Graduating at a later age

[TwisttheLeaf]

Life happens to everyone, man. Setbacks happen to everyone. Just because your peers haven't found their stumbling blocks yet doesn't mean they won't at some time in their life.

Whether you finish your degree at 22, 27 or even 32 or 40 or even older, an education is still an education and respected as such. The fact you continued on with your education even after the trials you've gone through demonstrates other glowing qualities. To name a few? Perseverance and determination.

[Bowyn Aerrow]

There is no set time frame to get a degree. A lot of students don't carry the full course load having to supplement their lives with things like a job, or taking detours in the military, or having to deal with family stuff.

Now we have a lot of later in life people who are going back and taking courses to earn degrees to (in theory) improve their chances at success.

I now feel that getting a degree right out of high school is a bad idea - well a degree that would condemn one to a very narrow path in life. A late teen, early 20's person has no real experience in life to know how they want to while away the decades ahead of them. Many dedicate themselves to a path they later end up regretting.

Or they end up with a useless degree which affords them little comfort as they discover that the have a passion somewhere else.

[Borg69]

You're not in a race... well... other than competing in LIFE, However; you have to do what's best for YOU and your own circumstances. Do you know the story about the Turtle and the Hare? The slower turtles win too.

IMO, keeping up with your peers was only really socially 'important' up to High School (it wasn't even then either). How embarrassing to be held back then?!?!? After that, all bets are off. Whether you sprint, jog, briskly walk, walk, or crawl... your pace is up to you and you only.

[ceez]

I graduated when I was 26 and I'm about to go for another degree. I wasn't focused at all my first year and did terrible, so after taking a break I went back and finished with a much higher gpa. The most important thing is to not give up.

[showme]

A good friend of mine quit college for a variety of reasons, and went back and finished his degree in his late 30s. I think you're fine - judge your achievements against yourself, not against others.

[50Plus]

A question not asked: What are you studying at college?

An answer not provided: I cannot think of any program where your performance decreases with age (excepting gymnastics, pro sports). Therefore you are just as capable of any of the graduates who you will compete against for jobs.

And remember, you will be competing against graduates who are 22 years old - not graduates that graduated at 22 and are now 27. Realize that you are competing against graduates with identical qualifications to yours. A number of employers will be more inclined to hire the older graduate for various reasons - but that will be highly dependent upon career, program, etc..

What you may find yourself doing is not being as close with your friends who are 27. We change over life and you are now in a bit of a different paradigm. Realize that and explore it.

Life is a grand experience. But only if you get out and experience it.

[Pixiebells]

As far as feeling demoralized... f*ck that sh*t. THIS IS A GREAT THING YOU'RE DOING!! After all the repeating, and you still haven't given up?! That's amazing! After that much I'd probably give up altogether and if you want community colleges have oodles of students like you or older.

As for how it looks to a potential hire, have you been working while all this was going on? That looks better. If not, don't worry, you've still been filling your time with education and not everyone can do both at once. Besides workstudy I've never been able to do both at once, too much stress. And that's okay.. Your perseverance alone is an accomplishment! I graduated hs at 19 and finished college when I was was 27. I felt self-conscious But when you walk on that stage, remember the only reason you're there is because......

YOU.

EARNED.

IT.

<3

[Edward]

In my age I don't have collage degree at all. I was studying, but left studies some time ago. And I still have a good job. Very often in life your logical sense, willingness to learn and work is a lot more important then any degree.

[ObeyTheB]

As long as you get it, be proud of it. Sometimes things happen but I can understand the way you feel. In the 8th Grade, my Mom's health made a rapid decline with Type 2 Diabetes, Peripheral Neauropathy (Nerve Damage in the legs + feet from the high blood sugars), high blood pressure + esophageal spasms and I left school because I felt that I was needed at home more than in school, so I had a legitimate reason for leaving....It wasn't because I was lazy but try telling that to someone and they think it's a line of crap. I left school in the 8th Grade and if I were still attending school, I would be graduating this year but I didn't. A lot of people say it was a mistake...I disagree, it wasn't a mistake for me. I was aware of my decision and the risks but I felt family was more important than a piece of paper. I'm now going to be starting classes for a GED and I also learned about myself that while my Mother was sick (Her health is now on the mend...Diabetes is now under control, slowly getting more used to the nerve damage pain, on all the proper medications, scheduled for right knee replacement...) I want to be in the healthcare industry and after completion of my GED, I will be starting classes to get my Certified Nursing Assistant - L2 Certification. Sometimes everything happens for a reason....If anybody would have ever told me that five years ago, I would have a fire under my feet to get my nursing licenses, I would have said you're nuts but as said before...Everything happens for a reason. Maybe you getting your degree at 27 will give you some sort of advantage over your peers...You never know!

[Beaux]

I was 29 when I finished my undergrad and I will be 37 when I finish my graduate degree. Should I feel bad about that?

When I was growing up (think fur pelts, woden clubs, and granite wheels...), the general consensus was: 1) graduate highschool, 2) go to college for a two year degree OR a four year degree, & 3) work the rest of your life in your chosen profession.

Well, I graduated highschool (check), I went to college on an art scolorship and got a two year degree in Cullinary Art (check), and I worked 22 years in the Food Service Industry...(check?)...

The last 6 years of that era of my life, I owned my own restaurant in one city, and a catering company and a B&B in another city. I was working (on average) ~ 16 hours a day/ 6 days a week. I was a workaholic and LOVED it!

However, after being diagnoised with RA, I realized that I wasn't physically capable of keeping up with the demanding schedule I had created for myself, so I sold my businesses and returned to college. This time following an educational career that simply appealed to me (rather than one that I thought would make me the most money the fastest way possible).

I will be 43 yrs old come September, and I am pretty sure that when I graduate (I have 2 semesters left), I will be the oldest person in my class to be graduating with a BS in Biology.

I have had some pretty negetive comments from all sorts of people (one Career Counseler actually told me he thought I was wasting my money going back to school at all at my age!), but I don't care in the least. I worked hard for all those years so that I could provide for my son from my first marriage (Check!) and now this is for ME. It wouldn't matter to me if I never work again a day in my life (like I said, I worked hard for 22 years, and to be honest, I never HAVE to work again of I don't want to), but come hell or high water--I WILL finish my degree.

So, to the OP: You are NEVER too old to better yourself via higher education and employers will appreciate that! Not in spite of the extra years it took you, but because you never gave up!
I say, Bravo!