[slhunte3]

I know there's probably 50 posts like these in this forum but I've not been on TSR in a while so bare with me.

I'm 26, I've been doing a job I hate in various companies for about 4-5 years now.

I tried uni when I was younger and due to immaturity and having no idea what to do I dropped out.

I've been getting progressively more miserable thinking 'this is it' and I'm destined to type for other people for the rest of my life. I know I'm not old but dropping everything to go to uni at 26 is a big deal.

I don't have a mortgage or kids but I will struggle for money.
Can someone please reassure me of the part time jobs opps around for undergraduates or at least tell me they did it and it worked out?

Oh yes...details...I work as an administrator and I want to go to university to study graphic design. I was looking at going one day a week but it's looking unlikely my work will let me compress my hours into 4 days a week so I'm considering full time.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you

[Inverse]

If you are unhappy, I would thoroughly recommend going to uni when you feel the time is right, although the sooner the better in my opinion. 26 is still young and there are a lot more "mature" applicants than you may think.

Maybe work a bit more and start making savings before you go to university if you'd like; or find a job there whilst you're studying.

[pseudonymegg]

Go to uni! Seriously it's never too late and to be honest, student holidays are about 2 months... at least in the first year so you can rake in a fair amount of cash to save. If you're unhappy with your current position you can change career after a degree! Like you said there's nothing holding you back except finance, but a student loan isn't a problem. My brother went back to uni at about 23 a little younger than yourself but none the less he graduated with a first and is enjoying his current employment far more than the job which he did before university.
Good luck with whatever you choose to do!

[Gangee]

Do it If you don't you'll always look back and think 'what if?'!!

Keep your job going till you start uni and try to save up, then get a part time job to fund accommodation etc.. (I worked at Asda throughout my degree and you'll have plenty of time to study and work)

Good luck!

P.S 26 isn't too old, there were plenty of people your age at my uni

[edjunkie]

If you are able to change your work hours to accomodate your studies, go for it. It will give a soft re-entry to study, as you progress, you may feel that going full time in the later years of the course would be approriate and revert to full time study.

I did one course on a day release basis and I found that working Mon Tue, uni Wednesday, work Thur Fri, broke up the week nicely. I always had uni to look forward to on Monday and the weekend on Thursday.

If you are not able to change your hours, then make sure you save as much as possible whilst you are working. If you can line up part time work whilst you study, then that will help. But please check with student finance how much of your new course they will fund fee wise, given your previous studies. Since if you have less than 3 years student finance funding left and are undertaking a 3 year degree, you may have to pay for one or more years upfront, before being eligible for tution fee loan.

Good Luck.

[sputum]

(Original post by slhunte3)
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you

Not my area of expertise but you may need a portfolio of work to apply (which is only a problem if you haven't got one)