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Now more than ever there are people who are choosing less traditional paths to education. You could take some time off between high school and college to travel or save money by working fulltime. You could also decide after ten years of working in an office that you would rather be doing another job everyday. If you're planning to apply for university or college within Canada and you have been out of the education system for some time then you may want to look into the option of applying as a mature student. Here are some guidelines and tips for submitting you application in this way.
The requirements for applying as a mature student are different for every institution. This system is meant as a way of highlighting applicants work experience as being as valuable as recent scholastic experience. You could possibly have learned more about business administration working as a receptionist for an office than from taking a class. But because you have been out of the rhythm of school for some time, many universities recommend that you begin your studies as a part-time student. This will allow you to adjust to a new way of life.
As far as requirements go, there are some that are standard with each school. Applying as a mature student is an option for those that are over the age of twenty-one who do not have the basic requirements to apply for post-secondary education in the standard way. This means that you have no transcripts to send from your last school for consideration. Many also require that you have not been registered as a full-time student in any educational facility for four or more years. During this time you could have been working at a painting company or as a bank teller.
If you're applying for a program that requires full-time status, there are two options that the school might present to you. One is that you start your studies as a part-time student and will be given the opportunity to switch to full-time if you are able to maintain a certain average in your first year. This is to make sure that your experience working in manufacturing for example can transfer to the skills needed for class work.
The other option is to petition for full-time status right from the beginning of your studies. This might require you to submit a letter detailing why you believe you can handle the additional work load and what career you're planning to enter into upon graduation. You could want to go to medical school or run your own warehouse space.
If you're considering applying to a university or college as a mature student, you should check the school's admission website for more information about their specific application requirements.
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