I'm doing adult schooling part-time currently, and am also almost 40. It's not quite uni levels of commitment, though at the eu educational equivalent system it lands at level 6, which is quite good.
It was an adjustment, definitely, but I have definitely grown from the experience, beyond the actual school learnings. Having colleagues at various age levels has also been great
JCPhoenix
I wasn't 40 when I finally finished school, but I was in my early 30s. I was a bad student in my traditional college years. Like too busy partying and all that. My ability to buckle down was quite outmatched by my ability to shotgun beers and do shots night after night. I eventually stopped going to school in my mid-20s, finally realizing I was just wasting money left and right. Money that I'd have to pay back and am still paying back. And will be.
Anyway, I got to experience college as both a traditional student and non-traditional student. And honestly, I was waaaaay more prepared and disciplined as a non-traditional student. I wish I would've waited to go to college. So being older, and having matured and ideally having more self-discipline will put you at an advantage.
And self-discipline is a big one in college. If you don't want to study, no one is going to make you. If you don't want to show up, it's usually NBD. At university, at least when I was there, no prof is giving points for showing up (though at community college, they were definitely taking attendance). If you don't want to do the homework, that's your choice. No one will make you participate. But if you do all those things, profs will usually more lenient with you. I once skipped a term paper for a class, but I participated all the time, showed up all the time, and literally did everything else. The prof knew I knew my shit. Still got an A in the class, lol.
Many classes only give points for exams and projects/papers. Your whole semester will be based on a mid-term, a final exam, and whatever major papers/projects you have. That's it. So if you fuck up even one, it can hurt a lot.
When I finished my degree, I took pretty much all night classes. Mine were often twice a week, 3hrs each. That's crazy for some people; I loved them. Anyway, those night classes tend to attract other non-traditional students. But there were still some younger traditional students. And I interacted with them. I wouldn't call any of them friends and no one was inviting me to a kegger (😭), but regardless, I think there's a realization that we're all adults and it doesn't matter if you're 18yo or 40yo or 60yo! And I've had 60yo classmates before. Not many, but a few. That said, you'll probably naturally gravitate towards the folks closer to your age. But keep an open mind; you're all there to learn. Lean on them, let them lean on you.
Congrats on finally doing it though! You'll settle in quickly and get the hang of it. And it'll be over before you know it!
lackofaname
My partner returned for an additional degree in his mid-30s. It may be a different perspective because he got a degree when he was young, and this time returned for a specific field of work.
Before he ever considered going back to school, he spend time with a career counsellor to figure out what exactly he wanted to transition to, and got an entry level job in the field to get a sense of whether it was a good fit. He also took a couple online standalone courses first, which I think helped him get into the learning mindset.
For me, seeing him in school with this focus and passion, and contrasting it to my own approach when I was younger and in school, has left me thinking 'damn, I wish I'd had that pragmatism and drive back when I was in university.' I think there can be huge advantages to getting a degree when you're older and know yourself, the world, and what you want to get out of the effort. But also, his preparation was because although he didn't need loans for school, it was a financially tight decision that felt like a bit of a scary leap of faith to attempt, so he wanted to be sure he was doing the right thing for him. In school, and in his new field, I can say I swear he sometimes comes home with more energy than when he left in the morning, so that leap certainly seems to have been worth it.
On the social side, his classes have been very collaborative (this would be very program-specific though), and he's gotten along great with his classmates despite age differences. He hasn't socialized outside of classes really, but also, he has his own life and doesn't really want that.
One idea if you're not sure: can you take one-off or continuing education classes at your local university in subjects you're wanting to learn about? It might be a way for you test the idea, see if you'll get what you're hoping for, before fully committing.
And on a side note, can I just say that your life story sounds like you've led an interesting and fulfilling life so far.
Akir
I would stress you consider why you want to go to college because what I’d tell you would change dramatically based on that.
If you want to learn specific skills or things about the world, college is great. I’m not sure I’d use that as an excuse to get a full degree.
If you are looking to do it to become employable, well, it really depends on what industry you are trying to enter, but generally I don’t think they’re worth it at this time because companies are generally going to want younger people who will be more compliant to their operational bullshit. If you are going into tech… uh, good luck?
If you are doing it just for the experience and to become more well rounded, go nuts. If you intend on doing in person classes, be prepared to be alone in a sea of youth. On the other hand you probably have the rhetorical skills to shatter all of their viewpoints, which might be fun. 😅
monarda
I started school in my early 50s, and I’m now in my late 50’s. I’m not in a university because I can’t afford it and instead go to community college. I freaking love it.
I started a year before the pandemic. I had a lot of fear about things such as not fitting in, standing out, not being academically inclined, not being smart enough, and being lonely. Surprisingly, I wasn’t the oldest in all my classes though I was in most. What surprised me the most is how many people didn’t care how old I was. I made a point to join study groups which went a long way to being seen as just a normal college goer. I have noticed that some of the older people I’ve attended classes with feel the need to know everything (young people do this also), and constantly begin their “knowledge” sharing with something like “Well, I did such and such for x years so I know better than you.” I don’t want to be that person. Sometimes it’s difficult because I’m studying in a field that is adjacent to where I spent a good portion of my working life.
I only passed 8th grade because I aged out of it and only spent a few months in high school, so I thought I wasn’t good at school. The reality is that life was just a freaking mess back then, and there just wasn’t any bandwidth left for school. But I didn’t know that going in. I think that fear, the fear of not being academically inclined, served me well. I immediately set up a large whiteboard mapping out all my classes with assignments, due dates, and what times I was working on what, and then adjusting everything on the fly based on reality. I wouldn’t have known to do that for myself when I was younger. It was something I learned from working for myself. I also brought a work ethic that I didn’t have when I was younger.
I dropped out during the pandemic and then changed my academic track when I reenrolled. I can only go part time now. Socially it has been more difficult. I struggled for a while feeling like I was further behind than everyone else, like I didn’t know where to go for help, and that I was working in a black hole all alone. It dawned on me that previously I had forged contacts in classes that everyone has to take and that as we started funneling to more specialized studies and class sizes became smaller, we all kind of knew each other at some level. This time I entered outside of that cycle and am kind of the “new” face and the oldest buy at least 15 years. Once I realized that, I took a deep breath and started making an effort to put myself out there. It’s paid off.
I’m doing this because I want to have gone to school. I want to have this experience. I like to stretch and expand my mind. I always felt less than because I didn’t go to school, and I have often been treated like I’m dumb or ignored because of the way I speak or write. Those thoughts and feelings also played a part in going to school. But they don’t really motivate me anymore. I just really freaking like it!
Minithra
It's a little bit different in that there are often older adults doing the same schooling - In our class there's another person a bit older than I am, and the majority is mid 20s. Think the youngest is 21.
I wouldn't say I felt weird.. It was a bit of an adjustment, but I wouldn't say I felt out of place. The fact that we're all these to make ourselves better really makes a difference, I think. compared to similar age differences in other contexts.
R3qn65
I am pretty solidly against this! What I’m getting from your post is that this isn’t a vocational thing; your primary goal is to be intellectually challenged.
With your background, most universities aren’t going to give that to you.
If you’ve interviewed 150 thinkers and written a few successful books, your academic network - and the level of exposure you’ve had to new ideas - is already going to be above what you would find at even quite good universities. The university system plays a vital role in taking young adults and forcibly exposing them to new ideas and giving them a foundation in the humanities. You’ve already got that. And you’re a self-starter, clearly - you don’t need to be forced to explore new ideas, you’re doing that already. As it is, you will likely have broader knowledge than most of your professors and likely have more intellectual horsepower than most as well.
If there’s a way for you to jump right to grad school, that would be worthwhile, because a good grad program will basically let you do what you’ve been doing, but on steroids, and you won’t have to waste your time in Lit 101. If you have an extremely specific vocational skill you’re trying to learn (like become a nurse or something), that would be worthwhile, because you can’t do that anywhere else. If you can get into one of the top 20 universities in the US / Europe, that might be worthwhile as well, because the students and professors there will be closer to your level and so you’ll get much, much more out of general requirements that you’ll have to take.
Anything short of those three exceptions is going to be a waste of your time. You’d be better off just emailing professors that interest you and inviting them for an interview.
To throw a slightly different take in here: I have a friend I made in college that was your same age, and he managed to float within the younger crowds via boardgames and similar geeky hobbies. We still call him his nickname from our freshman year, which was 'Dos-Ocho.'
I think your entire comment is spot on and I don't disagree with it, but I'd like to say annecdotally everyone is different, and some can socially still carry themselves through college when they're older. Hell, I think I'd actually do waaaaay better in all three facets now that I'm comfortably in my 30's and know who I am as a person (but for the love of God, do not make me go back).
WrathOfTheHydra
I just want to +1 on the train of 'do not pay for a degree just to say you paid for a degree'. Even with a bunch of money, you never know (especially for an oldie like you ;D) when health issues can crop up, and the last thing you want is to get most or all the way through a degree and suddenly have something like that come up while you're vulnerable financially. There's an entire subreddit of /r/studentloans with some stories of just that kind of sudden landslide happening and ruining your life.
There was an adorable older couple that sat in on one my classes when I went to university. They were there via a non-degree sit in program. They were not obligated to finish assignments (though they did), they were merely obligated via their want of participation to interact in class discussions and the like. They did not have to pay for this either, as it was a free adult program.
If you don't want to attend a cheap community college, I would seek out if your local big-kid college has one of these programs. You can have the knowledge and connectivity with other students without slashing a hole in your wallet, and in some programs you don't have to worry about the homework if you don't want to. I would be extra cautious falling into the romanticized trap of the college workload 'challenge', as having gone through it myself I can promise you a lot of it is needlessly bulked out and convoluted.
chocobean
Is there a way to go straight to graduate programs?
updawg
I went to university at 28, which while absolutely different from 40
To be clear, the other students probably did think you were 40. I graduated at 25 and still got those comments lol
Minithra
I'm doing adult schooling part-time currently, and am also almost 40. It's not quite uni levels of commitment, though at the eu educational equivalent system it lands at level 6, which is quite good.
It was an adjustment, definitely, but I have definitely grown from the experience, beyond the actual school learnings. Having colleagues at various age levels has also been great
JCPhoenix
I wasn't 40 when I finally finished school, but I was in my early 30s. I was a bad student in my traditional college years. Like too busy partying and all that. My ability to buckle down was quite outmatched by my ability to shotgun beers and do shots night after night. I eventually stopped going to school in my mid-20s, finally realizing I was just wasting money left and right. Money that I'd have to pay back and am still paying back. And will be.
Anyway, I got to experience college as both a traditional student and non-traditional student. And honestly, I was waaaaay more prepared and disciplined as a non-traditional student. I wish I would've waited to go to college. So being older, and having matured and ideally having more self-discipline will put you at an advantage.
And self-discipline is a big one in college. If you don't want to study, no one is going to make you. If you don't want to show up, it's usually NBD. At university, at least when I was there, no prof is giving points for showing up (though at community college, they were definitely taking attendance). If you don't want to do the homework, that's your choice. No one will make you participate. But if you do all those things, profs will usually more lenient with you. I once skipped a term paper for a class, but I participated all the time, showed up all the time, and literally did everything else. The prof knew I knew my shit. Still got an A in the class, lol.
Many classes only give points for exams and projects/papers. Your whole semester will be based on a mid-term, a final exam, and whatever major papers/projects you have. That's it. So if you fuck up even one, it can hurt a lot.
When I finished my degree, I took pretty much all night classes. Mine were often twice a week, 3hrs each. That's crazy for some people; I loved them. Anyway, those night classes tend to attract other non-traditional students. But there were still some younger traditional students. And I interacted with them. I wouldn't call any of them friends and no one was inviting me to a kegger (😭), but regardless, I think there's a realization that we're all adults and it doesn't matter if you're 18yo or 40yo or 60yo! And I've had 60yo classmates before. Not many, but a few. That said, you'll probably naturally gravitate towards the folks closer to your age. But keep an open mind; you're all there to learn. Lean on them, let them lean on you.
Congrats on finally doing it though! You'll settle in quickly and get the hang of it. And it'll be over before you know it!
lackofaname
My partner returned for an additional degree in his mid-30s. It may be a different perspective because he got a degree when he was young, and this time returned for a specific field of work.
Before he ever considered going back to school, he spend time with a career counsellor to figure out what exactly he wanted to transition to, and got an entry level job in the field to get a sense of whether it was a good fit. He also took a couple online standalone courses first, which I think helped him get into the learning mindset.
For me, seeing him in school with this focus and passion, and contrasting it to my own approach when I was younger and in school, has left me thinking 'damn, I wish I'd had that pragmatism and drive back when I was in university.' I think there can be huge advantages to getting a degree when you're older and know yourself, the world, and what you want to get out of the effort. But also, his preparation was because although he didn't need loans for school, it was a financially tight decision that felt like a bit of a scary leap of faith to attempt, so he wanted to be sure he was doing the right thing for him. In school, and in his new field, I can say I swear he sometimes comes home with more energy than when he left in the morning, so that leap certainly seems to have been worth it.
On the social side, his classes have been very collaborative (this would be very program-specific though), and he's gotten along great with his classmates despite age differences. He hasn't socialized outside of classes really, but also, he has his own life and doesn't really want that.
One idea if you're not sure: can you take one-off or continuing education classes at your local university in subjects you're wanting to learn about? It might be a way for you test the idea, see if you'll get what you're hoping for, before fully committing.
And on a side note, can I just say that your life story sounds like you've led an interesting and fulfilling life so far.
Akir
I would stress you consider why you want to go to college because what I’d tell you would change dramatically based on that.
If you want to learn specific skills or things about the world, college is great. I’m not sure I’d use that as an excuse to get a full degree.
If you are looking to do it to become employable, well, it really depends on what industry you are trying to enter, but generally I don’t think they’re worth it at this time because companies are generally going to want younger people who will be more compliant to their operational bullshit. If you are going into tech… uh, good luck?
If you are doing it just for the experience and to become more well rounded, go nuts. If you intend on doing in person classes, be prepared to be alone in a sea of youth. On the other hand you probably have the rhetorical skills to shatter all of their viewpoints, which might be fun. 😅
monarda
I started school in my early 50s, and I’m now in my late 50’s. I’m not in a university because I can’t afford it and instead go to community college. I freaking love it.
I started a year before the pandemic. I had a lot of fear about things such as not fitting in, standing out, not being academically inclined, not being smart enough, and being lonely. Surprisingly, I wasn’t the oldest in all my classes though I was in most. What surprised me the most is how many people didn’t care how old I was. I made a point to join study groups which went a long way to being seen as just a normal college goer. I have noticed that some of the older people I’ve attended classes with feel the need to know everything (young people do this also), and constantly begin their “knowledge” sharing with something like “Well, I did such and such for x years so I know better than you.” I don’t want to be that person. Sometimes it’s difficult because I’m studying in a field that is adjacent to where I spent a good portion of my working life.
I only passed 8th grade because I aged out of it and only spent a few months in high school, so I thought I wasn’t good at school. The reality is that life was just a freaking mess back then, and there just wasn’t any bandwidth left for school. But I didn’t know that going in. I think that fear, the fear of not being academically inclined, served me well. I immediately set up a large whiteboard mapping out all my classes with assignments, due dates, and what times I was working on what, and then adjusting everything on the fly based on reality. I wouldn’t have known to do that for myself when I was younger. It was something I learned from working for myself. I also brought a work ethic that I didn’t have when I was younger.
I dropped out during the pandemic and then changed my academic track when I reenrolled. I can only go part time now. Socially it has been more difficult. I struggled for a while feeling like I was further behind than everyone else, like I didn’t know where to go for help, and that I was working in a black hole all alone. It dawned on me that previously I had forged contacts in classes that everyone has to take and that as we started funneling to more specialized studies and class sizes became smaller, we all kind of knew each other at some level. This time I entered outside of that cycle and am kind of the “new” face and the oldest buy at least 15 years. Once I realized that, I took a deep breath and started making an effort to put myself out there. It’s paid off.
I’m doing this because I want to have gone to school. I want to have this experience. I like to stretch and expand my mind. I always felt less than because I didn’t go to school, and I have often been treated like I’m dumb or ignored because of the way I speak or write. Those thoughts and feelings also played a part in going to school. But they don’t really motivate me anymore. I just really freaking like it!
Minithra
It's a little bit different in that there are often older adults doing the same schooling - In our class there's another person a bit older than I am, and the majority is mid 20s. Think the youngest is 21.
I wouldn't say I felt weird.. It was a bit of an adjustment, but I wouldn't say I felt out of place. The fact that we're all these to make ourselves better really makes a difference, I think. compared to similar age differences in other contexts.
R3qn65
I am pretty solidly against this! What I’m getting from your post is that this isn’t a vocational thing; your primary goal is to be intellectually challenged.
With your background, most universities aren’t going to give that to you.
If you’ve interviewed 150 thinkers and written a few successful books, your academic network - and the level of exposure you’ve had to new ideas - is already going to be above what you would find at even quite good universities. The university system plays a vital role in taking young adults and forcibly exposing them to new ideas and giving them a foundation in the humanities. You’ve already got that. And you’re a self-starter, clearly - you don’t need to be forced to explore new ideas, you’re doing that already. As it is, you will likely have broader knowledge than most of your professors and likely have more intellectual horsepower than most as well.
If there’s a way for you to jump right to grad school, that would be worthwhile, because a good grad program will basically let you do what you’ve been doing, but on steroids, and you won’t have to waste your time in Lit 101. If you have an extremely specific vocational skill you’re trying to learn (like become a nurse or something), that would be worthwhile, because you can’t do that anywhere else. If you can get into one of the top 20 universities in the US / Europe, that might be worthwhile as well, because the students and professors there will be closer to your level and so you’ll get much, much more out of general requirements that you’ll have to take.
Anything short of those three exceptions is going to be a waste of your time. You’d be better off just emailing professors that interest you and inviting them for an interview.
To throw a slightly different take in here: I have a friend I made in college that was your same age, and he managed to float within the younger crowds via boardgames and similar geeky hobbies. We still call him his nickname from our freshman year, which was 'Dos-Ocho.'
I think your entire comment is spot on and I don't disagree with it, but I'd like to say annecdotally everyone is different, and some can socially still carry themselves through college when they're older. Hell, I think I'd actually do waaaaay better in all three facets now that I'm comfortably in my 30's and know who I am as a person (but for the love of God, do not make me go back).
WrathOfTheHydra
I just want to +1 on the train of 'do not pay for a degree just to say you paid for a degree'. Even with a bunch of money, you never know (especially for an oldie like you ;D) when health issues can crop up, and the last thing you want is to get most or all the way through a degree and suddenly have something like that come up while you're vulnerable financially. There's an entire subreddit of /r/studentloans with some stories of just that kind of sudden landslide happening and ruining your life.
There was an adorable older couple that sat in on one my classes when I went to university. They were there via a non-degree sit in program. They were not obligated to finish assignments (though they did), they were merely obligated via their want of participation to interact in class discussions and the like. They did not have to pay for this either, as it was a free adult program.
If you don't want to attend a cheap community college, I would seek out if your local big-kid college has one of these programs. You can have the knowledge and connectivity with other students without slashing a hole in your wallet, and in some programs you don't have to worry about the homework if you don't want to. I would be extra cautious falling into the romanticized trap of the college workload 'challenge', as having gone through it myself I can promise you a lot of it is needlessly bulked out and convoluted.
chocobean
Is there a way to go straight to graduate programs?
updawg
I went to university at 28, which while absolutely different from 40
To be clear, the other students probably did think you were 40. I graduated at 25 and still got those comments lol
I'm doing adult schooling part-time currently, and am also almost 40. It's not quite uni levels of commitment, though at the eu educational equivalent system it lands at level 6, which is quite good.
It was an adjustment, definitely, but I have definitely grown from the experience, beyond the actual school learnings. Having colleagues at various age levels has also been great
I wasn't 40 when I finally finished school, but I was in my early 30s. I was a bad student in my traditional college years. Like too busy partying and all that. My ability to buckle down was quite outmatched by my ability to shotgun beers and do shots night after night. I eventually stopped going to school in my mid-20s, finally realizing I was just wasting money left and right. Money that I'd have to pay back and am still paying back. And will be.
Anyway, I got to experience college as both a traditional student and non-traditional student. And honestly, I was waaaaay more prepared and disciplined as a non-traditional student. I wish I would've waited to go to college. So being older, and having matured and ideally having more self-discipline will put you at an advantage.
And self-discipline is a big one in college. If you don't want to study, no one is going to make you. If you don't want to show up, it's usually NBD. At university, at least when I was there, no prof is giving points for showing up (though at community college, they were definitely taking attendance). If you don't want to do the homework, that's your choice. No one will make you participate. But if you do all those things, profs will usually more lenient with you. I once skipped a term paper for a class, but I participated all the time, showed up all the time, and literally did everything else. The prof knew I knew my shit. Still got an A in the class, lol.
Many classes only give points for exams and projects/papers. Your whole semester will be based on a mid-term, a final exam, and whatever major papers/projects you have. That's it. So if you fuck up even one, it can hurt a lot.
When I finished my degree, I took pretty much all night classes. Mine were often twice a week, 3hrs each. That's crazy for some people; I loved them. Anyway, those night classes tend to attract other non-traditional students. But there were still some younger traditional students. And I interacted with them. I wouldn't call any of them friends and no one was inviting me to a kegger (😭), but regardless, I think there's a realization that we're all adults and it doesn't matter if you're 18yo or 40yo or 60yo! And I've had 60yo classmates before. Not many, but a few. That said, you'll probably naturally gravitate towards the folks closer to your age. But keep an open mind; you're all there to learn. Lean on them, let them lean on you.
Congrats on finally doing it though! You'll settle in quickly and get the hang of it. And it'll be over before you know it!
My partner returned for an additional degree in his mid-30s. It may be a different perspective because he got a degree when he was young, and this time returned for a specific field of work.
Before he ever considered going back to school, he spend time with a career counsellor to figure out what exactly he wanted to transition to, and got an entry level job in the field to get a sense of whether it was a good fit. He also took a couple online standalone courses first, which I think helped him get into the learning mindset.
For me, seeing him in school with this focus and passion, and contrasting it to my own approach when I was younger and in school, has left me thinking 'damn, I wish I'd had that pragmatism and drive back when I was in university.' I think there can be huge advantages to getting a degree when you're older and know yourself, the world, and what you want to get out of the effort. But also, his preparation was because although he didn't need loans for school, it was a financially tight decision that felt like a bit of a scary leap of faith to attempt, so he wanted to be sure he was doing the right thing for him. In school, and in his new field, I can say I swear he sometimes comes home with more energy than when he left in the morning, so that leap certainly seems to have been worth it.
On the social side, his classes have been very collaborative (this would be very program-specific though), and he's gotten along great with his classmates despite age differences. He hasn't socialized outside of classes really, but also, he has his own life and doesn't really want that.
One idea if you're not sure: can you take one-off or continuing education classes at your local university in subjects you're wanting to learn about? It might be a way for you test the idea, see if you'll get what you're hoping for, before fully committing.
And on a side note, can I just say that your life story sounds like you've led an interesting and fulfilling life so far.
I would stress you consider why you want to go to college because what I’d tell you would change dramatically based on that.
If you want to learn specific skills or things about the world, college is great. I’m not sure I’d use that as an excuse to get a full degree.
If you are looking to do it to become employable, well, it really depends on what industry you are trying to enter, but generally I don’t think they’re worth it at this time because companies are generally going to want younger people who will be more compliant to their operational bullshit. If you are going into tech… uh, good luck?
If you are doing it just for the experience and to become more well rounded, go nuts. If you intend on doing in person classes, be prepared to be alone in a sea of youth. On the other hand you probably have the rhetorical skills to shatter all of their viewpoints, which might be fun. 😅
I started school in my early 50s, and I’m now in my late 50’s. I’m not in a university because I can’t afford it and instead go to community college. I freaking love it.
I started a year before the pandemic. I had a lot of fear about things such as not fitting in, standing out, not being academically inclined, not being smart enough, and being lonely. Surprisingly, I wasn’t the oldest in all my classes though I was in most. What surprised me the most is how many people didn’t care how old I was. I made a point to join study groups which went a long way to being seen as just a normal college goer. I have noticed that some of the older people I’ve attended classes with feel the need to know everything (young people do this also), and constantly begin their “knowledge” sharing with something like “Well, I did such and such for x years so I know better than you.” I don’t want to be that person. Sometimes it’s difficult because I’m studying in a field that is adjacent to where I spent a good portion of my working life.
I only passed 8th grade because I aged out of it and only spent a few months in high school, so I thought I wasn’t good at school. The reality is that life was just a freaking mess back then, and there just wasn’t any bandwidth left for school. But I didn’t know that going in. I think that fear, the fear of not being academically inclined, served me well. I immediately set up a large whiteboard mapping out all my classes with assignments, due dates, and what times I was working on what, and then adjusting everything on the fly based on reality. I wouldn’t have known to do that for myself when I was younger. It was something I learned from working for myself. I also brought a work ethic that I didn’t have when I was younger.
I dropped out during the pandemic and then changed my academic track when I reenrolled. I can only go part time now. Socially it has been more difficult. I struggled for a while feeling like I was further behind than everyone else, like I didn’t know where to go for help, and that I was working in a black hole all alone. It dawned on me that previously I had forged contacts in classes that everyone has to take and that as we started funneling to more specialized studies and class sizes became smaller, we all kind of knew each other at some level. This time I entered outside of that cycle and am kind of the “new” face and the oldest buy at least 15 years. Once I realized that, I took a deep breath and started making an effort to put myself out there. It’s paid off.
I’m doing this because I want to have gone to school. I want to have this experience. I like to stretch and expand my mind. I always felt less than because I didn’t go to school, and I have often been treated like I’m dumb or ignored because of the way I speak or write. Those thoughts and feelings also played a part in going to school. But they don’t really motivate me anymore. I just really freaking like it!
It's a little bit different in that there are often older adults doing the same schooling - In our class there's another person a bit older than I am, and the majority is mid 20s. Think the youngest is 21.
I wouldn't say I felt weird.. It was a bit of an adjustment, but I wouldn't say I felt out of place. The fact that we're all these to make ourselves better really makes a difference, I think. compared to similar age differences in other contexts.
I am pretty solidly against this! What I’m getting from your post is that this isn’t a vocational thing; your primary goal is to be intellectually challenged.
With your background, most universities aren’t going to give that to you.
If you’ve interviewed 150 thinkers and written a few successful books, your academic network - and the level of exposure you’ve had to new ideas - is already going to be above what you would find at even quite good universities. The university system plays a vital role in taking young adults and forcibly exposing them to new ideas and giving them a foundation in the humanities. You’ve already got that. And you’re a self-starter, clearly - you don’t need to be forced to explore new ideas, you’re doing that already. As it is, you will likely have broader knowledge than most of your professors and likely have more intellectual horsepower than most as well.
If there’s a way for you to jump right to grad school, that would be worthwhile, because a good grad program will basically let you do what you’ve been doing, but on steroids, and you won’t have to waste your time in Lit 101. If you have an extremely specific vocational skill you’re trying to learn (like become a nurse or something), that would be worthwhile, because you can’t do that anywhere else. If you can get into one of the top 20 universities in the US / Europe, that might be worthwhile as well, because the students and professors there will be closer to your level and so you’ll get much, much more out of general requirements that you’ll have to take.
Anything short of those three exceptions is going to be a waste of your time. You’d be better off just emailing professors that interest you and inviting them for an interview.
College is not what it used to be.
To throw a slightly different take in here: I have a friend I made in college that was your same age, and he managed to float within the younger crowds via boardgames and similar geeky hobbies. We still call him his nickname from our freshman year, which was 'Dos-Ocho.'
I think your entire comment is spot on and I don't disagree with it, but I'd like to say annecdotally everyone is different, and some can socially still carry themselves through college when they're older. Hell, I think I'd actually do waaaaay better in all three facets now that I'm comfortably in my 30's and know who I am as a person (but for the love of God, do not make me go back).
I just want to +1 on the train of 'do not pay for a degree just to say you paid for a degree'. Even with a bunch of money, you never know (especially for an oldie like you ;D) when health issues can crop up, and the last thing you want is to get most or all the way through a degree and suddenly have something like that come up while you're vulnerable financially. There's an entire subreddit of /r/studentloans with some stories of just that kind of sudden landslide happening and ruining your life.
There was an adorable older couple that sat in on one my classes when I went to university. They were there via a non-degree sit in program. They were not obligated to finish assignments (though they did), they were merely obligated via their want of participation to interact in class discussions and the like. They did not have to pay for this either, as it was a free adult program.
If you don't want to attend a cheap community college, I would seek out if your local big-kid college has one of these programs. You can have the knowledge and connectivity with other students without slashing a hole in your wallet, and in some programs you don't have to worry about the homework if you don't want to. I would be extra cautious falling into the romanticized trap of the college workload 'challenge', as having gone through it myself I can promise you a lot of it is needlessly bulked out and convoluted.
Is there a way to go straight to graduate programs?
To be clear, the other students probably did think you were 40. I graduated at 25 and still got those comments lol
I'm doing adult schooling part-time currently, and am also almost 40. It's not quite uni levels of commitment, though at the eu educational equivalent system it lands at level 6, which is quite good.
It was an adjustment, definitely, but I have definitely grown from the experience, beyond the actual school learnings. Having colleagues at various age levels has also been great
I wasn't 40 when I finally finished school, but I was in my early 30s. I was a bad student in my traditional college years. Like too busy partying and all that. My ability to buckle down was quite outmatched by my ability to shotgun beers and do shots night after night. I eventually stopped going to school in my mid-20s, finally realizing I was just wasting money left and right. Money that I'd have to pay back and am still paying back. And will be.
Anyway, I got to experience college as both a traditional student and non-traditional student. And honestly, I was waaaaay more prepared and disciplined as a non-traditional student. I wish I would've waited to go to college. So being older, and having matured and ideally having more self-discipline will put you at an advantage.
And self-discipline is a big one in college. If you don't want to study, no one is going to make you. If you don't want to show up, it's usually NBD. At university, at least when I was there, no prof is giving points for showing up (though at community college, they were definitely taking attendance). If you don't want to do the homework, that's your choice. No one will make you participate. But if you do all those things, profs will usually more lenient with you. I once skipped a term paper for a class, but I participated all the time, showed up all the time, and literally did everything else. The prof knew I knew my shit. Still got an A in the class, lol.
Many classes only give points for exams and projects/papers. Your whole semester will be based on a mid-term, a final exam, and whatever major papers/projects you have. That's it. So if you fuck up even one, it can hurt a lot.
When I finished my degree, I took pretty much all night classes. Mine were often twice a week, 3hrs each. That's crazy for some people; I loved them. Anyway, those night classes tend to attract other non-traditional students. But there were still some younger traditional students. And I interacted with them. I wouldn't call any of them friends and no one was inviting me to a kegger (😭), but regardless, I think there's a realization that we're all adults and it doesn't matter if you're 18yo or 40yo or 60yo! And I've had 60yo classmates before. Not many, but a few. That said, you'll probably naturally gravitate towards the folks closer to your age. But keep an open mind; you're all there to learn. Lean on them, let them lean on you.
Congrats on finally doing it though! You'll settle in quickly and get the hang of it. And it'll be over before you know it!
My partner returned for an additional degree in his mid-30s. It may be a different perspective because he got a degree when he was young, and this time returned for a specific field of work.
Before he ever considered going back to school, he spend time with a career counsellor to figure out what exactly he wanted to transition to, and got an entry level job in the field to get a sense of whether it was a good fit. He also took a couple online standalone courses first, which I think helped him get into the learning mindset.
For me, seeing him in school with this focus and passion, and contrasting it to my own approach when I was younger and in school, has left me thinking 'damn, I wish I'd had that pragmatism and drive back when I was in university.' I think there can be huge advantages to getting a degree when you're older and know yourself, the world, and what you want to get out of the effort. But also, his preparation was because although he didn't need loans for school, it was a financially tight decision that felt like a bit of a scary leap of faith to attempt, so he wanted to be sure he was doing the right thing for him. In school, and in his new field, I can say I swear he sometimes comes home with more energy than when he left in the morning, so that leap certainly seems to have been worth it.
On the social side, his classes have been very collaborative (this would be very program-specific though), and he's gotten along great with his classmates despite age differences. He hasn't socialized outside of classes really, but also, he has his own life and doesn't really want that.
One idea if you're not sure: can you take one-off or continuing education classes at your local university in subjects you're wanting to learn about? It might be a way for you test the idea, see if you'll get what you're hoping for, before fully committing.
And on a side note, can I just say that your life story sounds like you've led an interesting and fulfilling life so far.
I would stress you consider why you want to go to college because what I’d tell you would change dramatically based on that.
If you want to learn specific skills or things about the world, college is great. I’m not sure I’d use that as an excuse to get a full degree.
If you are looking to do it to become employable, well, it really depends on what industry you are trying to enter, but generally I don’t think they’re worth it at this time because companies are generally going to want younger people who will be more compliant to their operational bullshit. If you are going into tech… uh, good luck?
If you are doing it just for the experience and to become more well rounded, go nuts. If you intend on doing in person classes, be prepared to be alone in a sea of youth. On the other hand you probably have the rhetorical skills to shatter all of their viewpoints, which might be fun. 😅
I started school in my early 50s, and I’m now in my late 50’s. I’m not in a university because I can’t afford it and instead go to community college. I freaking love it.
I started a year before the pandemic. I had a lot of fear about things such as not fitting in, standing out, not being academically inclined, not being smart enough, and being lonely. Surprisingly, I wasn’t the oldest in all my classes though I was in most. What surprised me the most is how many people didn’t care how old I was. I made a point to join study groups which went a long way to being seen as just a normal college goer. I have noticed that some of the older people I’ve attended classes with feel the need to know everything (young people do this also), and constantly begin their “knowledge” sharing with something like “Well, I did such and such for x years so I know better than you.” I don’t want to be that person. Sometimes it’s difficult because I’m studying in a field that is adjacent to where I spent a good portion of my working life.
I only passed 8th grade because I aged out of it and only spent a few months in high school, so I thought I wasn’t good at school. The reality is that life was just a freaking mess back then, and there just wasn’t any bandwidth left for school. But I didn’t know that going in. I think that fear, the fear of not being academically inclined, served me well. I immediately set up a large whiteboard mapping out all my classes with assignments, due dates, and what times I was working on what, and then adjusting everything on the fly based on reality. I wouldn’t have known to do that for myself when I was younger. It was something I learned from working for myself. I also brought a work ethic that I didn’t have when I was younger.
I dropped out during the pandemic and then changed my academic track when I reenrolled. I can only go part time now. Socially it has been more difficult. I struggled for a while feeling like I was further behind than everyone else, like I didn’t know where to go for help, and that I was working in a black hole all alone. It dawned on me that previously I had forged contacts in classes that everyone has to take and that as we started funneling to more specialized studies and class sizes became smaller, we all kind of knew each other at some level. This time I entered outside of that cycle and am kind of the “new” face and the oldest buy at least 15 years. Once I realized that, I took a deep breath and started making an effort to put myself out there. It’s paid off.
I’m doing this because I want to have gone to school. I want to have this experience. I like to stretch and expand my mind. I always felt less than because I didn’t go to school, and I have often been treated like I’m dumb or ignored because of the way I speak or write. Those thoughts and feelings also played a part in going to school. But they don’t really motivate me anymore. I just really freaking like it!
It's a little bit different in that there are often older adults doing the same schooling - In our class there's another person a bit older than I am, and the majority is mid 20s. Think the youngest is 21.
I wouldn't say I felt weird.. It was a bit of an adjustment, but I wouldn't say I felt out of place. The fact that we're all these to make ourselves better really makes a difference, I think. compared to similar age differences in other contexts.
I am pretty solidly against this! What I’m getting from your post is that this isn’t a vocational thing; your primary goal is to be intellectually challenged.
With your background, most universities aren’t going to give that to you.
If you’ve interviewed 150 thinkers and written a few successful books, your academic network - and the level of exposure you’ve had to new ideas - is already going to be above what you would find at even quite good universities. The university system plays a vital role in taking young adults and forcibly exposing them to new ideas and giving them a foundation in the humanities. You’ve already got that. And you’re a self-starter, clearly - you don’t need to be forced to explore new ideas, you’re doing that already. As it is, you will likely have broader knowledge than most of your professors and likely have more intellectual horsepower than most as well.
If there’s a way for you to jump right to grad school, that would be worthwhile, because a good grad program will basically let you do what you’ve been doing, but on steroids, and you won’t have to waste your time in Lit 101. If you have an extremely specific vocational skill you’re trying to learn (like become a nurse or something), that would be worthwhile, because you can’t do that anywhere else. If you can get into one of the top 20 universities in the US / Europe, that might be worthwhile as well, because the students and professors there will be closer to your level and so you’ll get much, much more out of general requirements that you’ll have to take.
Anything short of those three exceptions is going to be a waste of your time. You’d be better off just emailing professors that interest you and inviting them for an interview.
College is not what it used to be.
To throw a slightly different take in here: I have a friend I made in college that was your same age, and he managed to float within the younger crowds via boardgames and similar geeky hobbies. We still call him his nickname from our freshman year, which was 'Dos-Ocho.'
I think your entire comment is spot on and I don't disagree with it, but I'd like to say annecdotally everyone is different, and some can socially still carry themselves through college when they're older. Hell, I think I'd actually do waaaaay better in all three facets now that I'm comfortably in my 30's and know who I am as a person (but for the love of God, do not make me go back).
I just want to +1 on the train of 'do not pay for a degree just to say you paid for a degree'. Even with a bunch of money, you never know (especially for an oldie like you ;D) when health issues can crop up, and the last thing you want is to get most or all the way through a degree and suddenly have something like that come up while you're vulnerable financially. There's an entire subreddit of /r/studentloans with some stories of just that kind of sudden landslide happening and ruining your life.
There was an adorable older couple that sat in on one my classes when I went to university. They were there via a non-degree sit in program. They were not obligated to finish assignments (though they did), they were merely obligated via their want of participation to interact in class discussions and the like. They did not have to pay for this either, as it was a free adult program.
If you don't want to attend a cheap community college, I would seek out if your local big-kid college has one of these programs. You can have the knowledge and connectivity with other students without slashing a hole in your wallet, and in some programs you don't have to worry about the homework if you don't want to. I would be extra cautious falling into the romanticized trap of the college workload 'challenge', as having gone through it myself I can promise you a lot of it is needlessly bulked out and convoluted.
Is there a way to go straight to graduate programs?
To be clear, the other students probably did think you were 40. I graduated at 25 and still got those comments lol