43 years old and going back to school

[tashalustig]

Well firstly well done for even considering it and i think if you love physics do it! I think physics is a subject that really only those who have a passion for it will succeed as it consumes you and your life. Try not to worry about age bias, you've been a Civil engineer so its not like you've done nothing in those years and those who said life experience is an advantage they are right, a big problem with the graduates these days is they are so naive and have no clue how the world works, you do! The only thing you will have to deal with is the youngsters you'll be studying with, which at times will make you want to scream and scream bloody murder, but as those of us with life experience know they are everywhere and we just have to bite our tongue and move on.

Also i don't think we know enough about the brain on the individual person to know when it starts declining. I am always amazed at my father who has the mind and body of a man in his 20's and he is late 60's has been a sprinter all his life and his intelligence only gets better by constantly reading and learning new things i think the brain is a muscle use or lose it applies here

 

[william45]

[/QUOTE]Also i don't think we know enough about the brain on the individual person to know when it starts declining. I am always amazed at my father who has the mind and body of a man in his 20's and he is late 60's has been a sprinter all his life and his intelligence only gets better by constantly reading and learning new things i think the brain is a muscle use or lose it applies here[/QUOTE]


Well said and inspiring! I have this personal "theory" that if you keep the body healthy and in the shape of a 20-something, then the brain will play along too. My alterior motive is to also fool people to think that I am actually younger than I am (when I go to interviews and such) ...as an additional tool to fight bias that one may encounter. Gotta try everything.

 

[tashalustig]

Also i don't think we know enough about the brain on the individual person to know when it starts declining. I am always amazed at my father who has the mind and body of a man in his 20's and he is late 60's has been a sprinter all his life and his intelligence only gets better by constantly reading and learning new things i think the brain is a muscle use or lose it applies here

Well said and inspiring! I have this personal "theory" that if you keep the body healthy and in the shape of a 20-something, then the brain will play along too. My alterior motive is to also fool people to think that I am actually younger than I am (when I go to interviews and such) ...as an additional tool to fight bias that one may encounter. Gotta try everything.[/QUOTE]

Good plan! I also think if you keep using the brain it can't get left behind. And yes keep the body healthy and the brain will follow although i don't follow all my advice as I'm terrible at being healthy

 

[TMFKAN64]

I'm 50 and I completed my MS two years ago, so I can give you a little insight into academic performance after a layoff of almost 30 years...

I found that in terms of raw computing ability, I was nowhere near as quick as I was the first time around. However, I was *much* better at seeing the big picture and making connections than many of my fellow students.

Your mileage many vary.