What To Consider When Entering University?

In 2001 National Learners Survey reported some of the reasons why some people are taking active part in education and some don’t. Among those who took part in the questionnaire it was possible to determine some of the reasons why adults were involved in studying process. Those reasons were:

- to increase level of job satisfaction

- add skills for the current job

- further their further career

It was also determined that finance was considered the most popular field and students were interested in it the most both for the future career possibilities and knowledge useful during life.

Finance is one of the most important issues to consider when going into Higher Education. First and foremost the question that needs to be asked is “Is it financially feasible?”. The majority of expenses will lie with the course fees which amount to approximately 1, 150 per year, unless the chosen course is one such as social work or nursing, in which case there are no course tuition fees. Equipment that is needed by the learner for the course can also cost a lot of money depending on the course undertaken; the essentials regardless of the course will include a computer and printer, books from the reading lists, writing materials, files and folders. Accommodation will, in some cases, also need to be taken into account. The learner, if remaining where they live for the duration of the course, will still need to pay the rent/mortgage and household bills. This can have a major effect on finances and make employment continuation necessary. If the learner has dependants, the cost of childcare will also need to be considered. Depending on the location of the learner in comparison to the location of the institution, travel can become costly; train and bus fares can add up, as well as petrol refills.

Help with finances for adult learners is easily accessible in many cases, to encourage adults to continue to Higher Education; there are many organizations that can offer help and support. The Learndirect website holds information on childcare and available benefits and the Local Education Authority will be able to provide learners with an Adult Dependants Grant. Student loans are also available and advice with coping with the cost of education can be found on www.learndirect.co.uk and www.moneymatterstome.co.uk.

Travel again is necessary to consider as it takes time. If the institution a learner decides on is not the most local and it is decided not to move into closer accommodation, the question of commuting time will arise and need to be addressed. Even if the university is close to the learner’s place of residence, daily travel time to and fro will still need to be taken into account. Other areas concerning time availability requiring thought include outside commitments such as dependant children and work. School and home routines will need to be considered as will the childcare of young dependants. Working hours may need to be adjusted if the employer allows flexible hours; the learner may also need to think about reducing the hours worked to part time or maybe even stopping work, if this is a financially viable option.

Choosing the right course can be quite difficult and can present many questions. One decision that needs to be made is whether to study full time or part time; factors such as children or work commitments may influence this. The institutions the leaner decides to enroll in need to be researched thoroughly. The learner needs to look into the locality of the institution for reasons such as travel time and cost, and if willing to relocate, will need to think about the stress of moving. Another factor in deciding on the institution will be the entry requirements for the course and at what level to study, for example diploma or degree level. If choosing to study at diploma level the learner may not need qualifications to a level as high as at degree level, however diploma level courses tend to be more vocational than degree level courses, which, more often than not, offer more widespread choice.

One question that all adult learners will need to ask themselves before entering Higher Education is whether or not they are prepared to commence this level of study. Factors in this are whether or not the learner has the right qualifications to meet the entry requirements for the course. Also to be considered is any experience the learner may have, for example any work experience relevant to the course, either paid or voluntary. Personal experience may also increase the level of preparation of the learner, especially where health related courses such as nursing are concerned, for example being a career for a relative with a disability.

There are many factors to consider when applying to Higher Education, the most prominent of which are finances, time, the course itself, and levels of preparation. There are a large number of decisions to make but, as statistics show, there are many plus sides to entering Higher Education during adulthood and help and support are available every step of the way.

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