We must encourage older learners to participate in university. Many older people have the benefits of training and gaining new skills. With going to university, older people improve productivity.
Being stuck in one job for years or maybe even decades can be frustrating. Maybe some sudden events in life lead them to quit or not even start university. An unplanned pregnancy or lack of finances can lead to quit their dreams of university.
It is never too late to start and get the wanted degree. It will open new opportunities for employment and a great social life. This also applies for post graduation studies.
Older people have to encourage to participate in university. There are prejudices for older students and it needs to be erased. In this world were university is considered only for the young, it takes courage to enroll in older age.
Number of older students entering as a non-school leavers is increasing.
Benefits of studying at older age
There are many benefits of studying at older age. People get new skills, including skills for these modern times. Older students have more enthusiasm and are more engaged in their studies than younger ones.
Younger students have also benefit, because older ones have experience in life and working experience. Some older students have left school and return to it after more than a decade. Other older students have already finished university and continue with post-graduation studies. Older students are inspiring for the younger generations.
Our older students at Birkbeck have remarkable stories to tell. Some of them are returning to education decades after having left school as teenagers. Others continue with their newfound interests, and progress from undergraduate study to postgraduate level. Older learners provide an inspiration to the younger generations.
Even elderly people go to university and get a degree. Some of them were unable to get one during their young times because of Second World War. And when the war was over, they got job and did not graduate.
There are a lot of universities that enroll older people, some of them have even hundreds of older students. As an example is Brikbeck, one of the best known universities in London, where older students are enrolled in all of their courses.
Older students are welcomed to study and to have more perspectives after graduations.
As one of the most prestigious university in the UK, Brikbeck have made a research for the reasons why older people decide to start their studies. The results showed that the most important reason was personal growth and other was professional one. This research was also made to older students in postgraduate studies and results were similar.
Future students, this means also older ones, can apply for loans for tuition fees. Student must pay the loan once they start earning the necessary income.
Students above 60 years
In previous period, people believed that cognitive abilities decline with age. Learning in university at age above 60 years is benefiter for their cognitive and improve mental wellness.
According to several studies, elder students performed even better than the younger ones. Their responds were also enough fast. Elder students use more brain parts and showed beter in studying and retaining knowledge.
In this group, studies showed that education can help improve cognitive strength. Even only taking courses, studying French, can make great improvements in memorizing. Intellect do not decline with the age.
Cognitive benefits
Studying in the older age can give you more benefits which are listed below:
Neurons are repairing and new neurons are made. Studying at older age is reparing neurons and new neurons are made. As a result, this helps overall health, including attention, reasoning, and memory.
Lower possibility of dementia
Dementia have the following symptoms: loss of memory, harder communication, disrupted visual and orientation skills (the person is lost while taking a walk), disrupted decision making, harder planning, confusion and many more. Also, older students can engage in curriculums like gardening courses and playing an instrument. This can help replenishing neurons in the brain.
There are several methods which will help in learning:
Making Schedule. Make a hour schedule, in the same manner as you do it for sleeping and eating. The time needed will be different for different areas of study. We recommend at least 2 hours of studying every day. And students must attend the class regulary, because many of the concepts are explained there.
Students there can ask various questions about the topic, Considering their experience, they can widely contribute to the diverse information younger students get.
Setting for studying. Maybe the most important problem is the concentration, with putting the distractions away. Students must learn in the same time and in the same place. If students learn in the same place and time, they will develop the possibility in learning.
Adequate area with props. On the desk where you learn there must be also props for better learning (pens, notebooks, dictionary, snacks etc.). If you have all props for learning, you will focus better while studying.
Inspiration. Students must have regular periods for learning and writing essays.
Clear notes. Several researchers claim positive connection to clearness of notes and better academical results. You must have a different note for different subject, and also must write down all the assignments given by your teacher. As an older student, this will be handy, because of your other tasks during every day (at your job, as a parent, and many other activities).
Assignments in details. As previously mentioned, assignments must be put in adequate notebook. Also, pay attention to the details, so you could complete your task on time and without having to ask others for details.
Using learning cards. You will write only the most important definitions and things you find hard to remember, put them in your bag and use the “blank” time. This time is when you are waiting, or when you are using the metro or driving in a bus.
Thanks for Reading "AM I TOO OLD TO GO TO UNIVERISTY IN 2022/2023?! (too old FOR uni?)" Written by Israt90 for Mr Univeristy *Note, full t&c on website. Prices, rankings & Information changes over time. All Information here is opinion based and all information should be fact checked*
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