# Is 47 too old to go back to college? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 23, 2007, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-47-too-old-to-go-back-to-college/401320 "2007-04-23T15:28:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-47-too-old-to-go-back-to-college/401320/41 "2007-04-24T01:44:23Z")
[QUOTE=Spoons] Hey, I’ll be 48 when I graduate too. Welcome to the club! We’re kind of exclusive, but you qualify. 😃 [/QUOTE] :: waves at **Spoons** :: The best thing about graduating as a mature student is that you never encounter that disbelieving “you’re too young to know this/be my doctor/be my boss” reaction. ---
**Author:** ![Layla01](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/layla01/32/15552_2.png) [@Layla01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Layla01)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-47-too-old-to-go-back-to-college/401320/42 "2007-04-24T03:09:46Z")
I’m 42 and I’m in the middle of my Diploma of Business (specialising in HR) at the local community college - next year I’ll probably go for my undergraduate degree. I’ve got 17 years in a call centre behind me - I’m not going back if I can help it. With your background in teaching, perhaps you could specialise in the training/learning and development side of HR? There are lots of choices out there in HR besides recruitment/payroll type options. Find the local HR professionals association and make some enquiries - they should be able to give you a great deal of info about what kinds of specialties are in demand. I say go for it - good luck! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-47-too-old-to-go-back-to-college/401320/43 "2007-04-24T04:55:24Z")
I’m 61, and I just had my first Spanish class a few hours ago. And I’m not even the oldest in the class! ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-47-too-old-to-go-back-to-college/401320/44 "2007-04-24T04:56:32Z")
The best student I ever had was a lady in her 70s or 80s. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-47-too-old-to-go-back-to-college/401320/45 "2007-04-24T08:10:17Z")
[QUOTE=Phlosphr] HR professionals in the US make a lot of money. And one is never to old to learn something new. There’s that old addage about teaching an old dog… [/QUOTE] OK, I realize I haven’t been following the news, but when did Ontario get invaded? Just today I realized that if I do go back to college for a degree in Translation, let’s assume I get in for the next course (too late to start next September), it’s two courses, I’d graduate in 2011 at 43… which would mean I’d still have 22 years before retirement, having gotten my first college degree a mere 13 years ago. If I can get work in that line, it should be doable at home and at my own speed, something I’ve yearned for for years. You know what, I might go and Just Do It. Being able to get the first few jobs may be a bitch, but I happen to know a couple editors and where their boosktores are: I’ll just stand at the counter making puppy eyes until they give me something 😃 And browse! I will _browse without buying!_ So I hope you’re not too old for graduate school, given I’ll be looking at a BA. ---
**Author:** ![Daffyd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daffyd/32/8923_2.png) [@Daffyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daffyd)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-47-too-old-to-go-back-to-college/401320/46 "2007-04-24T11:42:30Z")
[QUOTE=Layla01] With your background in teaching, perhaps you could specialise in the training/learning and development side of HR? There are lots of choices out there in HR besides recruitment/payroll type options. Find the local HR professionals association and make some enquiries - they should be able to give you a great deal of info about what kinds of specialties are in demand. I say go for it - good luck! 🙂 [/QUOTE] I’ve actually been leaning towards that end of HR - that was what drew me to it - the idea that corporate training is sort of like teaching high school kids - except a little more mature I hope 😃 But I’m keeping my options open - maybe I’ll find another part of HR interesting - I think I might like helping with hiring - although I don’t think I’d do well at firing! ---
**Author:** ![Daffyd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daffyd/32/8923_2.png) [@Daffyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daffyd)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-47-too-old-to-go-back-to-college/401320/47 "2007-04-24T11:44:46Z")
[QUOTE=Nava] OK, I realize I haven’t been following the news, but when did Ontario get invaded? [/QUOTE] Well, I got here from California last July… 😛 [QUOTE=Nava] So I hope you’re not too old for graduate school, given I’ll be looking at a BA. [/QUOTE] See, when it’s a B.A., I have no problem accepting that it’s a GREAT idea… Go for it! ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-47-too-old-to-go-back-to-college/401320/48 "2007-04-24T15:03:34Z")
[QUOTE=Sunspace] The best thing about graduating as a mature student is that you never encounter that disbelieving “you’re too young to know this/be my doctor/be my boss” reaction. [/QUOTE] True, and I’ll be glad of that after I graduate. But in the interim, I’m busy being mistaken for either a professor or a parent of a student. Most people in the faculty at which I study know me, so it’s no real problem there. But other parts of the university…yeesh. For example, there is a special place in hell reserved for the idiots at Campus Computing who wouldn’t help me because in spite of all evidence to the contrary, they refused to believe I was a student. **Daffyd** , as you can see, being a mature student is not without its challenges. But they’re not impossible to deal with; and honestly, I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything. Go for it! ---
**Author:** ![ForumBot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ee59a6/32.png) [@ForumBot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ForumBot)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-47-too-old-to-go-back-to-college/401320/49 "2007-04-24T16:07:57Z")
Are you a woman? If so, then yes, it’s too late, as you’ll naturally be overcome by the immense desire to interrupt the professor for a quick anecdote about your children. 😛 Just teasing. But really, don’t talk about your kids, and you’re A-OK. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-47-too-old-to-go-back-to-college/401320/50 "2007-04-24T16:19:13Z")
[QUOTE=Nava] And browse! I will _browse without buying!_ [/QUOTE] You’re evil. Fun, ain’t it? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Daffyd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daffyd/32/8923_2.png) [@Daffyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daffyd)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-47-too-old-to-go-back-to-college/401320/51 "2007-04-24T22:18:23Z")
[QUOTE=Spoons] True, and I’ll be glad of that after I graduate. But in the interim, I’m busy being mistaken for either a professor or a parent of a student. Most people in the faculty at which I study know me, so it’s no real problem there. But other parts of the university…yeesh. For example, there is a special place in hell reserved for the idiots at Campus Computing who wouldn’t help me because in spite of all evidence to the contrary, they refused to believe I was a student. [/QUOTE] I know that feeling already - sort of - I have much more in common with faculty than most students… I just hope I can stop myself from hanging out with the staff! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Daffyd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daffyd/32/8923_2.png) [@Daffyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daffyd)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-47-too-old-to-go-back-to-college/401320/52 "2007-04-24T22:46:15Z")
[QUOTE=ForumBot] Are you a woman? If so, then yes, it’s too late, as you’ll naturally be overcome by the immense desire to interrupt the professor for a quick anecdote about your children. 😛 Just teasing. But really, don’t talk about your kids, and you’re A-OK. [/QUOTE] Well \*\*that \*\*ain’t gonna happen… Am I allowed to interrupt with stories about my dogs? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-47-too-old-to-go-back-to-college/401320.md?page=2)