<p>I am in my thirties and working on my BA. It has been difficult and I'm sure will continue to be but I'm in it so far now I cant stop. Anyone else ever thought of giving up after going back? Or, any inspirational stories about finishing after going back to school or starting school later in life? It's hard to find others in the same boat so I would love any comments...</p>
<p>I was/am an academic late bloomer. I struggled more or less throughout high school, barely graduating at 19. I entered ‘college’ (the Ontarian equivalent of community college) at 20, but dropped out a year later, after failing a couple of courses. At 25, finding myself eligible (and ready) to enrol, I entered an academic bridging program at arguably Canada’s most prestigious university, did well enough to gain entry to the university for full-time undergraduate studies (the vast majority of students in the program did not), and never looked back. I graduated with an Honours Bachelor of Arts with Distinction in June of this year, just after my 30th birthday. I am now working full-time, beginning my professional career, at a position I was hired for almost purely on the basis of my degree (I wouldn’t have the job without it).</p>
<p>For me it wasn’t an issue of ability or potential, but rather readiness, maturity – although, truth be told, I was helped greatly throughout my undergraduate studies by my family, who enabled me to live the life of a ‘normal’ (if clearly older) university student, financially and otherwise. Not many mature students have this luxury. But I did do quite a bit of growing up in the years that I was out of school.</p>