What exactly is a mature student?
In 2009, Christine Mitchell and Debbie Molnar realized that the definition wasn’t as straightforward as picking a minimum age.
So, they sat down with Andrea Graham from the Academic Success Centre and brainstormed a definition.
They decided that being a mature student isn’t just about age, it’s about lifestyle and responsibilities.
So, anyone who identifies with one or more of the following points is a mature student:
- Someone who has taken time away from formal education
- Someone who has several years of experience in the workforce
- Someone who has family responsibilities that the average undergraduate student doesn’t have, such as children, a spouse or live-in partner, or an aging parent
- Someone over the age of 25
That said, MatSA welcomes any U of T student, staff, or faculty member to attend our events, regardless of age.
Aren’t mature students too busy for all of this MatSA business?
That’s an incorrect assumption about mature students: that all of us are too busy and too wrapped up in our own lives to get involved on campus.
Yes, we are busy.
Yes, we have a lot going on.
Yes, many of us have family responsibilities, and yes, many of us work while attending university.
Yes, some of us are so busy that we only come to campus for classes and leave as soon as they are over.
But!
We are also so excited to be university students and we are passionate about making the most of the experience, so we want to take advantage of everything that U of T has to offer!
That’s where MatSA comes in.
Sometimes mature students are nervous about getting involved because they don’t know how they’ll be received.
We are here to bridge the gap between mature students and the university.
I feel like the only one! How many mature students are there on campus?
While we don’t have exact numbers for all mature students on campus; we do know that at last count in winter 2009, there were over 2000 mature students at Woodsworth College.
That’s nearly 35% of the Woodsworth student body.
So, although it may feel like it sometimes, you are definitely not alone!
Why do you guys talk about Woodsworth College and the Academic Bridging Program so much?
The Academic Bridging Program (ABP) is housed at Woodsworth College.
It is designed for students who have taken time away from formal education after high school.
Most ABP students are mature students, and most mature students are ABP grads, and are therefore Woodsworth students as well.
However, mature students also enter the U of T through other avenues, such as the Transitional Year Program.
Have a question that wasn’t answered here?
Check out our contact page and tell us what you’re curious about!
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