<p>Hi,</p>
<p>A bit of background. I just turned 41 and have worked in IT networking and network security since 1995, mostly for financial companies. I was a physics major at Cornell, but left shy of finishing by BS in physics because at the time (summer of '95) IT was fun, creative, and a hobby worth pursuing. I kept saying I'd go back to Cornell to finish (I'm in the Boston area), but there was no incentive. I was enjoying my job, I got to pretty much the top in terms of salary and what I could do in terms of engineering, and nobody cared if I had finished my degree or not. I even managed for some time. But in time, with outsourcing, companies relocating workers to cheaper places, I decided to take "the package", and re-think life. Truth is, IT got less interesting and hardly challenging. More and more tiers of people came in, everyone doing their little part, it lost for me the creativity it once had. In my time off, I really thought (because it would be easy) to go back. The money is good, but I would be miserable. I'm ready for something new, my wife is a physician, so I have the financial support, etc. So I thought about what else would interest me and to finally go back to school and finish my BS.</p>
<p>But it wasn't going to be at Cornell (I have a family now in Boston) and it wasn't going to be physics. I liked physics at the time, but forgot about everything in the almost 20 years since. I liked the math, the theory, was very good at it, etc. But it was always going to be a degree that would have ended in a BS for me - I never intended to go for a PhD or in academia. IT was one option back then (one I went into, before finishing the BS), Wall St./finance was another. They would come recruit physics and math majors to work in finance, etc. And being a top school, chances are I would have made it had I decided on that path. But I'm not 22, don't want or need to work 80+ hours a week in investment banking, etc. I have a different view on life and want something different.</p>
<p>Ideally, I'd like to finish my BS at a local college here in Boston (I can get 2/3 of my Cornell credits transferred) in economics or finance and then work somehow in either public policy, research, think tank, regulatory function, education, etc. Big money is NOT the key here. Interesting and fulfilling work is. But I also don't want to end up spending years in school. And I feel at 41, I'm too old to go for a MA in economics, which seems the very least I'd need for the type of job I'm looking. So other options are a finance BS, but what then? While I like finance, I'm too told I feel to deal with the BS a 22 year old would - the sales, etc. Another option is accounting - it's easy, jobs plenty, and can lead to something else, as it's a good base. But not intellectually stimulating as far as I can asses it. I could get a CPA, etc. </p>
<p>I would like to leverage my IT skills, but feel that it's a very separate thing. And in any case, I will leverage them regardless, because it's part of what I did and who I am in a way.</p>
<p>I know this is personal, and a loaded question, but I'm looking for opinions. Maybe some that were in a similar position, etc. Or some that are in these fields and can give some advice. </p>
<p>I figure part-time, I can get the BS in 2 years. Again, while an economics BS would be my favorite, not sure how useful it would be. And would I be too old at 43-44 for an MA? Would that be even worth it, as most economists go the PhD after the BS route? A BS in finance and I feel I would be working with hungry 22 year olds that I'd have nothing in common with. Maybe to sales oriented too. Accounting seems to fit my age better, but again, not as satisfying intellectually. </p>
<p>Hope to get a discussion going here! </p>
<p>Thanks of reading !</p>