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Yes and going strong. Similar to LBTRS. Went for the first time at 40ish and had to do remedial classes. Back now at 53 for my second masters. It is a great feeling.
Very interesting, for me, topic. I'll be retiring in 2-4 yrs at the age of 51-54. I have no degree, however I do enjoy history and learning. So one of my plans is to attend my local community college and work on just an AA Degree. Probably just in General Education. To be quite honest, I probably won't try all that hard and just squeak by. I'm not there to impress anyone and turn in A Grade papers; I'll be there just to learn. Poor grades won't effect me financially, I am not looking for a new job.
I just want too learn, without all of the extra work.
Good for you. I try very hard and I love seeing good grades on my papers. I always thought I was dumb as a child. Not anymore as an adult!
A colleague of mine did her M.A. in her late 60s/early 70s and is now teaching English at a university in China. I know that she is paying back student's loans. So even at older age it is possible to get the financing, go back to school and a get a job in your new field.
I'm quickly approaching the age of 50 and now feel like I'm ready to go to college and get a degree. I'm just not sure it will benefit me in the long run. I hope to retire in 10-12 years and am not sure it will be worth it cost-wise. My employer won't pay for it because I want to get a degree in an area out of my field.
Has anyone here gone back to school and gotten their degree after 50?
What do you feel the pros and cons were in doing so?
Is it possible to get scholarships when you are older or they primarily for the younger students?
Anything else you can interject, please do so.
Unless you want the degree for a career change, look into what states have free tuition for seniors and then get your degree after you retire. Some do allow people free tuition or an associate degree for free, iirc.
To see if you really want to mess around with it, there are plenty of online and communality college and night school courses to try it out with.
Well first - we humans are living longer (and not saving adequately for retirement among other things) so you might not be retiring when you think you will.
So if you can go back and still work at your current job (even if your current boss won't pay for school) and find something that you want to do - you might have more time to work in your new career.
I totally believe that education is more than just a way to get a better or different job, so even if you want to do it without a guarantee of more money, etc then I say go for it.
If you don't try it then will you always regret it?
I am a 51 year old grad student getting ready to graduate this summer (fingers crossed). I went back because I wanted a different career. We older students have a leg up on the kids in some respects but it still will require passion on your part to make it worthwhile.
Very interesting, for me, topic. I'll be retiring in 2-4 yrs at the age of 51-54. I have no degree, however I do enjoy history and learning. So one of my plans is to attend my local community college and work on just an AA Degree. Probably just in General Education. To be quite honest, I probably won't try all that hard and just squeak by. I'm not there to impress anyone and turn in A Grade papers; I'll be there just to learn. Poor grades won't effect me financially, I am not looking for a new job.
I just want too learn, without all of the extra work.
who knows, you may like it and continue on and get a BA.
My uncle retired from law enforcement at the age of 50. He didn't know what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. He never went to college. Had been a policeman since he was 20. He had so much spare time he enrolled at a local Community College. Had his AA within a couple years. Then he got his BA in History and Literarture two years later. Another two years and he had a MA in Humanities. Now, he works as an adjunct professor at a community college teaching Humanities.
I think that would be a great idea. It's never late to learn new things or to explore knowledge. According to me, those people are really brave who posses the courage to take this step. Such people are very rare in this world but I think people should do it. It's better late than never.
Make sure you don't go to a for profit school.
You wouldn't want to be saddled with $50K of debt for a useles degree at your age would you ?
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