Now that it’s September, kiddies all over Canada are heading back to school.
But wait – are kids the only ones to participate in this great fall adventure? Not nearly – folks of all ages and stages hit the books each year as the weather cools. So many go back merely because it’s tradition, or because their parents or guidance counsellors told them they needed to.
But there are others – an increasingly prominent breed of student that goes back for all the right reasons: the pursuit of knowledge or a better life, the need to move forward in life or to gain a new skill set.
Mature student enrollments seem to be on the rise, and one has to wonder: are they better off at school than all the teenaged undergrads that enroll straight off the playground?
There seem to be some distinct pros and cons of going back to school later in life.
First, let’s define our terms. The term “mature student” varies from one institution to another, so it can cover quite a lot of ground.
For Western Law, “[m]ature candidates must have at least five years of non-university experience since leaving high school and a minimum of two years full-time (or equivalent) university study.” By my math, this means that students will be, at youngest, 24 or so to be considered a mature student.
For Western’s undergrad programs, on the other hand, mature students will be “at least 21 years of age in the calendar year in which admission is sought,” and, “have not normally been in full-time attendance at an educational institution within the previous four years.” These applicants might not more than a couple of years older than those coming straight out of high school.
For Ontario Colleges,“mature student status may be granted to applicants who are over 19 years old and do not have a high school diploma or GED.”
Suffice it to say, maturity in the case of academe seems to mean “not on a year-to-year straight path from freshman to graduate.” So a mature student may have dropped out of high school, may have graduated and then took some years to work before heading to post secondary, or may have been out of school for decades.
That said, there are some things mature students as a whole tend to have in common.
They have more on their plates
Although this is clearly not always the case, mature students are more likely to have a job (they’ve been paying the bills somehow, and need to continue doing so), a spouse, and even children to look after.
This means they’re trying to fill all these roles in addition to being a student, and need to prioritize time and possibly miss out on some sleep to succeed in their studies.
A 2015 study out of the University of Guelph tasked with finding out why mature students tend to quit school before they’ve graduated, says, “role strain and the adoption of alternate paths to those of full-time study occur because many mature learners have multiple roles including employee, spouse/partner, as well as being a parent in many cases while trying to complete their degree.”
This means that mature students sometimes choose part time study, or take time off between courses in order to fulfill other demands on their time. Doing so increases the odds they’ll never make it to graduation.
They know why they’re there
On the upside, students who return to school after a break can be much more motivated, and have a plan for success. Having a goal in mind (a certain certification or career) lends a certain drive to the whole process. Granted, some undergrads have this plan, and the accompanying motivation, right off the hop. Many others do not.
Guelph’s study says “mature students are found to be clearer about their reasons for attending.” This means they “can be quite successful in their studies, often achieving higher average grades than younger students.”
They have respect for the process
I may be overgeneralizing here, but in my experience, most 19-year-olds don’t understand the value of a dollar (much less 30 thousand of them). Racking up debt while having the time of your life at pub night might not seem like such a big deal to such a young adult. However, a few years in the “real world,” trying to pay bills and buy groceries can do a lot to give a person perspective. All of a sudden that 6, 7, or 8 grand a year cost tends to look a lot more… well, costly.
Someone who has a sense of the cost of education is more likely to try to get the bang for their (big) bucks. Therefore, they do the reading, they attend the classes, the bend the ear of their most influential instructor, and generally get the value out of the education. All this translates to a better education, and possibly better grades.
Given all the factors and variables, are mature students better off than those who’ve taken a traditional path through their degrees and certification? Not necessarily, but they certainly bring a different perspective to class discussions, and that can only be a good thing. But watch out if you’re being graded on a curve – mature students know exactly what they came for.