Some of you may remember my career woes. In a nutshell, I graduated from a liberal arts college with a BA in Sociology back when I was 22. I went into retail management with the intent of getting some good experience before going back to school to get my MBA. 6 years later, I applied to 4 top 20 MBA programs and got wait-listed at all of them stating my lack of proven math abilities.

About a year or so after that, I quit my job in retail, moved to FL and lived in the apartment over my parent's garage while I decided what to do with my life. I started taking math classes figuring that I'd end up applying for the MBA again. I took accounting (why??), calculus and a chem course (in case I went with med school). It turned out that I liked calculus and then physics and eventually I ended up getting a BS in Electrical Engineering and then an MSEE. I thought it was a good career choice that would keep me challenged and gainfully employeed. It turns out that I was right...but I'd forgotten to figure in my own personal desires/tastes into the equation.

It's now 8 years after graduation and I'm realizing that this was my second bad career choice. In addition, I now have NO interest in that MBA. I do have an interest in vet school. There is a vet school about 90 minutes from me. To get into the program, I'll need about 2 years worth of undergrad classes that I never took (like organic chem and biochemistry) if I take them part time and keep working. In addition, I'll need some vet experience (besides delivering goat babies!) that I should be able to get in the next two years as well.

Then I'd apply to school and if I get in...THEN I'd quit my job. I'd have to as the course load is about as grueling as my engineering degree was. We'd be living on one salary, but with a few cut backs, we should be able to swing it financially.

So...I'm not really sure what my purpose in posting here is...maybe for validation? Maybe for commisuration? Maybe so you all can tell me that I'm flat out nuts to consider a third career at the age of 43?

When I did this at 30, I was unattached, I had no debt, I did not own a home...it was easy to take the plunge. Now, I've got a husband, a mortgage and it's no longer just my life I'm playing with here... Luckily, we are debt free outside my husband's student loans.

Oh yeah, and student loans. That's not gonna be pretty. Who wants to take on 100K in student loans in their late 40's?

I feel like I don't have anyone in real life that I can bounce ideas off. My husband obviously has a vested interest in this and most of my friends are settled with kids and can't even comprehend that I could be so disatisfied with my career at 42 and that it would matter enough to me to undertake something like this. I also can't speak about this to anyone that I work with for fear of endangering my current position which I do NOT want to lose until we are ready!

And then...what if I do all this and then I don't get in? Then I'll be 2 years further down the road with no new prospects in a career that I still dislike.

OK, I'm stopping here or I could ramble on this all day. Comments welcome...