University

[Coulliette]

Does anyone know if there are any older people at the universities in NZ? I got married pretty young and started working at a family business, and have in the past few years decided to go back to school. Real Estate is not really my thing...I'm more of a biologist type :icon_wink: I've got a few years left here, but was thinking about going for a Masters in NZ. Is that a likely scenario?

[netchicken]

Do it!

When I went through uni, as a mature student back in 89, I graduated in 95 with a lady in her 70's who did her degree becuase after her husband died she got bored. There were heaps of adult students back then.

So much so I remember in one education tutorial where we were talking about experiences we had with the education system, one late teen uni kid complained that she couldn't contribute because she didn't have as many life experiences as the rest of us.

As a mature adult (25?) then I knew what I was giving up to go to uni, and focused on getting my masters. You wern't in the same bind as typical adolescents who were trying to study and at the sme time live the new found freedom to get drunk and experience life.

I imagine that now there will be HEAPS more mature adults at university. (actually I will moderate that as the very low unemployment have meant typical adult students are actually busy working)

[Coulliette]

Thanks for the info netchicken! :icon_biggrin: I'm in the same situation now...in a group of classes with more mature (not necessarily including myself :icon_wink: ) students, and it seems to go a lot smoother than my previous university experiences. Well....we'll see if I last until my Masters. :icon_razz:

Thanks again!

[Pulsarblu]

By all means, life long learning is the best way to keep yourself moving forward and not becoming stagnant.

I did my degree part time while working full time back in Singapore, and I intend to finally study what I really LIKE best when I go to new Zealand. Yes it is tough to do part time study and working full time but I am game for the challenge, it makes the experience more worthwhile!

However, if you have the luxury of study full time Masters like my wife is perhaps going to do in New Zealand ( :icon_eek: what?...did she really said that?? ), that will be even better!! University of Otago seems like a really good choice..I been there, just touring, and i find that the university atmosphere is great!

Pulsarblu

[netchicken]

I think that whatever you do the goal is to focus on your Masters, undegraduate degrees are so common that they mean nothing. However at the higher ends the wheat is really seperated from the chaff.

[Coulliette]

I assumed that the situation would be the same in NZ as here...sure, you can get a job with an undergraduate, but it's not going to be what you want to do. That's all that really matters to me now. I've done the office/corporate job for the last 6 years, and I'm sick of it. My husband and my school advisor keep telling me that I won't make any money with the degree I have chosen....but who cares. It's like they always say (who exactly are [u:c1f4f69548]they[/u:c1f4f69548]?) If you love what you do, you never have to work. And if you love what you do, and you're in New Zealand...even better! :icon_wink: