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I understand the longing for a "traditional college experience" (because I never had that and I am now a 41 year old student and wish it'd been different) but truth is, you aren't going to get that, at that age, even if you go through all the motions, because of the vast differences between you and other students.
I was a traditional college student and can tell you that she will probably be judged and treated differently, no matter how hard she tries to fit in.
Part of what makes the traditional college experience so unique and special is that virtually all of the people you interact with and live with/near on campus are around the same age as you, and have similar interests/ambitions and maturity levels. You feel a level of cohesiveness as a traditional student that you just don't get out in the real world.
I would say that as long as she doesn't expect to fit in like a traditional student, and accepts the fact that younger students will probably not include her in their circles, she should do great. It might be beneficial for her to ask housing if she can get an on-campus apartment and share it with someone around her age. If she can find other people in her age group to hang out with, I think she will enjoy her experience there much more.
To me, as a person in my upper thirties who works predominantly with people in their midtwenties, and already has a taste of some of the disconnects that can go on, I can't imagine wanting to live in the dorms with traditionally-aged students in my thirties. I live adjacent to an urban campus right now that isn't strongly residential, and many students there live in off-campus apartments, including the complex in which I currently live. The guys at the bottom of my stairwell are students, and though they're nice guys, I get really, really sick of picking my way around their party debris on Saturday and Sunday mornings, and they're fairly loud. Most of the time, I'm at my boyfriend's, and will be moving in with him shortly, so it's not been worth it to me to make a stink. But, living in the dorms in my thirties, and having that be the status quo? No, thanks. And I loved dorm life. When I was 20.
My college was a small liberal arts college in a small rural community that did not typically attract a large number of nontraditional students. There was a small handful, and I really enjoyed having their perspective in class. But I can't imagine a single one of them choosing to live in the dorms with the 18-22 set.
I can't imagine wanting to live in a dorm at age 30 either. But is it INAPPROPRIATE?
I was a traditional college student and can tell you that she will probably be judged and treated differently, no matter how hard she tries to fit in.
Part of what makes the traditional college experience so unique and special is that virtually all of the people you interact with and live with/near on campus are around the same age as you, and have similar interests/ambitions and maturity levels. You feel a level of cohesiveness as a traditional student that you just don't get out in the real world.
I would say that as long as she doesn't expect to fit in like a traditional student, and accepts the fact that younger students will probably not include her in their circles, she should do great. It might be beneficial for her to ask housing if she can get an on-campus apartment and share it with someone around her age. If she can find other people in her age group to hang out with, I think she will enjoy her experience there much more.
I went back to school as an older student and my young friends were/are WONDERFUL! I had no problem fitting in and my friends had no problem socializing with me. I did not live on campus though. I lived at home with my husband/kids but I always had friends with me at lunch time and study buddies.
I was a traditional college student and can tell you that she will probably be judged and treated differently, no matter how hard she tries to fit in.
Part of what makes the traditional college experience so unique and special is that virtually all of the people you interact with and live with/near on campus are around the same age as you, and have similar interests/ambitions and maturity levels. You feel a level of cohesiveness as a traditional student that you just don't get out in the real world.
I would say that as long as she doesn't expect to fit in like a traditional student, and accepts the fact that younger students will probably not include her in their circles, she should do great. It might be beneficial for her to ask housing if she can get an on-campus apartment and share it with someone around her age. If she can find other people in her age group to hang out with, I think she will enjoy her experience there much more.
Not true, so not true. There was this guy at my university and get this...he was 50 years old! He owned his own business and every 10 years he would come back for a degree. He had like 3 already. His nickname was old timer haha. Everybody knew who he was and no one had a problem with him at all.
I can't imagine wanting to live in a dorm at age 30 either. But is it INAPPROPRIATE?
Odd but maybe not inappropriate. I don't know that I would be happy if my 18 year old college student had a freshman roommate that was 30 though. I'm very sure she would not be happy. I would assume that the college would assign her to a single room if she was in a traditional dorm but like I said, at all the schools we looked at, none of them allow students over 25 to live in the dorms.
Odd but maybe not inappropriate. I don't know that I would be happy if my 18 year old college student had a freshman roommate that was 30 though. I'm very sure she would not be happy. I would assume that the college would assign her to a single room if she was in a traditional dorm but like I said, at all the schools we looked at, none of them allow students over 25 to live in the dorms.
What is the harm that your daughter might face if she had 30 year old roommate? As I said above, I can't see a 30 year old WANTING to live in a dorm, but what would make you unhappy?
I can't imagine wanting to live in a dorm at age 30 either. But is it INAPPROPRIATE?
It is not inappropriate for an 18 year old and a 32 year old to live together. If they chose to.
Most 18 year olds will choose not to. But dorming, most students have no choice in their roommate other than completing a survey.
I think a University would be scrutinized by the student population for allowing it.
What is the harm that your daughter might face if she had 30 year old roommate? As I said above, I can't see a 30 year old WANTING to live in a dorm, but what would make you unhappy?
Because part of living in the dorm is getting know the other kids in the dorm, forming relationships with your age mates, etc. A 30 year old just doesn't fit in with a group of 18 year olds, sorry. Along with that I would seriously wonder WHY a 30 year old would want to live in a freshman dorm. Would you let your 12 year old hang out with an 18 year old? That is how old the freshmen were when this 30 year old was 18....
Because part of living in the dorm is getting know the other kids in the dorm, forming relationships with your age mates, etc. A 30 year old just doesn't fit in with a group of 18 year olds, sorry. Along with that I would seriously wonder WHY a 30 year old would want to live in a freshman dorm. Would you let your 12 year old hang out with an 18 year old? That is how old the freshmen were when this 30 year old was 18....
18 year olds are adults, not kids. 30 year old are also adults. 12 year old are kids. Having 12 year old kids hang out with adults is not the same as having an 18 year adult socialize with another adult. I would not want to live in a dorm with 18 year olds but that does not make it inappropriate.
When you send your adult offspring off to live in a dorm you do not get to choose how old her classmates are. Adults who have common interests should be able to make connections with one another even if one person is older than the other. Why do the connections your child makes have to be with people who are the same age?
I returned to school for a 2nd Bachelors degree at age 40. My biggest fear was that the young people would not socialize with me. Boy did they teach me a lot about people. I have the most fabulous group of 20 something friends you can imagine! People need a connection to be friends. Being the same age is not necessarily a connection.
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