Could my age help me get accepted? Am I on the right path?

Transfer Students
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<p>So, I'm 34. I never graduated high school, never went to college, obviously, at least until the last year or so. But now, I find myself more motivated to get an education than I have ever been. I took two semesters, 9 hours each, while holding down a fairly strenuous full-time job, and ended up with a 3.17 GPA so far. No great shakes, I know, but still...for a guy working a lot, riding the bus an hour each way to go to school, and not only adjusting to going to school for the first time in fifteen years, but forming study habits for the first time in my life, I'd say it's pretty good.</p>

<p>Over the summer, I quit my job and downsized to an easy one, 15 hours a week. I'm taking 6 classes this semester - 18 credit hours - and so far, so good. My goal is to ace everything from here on out, and I honestly believe that now that the adjustment period is over and I have re-arranged my life around school, I can get it done. I have done the math and I can bring my GPA up to a 3.58 by the end of this semester, 3.796 by the end of Spring, and by the time I am scheduled to graduate with my AA next summer, I should have a 3.83. You don't know me, so you'll just have to trust me on this, but straight A's are completely doable. I am in the zone, so to speak.</p>

<p>In addition, I have been trying to get some kinds of extra-curriculars under my belt. I work for a bookstore which kicks back a significant chunk of all proceeds to a charity. So maybe that's one. I am an active member in my local chapter of Amnesty International, and I am a student editor on the school literary magazine. Also, I have been trying to cultivate relationships with some of my teachers in the hopes of getting some solid letters of recommendation. I am pretty sure I can count on 2 already.</p>

<p>So that's where I'm at. I'm married, but we have no children and are looking at my impending transfer as a reason to get out of St. Louis. I am planning on beginning to apply immediately after I finish my fall semester. I have 8-9 schools I am considering, about half of them big state schools and half of them LACs. Some are realistic, some are fairly pie-in-the-sky. So I guess my question - for anyone who has been kind enough to read through all of this - is, do you think that my age and situation could actually help me in any way? I know colleges look for diversity...do any of them take age into account? Is there anything else I could be doing to improve my prospects? If I am applying when I only have 36 credit hours under my belt, will schools take me seriously with the added knowledge that I will have an AA in hand when I walk onto their campus? Any guidance or help in these - or any other matters one might think of - is greatly appreciated.</p>

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<p>I just want to say I really admire your passion. </p>

<p>I’m just a college freshman so I’m not a credible source or anything, but why not try Yale’s non-traditional students program? I think it’s called Eli Whitney or something like that. With all of your experiences and passion for education, I think you make a great candidate. I also don’t think having too few credit hours will hurt you at all since there are people who transfer after their first semester in college. Your 3.17 shouldn’t be as bad as a 3.17 as a full-time student since I’m guessing you had a real job. Just write a great essay, which I’m sure you will, and those schools will take you right in.</p>

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<p>The colleges won’t care much that you are on track for an AA. Your GPA at the time you apply, along with your personal statement, will be much stronger factors. And the letter of recommendation as well.</p>

<p>A 3.58 is a very good GPA to transfer with, so make sure you hit that goal in time for the transfer app.</p>

<p>I don’t think colleges really look at “age” as a diversity issue overall. Meaning, I don’t think the selection committees are thinking they need to hit a certain percentage of 30+ year old students. I do not think your age will add any extra oomph to your application–however, it can and should bring depth to your “life experience” aspect of your personal statement, so it isn’t something that needs to be avoided, either.</p>

<p>Your ECs sound find–you are better off becoming more passionate about one of them you have already started rather than adding on a bunch of new ones. Of the ECs listed, the “work at a bookstore” one sounds least impressive unless you do some hands-on volunteering or steer the volunteering aspect of the charity. You are better off doing a project with AI this fall or stepping it up with the literary magazine.</p>

<p>Good luck. If you keep your grades up, there are many colleges that would welcome you as a transfer student. The reality is that it will probably be a bigger challenge to figure out how to afford the transfer school than to actually get into many of them.</p>