Am I too old for school at 29??? Please advise!!!?

Question

I am thinking taking a degree course next January, but I am not 100% sure if I should do it. If I go back to school, I have to quit my job without any main income. I had quit university 5 years ago, due to my personal and finance problems, since then I have been working as a waiter, I really hate my job, I wanted to change my career, but I don't know how to as I don't have any other skills, I always blaming myself that I didn't I work hard enough to finished my degree, and I am actually now living in regret and guilt, because as a foreigner, I had wasted so much hard earn money for the degree that I didn't finish.

I am now thinking to take a Internet application development degree course at Middlesex University, but what I am worry now is by the time I finished my degree, I will be 32 without any work experience, when I apply for a job, all others candidates will be mostly 10 years younger than me... My next issue is MONEY, I worry that I could not afford myself while I am studying without a full time job.

Please help, how could I gain work experience which related to the course I wanted to take while I am studying full time. Thank you for time!!!! PLEASE HELP, ADVISE NEEDED!!!

Answer 1

You say that you're working as a waiter? There is nothing wrong with that, but you mention you don't want to be 32 without work experience... experience as a waiter will get you into more food service jobs but not much else. You are never too old to go back to school.. You will reach the age of 32 with a degree or without.... if you can swing it, go back to school. Lots of students put themselves through school.. not an easy thing to do, but nothing really important is ever really easy. Good luck!

Answer 2

First, are you in the US? Why can't you go to school part time to finish the degree? Most adults who work full time attend school part time and get their degrees that way. I cannot understand why you need to quit your job to do this. It may take longer, but if you still have the units that you have already taken, those should already go for your unfinished degree. So, you should only have the rest of the units/courses you didn't take to get the degree. So, again, you should be able to do this part time since you are a waiter and not a president of a company, nor a president of a country, or an emergency worker who all need to be on the job 90% of the time.

You're never too old to return to school, there have been 90 year olds who have done it successfully. Go part time.

Answer 3

Go for it!! Lets face it - lifes too short!! I have children and this year at 26 I will be starting my degree even tho I live with my partner I get lots of support financially and otherwise as universities welcome mature students and the life experience they bring.Do you really want to spend another year wishing you were somewhere else dreaming of the life you could have?? Wake up, wise up be brave and although it wont be easy, you wont regret it in the long term. I don't know about you but I wasn't put on this earth to wait table for a pretty pittance - you have a brain and a choice so use what you have and start making the most of your potential and realising your dreams!!!! You could get run over by a bus in the morning and will your life be what you had dreamed it would be? The walk of a thousand miles begins with one step and that step has to be in the right direction!! The path wont be easy but you will make it work if you truly want it. I am sure i don't need to tell you that although most courses are entitled full-time most of them do not require full time attendance at university - my course is full time and i have 8 hours contact time!!! I am not saying you can slack off but being mature you can organize your time well and get things done! People love mature applicants as they know that they have scaled higher tougher walls to get there than their younger counterparts!! GO FOR IT!!!!!! Good Luck!!!

Answer 4

The situation u r in is very typical, even 4 American born pple. Skool is 2 xpensive & its hard 2 work & go 2 skool @ the same time, because either ur grades will suffer, or u won't b able 2 pay 4 skool. All i can tell u is that pple HAVE made it thru. If u qualify, try applying 4 FAFSA & additional loans 2 the side, hopefully u'll have cosigners as well. If u get enough money 2 go 2 skool, get a part time, non hectic job that will sustain u as u go 2 skool full time. Jobs in hospitals r most ideal because they have great insurance policies & other benefits, if u r a full time employee or depending. Really just push urself, u'll have sleepless nites, & might barely get enuff time 2 study, but keep pushing urself, do wat u have 2 do 2 get those good grades & pass, focus on completing skool becuz thats ur ticket 2 getting out of the cycle of minimum wage jobs & get a real career. Health shuld be ur # 1 priority, take care of ur health & don't push urself 2 the point of risking ur life, take care of you. Hope this helped:)

Answer 5

All Unis will have a careers advice centre, its not in the Uni's interests to give you a place if they don't think you will find suitable employment as it reflects badly on them, so ask to speak to someone about work after Uni.



In terms of feeling too old, when I was at Uni, yes the majority were my age, but there were around 30% who were older students (I cant say mature as we were all 19 and over and 21 years counts as mature, seeing as this isn't such a big age gap, when I say older, I mean over 30, not mature students) We were al over 19 as we had all done an Art Foundation Course which was compulsory before we began the degree.



Can you go to an open day and ask them what % of older student they have?



Also, try to get work experience while at Uni, its a false ideal that you only have to be 21 and with a degree to get work, its lies, you need to have experience, not just a degree, in reality, a degree counts very little in the face of experience.

Answer 6

If you're already feeling "regret and guilt" for not finishing your degree program, do you really want to feel that way for the rest of your life? There's no better time to pursue your education than the present; if you wait, you'll only have more reasons (like a mortgage to pay or a family to provide for) to put it off even longer. I've never heard anyone regret their choice to go to college, but I've heard many people who have regretted their decision not to go.



There's no such thing as "too old" when it comes to your education. It's a wise investment. Go for it.



If you still aren't sure, maybe you should try one class at the local community college, just to see if you are going to be able to manage the load. That way you can still work at least part time to pay your bills while you are "testing the waters."

Answer 7

Personally, I'd say that you're never to old to go back to school. Consider what your life will be like if you DON'T go back. Are you happy now? Will you be happy doing what you're doing for the next 30 years?



If you have to live off of student loans...do it, or take a night job. Life may be a struggle while you're in school, but it'll only make you stronger and you'll be glad in the long run.



I don't think age will be a huge factor in your employement, but I don't work in your field. Do your best in college so that your accomplishments really stand out on a resume and that will be what gets you hired.

Answer 8

I was 30 years old when I went back to college

I graduated with a BA in Education at 35



It's never too late, and there are always ways of paying for it

besides, a good education is priceless

Answer 9

One thing for shore your never to old to learn. You will be learning till the day you die. Go for it and good luck.

Answer 10

You're never too old to learn.