/insert catchy Old guy wants to go back to school title here

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the challenges and considerations of returning to school later in life, particularly for individuals transitioning from a career in IT to pursuing degrees in natural sciences. Participants share personal experiences, concerns about balancing family responsibilities, financial implications, and the emotional aspects of re-entering an academic environment.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Personal experience sharing

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses excitement about returning to school for a natural science degree but questions their ability to succeed among younger classmates.
  • Another participant shares their experience of returning to school at a younger age and suggests that support from a spouse can ease the transition.
  • Concerns are raised about the financial impact of returning to school, particularly the adjustment to a lower income.
  • There is mention of the potential for tuition reimbursement if the degree aligns with current employment, although skepticism exists regarding the applicability of this for a natural science degree.
  • One participant discusses their plan to pursue an entry-level job in a lab after obtaining an AS degree to support their education while managing family responsibilities.
  • Another participant shares a similar situation of considering a return to school after a long IT career and inquires about job prospects in Kuwait.
  • Humor is used to address the fear of being older than classmates, with one participant suggesting that feeling "insane" for pursuing education at an older age is common.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that returning to school later in life presents challenges, particularly regarding financial and family considerations. However, there is no consensus on the feasibility of balancing these factors, as experiences and perspectives vary widely.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention the need to catch up on math and science prerequisites, indicating a potential barrier to timely graduation. There are also references to varying levels of support from spouses and the implications of financial stability during the transition.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for individuals considering a return to education later in life, particularly those transitioning from IT to STEM fields, as well as those navigating family and financial responsibilities during this process.

s1rGr1nG0
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/insert catchy "Old guy wants to go back to school" title here

Yeah, that pretty much sums it up.

Hello everyone! I am a contractor working in Kuwait. I have been here since January of 2004. Prior to that i was working in the IT industry on a helpdesk for a large oil/energy company, (until the bastards outsourced my job to India). Anyway, when my contract is up in June I will be going back to the states and also back to school. I am about 15 hours from an AS degree and once that's out of the way I will transfer to a 4 year school to get my BS. Of course I will have to work full time while doing all this and I probably will not be able to go to school full time, (probably only a couple or three classes per semester). I'm getting out of IT and will probably major in a natural science like Chemistry, Biology, Biotechnology, or Microbiology. I know I have a very long road ahead of me but I'm looking forward to the challenge. Am I insane for even thinking I can cut it in a class full of people who are probably half my age? I just turned 38 last week, I'm married, and I have a 6 year old daughter. This contracting gig pays VERY well and it's all tax free but I miss my family and, to be honest, I'm tired of being in the middle east. It's not about the money anymore. When I do go home I know I HAVE to do something because if not then I will be stuck in the same crappy, dead end type job I had before. I'm not looking to get rich, (although that would be nice), but I am looking for something with room to grow and also to do something that I have always enjoyed but never pursued, (science).

Should I forget all this and just flip burgers and hope to become Asst. Manager one day?

What say you?

ETA: I will be taking to Distance Ed courses this Spring. (Sociology and Early American Lit) I'm just about done with my "core" and will then have a lot of catching up to do with my math and basic science before moving on.
 
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I don't think it's unrealistic at all, but it's going to be hard to do this and support a family at the same time. I went back to school after a couple of years, but that was at 22, not 38, and I was only supporting myself. My ex-girlfriend's mother went back and got an accounting degree (and graduated with a 3.9 GPA) in her 40s, but she was receiving large alimony and child-support payments. Your wife might have to pick up some of the slack, because realistically, it's a lot easier for one member of a couple to return to school if the other is supporting him. On the other hand, if you're studying in a subject that will help you advance in a field you already work, you can probably get your tuition reimbursed by your company. If I were you, and my wife was not making enough to support me, that is probably the first thing I would try to do. What are you getting your AS in? If it's in Chemistry or something like that, there are plenty of entry-level jobs you could get with just that degree (especially civic jobs) that might be able to pay for the rest of your BS.
 
My AS will be chemistry, (or Bio if I go that route). When I do go home I will probably look for some help desk type job again just to pay the bills while I go to school. My wife is about to get her real estate license so she will be helping out on that front. Since I have been in Kuwait she hasn't been working so she could be there to do all the "mom" things that our 6 year old needs. I also thought about tuition reimbursement but since I will be going after a natural science degree I doubt any company would go for it since I would probably be doing IT work. I think what I will do, like you said, is get some entry level lab type job after I get my AS and then keep working toward my BS. Actually, what I'm hoping for is that my wife will do well enough in real estate that I can not work and just go to school full time but I know that will be a stretch especially since she is just getting into the field.
 
Well, it sounds like you'll be able to do it. The biggest difficulty might simply be adjusting to a lower income, assuming your wife doesn't light the world on fire as soon as she is licensed and practicing. Is the six-year old your only kid? Oftentimes, it's even more difficult for the kids to adjust, after being used to a certain level of spending, but it should be easier for someone that young.
 
Nope, the 6 year old is our only one. She's also not a high maintenance kid. She will adjust to the lower income A LOT easier than me or my wife! LOL

I know it will be hard going from about $70k tax free to about $35k-ish NOT tax free. My wife working, though, will be a huge help. The only thing I'm really worried about is the time it will take to graduate. I have a lot of math and science that I have to catch up on since those are the 2 areas that I am really lacking and also the 2 most important in the degree I am choosing. I made some horrible decisions when I first started college waaay back in the day. Could never decide what I wanted to do, had no motivation, and ended up dropping out. Now I am realizing the error of my ways and having to scramble to catch up. As it stands right now I figure I'm looking at about 4 years before I get my BS, minimum, and that is with me currently having about 40-ish credits.

Geez, when I look at it that way it seems so far off! :frown:
 
I'm in a similar situation (older, long IT career, hosed by outsourcing, thinking about going for an AS/BS in EE or EET) - except unemployed.
Tell me about the prospects re IT jobs in Kuwait.
thx
 
There are IT jobs here. You can go to Halliburton.com to find some. There are also a lot of other contracting companies here you just have to look for them.
 
s1rGr1nG0 said:
Am I insane for even thinking I can cut it in a class full of people who are probably half my age? I just turned 38 last week, I'm married, and I have a 6 year old daughter.
You are totally insane. But you are by no means alone in that... I'm a little older than you, and my son is older than your daughter... and I'm hoping to go back to school in a year or two.
Sanity is overrated.
 

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