Thinking of Going Back to Uni - Q...

[Aimz]

I'm thinking of going back to uni in 2010. I did uni for a year after high school but failed miserably and ended up throwing it in. Depsite that, I ended up with an excellent job which pays really well. I was supposed to be doing a course through work this year but due to low numbers, the course was pulled. I am itching to study again!

Would the course I choose still go off my UAI from year 12? Or would I sit an exam as a mature age student to determine my entry score? I really have no idea how this works!

[Muppity]

Depends - if you want to you can still use your UAI (they have ways of spinning the numbers to make them fit with the new numbers) or you could do a mature age entry exam (seeings as you are so old! LOL). Depends on whether your magic number will get you into what you want. If it does I wouldn't bother - if you rang the enrollment section at the uni you want to go to then they would be able to tell you if yours equates to enough points.

[sushee]

It also depends on how old your results are. In WA, after a certain amount of years, you can't use your results anymore. Call TISC in your area, or check out their website. I did a mature aged entry and got a much better score than my TEE results (which I couldn't use anyway) so sometimes it's better to just bite the bullet and do the STAT test.

[Kitt3n]

I just had to request mture age entry and provided two references....

they let me in.

I dint even do the HSC

ETA - with the above spelling maybe they should have thought twice, LOL!!!

[sushee]

Each course of study has different entry pathways too (thanks for reminding me, Kitt3n!) so it's often a good idea to figure out what you want to do, then research the alternative entry requirements of each university, eg UWA psychology only allows entry via TEE results, ie no direct entry with a STAT test. But at Curtin, Murduch and ECU, you can enter via a STAT test. At none of the unis in Perth, can you enter without either TEE, STAT or recognition of prior learning.

[Aimz]

Thanks for the info girls! I'm not 100% sure what I want to do yet - but I will have a good look at the courses and decide then.

I only just scraped in with my UAI (into a Bachelor of Arts Degree) so I would probably want to take a STAT and use those results.

Thanks heaps girls - I knew you would have the answers!

[Aimz]

Another question...

The uni's I am considering are Macquarie and ANU. They both offer the course that I want. ANU would probably be easier because I am only 2 hours from Canberra but either way I would study the course by distance.

I just looked up Macquarie's website and found this information.

Looking at that course list, would you assume they don't offer undergraduate degrees by distance?

[AngelPunks]

Try Open Learning - different unis offer full bachelor degrees via distance.

[Aimz]

punkin that website is fantastic!!!!

I've found the exact course at Macquarie!

Ok, another Q...

If I'm a mature age student - am I still eligible for HECS/HELP?

[Aimz]

Oh and one more thing...

The Open Learning website says this...

Open Universities Australia is owned by seven leading universities and is the country’s fastest growing online higher education service.

Over 110, 000 people have already studied with us since we began in 1993.

You can choose to study from over 100 subject areas and graduate with qualifications from 15 academic providers. There are no entry requirements to start studying with Open Universities Australia

Did I read that right? Does that mean I don't have to sit the STAT or apply through the UAC? Surely that can't be right can it?

[No.5]

You just fill the application out & send it in. They don't use academic records or STAT tests at all. They just go off your application IYKWIM.
I'm classified as a mature age student in my degree & my tuition fees are going through HECS.

[Aimz]

I'm still a little confused. Would I end up with the same credentials doing it online than I would if I was on campus?

How come you have to have a UAI for one but not the other? It's the same course at the same uni!

Someone please explain it to me!

[No.5]

Yes you would still get the same degree it just makes it easier ie not having to go to the campus at all and doing it at your own pace rather than having to have it done week by week like you would if going to tutorials..

I'll have a look & see if I can figue out why. What course is it?

[Aimz]

Bachelor of Arts at Macquarie.

Thanks heaps Nella I really appreciate it!

I've just been stressing about the whole process and this all just seems too easy!

[No.5]

I can't see anything about a UAI? Where did you see it?
https://www.open.edu.au/wps/portal/W...0Bachelor%20of
Is that the page you were looking at?
When I was looking to enrol through them I thought it looked too easy too so I called them & it really is that simple! I didn't end up applying though because I figured I've only got 2 years left of my degree so I may as well finish it rather than starting a whole new degree!

[sushee]

Most unis, when you apply for direct entry to campus courses at the start of the year, require you to apply through the TISC in your area. Which means, to be rated for entry, you will have to have a STAT or TEE, so that they can allocate you with a numeric value of your test results and rank you against school leavers and other mature aged students for admission.

But when you apply to the uni directly (mid year intake or open learning) you DON'T have to go to through TISC because you don't need to be ranked, and only need to impress the university admissions enough for them to offer you a place.

It's not true of every course, which is why ONLY a portion of all courses are offered through open universities.

PS And yes as a mature aged student can get HELP if they haven't done study previously and have enough HELP credits available to them.

[Aimz]

Thanks so much for the info girls.

I went ahead and rang them and they said I don't need an entry score I just need to enrol!

I rang DH and we are going to go through it tonight. Because of the flexibility and the fact that I won't need to be on campus means I can start it next year!

My only problem is that I'm doing this because I'm passionate about what I want to study - I honestly have no idea where it will take me or what I would do with it.

I would be studying the Bachelor of Arts - Society, Life and Learning Stream. No idea where that would take me!!

Would you ever start something that you weren't 100% sure you would use later on? I just crave the knowledge and I love to study.

[AngelPunks]

hey I'm doing a Bachelor of Health Science majoring in Naturopathy and I work in the Project Management and/or IT field - I'm studying because I love it.

I am also considering enrolling thru Open University to do a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Religion.