if you don't get in this time?

[Chwirkytheappleboy]

I'm simply repeating to you the very comments that have been said to me by doctors that I've spoken to. I'm sorry if you think they're being too stereotypical to be believed

[Chwirkytheappleboy]

Well I'll repeat again that those comments came from doctors, telling me that in their opinion, mature students perform better than school leavers. I've not given any perspective from a mature applicant.

I will do so now though. As someone who has applied to University both as a school leaver, and as a graduate/mature, I can honestly say that I am finding the application process much harder this time. Here are some of the things that have been particularly challenging for me:

1.) Time. I work a 40 hour a week minimum, in addition to having to commute for two hours a day. When I was at school I had maybe 4 hours a day of classes, and lived 15 minutes walk from school.
2.) Work experience. As you're aware it's necessary to get work experience to apply for medicine. The fact that I work 9-6 every weekday makes this very difficult, since most hospitals/hospices that I have looked into have stated that they're only interested in volunteers between the hours of 9-5 Monday to Friday. I'm hoping to take a week off work in the new year to do a short placement in a hospital, this is the only way I could do it, and that seriously cuts into my 25 days holiday a year. The only work experience I have had so far has been time spent as a volunteer at weekends with St. John Ambulance, but again, time is generally shorter when you're no longer at school
3.) Lack of support. I don't mean from family and friends, they've been very supportive, but they also can't really be very helpful. When I was at school my teachers could walk me through the application process, it's been a very different experience as an independent applicant.
4.) Commitments/Responsibilities. When I was at school I didn't have to deal with all the extras that come with living independently from my parents. Things like having to organise accommodation, cook, clean, shop, keep up maintenance of the property and utilities etc all take time and effort. When you compound this with point 1. it leaves very little time for writing an application (which requires a hell of a lot of time to do well. I worked at it for months this time around)
5.) Financial sacrifice/commitment. When I was leaving school I had parental support, and wasn't giving much up. I now have £16000 student debt, which I have finally started paying back now that I'm earning a salary. However studying for another degree will force me to stop working and send me soaring tens of thousands of pounds further into debt. It will be a very long time before I start earning again and even when I do, I'll be earning far less as a doctor than I do currently
6.) Life sacrifice. Most of my peers started settling down into a life after Uni - buying houses, getting married, having kids etc. I'm putting that on hold for several years so that I can study without any significant distractions

Now I don't know what your life is like now. Maybe you're facing similar difficulties. But the above is what I'm personally finding is more difficult now, and wasn't a problem when I applied for Uni the first time when I was 18

[PapaJames]

I was wondering how seriously as mature students the universitys take our a level reuslts.

at a level I was lazy and bored and had an awful attendance and ended up with 3 c's

but if i ended up with a 1st in my degree in PPE i got in to essex becasue i rocked the interview and got like 750 in ukcat and 70ish in my gamsat and had some work experience would my application still be good or do my a levels ruine it for me.


many thanks james

[zhangyuzhi]

I agree with Chwirkytheappleboy. mature students are older, so in general, more experienced in life. not saying younger candidates are necessarily more naive though.

I have seen both younger and older people doing well in medical profession and in other fields, but I personally prefer working with mature ones.

[elise_h]

but if i ended up with a 1st in my degree in PPE i got in to essex becasue i rocked the interview and got like 750 in ukcat and 70ish in my gamsat and had some work experience would my application still be good or do my a levels ruine it for me.

Your A-levels don't ruin it for you, but you would need to do your research and select carefully which universities you apply to. Look at specific universities' entry requirements and admission policies. Some say they do not take A-levels into account for graduates. Others require you to have certain subjects and/or grades at A-level. I found most admissions teams very helpful when I phoned or emailed them.

If you do all the other stuff and choose carefully you could put together a strong application. Good luck!

[PapaJames]

thanks very much my options are.
swansea
keele
notts
newcastle
georges
kcl

[dotvicky]

I'm assuming that 'Bokorovko' is Connor?!

[Gizmo says -]

ahh, Connor. there can only be one.

[House Jr.]

Well I'll repeat again that those comments came from doctors, telling me that in their opinion, mature students perform better than school leavers. I've not given any perspective from a mature applicant.

I will do so now though. As someone who has applied to University both as a school leaver, and as a graduate/mature, I can honestly say that I am finding the application process much harder this time. Here are some of the things that have been particularly challenging for me:

1.) Time. I work a 40 hour a week minimum, in addition to having to commute for two hours a day. When I was at school I had maybe 4 hours a day of classes, and lived 15 minutes walk from school.
2.) Work experience. As you're aware it's necessary to get work experience to apply for medicine. The fact that I work 9-6 every weekday makes this very difficult, since most hospitals/hospices that I have looked into have stated that they're only interested in volunteers between the hours of 9-5 Monday to Friday. I'm hoping to take a week off work in the new year to do a short placement in a hospital, this is the only way I could do it, and that seriously cuts into my 25 days holiday a year. The only work experience I have had so far has been time spent as a volunteer at weekends with St. John Ambulance, but again, time is generally shorter when you're no longer at school
3.) Lack of support. I don't mean from family and friends, they've been very supportive, but they also can't really be very helpful. When I was at school my teachers could walk me through the application process, it's been a very different experience as an independent applicant.
4.) Commitments/Responsibilities. When I was at school I didn't have to deal with all the extras that come with living independently from my parents. Things like having to organise accommodation, cook, clean, shop, keep up maintenance of the property and utilities etc all take time and effort. When you compound this with point 1. it leaves very little time for writing an application (which requires a hell of a lot of time to do well. I worked at it for months this time around)
5.) Financial sacrifice/commitment. When I was leaving school I had parental support, and wasn't giving much up. I now have £16000 student debt, which I have finally started paying back now that I'm earning a salary. However studying for another degree will force me to stop working and send me soaring tens of thousands of pounds further into debt. It will be a very long time before I start earning again and even when I do, I'll be earning far less as a doctor than I do currently
6.) Life sacrifice. Most of my peers started settling down into a life after Uni - buying houses, getting married, having kids etc. I'm putting that on hold for several years so that I can study without any significant distractions

Now I don't know what your life is like now. Maybe you're facing similar difficulties. But the above is what I'm personally finding is more difficult now, and wasn't a problem when I applied for Uni the first time when I was 18

damn.......connor got destroyed XD

i hate to say it but.....mature applicants are better than us

[Gizmo says -]

ahhm but would you better than them when you r a mature?

hehe