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Anyone know of any colleges that have housing for "older" students or that welcome such students to live in on-campus housing? I'm not THAT old ( 27 ), but I am considered a "non-traditional" student by college standards. I need to go to school full-time to get my long-awaited Bachelor's degree, and I would much rather live on campus.
I have found a couple of schools (Hollins University, UNC Charlotte), but I'd like more suggestions.
I remember feeling "old" when I graduated shortly before I turned 26. Then, I went back for my masters and actually lived in a dorm at 29.
Remember, there are tons of people your age still in school. Sure, lots of people are and will be younger. But, you will definitley find people the same age as you, and you will find many masters and doctoral students who are older than you.
You will fit right in, so please dont think of yourself as old, and enjoy! It will be fun and when you graduate you will feel much younger than people your own age....college keeps you young.
Anyway....my answer would be - you can go almost anywhere. I was a grad student at a tiny private school in Minnesota, and I was not the oldest person in my program -- I was right in the middle actually. I was probably the oldest person to move into the dorm during the summer (most college towns only lease may - sept or you have to sign on for another year and I only needed one more semester and it was summer -- dorm was easy and cheap for that). anyway my point is, I was at a tiny school in a rural area and I was not out of place at 29 years old.
My advice? Try to live in an apartment on campus or close to campus and get an idea where the graduate students are renting apartments as you will probably feel more comfortable in those areas. Stay away from dorms -- even check out the more expensive apartments, you will likely find the older students (and by expensive, I dont mean horribly expensive, just expensive by college standards).
Any major state university -- you will have no problem.
95-Year-Old Woman Graduates from College
Nola Ochs' Is World's Oldest Person to Graduate
May 12, 2007 —
On Saturday in Kansas, a 95-year-old woman will become the world's oldest college graduate.
Nola Ochs, who began taking college classes more than 30 years ago, has become a celebrity on the campus of Fort Hays State University in Kansas, where she will graduate with a degree in history.
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I would think that you could live on campus anywhere you went. Many dorms have rooms for singles if you would prefer that to living with an 18 year old (I would). Another option would be to find a place where you could be the staff resident as well as a student-you might get a break in your tuition or even get it free (I know the college I attended gave free tuition to staff and families of staff).
Do not (whatever you do) dorm with an 18 year old! I knew a guy who was 'non-traditional' at 29 and because he played a sport, he fit right in to the college scene and roomed with teenagers. I thought it was a bit odd (and so did other people) but strangely enough- he didnt think twice about it.
From my own experience, I finished my last year of college in my mid twenties. I was a 'returning' college student (already had a life and the whole bit) so I moved into my own apartment way off campus and I made sure I had a life apart from the college atmosphere. It was great, actually. Considering I took a leave of absence from work, I felt like I was on vacation! But anyway, hope it works for you. I wouldn't feel wierd or anything. No one notices anything like that at your age.
you might actually stand a better change of getting dorm preference if you wanted to work as floor advisor (if they still have them--it has been so long since I was in college)--having some maturity might work to your advantage---some colleges have apartments they use for student housing---
where do you want to go to school--check that out and see what their housing situations are like...
vortexx, I lived in the campus apartments when I was in college (graduated when I was 24)...but there were students in the apartments who were several years older than me, one was in his late 30's..no big, I never even thought about it until you just now mentioned it.
MBG
I was 21 when I went back to college and 27 when I finally graduated and now work at a University where the average age of the student I enroll is about 35 or 40 with a full time job & a couple of kids, so by those standards, you're very young, so please... if you want to go back to school, believe in yourself, keep a positive attitude and don't let anyone give up on you especially yourself - your dreams and goals are way too important!
And forget dorms... that's where all the teenagers will be and you'll hate it with the cramped quarters, loud music, late hours and no privacy. Apartments are the way to go, and try for the smaller properties with fewer spaces, meaning not the huge properties with all the kids that bunk with 4 or 5 to an apartment with parties and police every weekend. I had a great experience and you will too! Good luck!
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Apartments are the way to go!
