Back to school...at 41?

[nofearfactor]

I have always regretted not graduating from college with a 4 year degree. Right after highschool I went to a prestigious southern California art institute and got my certificate,then went straight to work apprenticing in a tattoo shop after which I went right into owning a couple of shops with my then girlfriend and later wife who was also an artist at the shop we worked at. I took some community college courses in the bay area majoring in journalism,music comp, and drama tech but dropped out after the first 2 years and didnt have enough credits for an associate. I went to a San Francisco mortuary school for half a course, but didnt finish. I even went to The Culinary Institute of America in Napa for a few courses.

I didnt have the best or worst highschool grades even though my SAT and ACT scores were pretty decent. In highschool I was always art,music,journalism,and theatre/drama inclined. And a jock. All through highschool I was doing art and journalism for school publications and commercially,teaching classical guitar at my instructors school,and working in reperatory theatres on the weekends. I didnt play in the school band because I was in athletics pretty heavy. I was involved in boxing and martial arts competitively. And I skipped school alot to spend time partying at the beach with the party crowd,surfing,skateboarding.

I didnt take any math or science courses beyond the bare basics it took to graduate as things were a little different in the late 80s and it was easier to graduate then without much math or science. I hated high level math. I flunked out of Algebra 1 in the 8th grade,took it again in the 9th grade and barely passed. I then waited clear til my junior year to take business math to get the two math credits required back then to graduate. Science I took biology and geometry and got by. Im a whiz with numbers and a great money manager though. I did alot of pool hustling when I was younger and gambling,and Ive managed alot of the bands Ive been in, and I became a business owner. But now that my kids are teens I cant even help them with their math homework. I look like a moron. Thankfully my wife is a college graduate and a math wizard and can help them.

I mainly want to go back to school because Im getting older and my music career is getting close to just being too dumb to keep doing it as it is a lot of work for not alot of money playing the kind of niche music we play. I have my own businesses so I have income and I am able to drop out of life for a couple of years and go back to school.

Another reason I want to do it is I get alot of guff for it from my family. Every one in my family is really motivated and educated. My older brother is a professor of sociology at Berkley with a PHD,my 2 older sisters are school teachers,all of my half and step sibs have degrees,my retired bank CEO mother has several degrees,my stepdad is a retired county school superintendant and principal with several degrees,a niece just graduated and is a marine biologist,a nephew just finished pharmacology school,and my own daughter graduated college early and is now training to be a hospital administrator. Even my younger brother who is a successful auto body/paint shop owner got in trouble and ended up in prison managed to get a degree in business when he got out of prison.

Then theres me with the lowly art school certificate.

How hard would it be for me to go to back to college after so many years? I just cant imagine sitting in classes with kids. I would feel like an idiot. Is it a pipedream at my age? I dont know for sure what I would study but I have a few ideas. Would I have to take the SAT or ACT again to even get in a school? If I had to take any math courses beyond business type math I would just be sunk. Science I can handle,I love science. But high level math I just dont get,I have a mental block that just wont let me understand it. Ive tried to understand it while my wife has helped my kids and its just a foreign language to me.

Any info from people my age who have been there or are there now would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Istandalone]

Never too late. My wife started back, in her mid 40's. She already has one degree. She complains most about the young dumb students and professors that treat the students as such.

Go talk to a guidance counselor at a local college. Depending on your field of study. You might have to study a lot harder at some courses. It is a commitment.

And do it for yourself, not because someone says you should do it.

 

[JD8]

I went back to OU when I was 28. Sure there will be a bit of culture shock but you will also meet some other non-traditional students also. I met several people in their late 20s and 30s, even one guy that was 59 finishing up his masters. You'd be surprised how many are doing it. Best decision I ever made.

 

[Old Fart]

Yes you can go to college.
No you won't be the only old dude there.
Yes you can get a degree without a bunch of math.

It's a lot of work.
Make sure you really want to do it for the right reason.
Otherwise you'll end up dropping out with a big debt to pay off and feeling like a loser.

 

[SgtMojo67]

I'm in the same boat. I went in the military after highschool and served for 10 years. I accumulated 32 credit hours by going to different schools while in the military. I've been wanting to go back and finish my associates at a minimum, but I'm getting ready to turn 34 and feel it would be difficult with my job and with my kids at their age. Good thing for you, you are older and wiser than the young kids. Also with the economy the way it is, you will find plenty of older adults going back to school to change careers. Now I don't want to insult your intelligence so please don't take this the wrong way. If you aren't sure you are going ot stick with it, I would either take a few classes at your local community college or take classes online. It's cheaper than a university, and if you change your mind, you won't be out a TON of money. Also look into pell grants and tuition assistance programs....I hope I didn't offend you....

 

[Perrone]

I know this is a little different but I take online classes and a LOT of my classmates are in the 40s and I've met a few in their late 50s and early 60s.

 

[inactive]

My fathers girlfriend went back to school and completed her bachelors at Oklahoma Wesleyan here in Tulsa (she was in her late 40s early 50s). They have evening block scheduling and it worked well for her: 1 class at a time, in the evening hours. It may be worth looking into, though being private it is more expensive than the state schools. It also is nearly all adults, or as they say, "Non-traditional Students," in the courses.

Her degree is in accounting. It required a couple a math courses. I think they have other more general programs though (i.e. Management or general business). Though depending on what you are wanting to do, I am not sure adding a degree to your resume will help your job aspirations (as you work for yourself, right? If you continue doing that it may not be that beneficial). If you want to do it for the sake of getting the degree, I say go for it!

You should not have to take the ACT or other test to re-enter, and they may well count some of your other coursework as elective credit towards a degree.

OU offers courses (look up their Outreach programs) for non-traditional students. I completed my entire Master's degree in 15 months going on Friday evenings, Saturday days, and Sunday mornings. Two weekends with some pre- and post-class assignments earns a 3 hours course of credit.


LSU has very inexpensive online courses ( http://is.lsu.edu/home.asp?level=CO&online=0&nid=101 ) but it is self-paced in my opinion that can be more difficult and less enriching than attending an actual class.

 

[SoonerDVM]

Go for it.

They call it "non-traditional student" and there are a lot of them.

If you want your degree, go get it.

 

[nofearfactor]

Now I don't want to insult your intelligence so please don't take this the wrong way. If you aren't sure you are going to stick with it, I would either take a few classes at your local community college or take classes online. It's cheaper than a university, and if you change your mind, you won't be out a TON of money. Also look into pell grants and tuition assistance programs....I hope I didn't offend you....

O hell no,no insult taken at all. If I do do it its going to be all or nothing. Its been on my mind for almost 20 years. I just dont feel complete as a person if I dont do this. I am thinking of finding a school I can maybe take night courses. I have the time on my hands, and the drive,and the money to do this. I also probably dont qualify for any type of grant or loan either due to me and my wifes incomes. Except I think my tribe does have some education money for its members with no income restrictions.

It might sound crazy,but,I started out in mortuary school in San Francisco in 90' but didnt finish the course. I am thinking of going in that direction with the thought of looking for a funeral home to buy into after graduating and maybe even starting a new career,not just be an owner. I think in Oklahoma the only school with a mortuary course is in Edmond,ECU or something like that? And Kansas City also has a highly regarded mortuary school Ive been checking into. I loved the school I was going to when I was younger but my music and art just was going too good and I didnt have the time to finish the school. I didnt mind anything about the work either. I think when people say 'they are called' to do a certain thing,theyre right. I kind of feel called to do this. Ive been thinking of it for quite awhile,I just now have the time to do something about it. Even though to some it might be kind of creepy,or weird going from being a rock musician and tattoo artist to mortician,but I dont see it that way. It seems like a really peaceful and beautiful business to be in.

I have kids who are all busy with their own activities and goals,my wife has a busy career,and I have alot of time to just do nothing so I feel like it would be a great way to fill in my spare time and get some satisfaction at the same time.

 

[guns are dumb]

I'm basically in the same boat but I do already have one degree.

I'm a non-traditional student at TCC, this will be my last semester picking up prerequisites to enter nursing school. I wouldn't let the age thing be of any concern, I was more concerned with whether I could do the work and do it well enough to get into nursing school. I do already have a bachelor of arts degree so I had to pick up about 40 hours or so for a bachelor of science. Hopefully, if all goes as planned I'll be entering an accelerated degree program at OU mainly for non-traditional students as it requires the applicant must already have a bachelor degree in another field. But, I would say most of the people in my classes have been older, non-traditional students, some with degrees, some without. Actually, one of my study partners has a masters degree in sports medicine as is working on getting into nursing school because she hated the work of the other degree, she's my age. Another study partner of mine just turned 39.

If you have some college coursework, I seriously doubt you'll have to retake the ACT/SAT. I wasn't even asked for mine when I enrolled at TCC nor was I asked on my application to OU. Also, I would highly recommend TCC for any prerequisite work you have to get done, assuming you're in the Tulsa area. I've had better science and math classes there than anywhere else I've taken them.

The only thing I haven't liked about going back to school has been the few online classes I've taken have been much more difficult than their in-class counterparts.