Anyone go back to school after 7+ years?

<p>I've been contemplating this for years... and have made multiple posts about it... never really acted... Finally seriously contemplating going back to school for my MBA.</p>

<p>Did I wait too long? I just found a program that I liked but it states that the 'foundation' courses that are required must be taken within the past 6 years otherwise they have to be redone. I really don't want to retake my freshman year business courses.... and retaking 6 courses would make finishing my MBA take even longer and cost even more money. It does say something about the fact that you can request a waiver examination for the course. I wonder how much that would cost.</p>

<p>I went back for my Masters in Exercise Physiology after 10 years and it was great in so many ways. I did have to take an undergraduate Anatomy class because even though anatomy doesn’t change it is vital to the topic and they wanted me to “review” the topic.</p>

<p>I was very nervous at first, especially taking my first test and I was older than everyone in my class but I met some really great kids, really challenged myself and learned a lot. It also allowed me to change my career to something that I felt I could do once I had kids (although I never wound up working after the kids were born). Overall it was a great experience!</p>

<p>My understanding is that people often get their MBAs many years after their BA degree and I agree that taking six courses is a bit much. Are you currently working in the field, could work experience count for those classes instead? I wouldn’t take my degree at this college if taking six “make up” classes was necessary. Keep looking, I’ll be you’ll find more programs that you like. I know NYU used to have an MBA program specifically for people like you, I used to fitness train a professor who taught in that program. You can do it, just keep looking until you find the right program.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

<p>Go for it Fendergirl!! You have some good work experience now…great time to go and get that advanced degree. I would contact the program you are interested in…and see if your work experience for the past 7 years would be accepted in lieu of retaking courses.</p>

<p>Would you be doing this as an evening student? I hope so…your job sounds so great.</p>

<p>You asked if anyone had done this - well, I’m in school part-time right now, working on my teaching certification. Prior to re-entering school, it had been over 20 years since I was last in the classroom. I say, go for it!</p>

<p>In my case, there were a lot of so-called prerequisites to re-entering the classroom that I never had to re-do. For example, I was supposed to re-take the GREs and I was supposed to take a class in biochemistry; however, after talking with admissions officials, both the test and the class were waived. I have found that in many circumstances, university officials are happy to work with you and to give you credit for real-world experience.</p>

<p>Don’t wait as long as I did! I’m having a great time and it’s not nearly as burdensome as I thought it would be.</p>

<p>Yeah I was thinking evening or possibly online. I was looking into three different schools in my area that have a mix between online and on campus. I’m finally in a position at work where I can set my own hours so it would make returning to school a LOT easier then when I had past roles with the company. I’ve been at my company for 7 years so I’ve gained a ton of experience in various departments but I’m not sure how that correlates to waiving of courses. I guess it doesn’t hurt to ask. My work will pay for it so that’s a positive.</p>

<p>I was thinking I’d do one class at a time. (the one school does trimesters, and the other two do four sessions per year… one per season). If I had to retake six classes that would set me back like 3 years. The one school that I was looking at stated you needed to have those six classes as an undergrad but it didn’t specify within the past x amount of years so I may look into that one first. How much could financial accounting really have changed since my freshman year of college? Debits and credits are still tracked the same way last time I checked. ;)</p>

<p>I would look for an MBA program that has no business prerequisites. I went to an undergrad school with no business major yet many friends went to top MBA programs and never had to take business prerequisites.</p>

<p>My sister has her BA/MA in a social science field. She got her MBA at night, 15 years later. She is doing great.</p>

<p>I don’t so much mind them having the prerequisite business classes… and I’ve taken them all… I just don’t like the time period being on there at certain schools. Obviously I don’t remember everything learned in these classes but I don’t think that’s a good enough reason to do them over. I did take several of these courses over again towards a professional designation at my job so maybe they would take that into consideration as well.</p>

<p>They all seem to be wanting:</p>

<p>Financial Accounting
Statistics
Microeconomics
Management
Marketing
Financial Management
Business Law</p>

<p>Fendergirl…see if you can make an appointment to talk to someone at the MBA program. Take all of your job descriptions and responsibilities with you. See what they say. You can’t possibly be the first person that has wanted to get an MBA from them who has worked for more than 6 years.</p>

<p>yeah, more then likely not the first. Maybe the 2nd, but definitely not the 1st. ;)</p>