By Emmett Steele | 3rd year Journalism student
The thought of going to college as a mature student can be daunting. When I first went back to school after being out of school for a few years, I had many doubts - doubts that I would succeed, that I would stick out amongst the younger students, or that I wouldn’t be able to find the time to juggle my work and family life while adding school into the mix.
However, I hadn’t considered that going to school as a mature student can provide benefits that many of the younger students can’t take advantage of.
Keep in mind that this post is geared towards older students. Those looking for more information about Mature Applicants Status should visit the Future Students page.
Benefit of studying as a mature student – experience
When I returned to school, I found that I had gained experience and life lessons that I could draw from and gave me a leg up as I pursued my education. While younger students are often distracted from their studies by learning about who they are, making friends and their place in the world, I was able to focus on the important parts of my program and accomplish everything I needed to succeed more easily.
In my experience, as a mature student, you will likely have had a full-time job or spent some years developing your skill sets, such as time-management, teamwork, discipline, and communication skills – skills that many of my younger classmates were having to learn alongside their main studies.
The knowledge of awards, scholarships and bursaries
If you’re worried about how you may afford returning to school, there are options available. Awards and bursaries are available for all Mohawk students and can help to ease the financial stress some people may face when returning to school.
There are mature students of every age and status
One of the most important things to understand as a mature student is that you are not alone. The number of students of all ages looking to further their education is growing, especially as the need to update your skills grows competitive and people are trying everything they can to stand out from the pack as they look for work.
Like me, you may worry that you’ll be the oldest person in the class. You may be surprised to find how many of your classmates are in the same age bracket as you – or even older! Education is a lifelong journey, and more people are realizing that studying can and should take place at every age.
So, what does it mean to be a mature student?
If you’re considering returning to school, Mohawk offers many different programs and services to help you find the learning style that works best to fit seamless into your life and schedule.
If you don’t have all the necessary pre-requisites for your program, Preparatory Studies programs can help fill any gaps in your educational resume and prepare you for the full-time program of your choice.
If you do not have a high school diploma, you can still apply if you are granted Mature Applicant Status. You would be a Mature Applicant if you do not have a high school diploma, or GED and are 19 or older, you may be eligible to write pre-admission testing.
Believe in Yourself
No matter what program you choose, or your age when you attend college, there is one consistent truth to being a student – believe in yourself.
You’ve experienced a lot in your life, and many of those experiences can translate directly to help you overcome many of the challenges you will face returning to school as a mature student.
My belief in myself and my ability to overcome those challenges has been hard to hold on to at times, but the fact that I’ve stuck with it and continued to believe makes all the success that has come from my journey feel all the more real and worthwhile.
If I can do it, you can too. Consider becoming a Mohawk student today – it really can change your life.
