2012 press releases
Posted 10 January 2012
Going to College Information Evening for Mature Students to be held at AIT
An information evening for mature students who are considering going to college will be held at Athlone Institute of Technology on Thursday 19 January.
The event will primarily focus on full-time undergraduate courses for which people must apply to the Central Applications Office (CAO) before 1 February. The information evening takes place in the Coffee Dock on the main campus from 6-8pm.
AIT experienced a large increase in applications from mature students to its full-time courses in recent years and the institute expects this trend to continue in 2012. Over 300 mature students commenced full-time undergraduate programmes in the current academic year.
Institute president, Professor Ciarán Ó Catháin said that mature students are a vibrant part of college life in Athlone. “Mature students bring a wealth of life experience to third level education. They understand what employers are looking for, are adept at working in groups and are highly motivated. This creates a very positive dynamic in lectures and in practical sessions, and works to the benefit of the entire college community,” he said.
AIT has a number of supports in place to help students make the transition to third level. A “Learning to Learn” module in the first year of programmes helps students develop reading, writing and studying skills in a college environment. A mature students society exists as both a social forum for mature students, and also as a means to address any issues which may arise particular to their situation. The institute also offers a peer assisted student support (PASS) scheme, where students on the same programme provide support to students in earlier years of the course.
Potential students will have the opportunity to discuss details of the 50 courses offered by AIT through the CAO, which are in the areas of business, humanities, engineering and science. Information will also be available on how to apply through the CAO and the assessment process operated by AIT. Further information is also available at www.ait.ie.
