Has anyone gone back to university in their 40s?

[JonaG]

Over my summer break I've gone back to thinking about a return to university to do an MA. Covid has forced many institutions to shape up their distance learning offerings and I am tempted to quit my job and take a full year off work to concentrate on a distance MA.

My reasons are numerous, one being I am getting burnt out at work and the last 18 months have been testing not to mention I really don't like the direction the dept is going or the higher ups who it is now clear to me have lost sight of our mission statement. Add to that a 3 hr daily commute and the only thing that keeps me there are a few good colleagues, the people we serve and the pay.

A couple of close friends I have run this by simply say DO IT. Both of them have turned their lives upside down and around again over the years to get what they want. As one says "Life is a series of plunges".

My wife will take more persuasive convincing.

Financially, I could scrape by paying course fees, keeping up the mortgage and living expenses for 12-18 months. The cons, if there are any, is that I probably would not end up in a higher paying position in the end but perhaps it would open more doors for me.

I also live overseas and would take a course at a UK university so that would fit my lifestyle to maintain family life and keep the doggies happy. The second of my kids will also fly the nest next month.

At certain times, I've felt I should just knuckle down to shoot for retirement but could I do that for 10-15 years? I realise that time is relative and it feels as though all my life is happening right now but maybe this is my chance before I really do get old...

Any thoughts on similar transitions/ experiences appreciated!

[colpol]

Similar situation turning 40 about 15 years ago

Over worked & pressure at work/ feeling burned out/ too much travel/ affecting work life balance etc. I was on 3 months notice & resigned so that I’d finish up the day before I turned 40.

Thought about going back to university & my partner said we could take the lifestyle hit if any course/ career change I wanted.

Ultimately I couldn’t get my head round 3/ 4 years at university then starting at the bottom of the career ladder especially around pay

I took just under 3 months off which also coincided with 7 weeks of the school summer holidays so was around every day & no pressure for us covering off the holidays . May next job was a 3 month contract with a bank. Went from a management to a non management role/ standard hours/ no travel/ closer to home/ no on call AND was on about £10k better off more due to it being a contract. That 12 weeks turned into 14 months & was a breath of fresh air in terms of culture / people I was working with/ expectations.

Might want to dust off your CV & see if can get another job that fits in with your lifestyle/ aspirations. University could always be your plan B

[fmc000]

My wife did.

She left University in her twenties to start working full time and a few years ago she decided it was finally time to get her BA, so she resumed studying while continue working full time.

When she completed her courses and got her BA she was in her late forties.

[tadbart]

Sure did. Got my Associates at 32. Bachelors at 41. Made a promise to myself to finish my Masters by age 45. Just barely squeaked in on time.

School as a... seasoned individual is tough in some ways and super easy in others. On the tough side, showing up bright eyed and bushy tailed to compete with people almost half your age is rough. On the other hand, being in a professional environment like grad school is less daunting if you have a little mileage on ya.

Having a supportive partner makes all the difference.

The calendar pages are going to turn whether you're in school or not. It probably won't be any easier if you put it off for a few more years.

[White Collar Boy]

I am doing that at the moment—an online Masters in teaching (high school English). I do it part-time and do my civil servant job three days a week. I am not a very hardworking type, and have found it quite easy to do it this way. Only a few more subjects left to go.

When I start teaching, my pay will be quite a lot less than currently (if both full time), but I am excited to give it a go and also have the same holidays as my kids and wife (a high school English teacher). I figure if it sucks, I will give it two years minimum and then just go back to my current job. I have enjoyed studying again.

I went to a nice university for my bachelors but this online thing has been much more enjoyable. More structured and no time waiting around on campus.

What would you major in? I wanted to do a Master of Arts in literature but went with teaching because of the holidays, and thought it is probably more secure than starting out in academia.

[brandrea]

My mother in law did her doctorate when she turned 50. Before that she was director of social services for the region, and later a university professor with tenure, so that all helped. She then became a published author.

Personally speaking, I think it would depend on whether you have the expectation that your degree will help to advance your career or if you simply wish to improve your education. both are noble pursuits, but one comes at a higher cost (so to speak)

Edit: I’m not sure nowadays, but when I graduated, for career options, it mattered what university the degree came from. Maybe things have changed now.

[GradyPhilpott]

I got my MSW in my forties.

[Atone]

I went back for a masters in my mid 30s. Dunno if that’s helpful but I’m VERY glad I did it.

[austinp]

No way. That sounds awful.


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[Blansky]

Originally Posted by brandrea

Personally speaking, I think it would depend on whether you have the expectation that your degree will help to advance your career or if you simply wish to improve your education.

I would think it would just be cheaper to include a Master Degree on your business card and your CV instead of all that studying.

I never went to college except when I walked through Penn State that one Saturday afternoon.

It doesn't show does it??????

[Atone]

Originally Posted by Blansky

I would think it would just be cheaper to include a Master Degree on your business card and your CV instead of all that studying.

I never went to college except when I walked through Penn State that one Saturday afternoon.

It doesn't show does it??????

[Rebel]

Doctorate at 60.

[zengineer]

I good friend that I graduated High school with in 1980 drifted between factory jobs, merchant marine jobs, liberal arts classes and other odds and ends for 30 years. At 48 he got hurt at a factory job, was offered retraining funds through some state government program. He somehow turned it into a law degree and after a over a year of trying passed the bar in Texas at 55 years old. Another year to find someone to take a chance on him and he's doing well in his 4th year as an attorney.

I'd want a little more detail from the OP about the job he has now and what would study before offering advice.

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[ltmgeller]

I went back in my late 30s and obtained both an associates and bachelors degrees while working. The online university I attended was fairly flexible with timing, and I was able to complete 1 or 2 courses at a time until I finished. If possible, work and complete your educational goals at the same time. You can’t prepare for everything, but if things don’t workout as planned, you might find yourself running out of money when you need it the most if you quit your job. You’ll come up with the right answer, I wish you the best of luck.

[Lawman77]

No. Everyone here was/is a “master of the universe” rich person by 35. Trust funds rule.

[donas]

I tried college right after high school and absolutely hated it and joined the Marines. I got out of the military and tried to return a few times and just couldn't make myself stick with it. It was a nagging defeat that stuck with me through the next twenty years; shortly before I was set to retire from a career in law enforcement, I decided I was going to get serious and retire with a degree....a little backwards, I know, but it had become personal LOL. Nevertheless, I hit the classes hard and completed by bachelor's degree in a couple of years at the age of 44. I grew used to the schedule and decided to jump straight into my master's degree and finished it in 11 months. I was now retired and dedicated 12-15 hours a days 7 days a week on it; I was quite burned out by the end, but had it all done at 45.

I attended a handful of classes in person during my associates and bachelor's but completed most of them online from an actual brick and mortar school. Having done both, I really enjoyed online learning much better, so I did my entire master's online, again from an actual brick and mortar school. I will say this, the workload is substantially more with online learning vs in an actual class. I compared my workload with friends attending actual classes and it was often close to double.

I say all that to say this - go for it! It only gets tougher the older you get, but you will be very proud of yourself at the end.

[JonaG]

Thanks for all the responses so far. Good for you, donas, for getting that monkey off your back. And Colpol, I fully understand your feelings about committing to it when a break and change of job may be the answer. It's fascinating to hear about people's career changes and paths in life.

The choice of masters would probably be quite different if I was only focusing on career. I am looking at courses in the field of education, education policy etc. If it was purely for the pleasure of it then I would probably choose a course in an area of literature. Evaluating the worth of an MA in the field of languages or social science can get quite subjective, unlike STEM subjects.

I could work at the same time but the course would take longer and it would be tough to maintain my current job. Something more P/T however might work.

[chieftd]

Second graduate degree at 57. Used the GI bill and got my degree and then paid for my daughters degree with the GI bill stipend I received.

[Gharddog03]

Nope, hated school!

[AkshayArgade]

No i hate school and i hate teachers.. i had a rough time i school since i was the last in class due to poor academics

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[Brew]

I have considered it. I am recently retired (your age, plus the ~15 you mentioned) and live a couple of miles from an "Ivy League" university. I will wait though, until we see what happens with the pandemic.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Brew

I have considered it. I am recently retired (your age, plus the ~15 you mentioned) and live a couple of miles from an "Ivy League" university. I will wait though, until we see what happens with the pandemic.

Are you looking for the frosh week experience?

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Blansky

I would think it would just be cheaper to include a Master Degree on your business card and your CV instead of all that studying.

I never went to college except when I walked through Penn State that one Saturday afternoon.

It doesn't show does it??????

[Brew]

Originally Posted by brandrea

Are you looking for the frosh week experience?

Like a dream come true, no? Until you're out running with the dog and a group of kids with 20 year old legs blows by. The "frosh week experience" would likely be my last . . . .

[mountainjogger]

Looks like you are really thinking this through.

I would re-run the numbers and build in a period to find new employment after achieving this goal.

If you are not going to go significantly in debt, do it. You clearly want to. And you should follow your heart.

[mountainjogger]

And yes. Spouse and I went to law school later than our peers. It was something we wanted to do. Not a career path set by parents.

There are exceptions of course, but you have been out in the real world for a while. And have earned a living. And you may well have a higher maturity level than others you will be in class with. This brings a different perspective to school. And I think, the chance to get more out of it.

Just my 2 cents.

Re-run the numbers. Make sure you have a buffer not to accumulate significant debt. And then, follow your heart.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Brew

Like a dream come true, no? Until you're out running with the dog and a group of kids with 20 year old legs blows by. The "frosh week experience" would likely be my last . . . .

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[Gab27]

How confident are you it will open up other doors? Do you think you would enjoy the classes themselves? Have you evaluated the benefit of a MA versus certain professional certifications? (e.g., PMP.)

I got my MA in my mid 20s after taking a few years off of school, and it opened a ton of new doors and has made a pretty difference in my income. I did mine while working and was doing evening classes. But, as it sounds like you are well aware, there are some industries where it doesn't do a whole lot for income and it also might not have a huge benefit for opening up future opportunities, either.

[10mmauto]

Just got my PhD at 62.

[donas]

Originally Posted by 10mmauto

Just got my PhD at 62.

Dang, congrats... Great accomplishment