I’m going to be 24 this year and I’ve been in community college on and off since 2010.
Coming out of high school I thought I was interested in a cognitive psychology major, but I quickly changed that and went through phases of not caring about school, dropping classes, failing classes, switching majors, taking classes that didn’t matter, pretty much wasting time, etc.
I have now decided I want to major in astrophysics, but to transfer to a university it will take me two years if I stay on track, and by then I’ll be 26. By the time I graduate with a B.S. I’ll be early 30’s, and I can’t help but to feel like I completely messed up my college career. I feel like I will never get accepted into a university because I have messed up so badly previously, I feel like I’m getting too old, the time it’s taking me is making me feel like more of a failure, astrophysics is out of my league, if I graduate this degree may have just been a waste of time, and I keep doubting myself and wanting to give up. Is 26 too old to be in community college?
Is there anyone else in a position like this, or have a similar story?
My husband went back to school at the age of 28. He was 32 when he finished his master’s degree in engineering. I was only 22 when we met. We joke that he had to take the roundabout route to give me time to grow up!
Go for it! My husband is glad he did. 
Don’t lose hope! Some people have everything figured out when they’re 18 and take a pretty direct path to their goals. Other people are just too unfocused or simply so curious about many things that their paths are more spiral shaped.
There is no right way. There is just your way. Don’t try to figure everything out tonight or even this month. You are a different person today than you were when you started your adult journey. Sometimes you just have to stop and reassess.
Most importantly, remember that you can’t move forward when you are always looking behind you.
I wish you the best.
(I have a relative who stays in school by keeping a really crappy job that he hates as a reminder and motivation to not give up!)
I was 30 and still in CC. Eventually I finished up my BS (it took 22 years!). I then enrolled in a Masters program (a two year program that I finished on-time) and landed my dream job. You know who cares that I took so much time to get where I am? No one!
Keep on going! Give yourself a break. Take pride in your non-traditional route. The key thing is that
you haven’t quit. You can do this!
No, granted this was many years ago, but my sister dropped out of college after a few months, went to live an alternative lifestyle as a hippy in the 70s, and finally went back to school in her mid30s, Got a teaching degree, went on to get a degree in counseling, got her master’s and had a very successful career as a school counselor. It may sound like s cliche but it’s never too late.
Wow…thank you all soo much. All of your comments mean a lot to me and are very helpful. Whenever I feel doubt I think I’m going to refer to this thread.
Thank you guys a lot
Really, keep trying, if for no other reason than it will enrich your inner life. But as many say, it can help you get the right job.
“Is there anyone else in a position like this, or have a similar story?”
Yes, lots and lots of people. Put these negative thoughts out of your mind and concentrate on positive ones. Put it this way, if you are miserable now (and you are very young!), just think how miserable you’ll be in 10 or 20 years if you don’t pursue your college dreams. Stop comparing yourself to others because it’s pointless. Keep in mind that you are a non-traditional student now and when you apply to colleges, your life experiences and how you manage to overcome hardships (self-imposed or not, doesn’t really matter) and persevere will come across as admirable and very human. We all make make mistakes, but our character shines through in how we confront these challenges. Why do you think one of the common application questions has something to do with dealing with failure or something like this? You are on track, go for it and don’t look back.
Just wanted to thank you guys all again for taking the time to read my thread and post. It means a lot, especially everything you all had to say. So very helpful and meaningful