Mature students and social isolation: Being excluded or choosing to be alone?

This chapter considers the social isolation experienced by a group of mature students. Younger mature students appeared to actively choose to isolate themselves socially. In contrast, older mature students felt that, because they were excluded by their younger peers, they had become unwillingly isolated. With HESA reporting that mature students are dropping out of UK universities at around twice the rate of traditional-aged students (2015/16), it is pertinent to consider the role of social isolation in relation to student retention and attrition.