| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 2/6/2008 7:05:56 PM | | I went back to graduate school to get a Master of Public Administration degree in 2003. I was working full time when I did it, so it took three years to finish rather than two, but it was so worth it. | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 2/8/2008 2:40:31 PM | Well, I'm not in my 30's now, but I first went back to school after about a 12 year hiatus, I was 35 working towards an Associates degree in Business Administration. It was how I was coping with the loss of my husband...I was able to throw myself into the school work. When I graduated two years later, I had earned not only the Business degree, but a Liberal Studies one as well as a couple of certificates. Five years passed since I earned those, and now I'm back in school again - this time going for Bachelor degrees in Communications and Psychology.
Point being, the professors *love* having adult students in their classes. They know we're serious about being here...we're not killing time, putting off getting "real" jobs, or worried about the next party. We have life experience that the other students do not, the professors can relate stories to us better. They often are more understanding of any situations we might encounter that might make things a bit more challenging. We are the serious students. We're not thinking about whether or not we wore the right thing to school...I dont know about you, I'm usually just relieved when my socks match getting ready in the mornings. College-age girls obsess about fashion, we think about comfort...
On the downside, most times we, the older student is kind of treated as a pariah. The kids dont know how to relate to us, so we have to put out a little bit of an effort to be seen as students just like them. (Which is a pain when we have group projects to do...) I think we're compared to mom's...and who wants to work with their moms (or dads)? When I was in the Community College, it was less of a problem, there were many returning students there, but in the university it's a different story.
In spite of that, I love being back in school and I cant wait to see what I will do with my degrees when I finish...lol. | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 2/9/2008 6:06:20 PM | Well done and congreats, see it through!
I went back last year to work on my PhD, it took a lot of courage and conviction but deep down, felt like something I had to do.... seeing it through now is the challenge! | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 2/13/2008 6:19:40 PM | | Started back this Jan for my RN degree, been and LPN for 19 years. It's one of the hardest things i ahve ever done and something i'll be so proud of myself for doing it. We all should be proud for doing this and kicking outselves in the butt for not doing it 20 years ago. My kids now know they will never wait to finish their education. They see how hard it is for mom. | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 2/13/2008 8:20:51 PM | | Although I'm not divorced, I am currently back in school. After a year of debating, I decided I wasn't happy with the field I was in and returned to school in Jan of '07. Even though I have a BA and Masters in the first field. I went back to school to work on a computer network engineer degree. Happiness is more valuable than money. (I can always go back if I want.) | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 2/13/2008 9:05:04 PM | | yup, doing a BA at the moment through distance education with a University out of Alberta - works out well as i can work the hours i spend on studying around, according to the needs of my children and other activities/work/etc | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 2/14/2008 2:01:13 PM | <<<< Single mom, 33...... In a full time (40 hour a week) program, I have about 20 hours a week of homework. Even after being out of school for 17 years I am maintaining a 3.20gpa.... better then I ever did in H.S.
Don't let anyone tell you after your 30 (40, 50 or even 60) you shouldn't go back to school!!!
If you have the opportunity to better yourself, DO IT! | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 2/17/2008 5:17:42 PM | | I graduated at 32, it took me another three years to find the career I'm in now. And it's not even related to what my degree is in. When you're older you take it more seriously and want to do well. You appreciate it more. I loved college. And recommend it to anyone who hasn't gone. | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 2/20/2008 12:41:33 PM | | Not an easy task when you are in the military but I decided to go to school and I love it. I wish I would it done much sooner. I figure after 3 tour in hell, I better get educated. | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 2/20/2008 2:01:27 PM | I had a whole other career as a makeup artist in the L.A. Film industry for eight years.
I went back to school to finish my B.A. (everyone has at least a Master's in my family). Spent three semesters on the Dean's List at a J.C., and transferred to U.C. Berkeley after that. It was really a challenge to be a 29 year-old junior at a major university --surreal place that CAL still is... My life experience did play a major role in my studies there, though. The only serious problem I had was the brand-new Windows XP operating system on my new laptop.
I was supposed to have been able to run a small, third-world country on that stupid paperweight. I ended up studying on my own for about two months just to understand enough of the terminology in order to be able to have "relationship counseling" with the damn thing! 
Now, I work in at a smaller market T.V. station in a technical operations position.
While I was there, I did take two friends from my class on their 21st birthday crawls... That was fun!
Properly sacrificed and marked with a Sharpie, as it should be.       
Now, if only my brother had taught me all of the drinking games he promised to teach me before I went back that he learned as an undergraduate at UCSB... I am relegated to an occasional game of "Quarters" with the local frat boys from Cal Poly! *hick*
Okay... It only happened twice... ; ) | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 10/22/2008 3:14:08 PM | | like you i went back to school in my 30's and got my nursing. it was an extremely difficult and stressful time while i was in schooling being a single mom of 3 and working weekends. i have since been nursing for the passed 8 years and it has made my life all that more full-filling. Congratulations to you on making this big step | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 10/22/2008 9:12:25 PM | I went back to school for my master's degree when I was 34. I was still married at the time with a small child. During my master program it was a journey through self discovery and it helped me make decisions regarding my life, my marriage and my child. I graduated with my masters in June 2005 and my divorce was final in July 2005. It was a big year for me. Furthering my education in my 30's has helped me to become a stronger, healthier and most of all happier person. Just ask my friends who saw the before and after!  Someday, I may go back for my law degree but I have to get my child through college first! | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 10/23/2008 4:16:32 PM | | Snoogles, I just turned 44 and am back in school as well. As far as your education goes, it's never too late and it is ALWAYS a good thing! I was worried how it would go after being out of school for all of those years, however, I think it's one of the best decisions I've ever made! Good luck! | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 10/24/2008 9:33:03 AM | | i am currently unsastified with the choice of my career and still living at home, but eventually that will all change once i do get back into schooling for the next 10 months. looking forward to a positive change. | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 10/24/2008 10:11:08 AM | I too am going back to University - 33 years old, and loving every minute of it! I was a little intimidated by the tutorials at first, wondering how the 'younguns' would feel about the old chick in their group, but its been a blast. I'm sure I would have been a terrible student if I had gone at 20 years old LOL, but right now I feel the same as a lot of the people on here - professors appreciate our adult enthusiasm.
To anyone thinking of it, REALLY think of it. It's such an empowering thing to go back and become educated. | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 10/27/2008 2:21:41 PM | I am curious as to how many people out there have done the same with starting over after divorce and going back to school.
Once 'earthquake' was over and I found my balance after some 'aftershocks', I just had to re-evalute my professional side on these shores. Logistics were more than .
After several 'hiccups' (with private sector & family business) I ended up in a school - running the school as a member of a team and the virtual husband = PC with its neverending updating/upgrading modules and its glitches - keeps me on my toes.
Sharpening brain, exercising eye for details and a frisky pace while buzzing is stil ON
P.S.
Even this side of life started after 40. | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 10/30/2008 8:58:52 PM | My worst mistake ever. I was working for a co. I got laid off after ten years with them.
So like around year 7 and after surviving a laid off and moving to a different department, I went back to school. Nobody actually cared that I went back to school and I got that "B.S." degree. Tried applying other places. It seems it more like who you know and also they prefer experience over education.
Everyday I wake up one of the first things I think about it's that ever increasing student loan almost on default. But as or right now it's not one of my main problems.
Big, big mistake and I feel I will be regreting it for the rest of my life  | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 10/30/2008 11:42:20 PM | I graduated from med school at 32 and divorced right after. Course I was working and going to school and did not see what my husband was up to until after I had that free time after graduating, hense the divorce. For me it didn't work out so well for I broke my back amost two years after graduating and was forced into retirement.
I have been seriously considering going back to school to aid in my writing or maybe even some multimedia school to fulfill a dream of working for a company like Dreamworks or Pixar, but that is just pipe dream for those schools are very expensive and the chances of getting with a company like that is slim to none! I also was pretty good in the arts when I was in high school and would love to be a voice over or voice actress.
Whatever I do it will be for fun and not career, but if it leads to a career I actually enjoy doing no one would ever hear me complain. | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 10/31/2008 4:52:04 PM | | I would go back in a heart beat and just may do so when my son graduates in 2 1/2 years. Good for you!! I'd love to get my masters!! | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 11/1/2008 10:01:13 PM | | I just finished up my B.S. in Business this past summer. I was out of school for 10 years before I made the decision to go back and I was finally in a financial position where I could afford to do it. I made some great friends in the program I was in and I'm so glad I did it. I wanted to show my kids, even though they're still very young, that if mom could do, so can they, eventually. | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 11/2/2008 10:34:35 AM | going back at 30 was a challenge and could i keep up to the teen and twenty somethings yes and so did the guys in there 40's and fifties. It fueled my passion for my current career and allthough i was not top dog i did better now then in hs in overall gpa and today i'm moderately successful i think i try to keep a level head professionally cause i can't know it all just to much info to handle in my field
enjoy the experience and have fun with it school broadens the mind | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 11/2/2008 4:44:24 PM | | I have to agree..........I went a couple of quarters out of high school and quit. I took a handful of courses while in the military. But I never got serious until after my divorce in 2004. My grades are definitely better. Many universities are offering various class schedules for working people. I have even had a couple of retired students in my classes. | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 11/2/2008 4:51:25 PM | So I'm the only one to think and feel going back to school was a mistake?
I knew a girl at work who had a useless degree in French. She had my same kind of stupid job. But she was happy! Now she was going for her master's in Business something. She told me college wasn't for everybody. I said, now you tell me.
What happens if I don't pay this money back? I'm thinking of moving out of the country and hide. | |
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| Going back to school in your 30's....
Posted: 11/9/2008 9:41:45 AM | "During my master program it was a journey through self discovery and it helped me make decisions regarding my life, my marriage and my child. I graduated with my masters in June 2005 and my divorce was final in July 2005. It was a big year for me. Furthering my education in my 30's has helped me to become a stronger, healthier and most of all happier person. Just ask my friends who saw the before and after! Someday, I may go back for my law degree but I have to get my child through college first!"
To any guys that are married with kids: Get ready to be hit with those divorce papers when your honey gets her masters! | |
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