When you walk into a standard university, you will find students from varying age ranges. What then is the best age to enter a university? One might often wonder why the same lecture hall that has a 20-year-old can also have a 40-year-old in it. The answer is this – every student is at a unique stage in life and has an ambition tailored to them.
For young students in their early teens, a tertiary institution is their first introduction to adult life and career building. Older students are more likely to be in university for the furtherance of their education and to grow in a chosen career field.
Now, the reality is that a lot of people do not have the luxury to decide when they want to go to university. This is due to financial constraints, responsibility, state of mind, low grades, and many other factors. However, once you can tick off all the requirements to enter a university, age is nothing but a number.
Here are three requirements before you should go to a university.
Goals
To succeed in a university, you need to know why you are there and what you hope to achieve. For teenage students, this is often a challenge as they tend to be overwhelmed in their first few months by adult life, university life, and other new experiences, and may spend an unhealthy amount of time trying to find balance. Older students on the other hand are usually more goal-oriented in university. Having a clear-cut goal helps a student to maximize their university assignment in the shortest time possible with no distractions.
Financial Provisions
If you have the money to go to school, do it. Whether it be from a guardian, a scholarship, or personal funding – if you can pay tuition, feeding, and accommodation with ease, taking a university course will be rewarding, no matter your age. Being in school without financial aid can be tough for some students. A student with sorted finances can focus on their education and get good grades without worrying about where the next fees will come from.
Time
One reason why it is advocated for students to go to university early is that their youth provides them with a lot of time. Time to read, time to socialize, time to focus, time to plan, time to recover from mistakes; the list is endless. With no pressure from work or dependents, a young student with goals and priorities will make the best of any university experience and excel with flying colours, with a headstart on career life. An older student might have to compartmentalize their time and sacrifice a lot of activities to keep up with the demands of higher learning.
Ultimately, if these three requirements are in check, you are at the best age to enter university and success is inevitable. As long as you are determined to give your education your best, nothing is impossible to achieve, no matter what age you are.
Read here for Factors You Should Consider Before Going To A School
