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#1
03-16-2005, 11:30 AM
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To Old to Go Back to School?
Is 27 to old to go back to school? My life is going through some major changes in the past few months. Got divorced, moved to Cleveland from Tampa and will be gaining custody of my son at the end of his school year.
In my old age I now realize the importance of education and really want to go back to school in order to secure a better future for myself and my son. Now, I am not completely un-edumacated. I do have an Associates of Science in EE but from a tech school. And I do have an extensive work history; I've been a buyer for several commodities for seven plus years. As you can see though my degree doesn't really help me in work much. And I can't really progress much further currently because I do not have a work related degree. I want to go back and get my Bachelors and possibly my Masters in something business related, with a minor in computers which are my first love. I can not transfer any of my old schooling because the school is not on the same accreditation something or other as a regular college so I would have to do everything over from scratch. I figure I would be around 32 when I finish my Bachelors. So, am I to old for this plan? To old to completely change careers if I chose to get a totally unrelated degree? To old to continue on to my Masters once I complete my degree? Should I just resign to a life of mediocrity and to never making six figures? 
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#2
03-16-2005, 11:36 AM
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I will (HOPEFULLY) be going back to school full time this winter, at the tender age of 27. That is if Ms Whiteyfoo gets the promotion she should be getting. Otherwise I'll just have to slog thorugh at 1 class a semester like I have been doing.
It's never too late. I come from a longish line of late degrees. My father didn't get his M.E. degree till 85 when he was in his mid 30s. My mother got her RN in 96, and will be getting her masters in 3 weeks. So at 27-32 you would be doing the career switch early.
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#3
03-16-2005, 11:38 AM
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I'm sorry; I'm on the floor laughing.
27 is not too old to return to school. I went back in 2003, when I was 32, to pursue my bachelor's in communications. I'll be 34 when I graduate, then I'm seriously considering taking a year off, then going to law school. There is no reason to think that you're "too old" to go back. One of the people in my TV production course is in his fifties. He came back after being gone for 25 years. I'm willing to bet that you'll do better than your younger classmates. Age and maturity have ways of making us take this stuff seriously. Robin
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#4
03-16-2005, 11:43 AM
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My dad was a high school dropout who went back to school and earned a BA at age 36. He then went to and graduated law school, passing the bar at age 39. He's a pretty extraordinary guy, so I'm not saying anyone could that, but he would certainly laugh at the idea that 27 is too old.
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#5
03-16-2005, 11:49 AM
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You're definitely not too old to go back to school. You have some disadvantages that many of the other students don't have, including your child care obligations. But you also have advantages that they don't, including a broader perspective, more life experience, and a deeper commitment to your education. IMHO, the ads outweigh the disads.
Before I went to law school, I worked in college admissions/financial aid. We always liked seeing returning students, because they took their schooling more seriously. Because of everything you will have to give up to go to school, you'll treat school like your job -- you'll show up prepared for all your classes, which will put you head and shoulders above the rest. As for college, make sure you check out all the colleges in your area. Ask about average class size, average student age, teacher to student ratio, etc. You may be able to find a college that has a higher proportion of "older" students (although, honestly, 27 isn't all that old in comparison). And look into financial aid and day care options. Different schools have different benefits. I don't have experience in the field you're planning to go into, but I don't see how an employer would not want to take someone on simply because s/he is a few years older than the others. As for resigning yourself to a life of mediocrity: don't do it. Won't make you happy, and it won't teach your son the right values. Good luck.
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#6
03-16-2005, 11:50 AM
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I'm 27 and I'm going to be going back to school this summer. Penn State - York has an Electro-Mechanical Engineering degree that has my name all over it. I work full time and will only be going in the evenings/weekends. I don't even have an AA yet, but I'm planning on CLEPing out a few credits initially and taking the remainder of my credits (I have about 30 now via community college that I'm hoping will transfer.) to hopefully get my AA in about a year. After that I'm going for my BS. Good luck!
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#7
03-16-2005, 11:56 AM
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Quote:
Robin
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#8
03-16-2005, 11:59 AM
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It's never too late to go back and get your degree. Period.
IIRC, there was an Ann Landers column about that. Someone wrote asking the same question, ending it with, "In three years, when I graduate, I'll be 32!" Ann quite sensibly wrote back, "And if you don't go back, in three years, you'll also be 32."
__________________
"One never knows, do one?" Provider of quality fantasy and science fiction since 1982.
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#9
03-16-2005, 12:16 PM
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How many more years do you expect to work? If you finish at 32 and retire at 65, that's 33 years to build a career. That seems like enough time. to be worth investing four years in.
My mother was a stay at hom mother of six. She went back to school when my youngest sister started kindergarden and graduated when she was 40. She know makes five times what I make and travels all over the world with her job.
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#11
03-16-2005, 12:45 PM
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You're not too old at 27! I am 41 and I kind of am too old for my plan. I have a 20 year old BA in history which I have never done a thing with. I am the assistant to the director of counseling services at an institution of higher learning. I would LOVE to be a counselor here and the counseling staff thinks I would do well at it. However, that means going back to school for a masters in counseling or social work and there are no guarantees that I would get a job here. That means I would start at less money than I make here and if I left here I wouldn't get the wicked cool benefits and retirement plan. Moral of the story: go for it now!
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#12
03-16-2005, 12:56 PM
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I will be 45 when I get my first bachelor's in 2010, in a degree completely dominated by the under 25 crowd. I started part time at a community college the spring of 2004. Worked full-time and schooled full-time fall 2004 and this spring semester. This fall I will quit my cushy job of 10 years to commit to school overtime. I am too old, but so what. It's fun for its own sake.
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#13
03-16-2005, 02:27 PM
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No, but you must learn the difference between to and too!
 Sorry, I'm just playing. I was just a year younger when I went back to school. I had already taken a few years of courses, so I graduated when I was 28, but you are not too old! Wishing you luck in your new adventure!
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#14
03-16-2005, 02:38 PM
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Quote:
My mom graduated from college the same year I did. I was 21, she was 48. I'm pretty sure that there isn't much that you are too old for at age 27. Diapers, maybe. 
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#15
03-16-2005, 03:07 PM
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I started grad school when I was 29 (but closer to 30). It's harder to do when you're older and you have to pay for it yourself, but it's definitely worth it. I'd do the same thing all over again! Even though I'm not exactly raking in the big bucks now. But I feel a lot smarter!
 You're never too old to change careers. I'm sure I'll be changing careers several times before I retire. Good luck, Amp!
__________________
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#17
03-16-2005, 03:24 PM
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I'm 26 and I started full-time this spring. I had some transfer credit, but I'm still taking mostly freshman classes to fill in Gen Ed gaps. I'm older than some of my TA's, but it's not really a big deal.
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#18
03-16-2005, 03:34 PM
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No way. I'm a year younger than you and will be finishing my first year of college in two months. I worried at first about being too old, but I've never been the oldest person in any of my classes. I'd go for it now while you have the drive to make it succeed. I'd think the longer you put it off, the harder it would be.
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#19
03-16-2005, 03:53 PM
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It is never too late to go back to school. My husband is 33 and just finished his bachelor's last year, and is (hopefully) starting lawschool in the fall, which means if he gets in this year, he'll be 37 when he finally gets his J.D. I am 24 and just finished my AA and I am reapplying (long story, that) to university in the fall.
As long as you don't mind the fact that you'll be in class with a bunch of 18 year olds, you'll do fine Also, many universities give certain bonuses to "non-traditional" students - often times in the form of a counselor especially atuned to the specific problems that come with being a returning student. It also looks good on an application.Go do it!
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#20
03-16-2005, 04:00 PM
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My grandmother was 70 when she got her bachelor's degree. We got our master's degrees the same year; she was about 75 (and had gone to Peru for thesis material). Her mother also got her bachelor's at about 70.
No, it's never too late to go back to school.
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#21
03-16-2005, 04:20 PM
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I'll chime in to say that you're about the right age to go to school. I went back at 32 to finish my bachelor's, and that extra bit of maturity made all the difference in the world. It's amazing how much better you do when you actually attend class and take notes.
The only thing I was worried about was feeling self conscious because I might be so much older than everyone else. After a while, you and everyone else stops thinking about it.
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#23
03-16-2005, 04:59 PM
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I've had plenty of students older than you. I've had students in their 60s who were on their way to their bachelor's degrees.
I lived with a guy who I met in one of my undergrad philosophy classes. He was 32 when I met him. No, I'm not making this up. Don't sweat it.
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#24
03-16-2005, 05:09 PM
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You're much, much too old.
No, just kidding. When I was in college one of my classmates left school when she was younger because she thought it was wrong to stay there and take the place of a boy who might otherwise be drafted and sent to die on a field half a world away. By the time the war ended she had started having a family and didn't end up back at school for quite some time, but she did graduate in the early '90's. Oh, the war in question was WWII -- she'd been out just shy of 50 years when she returned to school, graduating in her late '60's. Heck, if you go to college and then straight through to law school you'd still be younger than at least half my law school class. --Cliffy
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#25
03-16-2005, 05:39 PM
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Quote:
There are some definite disadvantages (though, since I self-financed my first run at school the "you have to pay your way this time" doesn't really apply to me) but we also have the advantage of greater maturity (well, in my case that's a maybe) and an impetus to keep at it.I've known people who've gone back to school, either for an advanced degree or in a new degree program, in their forties and fifties. You won't have the same experience as an 18 year old, of course, but you probably wouldn't want it, anyway. Good luck to you, and keep at it. Stranger
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#27
03-16-2005, 06:05 PM
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Mrs. Nott got her second degree (accounting) at 39.
__________________
Time is a paper frog. It won't croak, and it won't jump, even if you wind it. Do you believe it will catch paper flies? How about fly paper?
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#28
03-16-2005, 06:07 PM
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I reacted strongly to this because I recall so well the OP were my Aunt's fears when she went back: My Aunt divorced and was primary caregiver for three kids when went back, nights, at 36. She had >3 years before she left as a "kid". She always had age peers (more or less) in her classes and this started in the mid-80's.
By the time she was 43 she had a Masters degree. From 43 until 65 she has lived very, very rich and fulfilling life. A life that would not be remotely possible if she hadn't had to guts to go back. Echoing Reality Chuck’s point: "In three years, when I graduate, I'll be 32!" Ann quite sensibly wrote back, "And if you don't go back, in three years, you'll also be 32." YOu have no choice but to be 32 in 5 years. You can be 32 and have (or almost have a degree) or
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#29
03-16-2005, 06:16 PM
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I dropped out of high school at age 16. Started college when I was 26.
You couldn't possibly be a bigger fuckup than me, and I made it.
__________________
You know you love me.
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#30
03-16-2005, 06:23 PM
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FYI, the oldest student ever to graduate from the community college where I teach was 85 years old. 85!
27, you say? Naught but a mere youngster. Go, go, go!
__________________
"This isn't Wall Street; this is Hell. We have a little something called 'integrity.'" --Crowley, Supernatural
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#31
03-16-2005, 07:09 PM
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Shoot, my classes are filled with people much older than 27 returning to school to pursue their dreams. Since I'm an English major, those dreams tend to amount to being a teacher, but all of them are over 25 and most of them are over 40. They all do great.
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#32
03-16-2005, 08:25 PM
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#33
03-16-2005, 09:38 PM
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I made a lot of stupid mistakes when I was teenager and never went to college. I'll be 32 this June and will be starting college in September majoring in a field completely different from my current career. I'm nervous but also very excited about it.
My mom got married a month before her 15th birthday and quit school. Her first child was born a couple of months after her 16th birthday. She finally got her G.E.D. when she was 41. It was a nerve wracking experience for her because she thought she was too old and not smart enough. She proved herself wrong. I'm extremely proud of her. You're never too old to continue your education. Don't let any worries, doubts or fears hold you back. Good luck.
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#34
03-16-2005, 10:01 PM
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Quote:
It might pay you to look around at other schools that might accept some of your credits, to shorten your time. But go for it anyway. You are probably trying the job market with your present credentials to see if they work for you. If not, the additional schooling will certainly be worth it, even if you don't go all the way thru the Master's, 'tho that won't hurt. I've never made "6 figures" but will approach it soon when social security adds to my paycheck and my first job's retirement check. I did make my first $million last April, according to my SS statement of earnings (but it took me 50 years to do it.)(Check your grammar-a must for résumés- "to old" should be "too old")
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#35
03-16-2005, 10:38 PM
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I was a high school drop out. I went to college off and on for 12 years before I finally got serious.
I earned by bachelor's at 36. I'm 41 now, and trying to get into law school. Too old? Pfftt.
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#36
03-16-2005, 11:21 PM
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I guess it might depend a bit on when you decide you're too old to learn.
My last college class was taken at age 42. I have to do continuing ed now to maintain my license, but that's not quite the same. I was "in college" for most of the time between ages 22 and 34. I have a couple of acquaintance (one a friend, the other a torched bridge) who went back to become M.D.s in their forties. Both of them made it. It seems to me that there's a consensus appearing in this thread that deems that 27 is hardly too old to take another whack at it. Oh yeah, the additional years in school have contributed mightily to my welfare. I don't know where I'd be without it, and I'm doing well right now. Good luck with it, pal!
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#37
03-17-2005, 08:18 AM
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I applaud anyone's efforts to further their education, and think that it's never too late to start back in. My wife left school for a long time (from about 20-28), went back for her Bachelor's, and will complete her Master's next year. I'm taking a long break between my BA and law school.
One word of caution, however: Don't be one of THOSE non-traditional students. I get a lot of the gossip in my office on campus, and one of the major beefs the younger students bring to me is the need that some non-trads to either 1) explain their presence in the class 2) share the accumulated wisdom of their years (usually the case for members of the military). Just go, have fun, and learn all you can. Make friends, and while you should always be aware that there might be a generation gap, things will be fine if you don't make an issue of it.
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#38
03-17-2005, 08:31 AM
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I'll be getting the shingle for a second Bachelor's degree this May, at the ripe old age of 43.
I managed to pull it off with a 3.12 GPA, in spite of full-time employment, lay oof and unemployment, a rocky marriage, raising a teenager, mortgage, etc. The big reason for doing it is because of ambitions for a Master's and beyond, and my GPA from BS #1 was severely mediocre. It's a lot of work and hassle, but I found the coursework to be much easier the second time around. I had 2 problems, however. 1) I tended to regard the professors as colleagues, because I was their age, and I've been working in the subject areas for 15-20 years. Made for some awkward moments. 2) Watching the sweet young things jiggling their ways to class, and realizing I was old enough to be their father. 
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