#CareerChange #HigherEducation #DegreeAt30+ #LifeExperience
Hey there! 👋 I’ve been pondering about something lately and I would love to hear your thoughts if you have gone through this – pursuing a degree at ages 30 and above. It’s a whole different ball game compared to the usual path straight out of high school, right? 🤔
I’m genuinely curious because I’ve noticed that many people decide to go back to school later in life for a degree, despite having family responsibilities and potentially missing out on work and income. How do you guys make it work? Are you taking a break from your career, or is there some sort of magic formula that I’m missing out on?
Here’s a few of my burning questions:
– Are you actually forgoing earning a full-time salary during those years in school?
– How do you manage the financial burden of tuition and other expenses?
– Do you find that your life experience gives you an advantage in the classroom compared to younger students?
Personally, I find this topic fascinating because I come from a different background with no degree to my name, just a few months of trade schooling. So, all of this is uncharted territory for me. 🗺️
If anyone has any tips or insights on how to navigate this path successfully, I’m all ears! Let’s start a discussion and share our thoughts and experiences. 😊
Yeah, people get degrees after marriage and kids, it’s just harder and generally not full time and definitely most can’t stop being financially responsible to our families.
I worked at a bar to post my way through college at 36. Now I’m 47 and very satisfied with my decision.
I already finished my degree but I’ve taken a single course before paid by my work. For reference, I have a newborn. It’s definitely doable working full time and watching kids. But it takes up majority of my “free time”. And that’s just for 1 online course, a difficult one at that. I stopped going to the gym to make time too.
I’m sure a more determined person could take a couple of courses as a time. No way you could do full time school unless your spouse agrees to take all other home responsibilities.
I’m currently doing it full time. I have two kids and a full time job. My children are older now though.
Luckily my university offers both online and in-person. I definitely couldn’t deal with the travel and traffic everyday. I’m tired enough as is. It’s not too bad.
I’m 34 and thinking of enrolling in a business degree course next year. Currently in a stable position at work and quite enjoy the environment and opportunities in the company that I’m working in, just that salary range for my type of job is quite low and have been stagnating/I’ve hit the highest I can go at this level so I’m hoping to get a degree that can upgrade me into some sort of management role.
Probably will be working part time while I study part time. I’ve been struggling with housing issues but I’m moving in July and rent will no longer be a big part of my expense, I also have no kids or car or anything to pay for apart from utilities, so I think it’s the right time to go for it.
I did this in my 30s. I worked part time, lived with my parents and took out lots of student loans. Probably wouldn’t have had to do the parent part if my ex was more job secure.
There were two ladies in my cohort who were married and had great husbands who went through. One was a stay at home mom and the other worked part time.
Being older in college is pretty common now.
I went to college after 30. I went to school FT and worked nights and weekends in restaurants to cover my bills. I also did some gig work. I had a paid off reliable car and my rent was cheap. I sold everything and anything I didn’t need. I had no real furniture. Just a bed and a broken desk for a computer and a lawn chair. No family or kids.
The biggest difference from when I was younger was my commitment and determination skyrocketed. When you’re young you feel like the world is your oyster. By the time I hit 30 I felt like the clock was ticking. I also cared way more about realizing my goals.
Worked full time. Went to school online full time.
I graduated at 40. I took advantage of my employer’s college reimbursement perk and they paid up to 5000.00 a semester for school which turned it into free college.
I went back to school when I was 28. Had a huge different perspective on college vs when I was 18.
Anyways. I worked full time, 35hrs to 40hrs. I also went to schools full time. I worked wed-Saturday. It wasn’t easy. However, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I liked how it was schedule wise. School every day. Work was from 3p-130am. I didn’t have time to procrastinate. So I had to make each day count. And I wanted to make sure Sundays were a day off of both work and school. Needed to try to keep my sanity.
I just applied for my state University and it’s now tuition free for those that make under $80k/year. It’s great! I just turned 32 and I’ll probably work at the same time. Or take my time with it. Yes, I’m in the US too. I’m so happy I waited to go to school and I won’t be saddled with debt like that.