The Student Room Group

I'm worried about starting late

hey guys

so i retook year 13 and I'm gonna be getting my results this August. I'm expected to go uni september I would be 19 however i really want to take a gap and tbh I'm not sure what I wanna do at uni. I don't wanna make a bad decision and end up regretting it 5 years later. my parents are okay with me doing this. however by the time I start uni i would be 20 and 21 when the first term finishes

i find this a bit worrying because when I'm in my first year people my age would be in their third year and that makes me sad because by time i graduate they probably have full time jobs and I just feel left out. i would be 23 by the time I graduate

i would go uni this year but I'm not sure i wanna do my chosen course. I feel like i should go coz I'm a year behind anyway... any advise?

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Reply 1
only you know all the variables that determine the correct answer. There is nothing wrong with losing an extra year especially if you already lost one. However I see absolutely no reason as to why you should take a gap year, you can do it man.
Reply 2
Original post by GMZ420
only you know all the variables that determine the correct answer. There is nothing wrong with losing an extra year especially if you already lost one. However I see absolutely no reason as to why you should take a gap year, you can do it man.
are you saying I shouldn't take a gap year? thing Is i don't even know I wanna do my chosen course. I just want to know if starting uni at 20 is a bad thing. would people look down on me? would it affect my social life? gosh I dont even know lol maybe I'm reading too much into this
Reply 3
Original post by noey123
are you saying I shouldn't take a gap year? thing Is i don't even know I wanna do my chosen course. I just want to know if starting uni at 20 is a bad thing. would people look down on me? would it affect my social life? gosh I dont even know lol maybe I'm reading too much into this


If anything, it will only give you an social edge as you will be more mature and there are plenty of people older than normal at unis so it will not be very weird. You don't have to let everyone know you are older either. I think you feel bad about those things because deep inside you feel guilt for starting late. As for not being sure about what course you want, that decision falls to you and are you completely sure you will find out what you want to do after one year? What will you do during that year? Sit at home all day? Work? Explore the world? You have to decide what you will do with that time and make sure you can find your way with that gap year if you decide to take it. I personally would not take it, however this isn't me we are talking about, its you.
Reply 4
Original post by GMZ420
If anything, it will only give you an social edge as you will be more mature and there are plenty of people older than normal at unis so it will not be very weird. You don't have to let everyone know you are older either. I think you feel bad about those things because deep inside you feel guilt for starting late. As for not being sure about what course you want, that decision falls to you and are you completely sure you will find out what you want to do after one year? What will you do during that year? Sit at home all day? Work? Explore the world? You have to decide what you will do with that time and make sure you can find your way with that gap year if you decide to take it. I personally would not take it, however this isn't me we are talking about, its you.
are you at uni if you mind me asking? and at what age did you start? and yeah i plan to work, gain experience probably do an extra a level during this time. and I think a year is enough for me to decide what i wanna do
Original post by noey123
hey guys

so i retook year 13 and I'm gonna be getting my results this August. I'm expected to go uni september I would be 19 however i really want to take a gap and tbh I'm not sure what I wanna do at uni. I don't wanna make a bad decision and end up regretting it 5 years later. my parents are okay with me doing this. however by the time I start uni i would be 20 and 21 when the first term finishes

i find this a bit worrying because when I'm in my first year people my age would be in their third year and that makes me sad because by time i graduate they probably have full time jobs and I just feel left out. i would be 23 by the time I graduate

i would go uni this year but I'm not sure i wanna do my chosen course. I feel like i should go coz I'm a year behind anyway... any advise?


Don't worry about it.

University is not the same as school. You will find students of all ages from 18 to 60 studying (but maybe not all on your course)!

Your age on graduation and subsequent search for work, makes no difference to an employer. Your course subjects and grade together with your cover letter will get you noticed. After that, it's all about how well you perform at interview.

There are good positive benefits for you choice:

1) You showed maturity in recognising that you needed time to make sure you were making the correct decision for your course choice and subsequent career.

2) Because of that decision, you will be more motivated, focussed and committed to your university and gaining a top grade. Make sure you do.

3) Use your gap year wisely. Find employment even if it is on minimum wage. Work hard and gain a great reference from your employer. That gives you real world experience and will boost your confidence. This immediately gives you an edge over the cohort who will graduate with you, as they will not have the same valuable life-skills. Sell that in your job applications and CV.

4) Save money whilst you are working through your gap year, but also make sure you do things you want as well. i.e. holiday and socialising. The money can supplement your living expenses while at uni' and enable you top buy things like a laptop, phone, books etc. Avoid expense drains like cars which will eat up your hard earned money as fast as you earn it.

5) Use the gap year to check out many different universities and options. You have the luxury of time.

6) Above all, relax and chill. Recharge your energy reserves.

Thing is, keep the positive attributes above, of your choice to defer, as a reference to bring you back to ground when you feel a bit jittery.

There really are more positives than negatives in deferring. You just have to change your mind set.

Good luck. :smile:
Original post by noey123
hey guys

so i retook year 13 and I'm gonna be getting my results this August. I'm expected to go uni september I would be 19 however i really want to take a gap and tbh I'm not sure what I wanna do at uni. I don't wanna make a bad decision and end up regretting it 5 years later. my parents are okay with me doing this. however by the time I start uni i would be 20 and 21 when the first term finishes

i find this a bit worrying because when I'm in my first year people my age would be in their third year and that makes me sad because by time i graduate they probably have full time jobs and I just feel left out. i would be 23 by the time I graduate

i would go uni this year but I'm not sure i wanna do my chosen course. I feel like i should go coz I'm a year behind anyway... any advise?


I retook my a levels too and I went to university at 19, when all my friends are going into third year this September. It's not out of the ordinary to be 18,19,20, even up to 25 years old to start your first year of uni. Some people just feel like they would be wasting their time doing university so early when they're not ready for it. When you go to University you'll realise there's a really wide spectrum of different people in terms of ethnicity, age, sexuality and everything else. It's a completely different world in comparison to sixth form etc. You'll be just fine doing whatever you feel comfortable with.
Reply 7
thank you for the feedback guys i think I'm feeling better about this now
Reply 8
Original post by Valyrian
I retook my a levels too and I went to university at 19, when all my friends are going into third year this September. It's not out of the ordinary to be 18,19,20, even up to 25 years old to start your first year of uni. Some people just feel like they would be wasting their time doing university so early when they're not ready for it. When you go to University you'll realise there's a really wide spectrum of different people in terms of ethnicity, age, sexuality and everything else. It's a completely different world in comparison to sixth form etc. You'll be just fine doing whatever you feel comfortable with.

ahh thank you for making me feel better about this. I think I'm just over thinking it haha. are you a first year uni student if you mind me asking? 😊
Original post by noey123
ahh thank you for making me feel better about this. I think I'm just over thinking it haha. are you a first year uni student if you mind me asking? 😊


Yes I am. I've just finished it so I'll be a second year come September :smile:
Don't worry about starting late at all, it's really not that concerning. I myself am starting university at 21 and because I'm doing a 4 year course I will graduate when I'm 25 but it doesn't worry me as I'm glad I took the time out to really decide on what I wanted to do :tongue:
One year older? No-one will even notice. This isnt school.

You will be studying alongside mature students who could be 5, 10, 20 years older than you.

Its not an issue.
yh ill be starting at 20 aswell, I've read somewhere before that only about 30-40% people start university at the age of 18. You definitely wont stand out. It would be worse if you started at 19, decided you didnt like the course when its too late, and have to wait another year to re-apply with a £20k debt gone to waste on your back
Reply 13
Original post by Mentally
yh ill be starting at 20 aswell, I've read somewhere before that only about 30-40% people start university at the age of 18. You definitely wont stand out. It would be worse if you started at 19, decided you didnt like the course when its too late, and have to wait another year to re-apply with a £20k debt gone to waste on your back

gosh that's so true. thank god I'm not in that position. how come your starting at 20 too if you mind me asking? are you doing your a levels now?
Tbh, having been there, from age 17-21 you're more or less the same as each other. You'll still fall in with the students fresh out from school once you start, whereas the "true" mature students (i.e. those that are usually 30+ years, or in their mid-late 20s with family commitments etc) tend to decide for themselves how much they want to integrate into the social life.

Basically, don't worry about it. Even if you were in you were in the much older age groups you could well integrate into student life if you so chose. The mature students who don't, more than anything are doing so out of choice as they have their own social groups outside of the university.
Original post by noey123
are you saying I shouldn't take a gap year? thing Is i don't even know I wanna do my chosen course. I just want to know if starting uni at 20 is a bad thing. would people look down on me? would it affect my social life? gosh I dont even know lol maybe I'm reading too much into this


i am going into first year in september and i am 39. last year i not only went into college to do an access course but a college outside of my area so i knew i would not know anyone there plus some of them would know other people in the class from school. it was not a problem and from what i am told, at university (in the UK anyway, the USA is different) nobody cares about your age. this is from anAmerican student who is doing her masters just now and she is older than i am.

i was worried about it but now i am not. you could try going to an open day and see for yourself
I started uni age 20 and just graduated age 24 (4 year course). My age made absolutely no difference to my experience.
Reply 17
Original post by GoingToBurst
I started uni age 20 and just graduated age 24 (4 year course). My age made absolutely no difference to my experience.
ah that's great! how come you starting uni at 20 if you mind me asking? and also starting uni at 20 made no diffedifference to your social life?
Original post by noey123
ah that's great! how come you starting uni at 20 if you mind me asking? and also starting uni at 20 made no diffedifference to your social life?


I'm starting this year aged 19. I'll be 20 in November
I'm potentially doing a foundation year if I've messed up my exams. But I've met/talked to people on the degree and I'm not the oldest starting.
I think I needed the extra year and I'm glad I took it.
Doesn't matter what age you are. You'll make friends and have fun anyway
Original post by noey123
ah that's great! how come you starting uni at 20 if you mind me asking? and also starting uni at 20 made no diffedifference to your social life?


I was very ill during secondary school and didn't complete my secondary education, so I had to sit an access course when I recovered in order to get my uni place.

Literally not one bit of a difference. There were more people my age or close to it than there were 17/18 year olds. I did have 18 year old friends, but it was a 2 year age difference, not 15. It didn't make a difference at all. My friend group from uni ranges between 22-28 now. As you can see, I'm close to the lower end of that.

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