Going Back to School as an Adult

I did it by correspondence and odd weekend lectures and some long nights, with two kids, new job, new house/mortgage new town and a very supportive wife.

How she put up with me through those years I will never know.

I got further qualifications (Electronics HNC) on a 'day release' from work and one night a week. That was way back in my late 20's we had one kid at the time.
I appreciated the education far more as I'd found a subject which interested me, and the family was motivation to work hard.
I also found it easier to study as I had a broader background by then.(Passed with distinctions)
Del

I'm just about to finish my MEng Mechanical Engineering but as I don't have kids I did it a different way. I quit my job, sold my house and went full time as a mature student.

I've already been offered a full time job with my placement company before I have finished my degree so its all worked out fine. Money has been tight at times and I can't say it was easy but if it was easy everyone would do it!

Well done, congrats on getting the job in these hard times.
Del

Thanks, I've been lucky though. As part of my course I have to do two 3 month placements with an engineering company. I found a contact who gave me the name of the engineering manager with an oil company in Aberdeen and he said I could do the placements there with the chance of a full time job when I graduate.

He liked my work, I liked the comapny so now I'll be starting there in a couple of months. I know I'm lucky because out of about 40 students in my class I'm one of only about 3 or 4 who have a job.

I did it as part of the first Vietnam GI Bill group. Nobody had any money or sleep, ever. I took 7 years, not 4 and the college folks and I drove each other crazy.

If a class was required, but not something I absolutely needed to know, I'd try to figure out the minimum I could do and still get a "B". I might only go every third class or so (I'd normally hold down two or three part-time jobs).

Likewise, I'd try to not buy a book if I could get by without it. I needed the money elsewhere.

There was one semester where I'd wake up about 4 pm on Sunday and then never go back to bed till Wednesday night.

When I applied, I had the moustache I had grown in the army. The dean looked at that and asked me if I would shave it so people wouldn't think I was trying to seduce the innocent coeds. Within the year, the "hippie" phase hit and that became a moot point.

As being the person that made the first statement about kids, marriage etc, I too returned to school at the tender age of 32, but with more than just one kid in the house.

And yes, without a very supportive wife, it would've never happened.

Between student loans and part time jobs, we kept food on the table, and the wolf away from the door. Hell, he woulda had to bring his own lunch anyway.

All I want to point out is, do what you can now while you can. As technology keeps changing, you'll have this desire to keep up with it.

One statement I read is about the person that sold his books. I kept all of mine, and yes I still reference back to them at times, and have added to them since.

Good luck

two of the worse sins in the world are, lack of education, and lack of communication

I, too, got my engineering degree after I was married, had a child, and bought my first house. Worked full time for all but the last semester. GI bill of course. I have always felt it I had a significant advantage over younger students- more life experience, more motivation, etc. I earned one B (in an Advanced Calculus class- that was the semester my mother passed, and i was a bit distracted) and one C (introduction to computers- back then, the professor was not all that pleased that I completed all of the programming required for the course on my TI59). School was actually easier than it had been when I first started college, before going off to the military...

Graduated in 1973 engineer electronics - started building robots - self study with the books for mechanics - passed exam 1976 while working. Many seminars between. 1992 University: expert Safety engineer 3 year on top - start doctorate - graduated 2005. I was studying, running businesses at 42 with guys of 23-26 whose only interest was- how many beers we drink tonight. I made it, but just over the LEL. Almost retired. Just do it earlier, so you can earn out of it.

I went back to school in 2003 to complete a graduate program as a civil engineer. My BS in 1996 was in technology (construction) management and not engineering, and so I had to almost start over with a lot of the basics. At the time I had a wife, 6 kids, a house, a failed business, and was simply working odd jobs to support the family. I decided to go back to school because I was not getting to where I wanted to be, and how I wanted to provide for my family. It was hard, but I was used to working hard. I had a very supportive wife since this was the second time she had done this. She put me through college the first time, and I then put her through her degree. While in Grad school, I remember being in classes where the oldest person there (other than me) had their high school diploma after I had my first college degree. It was very interesting to say the least. But we all made it, and even though the economy is in a slump, we enjoy a higher standard of living now. I think the main difference is that we still live very similar to how we lived before the second degree. We don't splurge we try and live simply, but we have been able to take all the kids to Disneyland for the vacation of a lifetime. Although it was a great sacrifice for the entire family, we all feel it was worth the sacrifice.

I am with you on the engineering tech BS degree. Mine is in Engineering Management. It had just enough engineering classes for me to qualify with the state government as an environmental engineer. I will also have to take some basic classes before I start the MSME program.

I went back to school at the age of 27 y/o (2002). I was a single parent (daughter was 7) and worked full time at a Wal-Mart warehouse. I got my BS in 2006. I actually started the degree in 1999 while I was in the army. Overall it took me 4 1/2 years to complete. Without the degree, I wouldn't be where I am now. This fall, I will be going back to school at IUPUI for an MS in mechanical engineering.

Can you go back to school after marriage etc....hell yeah.

I am 47 and started my MBA last year. I hold down a full time job as a project manager/ account manager, and although I don't own a house I do have a 20 month old son and my wife is due with our second son in 4 months. I try to spend weekends with the family, unless I have exams coming up, and spend most nights studying on campus.

My wife also goes to the same university and is doing a double degree in Information Management and Accounting. She already has a Master in Psychology from the University of Amsterdam but they are hesitant to recognise that here in New Zealand. Some say I am her thesis. She is a straight A student and managed to give birth to our first son 2 weeks after her finals in her first year. Our second is due just after finals this semester. She works 17 hours a week at a Language School plus she supports me totally in all my endeavours.

She proves that you can still do school as a mature student in their early 30's. She is one hell of a woman and I am very thankful I was smart enough to marry her.

Respect!

as a college instructor I can tell you I have had many students older than me. This last term I had two students in their 60s. Both are going to be successful.