Thoughts on Education Later in Life

[Trek420]

Anyone here decide to go back to college or through what I will call "retraining" while in their mid- to late 40s and beyond?

Why did you do it?

Yep, 57 and counting. No degree, none, zero, zippo, nada, zilch, double goose eggs, nothing. HS diploma is it. Why am I returning? Because I've stopped several times at the attempt in my life and it's time to have some kind of ever loving fracking flipping letters after my name is why.

I'm sick and tired of putting "some college" on everything from surveys to job applications. Sick of it I tell you.

Would you do it again?

I am doing it again. I had to leave college in about '75 when I came out to my parents. In some ways it was the best thing that could have happened.

I was aimless in college at the time and that lit a fire under me. And BTW my parents "evolved". I wish my Dad had gotten to meet Knott and sKnott. He would have loved them and they him.

So anyway I got back in school, community college because working and living on my own that was what I could afford. Got my act together, my grades up and got into CCA (private art college). Working full time nights in a hot and sweaty kitchens while I went to school full time I got within a semester of graduation when I got dumped by SO at the time. And I just never got the momentum back up.

I wound up working for my current employer and making somewhere in the low 60k's. Good pay and astounding benefits including tuition bennies but thought "I'm doing well here, why do all the extra work?" Why? Because it gives one more choices in nearly every avenue of life. I do regret not chipping away at the degree earlier. For one thing the tuition bennies were better when I started out with the company; they covered books and fees. Now it's "just" tuition. But taking advantage of it now. Whatevah, not crying over spilt bennies. Moving on.

What was the hardest part?

I think the hardest part is prioritizing time for me to do this for me. I could just do my job, it's a good one with fantastic benefits which include tuition reimbursement for some of my classes. I could just do this till I die in the harness or am retirement eligible and call it fine. It feels selfish to take what little free time I have for this.

The other issue is fighting the internal voice that says "You're 57 what does this matter?" The bulk of my family have doctorates. They've never given me grief about my lack of a degree. But I have feelings around this. Around the dinner table with my professor siblings, doctorate nieces and nephew, Knott has 2 bachelors degrees, sKnott's near getting his ... I hold my own in conversation but a tiny voice says "You, you got nuthin'"

What were your biggest "But" thoughts and how did you smack them down? (e.g., "But I don't want to work for another 25 years!" or "But I don't want to go back to only having 2 weeks of vacation!" or "But it would be so easy to stay in this sh!tty job that I hate for another 10 years than to retrain to work for another 20 years!"--you get the idea)

That one's easy. I quit my job to move North here with Knott. (That was an absolute hoot!! Just saying. Do it sometime. Walk up to your manager at the front desk and quit. Do it! Right now! 'cmon. It's fun! We'll all do this together. I'll show you how! Quit your 60k+ a year job. It's fun!)

Funny thing is I'm back with the same company but lost all my seniority. We're union so that means a lot. In January 2017 should I still be with the company and on the planet I get it alllllllll back as if I never left.

So at that time I'd have 22 years with this sh**ty job and pension eligible and possibly social security eligible. If I still want to work I don't want to be a greeter at Wallmart which is what I'd be able to do at 62 with no education!!

Or maybe Knott and I will just ride off on a tandem and tour. Who knows. Anyway; 4.5 years I want choices.

Thanks in advance, from someone who really, really, really needs to move on but is ch!ckensh!t.

No problem!

TLDR; I have a lot of college credits and nothing to show for it. I'm gathering up the transcripts, seeing what can be done with it and taking one class at a time while working to see how far I can go.

[Crankin]

I agree with Trek. About all of it.
And I had no trouble getting a job in my new field at age 57. I even went and spoke to career services at my school and the lady looked at me and said,"You don't sound old or look old." Now, I don't look 25, but I knew what she meant. My boss is 20 years younger than me.
I didn't discourage my sons from liberal arts degrees. Sorry. You learn how to think, write, and collaborate. Those are the #1 skills employers want. Not everyone wants to be or can be an engineer or scientist. I fear for our society if we devalue the liberal arts to the point that college is just career prep. My older son has a degree in linguistics and a minor in Italian. He was employed the day he graduated (from a state university) and never moved back home. He learned how to do all kinds of business stuff and stuck around for 5 years, despite *****y pay and no benefits. He has had 2 jobs since and is doing quite well. Bought his first house at age 29 and is married. I think his liberal arts degree taught him a lot...

[indysteel]

Trek, your post has me in tears. You go girl!

[Trek420]

;

Trek, your post has me in tears. You go girl!

Thanks. Next class: English 101 or the equal. You suppose I can submit my TE posts for credit?

[Pax]

;

Thanks. Next class: English 101 or the equal. You suppose I can submit my TE posts for credit?

Definitely!!

Do they still offer CLEP credit in school? I did that 30 years ago and got 9 hours of credit in English. Short test, a little money = two semesters worth of school tuition I didn't have to pay.

[OakLeaf]

Trek: <3 <3 <3

[Trek420]

Definitely!!

Do they still offer CLEP credit in school? I did that 30 years ago and got 9 hours of credit in English. Short test, a little money = two semesters worth of school tuition I didn't have to pay.

The community college I'm studying with now (online classes, yay!) does not. But mark my words the moment I graduate; diploma, certifications, whatevah they will. This is the story of my life

I was trying to transfer my job from point A in CA to point B in WA. Same d@mn job and company. Could not do it. Even talked to the president of cough ahem AT&T. About 9 months after I dramatically quit (and it was fun! You really should try it) and was rehired VOILA! They unveil a new seamless transfer system. Also if they'd rehired me 3 months earlier I'd have all my seniority.

Could not sell the condo for love nor money while I was there. Arguably 100k underwater and I bought way low. Now that I've left we're fielding offers right now that are well over what I paid. All's well that ends well on that score.

Wanted wireless speakers for the home; went out and bought some at the Apple store. Won them at work the next day.

So ... you want CLEP credit at my school? Wait 3 months after I graduate.

Want the iPhone 5S? Wait till I get a new phone and renew my contract. etc

[Pax]

Trek, you crack me up!

[ny biker]

The community college I'm studying with now (online classes, yay!) does not. But mark my words the moment I graduate; diploma, certifications, whatevah they will. This is the story of my life

I was trying to transfer my job from point A in CA to point B in WA. Same d@mn job and company. Could not do it. Even talked to the president of cough ahem AT&T. About 9 months after I dramatically quit (and it was fun! You really should try it) and was rehired VOILA! They unveil a new seamless transfer system. Also if they'd rehired me 3 months earlier I'd have all my seniority.

Could not sell the condo for love nor money while I was there. Arguably 100k underwater and I bought way low. Now that I've left we're fielding offers right now that are well over what I paid. All's well that ends well on that score.

Wanted wireless speakers for the home; went out and bought some at the Apple store. Won them at work the next day.

So ... you want CLEP credit at my school? Wait 3 months after I graduate.

Want the iPhone 5S? Wait till I get a new phone and renew my contract. etc

This is like me and refinancing mortgages. If you want to refinance, wait until one month after I do it, because that's when the rates plummet.