Is it hard to get into college as a mature student?

Iopu

I applied to 2 colleges last year. I didnt get any offers. I am trying 6 this year including the same two as last year again.

2 Hell and Back

Iopu wrote: »

I applied to 2 colleges last year. I didnt get any offers. I am trying 6 this year including the same two as last year again.

That depends. Try write a decent personal statement saying why you want to do the course. About a page long. Talk to a career guidance person and they will help you do this statement.

chughes

I did a one year VEC course and this, along with an aptitude test and interview, got me a course in a third level institution in Dublin.

It may depend on the college you are applying to. Some seem to be more matures-friendly than others.

Larianne

Depending on the interest in the course, yes it can be very hard to get a place on a course. Especially now, with more and more people returning to education.

Did you get any feedback from the college? Sometimes they can give you advice on how to improve your application.

You need to do your research on the course, the profession when you finish and figure out how you can sell yourself in your personal statement.

I didn't get in the first time anywhere I applied. But the following year I got offered my top three choices. Currently in the last term of my final year!

I wrote tips on applying which is stickied on this forum. Bit late now as the deadline was today but there's some info on preparing for interviews too in there, should you become successful in getting called for one.

Best of luck.

Iopu

Larianne wrote: »

Depending on the interest in the course, yes it can be very hard to get a place on a course. Especially now, with more and more people returning to education.

Did you get any feedback from the college? Sometimes they can give you advice on how to improve your application.

You need to do your research on the course, the profession when you finish and figure out how you can sell yourself in your personal statement.

I didn't get in the first time anywhere I applied. But the following year I got offered my top three choices. Currently in the last term of my final year!

I wrote tips on applying which is stickied on this forum. Bit late now as the deadline was today but there's some info on preparing for interviews too in there, should you become successful in getting called for one.

Best of luck.

Fortunately I did already read your tips. When I was preparing my application. Thanks! I did get into a two year course (in first year now) that has a link to itb. But I really want to go to dcu and there is no fetac entry path.

Tom_Cruise

Depends on the course and college i suppose.

I can only speak from my own experiences here. Many friends and people i know how returned as mature students in the last 3 years, and none had any problem what so ever getting a place on their 1st or sometimes 2nd choice.

Like i said, it probably depends on what you want to do and where.

Iopu

I kind of know why I didn't get into to dcu. I had very little previous study related to the course. In the interview they asked me if I had not done any PLC courses. They also kept warning me that the course was quite difficult. Hopefully I'll get in this year.

SuperInfinity

So many students are killing themselves trying to get into medicine or law, they're not going to give you a place for those subjects easily. My guess is that if you had the leaving cert points, and if it makes sense and you don't have strong competition for places, then they should allow you to do it.

MelSA

Have you tried to do start study in evening/ part time for 1st year, maybe with 2nd year and points/grades, you might get better chance if you want to study full time. I did all my studies part time, I find it easier and more mature students at night. I hope it helps.

Iopu

I am studying full-time. I am doing a fetac level 5 course.

[Jackass]

From my experience of the process, I don't think it's incredibly difficult to get into college as a mature student, but having said that, you have to demonstrate:

1/ A genuine interest in the area of study.
2/ The capacity to be capable to cope on the course
3/ A commitment to studying and completing the course.

For a genuine interest, I think more than "I read magazines and watch tv about it" is required, it would stand in your favour if you did some sort of preperation course, perhaps a FETAC course or have some experience in the industry you're interested in, even as a volunteer.

For capacity to be able to complete the course, it would be beneficial to have a decent previous track record in education (NOT a prerequesit by the way!) but if you don't, again, some sort of academic untertaking would be helpful, i.e. doing a FETAC course, a diploma or a prepatory course for college, like some sort of maths course (if relevant) or whatever.

And showing a commitment to study is really just telling them how passionate you are about the course, why you're interested in it, what you would like to get out of the course, show that you have researched the modules and read up on it, and what you would like to go on and do after you complete your studies.

Basically, you can't just stroll in to a course, but if you show genuine interest and a bit of effort, you will get in. It might just take some night classes or some time spent involved in the activity or whatever, or even existing work experience or education may be enough.