places of learning.

(If such a board already exists and I’ve failed to find it, consider me suitably embarrassed.)

@AristotlesTrousers

I would also be interested in a board for mature students. I am 45 and looking to retrain. I already have a degree and an MA though so it's tricky trying to figure out how to do this and still earn money. DC are 10 and 7.

In an ideal world, I'd go and do a Counselling MA/Diploma (I've studied up to postgraduate Certificate level), but sadly I don't think it's going to be financially viable, so looking at other careers that look interesting and rewarding.

Currently looking at Speech and Language Therapy or Occupational Therapy. I've also looked at Social Work or Mental Health Nursing as options, but worry about the workload and its effect on family life with those two.

I would definitely be interested in a dedicated board to chat with others in similar predicaments.

I'm about to go into my final year of SALT (there are some issues which might mean I take a year out so it's still about 50/50 if I go on this year) but I've loved it. Such diversity of where you can go with it - at the moment I'm veering towards mental health or learning disabilities type work, but I do have a huge fondness for working with autistic teens as well. I know people who've gone into prison/secure placement work, as well as the more "usual" child therapy (and the ones who've went private - well, I went to get a report done for my daughter from one and there were a hell of a lot of Porsches with private plates parked outside) and adult rehab, swallowing etc. Just done a placement at a school primarily working with autistic teens and bloody loved it.

@cannotfindanickname Would you do an art degree? I'm doing one now... Finish in December. I think I'd like to teach so I'm trying to decide whether to do an MA or a PGCE next.

I’m heading into my second year of a professional doctorate at 50 after making the decision to retrain. Absolutely loving uni and have no regrets, but found yr 1 a bit hard- menopause has hit like a ton of bricks along with other stuff going on. Hopefully getting that menopause crap sorted out soon with patches and pills and be able to think properly again!

Your course sounds so interesting @CoffeeWithCheese. There do seem to be so many options with SALT.

I am very much in favour of paper notes. I am currently doing my studying before anyone else in the house wakes up, and don’t want to spend all my life on a computer. I have a hard copy of my textbook which I am highlighting and making note cards from, but sadly the provider is only going to issue PDFs going forward :(. Is anyone else here doing CGI qualifications?

Well, I've now applied for a GCSE English course as well, my mum's partner is searching their loft later today to try and find my certificates but I'm not holding out much hope. The local college is great they recommended I enrol, do the pre-course assessment etc and if my certificates do turn up then I can un-enrol (before the course starts).

I'll be happy either way, happy if they don't turn up because I think I could get a much better mark in English (as I said previously my teen years were not good and my results reflected that). If they are found then it means I can just concentrate on Maths, which I really struggle with. When I learn how to do something I'm fine, can do it no problem but if I go away and come back the next day my brain just can't recall how to do it (apart from the basic multiplication, division etc).

It’s great that you’re on top of things either way, AzPie, and so positive about your options.

Not being able to locate evidence of past qualifications is so much more of an issue for mature students - who may not have had any contact with their last educational institution for years or even decades.

My life fell into disruption in my late teens, to the extent that, when I applied to university a couple of years late I didn’t feel I could request academic references from either of the last two schools I’d attended. So I just sent the university a bunch of my year 12 essays in the relevant subject. The essays and the university entrance exam got me (the equivalent of) an unconditional offer.

It’s an issue even if one isn’t going all the way back to GCSEs or A’ Levels. I recall attending a postgrad open day a handful of years ago where the first thing the tutor giving the presentation said was that we should ensure we sent for undergraduate university transcripts months before we might need them for application purposes. (And it was a surprise to find they had to be paid for!)

It’s a question I’ve seen so often here: “How do I even start if I don’t have any certificates or anyone to write me a reference?”.

I'm a lot more positive than I was several months ago. The thing that got me started was helping DD look at college options and I started looking into Uni etc to get my head around that sooner rather than later and I just had this overwhelming sadness that I hadn't managed to do any of it probably made worst by the fact DD is very much interested in the same subjects as I am (psychology, criminology, etc) so I was looking at uni degrees in those subjects.

So whilst I was looking at college courses for her I saw the adult learner section, started reading about access courses, was so excited, about to apply then saw the need for GCSE (or functional skills) passes in Maths & English. So I have to start right at the beginning but what's keeping me positive/on track is a quote I saw (can't remember exactly where) but it said;

"you're scared to take a 4-year course because you're 32 and by the time you're done you'd be 36. whether you take the course or not, in 4 years time you'd still be 36"

I'm slightly older than that but I keep thinking in a year's time I'll have my GCSE in maths(and now English again), in 2 years time I'll hopefully have a good mark from the access course and in 5 years time hopefully, I will have a degree..regardless of whether I enrol on these courses or not in 5 years time I'm still going to be in my 40's so I may as well go for it rather than regretting not taking those first steps.

I'm glad to read that a few other posters still take notes on paper, the act of writing helps me organise my thoughts and also remember what I've read or heard.

I was starting to wonder if I was missing out on some new amazing technology or technique after I was laughed at by a PP for buying stationery!

I will continue to be excited by my new flowery folder and pastel coloured pens.

I definitely wasn’t laughing at you! New stationery is lovely. I laughed at my mental image of your eventual rejection of paper, in the face of mounting academic demands for pdfs. (And other virtual communications I’ve managed not to know about.)

(Tomorrow I will have to seek help from a ‘genius’ because both my phone and laptop are staging various sit-down protests that I’m in no position to resolve ...)

I'd love a board like this. I'm about to start my first year at uni.

I have accepted my masters place (computer game law!) so I can now buy new stationary!

Trouble is I still have enough from my degree. New printer paper is probably a good idea. I do like to print out the slides and annotate them during the lectures, then reading notes into it too.

I tried a few academic diaries but in the end what worked best was a big a3 weekly tear off planner which I am still using during my summer off even if it just says -dentist or watch buffy.

Computer game law? Wow! I didn't even know that was a thing!

Well it's mostly law relating to copyright and royalties and media (privacy etc) and e-commerce (ie contract law) so just a bit jazzed up from a normal intellectual property masters.

Sounds v interesting and I'm guessing there are lots of v good jobs in that area of law?

I'm studying Environmental Science - or I will be from October. I don't have a career plan yet but you've made me think about the possibilities of niche areas that I might be able to specialise in.

Just accepted my offer for an MA in Education and Early Childhood! I also got the promotion I applied for so today was my first day as Senior Practitioner in preschool. I'm nervous but really looking forward to the challenge of the next few years.

Congratulations burnoutbabe and KateF!

This would be good. I’d appreciate support on just getting through. I’m 48 and have 6 modules to go on my first degree. I constantly question myself and overthink everything I do. I just need to crack on now and get it done. I restart 21 Sept after time off for injury/surgery since March. I want to double up 4 of them to get it done quicker

Ooh please Mumsnet can you sort this?! Cracking suggestion OP. I’m beginning a Masters in 3 weeks after leaving school at 16 due to financial problems at home. I cant wait but have so many questions as I also work full time and I’m a single mum!

I suspect if MNHQ were going to grant us a board we would have heard so by now.

So I guess we’ll just continue to convene here ...

Share your questions, Capricornandproud! This must be the best place on MN to have them answered.

Another one here who would love a return to study/career change board!

I'm hoping to start a MSc this autumn (part time and online), mainly for my own interest/personal development but may also lead to a change in career direction.

I enrolled for a law a level today! New stationery has been ordered!

Ok, I give in!

I’ll ask MNHQ for a “Mature Study As An Excuse For New Stationery” board.

Happy now? 🧑🏽‍🎓

🤣🤣🤣

Do it!