Mature Students Applying for University 2012

Decided to start working on my personal statement a few weeks ago since its the worse part. Can't wait to see the back of it.

Ah! another prospective Cambridge applicant. Our chances are slim, mate. But it's worth a shot, ay?

I think our personal statements are going to be crucial. Well, they always are, but especially in our cases.

Have emailed any of the colleges? I've emailed all the mature ones as well some of the others. The general feedback? Study for an A-level, too. So I am.

Actually, will you applying to a mature or standard age college?

Oh ****! I haven't mentioned my favourite snack... Uh, I think it's gotta be celery.

Nah! I'm ****ting ya. Celery's ridiculous. Lentils all the way!

Same!

I absolutely hate it, I never know if I'm saying too much or not enough.

I'll have it done when I start at Birkbeck, though.

I will be (from Tuesday) studying Access to Humanities at Canterbury College, Hoping to do Literature (possibly with History) at Uni. I'll be applying to Uni of Kent, Canterbury Christ Church, Nottingham, Brighton and I'm still undecided on the last, trying to choose between a few on that one.

Just about to start work on the dreaded personal statement. Not looking forward to that one. I read in a prospectus that it's a good idea to mention that you are a mature student in your statement, anyone else heard of this? And if so, how exactly would you put it in?

Yeah, I, too, have poor GCSEs, but I believe I have a valid reason as to why they are so poor: my father died during revision, so I missed months of school and had a complete brain wipe. (I'm not whether I should mention this in my PS or not as I want to concentrate fully on the future and my passion for the subject I wish to study, not detail a family bereavement. Inevitably, though, I think I'll have to.) I no longer feel they represent my academic aptitude, either. If anyone saw my GCSEs without any background information, they'd think I was, well, to put it bluntly, thick — which, without sounding conceited, I'm not.

If Birkbeck has a reputation for sending its Access students to Oxbridge, then that can only bode well for you, my friend, in terms of experience and support, etc.

I know what I'm going to discuss in my PS, but it's articulating it which is the tricky part. A question about applications, actually. Because you and I are applying to Cambridge, we'll have to send our applications before October 15th. But does that mean it's also sent to our other choices at the same time?

TomU's a legend!

Well, I hope to study for an English Literature degree. I keep having this awful premonition that, if my PS isn't up to scratch, I'll get rejected by all my choices; thus relegating me to a dreaded gap year. Gotta think positive, though, I guess.

See, this is where I'm having trouble. As I'm only 22 (I'll be 23 once — or if — I get into uni), I'm worried if I apply to a mature college, I won't feel comfortable among older students. But then, I think possibly a mature environment would be more condusive to rigorous study. Conversely, I may find that I'm able to socialise better with students who are only a few years younger than myself, but may be turned off by the party culture. It's all really prejudice of me, I know. I'll just say this: If I apply to a mature college, I think it'll be St. Edmunds; and if I apply to a standard age college, it'll be Peterhouse. (By the way, I emailed corpus and their reply was really snooty. Won't be considering them, then.)

When do you start your course, out of interest? I begin on the 12th.

I know what I'm going to discuss in my PS, but it's articulating it which is the tricky part. A question about applications, actually. Because you and I are applying to Cambridge, we'll have to send our applications before October 15th. But does that mean it's also sent to our other choices at the same time?

Hi, I'm 28 and just finished doing maths and English GCSE'S I could only get a top grade of a C in maths which annoyed me as in all the exams I got full marks and I got a B in english. I start full time Access course in a couple of weeks- studying Maths, Psychology, ICT and Science. I was going to go down the teaching route at Uni but now I would love to do a maths degree...AM I MAD? All the talk of starting a personal statement is scaring me now!! I would love to go to UWE as i get a good vibe from reading the prospectus.
Oh yeah and my favourite snack is Starbar!

Your not mad. I quit politics last year and now I'm going to apply for environmental science lol. If you love maths then it will be great. Don't be scared of the personal statement. If you go onto the UCAS website they give you guides on how to write it. The earlier you start it the better.