I did OU at 26. If you not after the sex/drink/drugs then do stuff that's interesting in the evening while still earning. Will take a bit longer but you can tailor your course as you go. Just my opinion as I have done both, went to uni at 19 but left after the second year after a mutual parting of ways. I said I didn't want to do the course and they said they'd not have me if I did
I'm on the UCAS site.... Is there an easier way?
Do you have a particular university and course in mind? If so, try contacting the admissions tutor for that course (information should be on the university department's own site). They will be much better placed to advise you in your position. They will also have some knowledge of funding options.
UCAS is much more geared for mass production of 18 year olds with A levels than life qualifications of mature people.
What do you fancy doing?
Yes I do, I've found a part time course in reasonable distance
Yes I do, I've found a part time course in reasonable distance
Following an access to higher education course, I did a UCAS application end of last year. Did take a bit of head scratching about how to enter obsele quals from extinct institutions. Used lots of free-text entry, but can't recall exact details now. Doing the whole student thing... Open days, interviews, offers. Covid has had an impact, access course ended early and waiting assessed grades, and uni will start online for the first month in September. Hopefully be on site after that... Weekly commute, full time and student halls. 58 and studying fine art!Anybody gone to university as they rapidly approach 40?
I'm on the UCAS site and they want the dates I did things like GCSE's and they dont list the places i did my gas qualifications
Is there an easier way?
I went to uni as a teenager and back again for a postgrad qualification in my late 30s. Can you afford to pay for going to uni at this stage in life? Not just the cost of the course but loan interest, family costs, lost earnings, lack of pension contributions? I could only go back because my employer supported me. Even then it was a bit of a challenge financially for that year.
I take it your plan is to register with RICS in some capacity? Do you have a job at the moment where you are carrying out construction management type activities? If so, then stick with the job and work through their framework for registration - a lack of degree is not a problem for them IF you have relevant experience and ultimately registration with them is what employers will want/respect more than a degree.
If you don't have relevant experience then that would be what I would be focusing on getting, not a degree. Find some way of getting in the door of companies that do the work you want to do. I don't think a construction management degree will be a big help in opening doors in this particular career at this stage in life and the debt that you incur could be substantial.
If you do go to uni then @More Amps made a very good point to try and do a masters - shorter time frame, harder work - but if you know your stuff well through industry experience you will enjoy it better than a normal degree which will have a much wider focus of study. You will have to work very hard to convince course leaders though to get onto a masters course without a degree and recent experience of academic work. Mature students do tend to work harder as the consequences of failing are normally pretty drastic compared to the youngsters.