Open Day this Friday

john^doyle · 08-12-2005 5:08pm

ccd wrote:

Do other students look down at mature students.

only in lecture halls because they sit down the front trying to catch the doggy treats the lecturer is throwing.

LovelyHurling · 08-12-2005 10:57pm

ccd wrote:

Thats a semi good point. Do other students look down at mature students. OR find that they have ertain probems with them. I would like a honest answer not the answer that is supposed to be given

Dont know about other courses but I think theres a definite divide between ppl just out of school and the graduates. Graduates come to the course with a lot more knowledge than those of us with A levels or the leaving cert, and seem to see us as irresponsible or not serious enough about their studies, they get really annoyed about things like you know laughing and making fun of stuff, when they were probably just as bad in their first degree anyway.

The division is probably made worse because older students tend not to go out a lot so they dont socialise with the majority of the class and so alienate other people. Also theyre often in danger of being seen as teachers pets because of a conglomeration of the above.

Then again, some graduates fit in a lot better than others and it does have a lot to do with your personality. Just be clear that although you bring a lot of previous training and experience with you its important to remember that academic success is not the only way of making a success of your college years, and if you dont intend to take advantage of the non-academic side of things - pub runs, rag week, drinking sessions, skipping lectures etc - dont be frustrated at people who do.

Thats that off my chest. Just got told off for having a joke in the library by a thirty year old fresher with facial hair. Baa.

Blush_01 · 09-12-2005 3:09am

Economaniac! wrote:

when your doing a 3-4 year course you do want nice looking and fun people in your course, it makes a lot of difference to your day-to-day experience and can affect your commitment to the course.

A bit of a generalisation? The people in your course won't have any impact on your commitment, unless it is to decrease it by distracting you when you don't need it (or shouldn't be willing to be distracted. Procrastination is a double edged sword) and vice versa. You could be in a lecture with 200 potatoes and it'd make just as much positive impact on your commitment to study, in my opinion.

Mature students are often much nicer than your run of the mill straight-from-school student. They just tend to want to know everything and ask questions that some people think either go without saying or are unnecessarily detailed. In that case, don't mind them, you're paying for something most of the people in your course are getting for free, get as much as you can out of it. If they don't want to ask questions or hear the answers, then they can tune out. Besides, more often than not mature students will ask questions that s-f-s students are too shy to ask for themselves.

Take it easy and it'll be grand.

ccd · 09-12-2005 10:52am

Anyone know anything about the fees situation for matures

Pythia · 09-12-2005 12:00pm

If you're interested in Economics, you could take a look at Economics and Finance. It's a 3 year Bachelor of Science, run by the Quinn School. It's kinda like an Economics, Statistics and Maths Degree.

pretty*monster · 09-12-2005 1:36pm

I don't think you'll have a problem as a mature student. First of all because you're not in anyway old. The people I socialise with regularly in college range from 18 to 29 (and get on very well with a lot of much older students as well but they usally don't have the time to come down the pub with us), and while the older one occasionally roll thier eyes at the antics of us young 'uns the age gap, small as it is, isn't an issue.

Besides which ucd has a very active mature students society.

As to the fees sitation, if it's you're first degree it'll be free, if it's not, it won't be.

Riamfada · 09-12-2005 3:02pm

pretty*monster wrote:

As to the fees sitation, if it's you're first degree it'll be free, if it's not, it won't be.

Even if you didnt finish your first one ....... grrrr

padser · 09-12-2005 3:55pm

ccd wrote:

Do other students look down at mature students. OR find that they have ertain probems with them. I would like a honest answer not the answer that is supposed to be given

Most 'normal' students I would say dont in any way look down on mature students. Im thinking that what your talking about here is the fact that 'normal' students are selected for courses based purely on acedemic results in school whereas mature students go through interviewing processes.

If this is the case im guessing that the first 4/5 answers to question will have shown you that far from looking down on you most 'normal' students either a)dont know this b)dont understand the implications of it (ie that you might feel in some way that others might look down on you) or c)dont care.
Most students when they arrive at university realise soon enough that results in school are of little or no relevence. Respect (intellectually) is gained from results and performance in college.

I think you will find the vast majority fall into one of the above catogories. Iv personally never came across anyone who doesnt.

As for the answers you have reveived they should give you an insight as to whether you will be accepted socially by the younger students. At age 24 I dont see any reason why you would be accepted any more or less so then other students. Most people do not know each other anyway starting off. I would say the vast majority of people you meet will not realise or care you are a mature student.

ccd · 09-12-2005 4:04pm

I was refering to Intecletually. I would not of obtained a course in Ucd with the results of my leaving cert.

pretty*monster · 09-12-2005 4:38pm

Oh, I doubt anyone will give a toss about that.

padser · 09-12-2005 5:23pm

ccd wrote:

I was refering to Intecletually. I would not of obtained a course in Ucd with the results of my leaving cert.

I thought so. Well as iv already said the fact that most replies didnt even cop onto to what you were talking about speaks volumes. Its not really an issue.

boneless · 10-12-2005 4:31pm

The biggest gripe I have as an older student- I will not call myself mature, as all who know me will support- is that I do not get offered condoms on Freshers week!!

Old people have sex too!!!!!! Or at least like to think they do....

LovelyHurling · 10-12-2005 4:34pm

<toes curl> you lie you lie, no they dont they get and watch parkinson(s)

boneless · 10-12-2005 6:26pm

LovelyHurling wrote:

<toes curl> you lie you lie, no they dont they get and watch parkinson(s)

Mmmmm.... Parkinsons. ''Handy'' to have....

ccd · 12-12-2005 2:53pm

I did attend the open day last Saturday, but unfrtunatly found it littke help. and at this stage serioulsy considering, The Theorectiacl Physcis course and the Mathamatical science course and can anyone provide some solid information on the merits of these two courses and any other relevent details weekly course hours etc etc

Chinafoot · 12-12-2005 6:36pm

boneless wrote:

Mmmmm.... Parkinsons. ''Handy'' to have....

You sicken me!

ccd: have you contacted the relevant departments? I'm sure they'd be more than willing to give you any information you need and answer any questions you may have.

rainbow kirby · 13-12-2005 12:50am

ccd wrote:

I did attend the open day last Saturday, but unfrtunatly found it littke help. and at this stage serioulsy considering, The Theorectiacl Physcis course and the Mathamatical science course and can anyone provide some solid information on the merits of these two courses and any other relevent details weekly course hours etc etc

As a *former* mathematical science student, I can try and advise here

Though the structure has probably changed slightly with the coming of UCD Horizons...
In 1st year, you'll have about 20-24 contact hours, you'll have to do maths, maths physics and computer science courses, then take an option from another science subject. Afaik you have one free module which can then be picked from anywhere, pretty much.Maths and MP are quite a bit of work, you'll spend a lot of time doing problem sheets... but 1st CS is pretty easy.
1st Math Science courses
1st TP courses
2nd year is a serious kick up the ass. The difficulty kicks up a lot, and can catch you out. The courses get a lot more abstract, and start requiring a hell of a lot more work. You'll study maths, maths physics and statistics in 2nd year... it's hard. That's all I'm going to say. I got caught by the sharp increase in difficulty, and failed my 2nd year exams in the summer.

Julesie · 13-12-2005 1:27am

Pythia wrote:

If you're interested in Economics, you could take a look at Economics and Finance. It's a 3 year Bachelor of Science, run by the Quinn School. It's kinda like an Economics, Statistics and Maths Degree.

Pythia, do you do Economics and Finance by any chance...

Im a final year now and would definitely recommend the course. Its more specialised than a straight BComm and a little more highly regarded than the arts course despite the fact you do virtually all the same subjects. Worth having a look at it anyway there were a couple of mature students in my year and they didnt seem to have any trouble integrating.

Pythia · 13-12-2005 12:19pm

Julesie wrote:

Pythia, do you do Economics and Finance by any chance...

Yep!

Open Day this Friday

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