Hello everyone, I'm new on this forum.

I was interested to read the post from jagangel about mature students training in physiotherapy as I have been offered a place on a physiotherapy course at the University of Hertfordshire beginning in September. I am very mature...and I mean very mature !!! I have always been interested in medicine and would have loved to be a doctor but just didn't have the right exams and grades. I know I want to work in a caring profession and thought Physio sounded just the thing, however having read all the posts aboiut the difficulties graduates face in finding a job I am seriously considering not doing the Physio course. First negative is the fact that I will be in my early 50s when I graduate and who is going to take on a 50+ when there are many other younger graduates out there. Other considerations are mostly financial. As I come from Jersey in the Channel ISlands we are not considered home students, nor International students but somewhere in between, and we are charged higher fees because of this. Don't ask me why !! Herts have told me that fees for my first year, which I am having to fund myself, are £7500, plus I will of course have to pay for accommodation and living expenses on top of this. So I calculate that my first year will cost me about £15000 which is a lot of money especially if I don't get a job on graduation. My 2nd and 3rd years fees are paid for my my local LEA. I would love to do the course and I know I would love the studying aspect, but I'm really worried about my prospects of getting a job. My other option would be to do a PGCE which is of course a much shorter course of one year and it probably would be easier to find a job afterwards. Any views on this anyone? Many thanks.