Advice for applying to college as a mature student

seoirla

I'm in my mid twenties and I'm hoping to apply to college as a mature student, I don't really see any information on what colleges are looking for/ which sort of mature student's they accept.

I'm hoping if anyone here who has experience/ knowledge of this could help paint a picture for me so I have a better understanding. E.g. if you were working in x place for x years: which courses did you apply to- and which accepted you vs which didn't? How was the process? etc.

I have no qualms about going in as a mature student. I simply want to get a solid idea of what I'm up against in terms of competition and what I can expect to get into course wise. I was thinking about doing the Mature Student Access Certificate from UL first, but was wondering if it was a waste of a year and I could get into a decent course without it.

Any info at all would be helpful! Thanks :)

SupaCat95

Sorry if the Advice is a bit late.

You need to start early with your plan especially if you have been away from education for a few years.

So try do a course full time or part-time on a course Aligned to what you want to do.... show that you are already interested. (either repeat the LC (3-4 subjects) or similar PLC-QQI). Odds are the college have previously taken students from that course and know what is involved and from your result how you performed.

Contact the course director, ask him can you come in for a non-lab day, collect brownie points. Attend the College Open day, make a point of meeting them and press the flesh (First impressions last).

Have two referees at the ready. One Academic, one professional. You should have one from your current course and another from industry or volunteering. Even volunteering for a charity shop shows character. The two questions they will ask them was:

1) What was their attendance and time keeping like?

2) Could they follow instructions?

Know your Course industry, Who are the shakers and movers? What do you think the course entails? Have you gotten your transport/accommodation sorted (Be realistic you might have to study locally)? Have you gotten your finance sorted (Susi confirmed)? What do you want to do after the course?

If you have a disability declare it and say you have spoken to the disability officer? You know you can get loads of supports? See the Finance officer for extra top ups? etc? Have you chatted to Adult education officer? They are all there to help?

Any Question you may have? Equipment, Texts, break down modules? Lab time, time management etc