Going To University As A Mature Student – Additional Tips (Conclusion)
Managing expectations
(9) Studying as a mature student will often mean doing a reality-check. Some life-style habits may need to change to make more time and finance available to successfully complete your course. Again, friends and family should be made aware that you’ll need to ‘hibernate’ and ‘drill down’ to get those academic targets met.
Focus, prepare and plan
(10) Many mature students seriously underestimate the level of stamina required to succeed. For the maximum level of success and to avoid stress, your academic or study adventure will require good and sustained focus, preparation and planning. Learning is only half of the story. Excellent levels of focus, preparation and planning to tackle each academic subject will transform the process into a more enjoyable experience. Write-down and monitor all the goals you want achieve before, during and after course completion to help maintain a sense of achievement and motivation.
What educational strategies and ideas have you found useful in your developing your career? Did you find it easy to ‘take the plunge’ and become a mature student? What would you have done differently as a mature student? I would most welcome your thoughts and feedback.