======= Date Modified 27 Apr 2011 19:22:29 =======
Edit *snip*

hi invader
so you want to go back to school; that's good; no you dont need to apply through UCAS like when you were an undergrad; and no you're not going to be the bigger kid at the back of the class; 24 and older is not a problem.

yes you could get your college tutor to help you; it doesnt have to be a university ref; it just has to come from someone who has known you pretty well.

there are many deadlines; and some phd positions dont have deadlines. Depends on what you want to do; what you are applying for. First you need to make up your mind what you want to do. Then search online for it. www.findaphd.com is a nice place to start with. Don't worry.

goodluck
love satchi

It's great that you're thinking about going back to university. It's exciting to be able to study. Postgrad is very different to undergrad in lots of ways, but most of all it's more stimulating and rewarding, in my opinion! The best place to start with Masters degrees is thinking about the subject you want to do and then looking at the course descriptions on university websites. They'll also tell you how to apply for the courses. There's no central system like UCAS, it's a case of applying direct.

24 is no problem at all - I started my Masters when I was 34, after years of working, and was nowhere near the oldest in the class (but very mixed age groups, with maybe a third of students coming straight from undergraduate and the rest spread over the ages). Obviously that may not be the case for all subject areas! Mine's very applied.

References - I got an academic reference from my university several years after I'd graduated - it wasn't a problem at all. Usually they ask for two I think, so the other one could be your more recent one. But at Masters level, if you're funding yourself I think they're mainly looking for evidence that you'll be committed enough and able enough to complete the course. Beyond that, it depends how competitive it is for places in your discipline and at the university you want to attend.

As to going straight to a PhD - if you got a 2.2 in your first degree, I would suggest you might need to do a Masters before a PhD. But maybe that depends again on the discipline/university. Also whether you're funding yourself or looking for funding for the PhD. Getting a funded PhD is very competitive, so you would need evidence of strong research skills etc - a good result at Masters level would help enormously.

Hope that helps!

Use www.findamasters.com to find a course which suits you - we have over 15,000 listed so it's a great place to start. Each course listing will then give you the application contact details for that specific course.

I started my masters with The Open University when I was 24; I'd previously completed a BA(Hons) 2:1 with them too, so carried straight on. I really enjoyed it - far more than I did the undergraduate stuff - although it sounds odd, I actually found the work easier; maybe it's because it's more specialised? That said, I wouldn't have considered a PhD or suchlike going straight from an undergraduate degree - I know people do, but thinking about all the people I know with PhD's, they've all done a masters degree first. More than anything, I think it probably helps you to narrow down what you really want to do.

David

Well you guys sure did make me feel better, nice one homies. I guess it's time to look into where to go and what to do. I think I might take something in modern history or psychology again. I guess most uni's will need you to apply before april or may? Take it easy amigos.