I finally finished everything I needed to obtain my Marketing Degree at age 36.
I didn’t plan or want to change jobs or careers. I wasn’t unhappy with the money I was making or the respect I thought I had in the office. People knew I didn’t have a degree and I’m not sure if it bothered them or not, but it did bother me.
My parents never discussed college with me. I went for two semesters right after high school. I went to the local university that everyone else was going to. I didn’t know what my major was going to be. I barely passed my senior year of high school. I took out $5,000 in student loans that took me years to pay back and I had nothing to show for it.
I didn’t really care. I knew nothing of investing or saving or retirement. I knew some people that were continuing to go to college, but I wasn’t jealous. I had a job making $12 an hour and that paid for the apartment I shared with a couple of other girls. It paid for the social events I wanted to go to.
The reason why I went back to college?
There are a few. Mainly, I have children now that I am guiding in what I believe are the right directions. I wanted to at least be able to speak from experience when discussing college with them. I wanted them to know all of their options. I also wanted them to believe that mom “did it and I can too”.
I did it for myself. I am so incredibly proud of what I accomplished. I was already making an impressive salary – I didn’t do it for the money or to switch careers.
My Tips For Going Back When You’re Older
- Don’t start out taking five classes. I suggest two.
- Don’t take on more than you can handle.
- If you do take on more than you can handle, figure it out quickly so you can drop the class and get a portion (or all) of your money back.
- Online classes were my best friend.
- Have a Support system.
- Always get a head start. Finish everything you can long before the due date.
- The beginning of the semester always seems super overwhelming.
- The end of the semester is a breeze.
- Pick your classes early. I saw online classes at my university filled up fast.
- See if your current employer will cover any (or all) of your tuition
Surround Yourself with Positivity
I have a great support system around me. My coworkers, family, and my boss all knew I was going back to college.
They would ask how it was going every now and then and I would open up. I’m a pretty private person, so I wouldn’t share often. The thing is – I knew they were there if I needed them.
It was fun talking to my kids about the classes I was taking. I got them involved pretty heavily in some of my “out of the box” projects. I remember for Environmental Science, we had to go out to different areas and look at things. We were exploring the area with purpose and they were thrilled to help me. They cheered with I got an “A” and felt partly responsible.
Dealing with Your Employer
This is speaking from experience with my own boss, who is also the owner of our company.
My employer was a bit intimidated with me going back to college. There are a couple of reasons I know he was.
First, he thought I may start seeking other employment. The degree I was getting, Marketing, was related to the type of work I was doing at the time. He shouldn’t have been afraid.
Second, he thought I may ask for more money. He gave me more money in the end, but I didn’t hang my degree over his head. He, and I think most of the people around me, felt like a person with a degree is worth more.
I do agree that I learned things in college that helped improve my skills. Some of the things I learned in my business classes were probably more valuable to me at an older age than they were when I was younger.
Could I have benefitted from knowing these things back then in my teenage years? Absolutely. Would I have absorbed what was being taught to me correctly? Probably not – Like I said earlier, I was a horrible student. I did what I had to do to pass. I appreciated the classes much more in my 30s.
I’ve considered going back for my Master’s Degree. I don’t plan to switch jobs or start on a different career path. I’m well into my 40’s now and I’m thinking more on the lines of retirement at 55.
Whatever your reason is for going back…it’s just that – you’re reason.
People who go back to school to seek a completely different career path – Way to go! I have a friend around 38 that told me she was going to law school the other day. She’s currently a realtor. Our age shouldn’t keep us from making a change like this. I told her how proud I was.
No Student Loans
I can say, instead of taking out student loans, I was able to have my employer pay for about half of the college tuition. The rest I paid for in cash. I would never have been able to do that right after high school. I didn’t even apply for one scholarship when I was 18.
When you make the decision to go back to school, know that if you are going to a university, it will be expensive. Your books and other miscellaneous costs will be expensive. Online classes, if you go that route, were more expensive for me to take than the in-class offerings.
Know the amount beforehand and save. Make sure you’ve paid off all your debt. If you have lingering credit card or student loans from back in the day, check out my article on paying off high interest credit cards. After you’ve paid off all that debt, roll it into saving for college.
Will paying off your current debt take some time? Possibly. You’ve waited this long to go back to school; you can wait a few more months so you take out $0 in student loans.
Reaching Out To Your Employer
Make sure to get with your employer on helping pay for your college. The fact that I was going for Marketing and that was somewhat in the line of work I was already doing, really helped my case. Try to relate the classes you’ll be taking to the job you are currently doing when you talk to your employer. Assure them that you aren’t going after another career, you are simply making yourself that much more valuable.
If you are going for a different career, still ask. You are going to be at the current position you are at most likely the entire time you are working your way through college. You’re gaining knowledge that adds value to what you currently offer. They should be proud of you and appreciate what you are bringing to the table.
You could also only share individual classes you are taking. Most likely, some of the classes will apply to your current position.
What if I Want to Change Careers?
Although I did not change my career path or even my job after obtaining my magical degree, I bet some of you are planning that.
My friend who is planning to go to law school is planning to go into the field after she graduates. I’m sure this can be quite intimidating.
I will say that although my degree was in marketing, there were a ton of offerings to me after I graduated. The university was constantly reaching out with opportunities from some amazing companies that were looking for new graduates.
I’m not telling you that it’s a guaranteed thing, but I am saying that you won’t be alone once you graduate. There will opportunities for you to apply to multiple companies straight through your university. They will not leave you hanging.
Make sure you talk to your counselor early on so that you can get a head start applying.
Be Proud
I was so proud of myself. I’m proud of myself now. BE PROUD.
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