<p>With DS going off to school in a couple of weeks (giving us an empty nest), I'm taking the big plunge and applying for a master's degree in library science. I've worked as a church librarian for the past 6 years and am excited and confident that this is what I'm meant to do at this chapter in my life (have already been a Navy officer, corporate administrator, missionary, private piano teacher and private school math teacher). I'm in the process of preparing to take the GRE, getting recommendations, and having my musty, dusty college transcrpit sent to the school. </p>
<p>As a 50+ homemaker and part-time worker, I've been out of academia for 30 years. I guess I just need to hear from some other parents who have returned to school at a "later age" - am feeling a little bit of "performance anxiety."</p>
<p>Any helpful advice, suggestions, or encouragement?</p>
<p>My mother returned to law school at age 40 when I started 4th grade, and my brother started kindergarten - she even made law review. There are several people in the classes ahead and behind mine in medical school who are 50+ as well (and they won't be done with residency until they're almost 60!).</p>
<p>I think it's fantastic that you're doing this, and I think that being an empty nester is probably a much better situation than my mother had. Good luck!</p>
<p>I have no advice or suggestions, but do have some encouragement.</p>
<p>My mom has always kind of wanted to go back to school, but hasn't really had the guts/time/money to do it. I think it's awesome that you are pursuing your dream, and considering your past jobs (some of those sound pretty intense!), I'm sure you will be able to do whatever you put your mind to.</p>
<p>One thing I should mention is that I (and I think most traditionally aged students would agree) love hearing from the older, more experienced people in my classes. For example, right now, I am the youngest, most inexperienced person in a graduate level seminar in Health Ethics. The more experienced of my classmates (including a doctor, a nurse practioner, a masters of public health candidate, and medical students) always share their opinions and experiences freely, and I have learned more from them than from the lecturer, probably.</p>
<p>Congratulations! Have a wonderful time. I have friends who are as old as in their 70s who are working on doctorates, and are thoroughly enjoying themselves.</p>
<p>I've taken undergrad classes for fun at my local college, and have been welcomed by students and faculty. </p>
<p>When I taught college, I also enjoyed having older students because they tended to be far more interested and hard working than do students who are the usual ages of college/graduate students.</p>
<p>I'm sorry that I don't know you in person: You sound like you're very interesting!</p>
<p>bethel: I went back in 2001, and just graduated cum laude, from Chapman University. My last college stint was in 1977.</p>
<p>What I know for sure is that as adults, when we study what interests us, we cannot be held down! I aced nearly every class, and what I didn't ace, I put my heart and soul into! </p>
<p>Feel free to PM me, maybe we can "talk" more.</p>
<p>Your message struck a chord with me because I'm doing something similar, although not taking on a masters like you are. My D will go to college next year, and I still have a 15 yr old son at home. I started off my new college career last spring with 4 on-line classes...helped me ease back into it. They were excellent, I learned a lot and got 3 A's and a C. This fall I will "graduate" into face to face classes, but the prelude to that was a week long classroom workshop I took this summer at the same facility where I will go this fall. The week long class helped me prove to myself that I could handle the regular classroom...it went very well, and I was one of the major contributors to the class, even though one of the "senior" members. Now I'm going to take some paralegal classes. I like searching for info, and so I'm looking forward to the legal research class especially.</p>
<p>I have thought about library science myself, it seems like a fascinating field, especially now with all the internet resources. Can I ask where you will be attending? Will you be going full-time? Please let us know how it goes. I was accepted into the MLS program at CSU Fullerton about 5 years ago, but I decided not to go..kids were too small, it was a long drive and I felt I needed more computer skills..but maybe one of these days I'll try it again.</p>
<p>I hear 2 key words in your post.."excited" and "confident"! I think you're ready! Pm me anytime, I'd love to know more...</p>
<p>My mom went back & got her masters in Special Education when the youngest started kindergarten. She graduated with honors & a 4.0, just before my older sister started college. My sister felt a lot of pressure trying to keep up with mom's stellar record! Mom felt a bit awkward at 1st because she was so much older & felt many of the pupils & instructors were young enough to be her kids, but soon was quite comfortable & able to give maternal advice as needed.
Our neighbor got her MD degree after her kids were all grown as well & is now happily practicing at Kaiser.
My aunt went back to school and got her degree in library science when she unexpectedly found herself a widow at age 40 & had 3 kids to support. She loved being a librarian & was the head at the Legislative Reference Bureau for many years before retiring.
Go for it, you'll do GREAT & be an incredible insipiration to your kids & classmates!</p>
<p>Bethel, go for it!!! There are many, many people 40+ either back in school, or in the applications process. Some of them have even retired completely from their first careers and are back in undergrad for a new degree for a second career, if you can imagine that. One gentleman I met recently is a retired MD studying for a B.A. in Art History because he wants to teach.</p>
<p>Bethel, I think that this is wonderful, congratulations.</p>
<p>I also went back to graduate school last year when my D went off to college (looking forward to life after corporate life) and it has been great. You will find that you do use all of the skills that you have learned in your past lives(time management, people management, work ethic, etc). </p>
<p>You will also find that you are not alone and as LTS said, there are many people 40+ are back in school. Like justamom stated, it is different this time because you are going for your self and studying things that interest you and that you are passionate about. For me it has been a great exchange of ideas listening to students who have just recently graduated college and sharing my experiences as a person who has had more of a lived life. I really bonded with a lot of my classmates and look forward to seeing them in 3 weeks when the fall term starts. Have a really great time !!</p>
<p>Bethel,
I graduated with a second Masters, this one in Special Education, in June of this year...just 11 days after DS graduated from High school. I greatly enjoyed the new information but found the amount of time sitting in a chair in class tedious. Too much "butt time."</p>
<p>Enjoy classes, the other students, and instructors,
Doddsmom</p>
<p>After doing all of the college searching and consideration of majors to take for my two Ds, it makes me want to go back to college and get degrees in 10 or 20 different fields! However, I'll be the guy paying for my two Ds so It'll be a while before I can even consider such a thing.</p>
<p>im not a parent but: my mom is at college currently she started when i was little...she never got the chance to go as a young adult...my dad did but not her...he was our income maker....my sisters who r 7 and 8 1/2 yrs older then me..were well into hs...so my mom went to college at a local small catholic college..she will graduate w/ a B.SW(social work) at the end of the yr she will have a internship at a house for young women who r pregnant/have babies and help them get together go to school(if theyre still in hs) if there out of hs try to get them a job/try to figure out how to get them some form of even higher degree and she has a 3.65 gpa and will be heading to the Molloy(her college)/fordham Masters in social work program for 1 1/2 years to think this took her 9 years to complete just her bachelors...</p>