<p>My former neighbor went back to school at age 50 to take premed courses needed to go to medical school. it took her a long, long time, but she is now a practicing physician in her 60s age wise. She started with community college, then the local state school, getting her requirements, taking her MCATs and 2 tries before getting one med school to accept her off the wait list. But she got there. Had to do it all part time until she got into the medical school to.</p>
<p>I agree with taking it one step at a time. Your 11 year old self didn’t know that there was a field called Biostatistics, or that there are people who study the human factors in an ER to figure out if there are “best practices” among nurses and doctors that lead to fewer (or greater) fatalities, or people who work at the companies which make needles and devices figuring out the best way to train hospital personnel to use their products the right way.</p>
<p>There are dozens of careers open to you; start your degree and take it from there. Go look up a fairly recent article in the New Yorker magazine about the guy who invented Purell. You will never think about hand washing in the same way.</p>
<p>Good for you for taking this big step! We are all cheering for you.</p>
<p>Point your skis straight down that hill and … don’t screw it up. </p>
<p>My sister did it at 24 as a divorced mother of two. My wife once worked with a 50 year-old cardiology intern. It is a course that others have followed successfully. Best of luck and good for you for your revelation.</p>
<p>Our neighbor went back and got herD degree after her kids were grown as well. My mom went back for her masters in special Ed after the baby started kindergarten, nearly 20 years since she had been a student. </p>
<p>I agree to focus on one thing at a time. Right now, just focus on Community College and making the required grade at least, in the required courses for transfer. UCSC is an excellent goal. Often kids who didn’t have to study in High School, have poor study habits and run into trouble when the material gets harder, so stay on top of it and use any tutoring services at your school when needed, esp for your math courses.</p>
<p>Right now, stop researching (classes you need to take a couple years from now) and start doing, by enrolling asap.</p>
<p>Entering as a freshmen is the one shot at getting a lot of non-need based aid. I have no idea of Financial Aid at UC Santa Cruz, or another school you might want to consider. If you are going part-time, it is a moot point. But, if you can possibly go full-time, going straight to Santa Cruz, or another school, now is the time to see what you can get.</p>