Hi everyone…
I am currently in community college studying Engineering. I am intending to get my Associate’s and then transfer to VA Tech for Computer Engineering since they have guaranteed admission articulation agreements. I’ve figured out pretty much everything that I am going to need to do, studying, financial aid, and other various items.
Only one thing I can’t seem to figure out. I’m 34 and have never been to college. While I am flying through college to get on track, when I get to VTech I do kinda want to at least stick my feet into the pool of college life.
Has anyone had any issues as an older student on campus?
Has anyone, preferably some not aged 20-25, lived on campus? Were you able to get your college to allow you to live in the graduate/professional dorms? Is it even worth it?
I’ve looked everywhere and haven’t found any information concerning this. Even here on CC it seems non-traditional means 22 or 23 lol.
I am older than you but I like where I live very much 
I would safely assume that most any University would respect a student in your age group who would prefer to live in the graduate/professional dorms. What I do not know is if it would cost more for an undergraduate student to do so.
Would you not want to live in an apartment or something? A very fair amount of schools have off campus student housing. Then you could still join a nice club or two and what have you.
I would think being an older student , you would find alot of immature behavior that you wouldn’t enjoy . If you lived off campus , you would partake of things that interested you ,but have a quiet place to go and sleep , or study ! Dorms are very noisy !
@ssimyram - Right now my plan is to live off campus.
Cost is not really an issue. Living around or with others isn’t either.
It’s only that I wonder if living on campus is worth it. I won’t be working (other than undergrad research or interns) as I am 100% funded.
I want to be involved somehow. I do plan on spending every free moment in either research, the library, some lab or doing something “studentish.” The idea of being surrounded by other students and being near everything is intriguing.
In the end if I have to live in non-student housing I will. I just feel that if I’m going to be laying out ~40k for college (all inclusive) I should do the college thing. Though I’m not really sure what that is…
@fauxmaven - Is it like that in Grad/Ph.D housing too??? That would be a problem.
Seems like I’m going to have to either go and see the situation or perhaps get my own apartment… Hmm…
The way to get the “college” experience at 35 and not look like a creaper is to get involved with <em>campus</em> life but not necessarily <em>dorm</em> life. There is a reason that most colleges have age limits or ranges for their dorms. Hopefully there are college dorms or apartments that you qualify for but if not, see about renting off campus with other students. (It isn’t really all that it is cracked up to be…)
As for <em>campus</em> life, be sure to join active clubs or leagues… the choir, theater, political groups, newspaper, etc. Get involved in the honors clubs or with research. Get a job on campus. Being a college student is about making friends and bonds with students and professors–not sleeping in a twin bed or taking a shower in the same dorm as a bunch of 20 year olds.