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I am 26, and am just now going to graduate with my BA in December. In my case, I would say it was beneficial because if I had graduated like my peers, I would have graduated in 2008 right at the start of the recession. I have taken classes off and on since I was 19, but did not really start focusing on school until about two years ago, and I would say that was helpful as I think I am much better student now then when I was 19, and because of that I am achieving and learning a whole lot more.
The reason that students over 25 are in a minority are that most people go to college right after graduating high school, due to that being the expected norm of our society, and many people such as parents and councilors push high school students to follow through on that norm.
I am 26, DID graduate in 2008, and my life has been a total mess since and feel if my entire college degree was a waste of time and money. Kudos for not graduating at the start of the recession. I have a degree but four years of dead-end jobs since graduation and no work experience relevant to my degree, and I think at this point it might be too late for me. I have considered going back for a second bachelors degree or going for my masters but I am not sure how I would fund it. My plan right now is to relocate to a part of the country with a better economy because right now I live in one of the worst cities in the US for finding a job.
Yep, who cares, just do it. You're at that age where being self-conscious of trying to fit in wanes. You'll probably never see most of these people anyways ever again, once you're done.
Actually I have a funny story and your post reminded me of it.
I have a friend in her late fifties who works in Rome for an American Study-Abroad program. She told me once about this female student probably 27 or 28 undergraduate in Art History she met some years ago. This young woman felt 'disrespected' because her younger classmates and roommates asked her why she is studying abroad for her age or why she started college late and they would make small 'old' jokes about her! Anyway, after several excursions with the class the young woman became friendly with the study abroad staff and the staff loved her professionalism, passion for art and travel and her Italian was proficient unlike the other classmates. They encouraged her to apply to the program for a job once she finishes college! She now is based in Rome working for them! After, the young woman took a vacation to D.C. to visit her friend and went to see an Art exhibition at a small private museum and saw one of the girls (who is graduated by now) who made fun of her was working as a museum gaurd. How wierd is that??? These two girls both talked and the girl who is now just a gaurd was stunned when she learned she works in Rome lol. Karma!
When I was in college (graduated last year) I remember seeing people of all ages. People younger than me, people my age, a few years older, old enough to be my parents, and old enough to be my grandparents. Walking into a classroom I never remember judging people based on age. It was expected that I’d have a variety of different age groups in my classes. I interacted with people of all ages in the same manner, tone, way, everything. I think you might be seeing many young people (18-23) because they graduated high school and immediately began taking classes in college. When I was in high school I was taught; you graduate at 18, start taking classes at 18, and you should be done in 4 years by the time you are 22, and from there you will start working full time. That’s the plan for many people and when they get to 25-27 they are working full time, or attending some type of graduate program online, or at night, if they are working full time or have a family. Don’t get discouraged because of your age. Embrace your wisdom! Because you are a little “older” you might have people looking up to you. Good Luck!
I decided to work overseas as a gov't contractor for a few years to pay for college without needing any loans or whatnot so when I finally get back into college I'll probably be 25 or 26 and it doesn't really bother me at all. Nobody should belittle you for going to college later in life, the fact that you are actually in college should be worthy of praise since most people never even go.
I am 26, DID graduate in 2008, and my life has been a total mess since and feel if my entire college degree was a waste of time and money. Kudos for not graduating at the start of the recession. I have a degree but four years of dead-end jobs since graduation and no work experience relevant to my degree, and I think at this point it might be too late for me. I have considered going back for a second bachelors degree or going for my masters but I am not sure how I would fund it. My plan right now is to relocate to a part of the country with a better economy because right now I live in one of the worst cities in the US for finding a job.
Whoa this post freaked me out, almost a mirror of my life. I am also 26 and graduated in 2008 and the jobs thence have been eh... At this point I am taking my last shot at a 2nd degree (trying to get into nursing school) and if I fail or screw up I know there is no 3rd chance. There is no "Oh well I can back to college for finanace etc..." this is it, this is my last chance. If I fail then its back to minimum wage
I'm in a similar boat. I am at a CC going to transfer next year to a 4 year school for a BA. I am 22 years old (the age were people from my graduating HS class are now recent college graduates) and it does make me a bit anxious. I wish I would have went to school right after HS. No one really told me college was going to be different than HS and that you can study what you want and have more independence. I naively thought college was like another 4 years of HS, and I hated my HS experience. On top of that, no one in my family or at school encouraged me to go off into higher education. They saw me as a "lost cause."
Now here I am at a 2 year school and enjoying it. It wasn't until my coworker a few years back said to me that, "since I am still young, why don't you go back to school and do something more than a min wage job." I thought about it for a while and decided school was the best option (granted, this was in 2009 where the economic crisis was in full swing, and everyone was going back to school). Most of the people I go to school with range from HS kids in running start programs to people in their 50s looking for a career change. A lot of the people at the school I go to are in their 20s so I don't feel as left out. In the end it doesn't matter. You are getting an education and that is the most valuable thing.
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. Karma!
