Going to Trinity at 30!!

aquaceri

Hi,

Got a letter yesterday to say I have been accepted onto the BESS course for September 2011. Was very shocked as I hadn't expected to ever be accepted to TCD!

I am finding the idea of going back to mainstream education very daunting indeed especially as a mature student with two children. I went straight to work when I did my LC in 98! ! :eek:

Anyway I would love any info/advice on the course/college and would love to hear from any other mature students joining in 2011

Thanks a mil

rebecca 30

hey ya,

I started back last year at the age of 29 , and I have two kids , its great but I was fecked after the first few weeks !!!!! Its takes some time to settle in and get you head around whats going , so if you get that way dont worry , its happens to us all , give yourself till after christmas to settle in ,

The main thing is to enjoy

aquaceri

Hi Rebecca,

Thanks for the reply! Its great to hear that because I am mostly worried about the organisation involved and understanding the terms, classes, timetables and where things are on the campus lol

Very excited though

How do you find the hours? I have been told I should only expect about 15 contact hours per week but I reckon it will be more... trying to organise childcare may prove tricky!

lorsric

Hi
Congratulations on being accepted onto the course.Do not be surprised - Trinity is a very fair university and it seems to always seek to have a balance among its student body.

I remember when I was involved in SU's, Trinity's mature students were very actively involved in college life, and at 30,you are young.

It seems as you have been in the workforce for so long, deciding to return to 3rd level is not a whim. My experience has been that mature students are very driven, focused and elevate the overall performance of classmates.

Best of luck and enjoy the experience.

rebecca 30

I have 18 hrs of lectures and another 8 hrs of tutourals , and at first i try to be able to collect kids after school and only use part time child care. It didnt work out that way, I was told to treat collage like a job, 9-5 Monday to Friday . I am in N.U.I.G and I could look up timetable etc on there website, so maybe TCD is the same ,

Have fun

Joseph

Just finished first year BESS - there were people much much older than 30, and a fair few of them

aquaceri

Hi Deaddude,

Cheers that makes me feel a bit better! What are the hours like for 1st year? early mornings/late evenings?????

Thanks

lorsric

As Rebecca_30 said, see college as a job.
The rule of thumb when I studied my degree in business was that for every hour of actual class, you should study or reseach another 15-30 minutes, dependent on the subject.
From the offset, devise a best practice for note taking and study,as you will find it easier to keep ontop of the course that way.
When you have handouts or textbooks, have a separate hardback copy (A5 in size) in which to synopsise your notes. This will mean focusing on this A5 copy when it comes time to study for exams.
Check out - http://www.tcd.ie/bess/downloads/Booklet.pdf - this should give you a detailed idea of what to expect.

Ahoyhoy

Watch out for the auld grants as a mature student if you're applying. There have been butt loads of rules changes lately, my older brother is almost completely screwed for next year. Get onto the SU about is my advice, UCCSU helped him out quite a bit this year, its one area they seem fairly well informed in.

As for childcare Trinity has a nursery but its only for kids who aren't attending school yet, like under fives.

Munkay

Plenty of matures in Trinity, and most are alot older than 30. Trinity is a really good uni, you'll have a brilliant year.

aquaceri

Thanks a mil for all your responses so far...you have given me alot to think about. with regard to the grant I think for me personally it will be better to move to BTEA so I can't apply for the grant anyway with all the changes this year.

I think TCD have a mature student orientation week before the term starts so I am sure that will be a huge help.

Had a look at the BESS handbook - all the modules sound really interesting not too sure about maths and statistics though! :rolleyes:

Thanks again - much appreciated.

cybersheepz

Hi aquaceri!

Congrats on getting your place! I am hoping to hear back on my application for TCD as a mature applicant! just wondering did you have an interview and if so, how long between having your interview and getting your place was it? im cracking up waiting! well done again!

aquaceri

Hi Cybersheepz!

Thanks a million I am over the moon! The waiting and not knowing was really horrible...I have been waiting for the post man every day since applying! I applied for two courses with TCD and got a letter in mid March to say I hadnt been accepted on the first one.....it took ages to get the second letter and I had given up all hope of being offered the BESS when I got the letter on Monday I couldnt believe it. I didnt get called for an interview just got offered the place!

I think it depends on the faculty for the course you have applied for but I believe letters will be going out up until the end of the month. I think interviews are usually held in April but don't quote me on that as I am not 100% sure.

What course have you applied for? They will let you know either way so no news could very well be GOOD news!

Best of luck with it and hopefully I will be seeing you in September

cybersheepz

:pac:I know I am actually afraid to leave the house in case I miss the postman, its head wrecking!! I applied for graduate pharmacy at TCD and RCSI. Had an intervew for both two weeks ago, both faculties said theyd let me know within two weeks, so I know Im literally at the two week point now but im awful impatient!!!:D

Id say youll really enjoy TCD as a mature student. I did my undergrad there and graduated 2009, currently in TCD at the moment and hoping to get into this course now, as its been what Ive been waiting for since I was 16 all those years ago! BESS is great, a few of my friends graduated out of it in 2009 also and absolutely loved every minute of it!

aquaceri

Awh sorry I thought you were applying for your undergrad. That's a brilliant achievement already...! I don't know much about the way things work but I am sure the fact you are already a student there should help getting onto the course????? Have my fingers crossed for you it sounds like you really deserve it!

Give it until Monday and then give them a call...

Let me know how it goes

languagenerd

TCD timetables only go up in mid-September and you'll need a network password to access them, so you won't be able to see your hours until you register (the week before lectures start), unfortunately! Timetables change after Christmas too.

If they tell you it's 15 hours a week, it probably is (I'm in 2nd year TSM and it's 15 exactly) but they could be spread out. Eg. the first semester this year, I was in 10-7 on Mondays but only had 4 classes within that times.

It's annoying that they don't give the timetables out earlier but cause BESS is a big & popular course, they probably will try not to have lectures after 6pm anyway.

Good luck!

zam

The problem with hours in university is that they're pretty random... sometimes I'm in at 9am, sometimes I have days off, sometimes I have a 6pm lecture. The annoying thing is as well that you won't get your timetable until the first week of college, no matter how much you complain at them. Prepare for the most awkward hours!

andrew

If you havn't done maths for a while, you'd do well to get up to speed as most people end up finding the maths hard. If presume you're out of school a while, then a very good grasp of leaving cert pass algebra would be a minimum. I've got all the lecture slides, homeworks, and solutions from when I was in first year BESS (2 years ago). It may have changed slightly, but I'd be surprised if it has done so significantly. PM me your email address if you want them.

Joseph

aquaceri wrote: »

Hi Deaddude,

Cheers that makes me feel a bit better! What are the hours like for 1st year? early mornings/late evenings?????

Thanks

Hi - the hours are really nice. About 15 hours is correct. This is what my timetable was like: (however tutorials will probably be very different because they are on at very different times and theres alot of groups)

Monday: 9-11 am Law / 12-2pm Business / 6-7 pm Maths tutorial
Tuesday: 11am-12pm Sociology / 12-1pm Politics / 1-2pm Sociology Tutorial
Wednesday: 12-1pm Maths / 1-2pm Politics tutorial (every 2 weeks) / 5-6pm Politics
Thursday: 11am-12pm Maths / 12-2pm Economics
Friday: 10-11am Maths / 2-3pm Economics tutorial

Larianne

I'm nearly finished 2nd year at TCD as a mature student.

Throw yourself into everything! My number one advice: Don't see yourself as being any different from the younger students. They are there to do a course that (for the majority of them) will interest them too so you'll have at least that in common. Of the mature students I've known to have problems settling in, its usually a fear of being around younger people and not knowing what to say to them, seeing them as being different. They tend to then segregate themselves from others and end up not enjoying the whole college experience. Your classmates can be a great fountain of knowledge and support. You'll get some eejits like everywhere but most are pretty copped on and will value your advice with things.

I'd take heed in treating college like a job. I know you've stated you have children but I think its important to join societies and sports clubs. Its a great way of meeting people from all over the campus. I joined the mature student society but to be honest it's pretty crap. I did offer suggestions of outings but they were pretty much laughed at so I'm not that impressed with them.

The mature student office is completely different and Clodagh is a great help. Definitely attend the Mature Student Orientation week. It will ease you into campus and you'll probably meet up and get chatting with other maturies. I helped out last year and will probably be there again this year so look out for me!

Andrew mentioned about keeping onto of Maths. I'm sure there is some sort of Maths support centre at TCD. Found this (at end of page): http://www.tcd.ie/Trinity_Access/current/academic.php

Brainy

Congratulations on your acceptance. Agree with the previous posters

Treat like a full time job.....

There will be a short information meeting in July for all new mature students which will be run by the Mature Students Officer

Plus a full week Orientation in Sepember (just before you register) so when Freshers week comes you actually know more than all the young ones coming in!

One piece of advice- I would suggest that you check out your financial position as soon as you can....You don't want to find out at the last minute that you can't take up your place because you have a fee problem. So check out your grant etc.,

Good Luck!

Corruptedmorals

I've no idea of which books are actually essential- but BESS books are permanently being sold for the various years/modules- check for homemade ads in the toilets and on noticeboards. Books are extremely expensive and the ads I've glanced at seem to be very good value. Just a thought! I never see books for other courses being advertised in the arts block so that's a great advantage.

Good luck, I'm sure you'll be fine- especially as BESS is such a huge course!

aquaceri

Deaddude wrote: »

Hi - the hours are really nice. About 15 hours is correct. This is what my timetable was like: (however tutorials will probably be very different because they are on at very different times and theres alot of groups)

Monday: 9-11 am Law / 12-2pm Business / 6-7 pm Maths tutorial
Tuesday: 11am-12pm Sociology / 12-1pm Politics / 1-2pm Sociology Tutorial
Wednesday: 12-1pm Maths / 1-2pm Politics tutorial (every 2 weeks) / 5-6pm Politics
Thursday: 11am-12pm Maths / 12-2pm Economics
Friday: 10-11am Maths / 2-3pm Economics tutorial

Thanks Deaddude, that timetable seems perfect...a little awkward around school times for the kids but I have alot of support from family and friends so I am not too worried about it at the moment....

aquaceri

Brainy wrote: »

Congratulations on your acceptance. Agree with the previous posters

Treat like a full time job.....

There will be a short information meeting in July for all new mature students which will be run by the Mature Students Officer

Plus a full week Orientation in Sepember (just before you register) so when Freshers week comes you actually know more than all the young ones coming in!

One piece of advice- I would suggest that you check out your financial position as soon as you can....You don't want to find out at the last minute that you can't take up your place because you have a fee problem. So check out your grant etc.,

Good Luck!

Hi Brainy,

Yeah this is a huge concern for me at the moment...the grant application forms aren't available just yet but I think due to being unemployment I should be okay as I am transfering to BTEA...I won't be entitled to the grant with this payment due to the budget changes but I am entitled to fee's and registration...(I HOPE!!!)

Thanks

Feu

fantastic news - you won't regret it! and bess is a great course for 'a bit of everything', subject wise. yeh the hours are accurate for Bess, and depending on your subject choice etc, they could be less in different terms. You shouldn't have much trouble hours-wise, at most you might have one class a week at 5pm or something, and then that would change after christmas anyway. It's doable!

i agree and disagree with treating it like a job - yes you should use those hours during the day when you've no class to bone up in the library, that's just ood use of your time , but i agree with larianne (of course!) that you should get involved with some clubs and stuff if you think you'd be interested. there is literally something for everyone!

yes definitely do the mature student week course thing, i didn't but, i believe it's very helpful! even just for the sake of knowing where things are around campus, and you will definitely meet other matures in your class on the course.

the maths/stats! agh, not that bad, but such a pain for me when i did bess, but that's cus i wasn't on top of it from day 1. It's very manageable if you make sure to go to all the classes&tutorials, and ask Teaching assistants for help if you need it

dublin34

Hey

34 yo here, been accepted to BESS for coming September and as well as being really excited and totally terrified!!!

Good to hear from others who have been through this, all help gratefully accepted!!!

CIARAN_BOYLE

Best of luck to those starting up, best advice I can give you is to get familiar with LC maths to give yourself some kind of base. Maths and Stats for Business and Economics is the BESS module with the highest failure rate and a chunk of that is due to the fact that it starts at a relatively high level and mature students who haven't done maths for years and students who did ordinary level maths at leaving cert can struggle

dublin34

Thanks Ciaran, so get myself a LC Maths book and work through that for the summer?

CIARAN_BOYLE

dublin34 wrote: »

Thanks Ciaran, so get myself a LC Maths book and work through that for the summer?

I would advise it, get familiar with LC level algebra and calculus and you would find the maths a lot easier

the Maths questions tend to be part one simple math's which isn't really that different from the leaving cert level and part two complex economic application.

When explaining in the lecture theater the lecturer tends to skim over how to do the maths and focus on the application, which if fine if you know the maths but if you don't you could kinda struggle so put in the work ahead of time familiarising yourself with the maths.

dublin34

ok i guess i know what im doing for the summer.....

you in BESS Ciaran?

CIARAN_BOYLE

dublin34 wrote: »

ok i guess i know what im doing for the summer.....

you in BESS Ciaran?

No I did 2 years of BSL (business and german), in first year has all the bess modules except law and politics (and you choose one of them) as well as 10 hours of german in the week before deciding that the German section of the course wasn't for me.

I was hoping to transfer into 3rd year BESS ( business specialisiation) since I had all the same business subjects but they wouldn't allow it so I dropped out and am currently exploring other educational opportunities.