[OT] Going to University as Mature Student

[Wippit Guud]

Marine Biology?

That will be interesting, but tough on the job outlook after you finish. Jobs in Marine Biology aren't just lying around, I'm afraid.

You don't happen to scuba dive do you?

Well, the school (and where I live) is on the east coast of Canada, and it has a specilized marine biology department when it comes to salt water (the school is right on the ocean). For job outlooks, my two interests would be native-fish conservation (blame me being into home aquariums for that), or deep-ocean biology. The first choice is probably more viable than the second, but the second one is the dream option... and going back to school is all about following my dreams...

And neither of those really needs scuba

 

[diaglo]

it is easier to pick and choose your courses. b/c you know from your out of class experience what is important. you can talk to your professors more as a peer. you can get around campus with your car or knowledge of the roads.

it is harder to find time if you are juggling things like wife and kids, older parents who now need care, work, mortgage, and midlife crisis (yes, when you graduate you will be thinking about retirement a lot)

 

[Gregor]

Hey Wippit!

Follow your dreams man and go for it. It will definitely be rough financially, but you have loads of support at home from your wife and kids. To second what Olgar said, you know exactly what you want and why you are going to university, as opposed to a whipper snapper like me who is 22 and just about to finish his undergrad and has no idea why he is there or what he wants although is very grateful for the chance.

What school are you planning on going to? Are you staying out east or moving west? I heard Dalhousie is a great school if Halifax is your bag baby!

Cheers,

 

[Airwolf]

I did it. I just graduated in May of 2002, at the ripe old age of 34. I started going back to school, seriously in 1996. The first couple of years it was part time. I still had to work. Then I got married in 1999. I was working as an engineering technician. When my boss, who knew I was going to school, came to me in 2001 and said we want you to finish your degree quickly. So, I got to take time off during the day to take full time classes in engineering. To this day I still don't know how I got such a big blessing but as the old saying goes "don't look a gift horse in the mouth."

Good luck in your school!

 

[Wippit Guud]

What school are you planning on going to? Are you staying out east or moving west? I heard Dalhousie is a great school if Halifax is your bag baby!

Dal is where I'd be headed. Briefly considered heading to Guelph to take the honors zoology they offer, but Halifax is closer to extended family (mine in PEI, wife's about 3 hours away still in NS), so it offers potential 'ditch the kid for a week' places.

Plus, my current employer here has an office in Dartmouth, so we can pretty much transfer there and keep our jobs, although I'd probably switch to just 1 day a week.

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

Follow your dream! I didn't and I've regretted it ever since. As you get older, it only gets harder and harder to change careers.

Since you already have the community college degree, hopefully some credits transfer for the basics and the BSc won't take as long.

Good luck!

 

[Buttercup]

I went to college right out of high school on the government's dime (my mother was a widow, so I got a free ride) and left after four years without a degree. I didn't learn jack, but I'm told I had a good time, if you take my meaning.

So after spending about 5 years in one dead-end job after another, I decided to go back to school. This time, since I was a grown-up (finally!) and since I was paying for it myself, I took my education much more seriously. I had a wonderful experience, not unlike what others have mentioned upthread. I made excellent grades, the professors loved me because I was actually interested, and I found a few other students like myself to hang around with. Although most of my credits from my previous college debacle didn't transfer (nor did my grade point, which was a *very* good thing) I finished in two years, summa cum laude. Because of this, I got a free ride to graduate school. And in grad school, most of the students are older, so it wasn't even an issue.

Was I poor? You bet. Was I exhausted much of the time? Yup. Was it worth it? Oh yeah. Can you do it too? I know you can!

 

[green slime]

Yeah, All the best to you, chasing your dreams, Wippit!

The reason I asked about scuba was two-fold:

1)I adore scuba diving
2)Many, many scuba divers are interested in... marine biology!

I would like to study marine biology as well, but, the pressures of coping with mortage payments, time mismanagement, children and a spouse, mean I'm too cowardly. If they had decent part time evening classes, in this godforsaken backwater I'd do it.

 

[2d6]

I went to college for about 2 1/2 years right out of high school and hated it, I ended up dropping out.

I went back to a school at a local community college on a 2+2 to get a BS in Computer Science and Engineering Technology in 1999, working during the day and taking classes at night.

In 2001, My wife agreed to support us while I finished school as a full time student and stay-at-home Dad for our two children. My wife has a good job so it has been fairly easy money-wise, but it's been hard in other respects. I've found that after 2 years I'm ready to go back to work and she's been ready to reclaim her role as full-time Mom for some time.

Taking care of the day to day cleaning, laundry, household maintinece and the kids doesn't allow for much study time during the day , so I study mostly late at night or early in the morning. My grades are much better then they were in my youth and I certainly find studying to be easier.

Someone mentioned that older students are generally prefered by instructors, and too a point I can agree. I have found though that I am far less forgiving of our higher education system and have a much lower tolerence for some of the BS that students have to put up with then when I was younger.

It is hard to relate to many students because of the age difference.

I's still say that it's certainly worth the effort and trouble though, go for it and good luck!

 

[MeepoTheMighty]

I went to college right out of high school on the government's dime (my mother was a widow, so I got a free ride) and left after four years without a degree. I didn't learn jack, but I'm told I had a good time, if you take my meaning.

So after spending about 5 years in one dead-end job after another, I decided to go back to school. This time, since I was a grown-up (finally!) and since I was paying for it myself, I took my education much more seriously. I had a wonderful experience, not unlike what others have mentioned upthread. I made excellent grades, the professors loved me because I was actually interested, and I found a few other students like myself to hang around with. Although most of my credits from my previous college debacle didn't transfer (nor did my grade point, which was a *very* good thing) I finished in two years, summa cum laude. Because of this, I got a free ride to graduate school. And in grad school, most of the students are older, so it wasn't even an issue.

Was I poor? You bet. Was I exhausted much of the time? Yup. Was it worth it? Oh yeah. Can you do it too? I know you can!

That sounds like pretty much my life story, when I decide to head back to school. Well, I don't know about the summa cum laude part, but one can hope.