Taking the plunge

[bcbernam777]

I have enrolled for university at the tender age of 34 with no rel formal schooling, May God have Mercy on my Soul.

Anyone with any tips hints or general information would be apreciated.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Congratulations to you and make sure that you study hard but not when you are too tired. When I was at the university I always made a point to
never study to late into the night so that when I was studying I was always awake, fresh and relaxed. That served me well and still does to this day. Good luck and congratulations!!!

 

[terryl965]

Congrats and stay away from the kegger parties. Next to that remember you always have more wisdom then those younger students use that to your advantage.

 

[Blindside]

Wow! Congratulations it sounds like a great challenge! What are you going to study? I don't know what the Univeristy system in Australia is like, but if it is anything like the US, good study habits go along way. Depending on what you mean by "no real schooling" this may be something you should work to develop. Set aside time every day to go over lecture notes, and then do your reading. What worked for me was to read ahead, so that lecture was always a review of material I was already familiar with. The lecture should give you specific clues about what the instructor thinks is important on the topic, after lecture go back and reread the emphasized areas.

In the US, we would call you a "non-traditional student" meaning you fall outside the average 19-25 year old group. Every non-traditional student that I have ever met was more serious about school than the vast majority of the student body, they knew why they were there and what they needed to accomplish.

Good luck!

Lamont

 

[Steel Tiger]

Congrats and stay away from the kegger parties. Next to that remember you always have more wisdom then those younger students use that to your advantage.

I have to totally agree.

Good for you. Its never too late to learn, and its definitely more enjoyable when your'e older.

 

[bcbernam777]

I am studying a Bussiness and Comerce degree with a major in International Business.

So far I have gleaned:

1. Study hard
2. Study in the mornings
3. Read ahead
4. Look for the lecturers emphasis for what is important for them
5. Stay away from the party's
6. Use my maturity to full advantage
7. Avoid the girls (my wife will be happy with that one )
8. Buy a laptop
9. network, network, network

Thanks for your input so far

 

[Blindside]

Oh, here is another, don't hit on the freshmen girls , they look like, well, girls. I'm serious, when I went back for grad school I looked around and kept thinking "is this some high school field trip." Weirded me out.

Oh, that "study in the morning" thing never worked for me. I am a night owl, so I would study late and then sleep on it. It helped my retention, stuff I study in the morning just doesn't seem to stick.

 

[Kacey]

When I returned to grad school, I bought a laptop - it was the best decision I ever made. My notes are more complete, legible (the faster I write, the worse it gets), and searchable. Also, many more professors are sending out handouts as email attachments to save printing costs - so I save an original, and then change the file name to "original file name notes", and take notes right on the handouts. I open a file for each class, and keep all of the handouts and notes in that folder.

Good luck!

 

[Carol]

Network, Network, NETWORK!

What you get to learn in college is only half of the advantage, the other half is *who* you get to know. Make many contacts and keep up with them. The more contacts you have, the better your career(s) will be.

 

[Jade Tigress]

Congrats and stay away from the kegger parties. Next to that remember you always have more wisdom then those younger students use that to your advantage.

What Terry said! and Congratulations!

 

[shesulsa]

I think there was a study that proved that students who maintained their rest well retained most of what they studied in the evening.

Here's a tip: simplify the rest of your life. Be brutal. The fewer distractions you have for day-to-day living, the more open your mind is, the more energy you have to devote to learning.

Happy learning and good for you!

 

[Drac]

Congrats and stay away from the kegger parties.

That and take good notes...

 

[bydand]

Congrats and stay away from the kegger parties.

That and take good notes...

Notes about where the kegger parties are don't count.



Seriously though: 1) study habits (pick a set time of day and duration, everyday to help develop them if you don't have them already.)
2) Good notes.
3) Laptop. (not 100% needed, but vastly helpful if at all doable.)
4) Enjoy yourself. Not going to be in Uni forever, so make the most out of the opportunity to take as many different types of classes as you can fit into your electives. I went back when I was late 20's and loved it much more than when I first went right out of High School. Your age is a big help, not a hinderance at all.

Good Luck!

 

[bushidomartialarts]

take the professors with a grain of salt.

many profs are very accustomed to dealing with wet-behind-the-ears 19 year olds who go to school full time. they often have an exaggerated idea of their own importance and an unfairly low regard for the pressures of a real world life on a student.

not strangling them sometimes requires effort.

 

[matt.m]

Set aside a block of time to study each subject exclusively. Get the laptop. If you find your mind either "swimming" from too much or "wandering" from too much stop immediately. Take a break to relax.

I graduated with 3 bachelors and 2 minors in 7.5 yrs. so I know a lot about mind swimming.

 

[bcbernam777]

You dont know how much I appreciate your comments, I know its going to be hard as I have to work full time plus our third child is going to tbe born in March, but comments like these will help me to streamline myself to "discard the unessential" (Ive heard that somewhere before).

I haved heard of a concept called accelerated learning, has anyone else heard of it and do you have any opinion on it?

 

[Xue Sheng]

I haved heard of a concept called accelerated learning, has anyone else heard of it and do you have any opinion on it?

Yes and I recommend avoiding it if you work fulltime and have a 3rd child due in March.

As for the rest of the school experience, just take it one step at a time the course will go by faster than you think and before you know it you will be done.

And if you hit a course that you just can't stand, know it is only going to last about 15 weeks and it’s done.

Good luck


oh and study