[Sally Syrup]

Hi All,

Sorry, it's another age related thread!

I've been plodding through my science Open University degree for about four years now, slowly but surely. I've come to a decision about what i want to do, and it has become apparent that the lack of practical lab experience that comes with the distance learning will leave me disadvantaged against a graduate of a "bricks and mortar" university.

Soooooo i'm reassesing my options. I'm thinking now of just getting the diploma through the OU and maybe try gettin on an access course to perhaps attend a university where i can get the lab experience i need. But, i can only realistically attend on a part time basis. I couldn't afford to give up work full time, so the degree i'm looking at will take me 6 years to do. Add in me finishing off my diploma at the OU and doing an access course, i'll be about 38 by the time i graduate

Realistically, will i be too old to be starting out in a new career at 38, when i'll be up against people in their early 20's?

[LordFishlock]

Age doesn't mean anything in most careers. If you have the drive and ability, what's the difference between hiring a 38 year old or a 20 year old?

[Confusedanddazed]

(Original post by Sally Syrup)
Realistically, will i be too old to be starting out in a new career at 38, when i'll be up against people in their early 20's?

I wouldnt worry to much im 25 and its going to take me at most 3 years just to get to uni and then 3/4 years after that meaning ill be 31/32 when I graduate 33 if I do a masters which im looking into aswel.

Id actually say once you have the experience you need you will be more employable than somebody in their 20's. You have more valid life/work experience and companies look for people who are going to stay for more than a couple of years (which is what young people in their 20's do)

If anything you have the competative edge of knowing what its like to work hard and how to work under pressure that most young people in their 20's fresh out of Uni dont.

[evening sunrise]

(Original post by Sally Syrup)
Hi All,

Sorry, it's another age related thread!

I've been plodding through my science Open University degree for about four years now, slowly but surely. I've come to a decision about what i want to do, and it has become apparent that the lack of practical lab experience that comes with the distance learning will leave me disadvantaged against a graduate of a "bricks and mortar" university.

Soooooo i'm reassesing my options. I'm thinking now of just getting the diploma through the OU and maybe try gettin on an access course to perhaps attend a university where i can get the lab experience i need. But, i can only realistically attend on a part time basis. I couldn't afford to give up work full time, so the degree i'm looking at will take me 6 years to do. Add in me finishing off my diploma at the OU and doing an access course, i'll be about 38 by the time i graduate

Realistically, will i be too old to be starting out in a new career at 38, when i'll be up against people in their early 20's?

You should not need to do Access at all, you just apply using your OU credits like we did and ours were between 20 and 26 years old (the qualifactions that is) or you even transfer at entry point two if your modules map to your chosen brick uni course.

38 when you graduate.....I will be 49 when I matriculate in October.

Good luck

[PardonMyFrench96]

I don't know if this is any help seeing as I'm still in school, and if this is just my 'youthful optimism/naivete' speaking, but if you really wanna work in whatever field you're studying, and I take it you find it more statisfying and rewarding than whatever it is you work as now (otherwise you wouldn't wanna change jobs), then go for it! Seriously, if you have the enthusiasm for it and obv the necessary qualifications, to some employers your experience may be the thing that makes them value you more than other candidates. Also, the fact that you have the attitude to change from something you don't really wanna do to something you do, when you could have easily settled, is perhaps more attractive in a prospective employee than someone who's straight out of uni, looking for anything to make some money. And btw, 38 is nowhere near too old. Do you really wanna spend a large proportion of you life just doing something for money, whenyou could be doing something you find more fulfilling? tl;dr: Just go for it, if you really wanna do it! :-)

[Smoosh]

You're never too old. My sister in law recently decided on a career change and trained as a nurse in her 40s. If it's something you want to do, go for it!

[redmel1621]

Nope you are not too old. Also as evening sunrise says, use your OU study to gain entry to your degree, in fact depending on how much study and the relevance, you may be able to apply straight to the 2nd year (if you wish to)

I used Open University credit as my entry req too. I could have applied for entry to the 2nd year but decided that as I had not studied for over 3yrs, I would be better to start at year 1. FWIW using my OU credit gained me 5 unconditional offers :-)

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my GT-P1000

[Nitebot]

(Original post by redmel1621)
Nope you are not too old. Also as evening sunrise says, use your OU study to gain entry to your degree, in fact depending on how much study and the relevance, you may be able to apply straight to the 2nd year (if you wish to)

I used Open University credit as my entry req too. I could have applied for entry to the 2nd year but decided that as I had not studied for over 3yrs, I would be better to start at year 1. FWIW using my OU credit gained me 5 unconditional offers :-)

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my GT-P1000

How many OU credits and at what levels did you have to get those offers redmel?!


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

[Sally Syrup]

Thank you everyone for your responses.

Basically, i was one of those people who left school at 16 and got a job. I wanted to go to college/uni, but things happened in life and i had to get a job. The first job i got was in finance. I'm 29 now and still working in finance. Which is fine, the job i have is good enough, decent enough money, but its just not what i want to do. I want to work in the biological sciences. Over the years, i looked into uni several times, but could never afford to bin off work to go. So i did A levels at night school and started my OU degree.

However, there is still part of me that's saying i'm too old, i'm married with a young baby and is it right/fair of me to do this and start messing about my family. Like if i do attend uni even part time, am i likely to miss a lot of family time and misstime with my son growing up. I'm so torn. I feel a bit like i want to have my cake and eat it.

[Brit_Miller]

(Original post by Confusedanddazed)
I wouldnt worry to much im 25 and its going to take me at most 3 years just to get to uni and then 3/4 years after that meaning ill be 31/32 when I graduate 33 if I do a masters which im looking into aswel.

Id actually say once you have the experience you need you will be more employable than somebody in their 20's. You have more valid life/work experience and companies look for people who are going to stay for more than a couple of years (which is what young people in their 20's do)

If anything you have the competative edge of knowing what its like to work hard and how to work under pressure that most young people in their 20's fresh out of Uni dont.

Why 3 years to get into uni? I did an access course which took about 7-8 months and I got an offer from 3 unis - I would recommend it if you haven't considered it yet.

[Sally Syrup]

(Original post by redmel1621)
Nope you are not too old. Also as evening sunrise says, use your OU study to gain entry to your degree, in fact depending on how much study and the relevance, you may be able to apply straight to the 2nd year (if you wish to)

I used Open University credit as my entry req too. I could have applied for entry to the 2nd year but decided that as I had not studied for over 3yrs, I would be better to start at year 1. FWIW using my OU credit gained me 5 unconditional offers :-)

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my GT-P1000

Redmel - this is very interesting, thank you. I will leave with a 120 credit diploma. Made up of Human Biology lvl2 30pts. Biological Psychology lvl2 30pts, Cell biology lvl2 30pts and infectious disease, lvl3 30pts.

I can choose to count these as a diploma in health science or natural science, they all count for either.

The degree i was looking at was either Microbiology or Biomedical Science. It would be fantastic if the diploma would gain me year 2 access without needing the access course, as that would save me at least two years study. Def something to look into and ask the uni i'm looking at attending.

There's also the question as to whether work would let me go part time. It's never easy is it?

[redmel1621]

Indeed, there is always juggling to be done somewhere along the way!

It is definitely worth phoning the Uni's you are looking at and speaking to the admissions team. I also have four children, two of whom are 3yrs and only just 2yrs, so I considered that a settling in year would be better for me as when I enter 2nd year 3 out of the 4 will then be in full time school with the youngest following the year after.

Anyway, I am waffling now lol. Ensure you have to hand the course names and codes, but also a list of material that you have covered to date. Although I have found some Universities are far more 'clued up' to the OU than others so be prepared to ecplain that your level 2 OU courses are eq to year 2 in any uni.

Good luck x

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my GT-I9100

[Confusedanddazed]

(Original post by Brit_Miller)
Why 3 years to get into uni? I did an access course which took about 7-8 months and I got an offer from 3 unis - I would recommend it if you haven't considered it yet.

Im retaking my GCSE Science this year and then im not sure if im going to do Access or A Levels.

If I studied A Levels it would cost me £660 to study 4 subjects over 2 years and all my travel costs would be paid back to me in full every 3 months.

If I take Access it will cost me between £1300 - £2000 for 1 year and it would cost me over £800 in travel which I wouldnt get back.

Also A Levels would allow me to tailor my education more towards what I want to study at University and Access requires me to study at least 2 other subjects which arnt really needed.

So not sure which I will take yet I will speak to both colleges closer to the time.

[Brit_Miller]

(Original post by Confusedanddazed)
Im retaking my GCSE Science this year and then im not sure if im going to do Access or A Levels.

If I studied A Levels it would cost me £660 to study 4 subjects over 2 years and all my travel costs wil be paid back to me in full every 3 months.

If I take Access it will cost me between £1300 - £2000 for 1 year and it would cost me over £800 in travel which I wouldnt get back.

Also A Levels would allow me to tailor my education more towards what I want to study at University and Access requires me to study at least 2 other subjects which arnt really needed.

So not sure which I will take yet I will speak to both colleges closer to the time.

Everyone I knew on the access course (including me) signed on a couple of weeks before it started and we only paid something like £100 concession fee; I'm sure most colleges do that (if you have no qualms with saving money that way!)

We got to choose which 3 we did, they had a whole range which covered most A-Level courses. I did maths (for my degree) and i could have chosen physics and stats if I wanted. Might be worth looking in to. A-Levels are a nightmare when you are working with 16 year olds (at least in my experience).

[AllyCarter]

Never too old
I would adivse you to pick the course you want carefully though. If you want to work in a hospital lab you will need to do an accredited course in biomedical science but it is currently being chnaged into healthcare science degree. If you study straight microbiology you would have to study furtehr top up modules.You would also have to be HPC registered, there are some hostiptals that take on trainees but you would have to be prepared to move around to find one i think. Most like to take on registered people only which involves have completed a generic portfolio and pass a VIVA which can be done on on a sandwich course or after your degree if you find a lab that will let you do it but it is often unpaid.

[Dave0j]

(Original post by Sally Syrup)
Hi All,

Sorry, it's another age related thread!

I've been plodding through my science Open University degree for about four years now, slowly but surely. I've come to a decision about what i want to do, and it has become apparent that the lack of practical lab experience that comes with the distance learning will leave me disadvantaged against a graduate of a "bricks and mortar" university.

Soooooo i'm reassesing my options. I'm thinking now of just getting the diploma through the OU and maybe try gettin on an access course to perhaps attend a university where i can get the lab experience i need. But, i can only realistically attend on a part time basis. I couldn't afford to give up work full time, so the degree i'm looking at will take me 6 years to do. Add in me finishing off my diploma at the OU and doing an access course, i'll be about 38 by the time i graduate

Realistically, will i be too old to be starting out in a new career at 38, when i'll be up against people in their early 20's?

At no stage should you ever think you're too old! Well with exception to if you're 65+ , but seriously you only live once would you rather look back in many years from now and say "I wish I'd have gone for it"?!