I was wondering if anyone else went back to school after approaching 40?? I have a B.A. Sociology degree and did a year in a decent law school. If you been reading my post alcohol took me down a long, dark road. I was professionally panhandling in downtown Chicago. Despite my misdemeanors (no felonies) I could pass the bar.
Going To College In Your 30's????
- Thread starter qwerty1234
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I did earlier in my 30s. I quit drinking prior to going back to university, and I'd say go for it. There are many fine institutions in the States, plenty of whom actively recruit those who get good LSAT scores. If I had the time right now, I'd be getting more education yet.
Garek, Hello my friend! I assume the bar exam is different up North?
35 and working on my [censored] in Information and Computer Science - Data Management option. Taking online courses and it's the best fit for me. Minor ADD problems setting in class. Since work is generous enough to pay may even continue to a masters.
Originally Posted By: qwerty1234
I was wondering if anyone else went back to school after approaching 40??
Why wouldn't you if you really wanted to improve yourself? Learning is a lifelong process, and there's nothing wrong with continuing/furthering your education and skillset when you're in your 30's (or 40's, 50's, 60's and beyond)?
Originally Posted By: qwerty1234
I have a B.A. Sociology degree and did a year in a decent law school.
The only problem with your scenario is that by the time you get your law degree, you'll be at or over 40. That will make it difficult to find an entry level position in a field dominated by skilled, aggressive 26-30 year olds, given your spotty work history and choice to abuse drugs/alcohol. I have some serious reservations about your ability to perform at the required level in a field as demanding as the legal field.
There are career paths that you might do well in, but you'd be at the bottom of the list if you tried to actually enter the legal field.
Originally Posted By: qwerty1234
If you been reading my post alcohol took me down a long, dark road. I was professionally panhandling in downtown Chicago. Despite my misdemeanors (no felonies) I could pass the bar.
Qualifying to sit for the bar and actually passing it are two entirely different things. Given your history of drug/alcohol abuse and the level of mental degradation that has occurred because of it, and also due in no small part to your advancing age and demonstrated poor decision-making skills, you might find passing the bar to be beyond your current capabilities.
There is nothing wrong with setting your goals high, but you also have to temper that with reality. The amount of damage that you elected to do to yourself will have a lifelong impact, and there is no returning yourself to the pre-abused state. You do have the ability to pick up the pieces and choose to make intelligent decisions from this point forward.
I was wondering if anyone else went back to school after approaching 40??
Why wouldn't you if you really wanted to improve yourself? Learning is a lifelong process, and there's nothing wrong with continuing/furthering your education and skillset when you're in your 30's (or 40's, 50's, 60's and beyond)?
Originally Posted By: qwerty1234
I have a B.A. Sociology degree and did a year in a decent law school.
The only problem with your scenario is that by the time you get your law degree, you'll be at or over 40. That will make it difficult to find an entry level position in a field dominated by skilled, aggressive 26-30 year olds, given your spotty work history and choice to abuse drugs/alcohol. I have some serious reservations about your ability to perform at the required level in a field as demanding as the legal field.
There are career paths that you might do well in, but you'd be at the bottom of the list if you tried to actually enter the legal field.
Originally Posted By: qwerty1234
If you been reading my post alcohol took me down a long, dark road. I was professionally panhandling in downtown Chicago. Despite my misdemeanors (no felonies) I could pass the bar.
Qualifying to sit for the bar and actually passing it are two entirely different things. Given your history of drug/alcohol abuse and the level of mental degradation that has occurred because of it, and also due in no small part to your advancing age and demonstrated poor decision-making skills, you might find passing the bar to be beyond your current capabilities.
There is nothing wrong with setting your goals high, but you also have to temper that with reality. The amount of damage that you elected to do to yourself will have a lifelong impact, and there is no returning yourself to the pre-abused state. You do have the ability to pick up the pieces and choose to make intelligent decisions from this point forward.
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Yes; I did a BSIT/ISS and a MSCIS/ISS back to back starting at age 40 in 2004 while working and (of course) supporting a family. I will not say that it was easy (plenty of long nights), I can say that it can be done and a wise man once told me:
"No matter what you decide to do in life, the clock will continue to tick until it has expired--so use those minutes wisely and never hesitate to chase your dreams."
Good luck!
"No matter what you decide to do in life, the clock will continue to tick until it has expired--so use those minutes wisely and never hesitate to chase your dreams."
Good luck!
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Originally Posted By: qwerty1234
I was wondering if anyone else went back to school after approaching 40?? I have a B.A. Sociology degree and did a year in a decent law school. If you been reading my post alcohol took me down a long, dark road. I was professionally panhandling in downtown Chicago. Despite my misdemeanors (no felonies) I could pass the bar.
Thirties is nothing,you're still a baby
I say go for it! You breezed through college and began law school,you seem really smart! Go back and get your law degree. Sounds like you have a great goal!
I was wondering if anyone else went back to school after approaching 40?? I have a B.A. Sociology degree and did a year in a decent law school. If you been reading my post alcohol took me down a long, dark road. I was professionally panhandling in downtown Chicago. Despite my misdemeanors (no felonies) I could pass the bar.
Thirties is nothing,you're still a baby
I would say go for it, but I'd think about taking some of the more-simple classes first. I dunno what, but maybe some of the general electives, especially anything that can be used for any other degree. In case your goals change, but largely because I've found as I aged, my brain is slower to pick up stuff. Getting my brain to "shift gears" takes longer, and jumping in often requires much longer than when I was "always" learning something new.
Me, personally, I'd go to trade school and learn plumbing.
It's next to impossible to find a good plumber but unemployed college graduates abound.
Our 'institutions of higher learning' are putting out thousands of graduates with useless degrees and a ton of debt.
It's next to impossible to find a good plumber but unemployed college graduates abound.
Our 'institutions of higher learning' are putting out thousands of graduates with useless degrees and a ton of debt.
Originally Posted By: qwerty1234
I was wondering if anyone else went back to school after approaching 40?? I have a B.A. Sociology degree and did a year in a decent law school. If you been reading my post alcohol took me down a long, dark road. I was professionally panhandling in downtown Chicago. Despite my misdemeanors (no felonies) I could pass the bar.
I went back for another degree, in my late 30's. It was interesting, dealing with Millennials. Interesting, as in 'what planet do you currently live on?'
I was wondering if anyone else went back to school after approaching 40?? I have a B.A. Sociology degree and did a year in a decent law school. If you been reading my post alcohol took me down a long, dark road. I was professionally panhandling in downtown Chicago. Despite my misdemeanors (no felonies) I could pass the bar.
I went back for another degree, in my late 30's. It was interesting, dealing with Millennials. Interesting, as in 'what planet do you currently live on?'
People go back to college when their 60+ years old so go for it. Good news on the addiction issue. I belong to AA for the past 15 years now. Ed
Originally Posted By: pbm
Me, personally, I'd go to trade school and learn plumbing.
It's next to impossible to find a good plumber but unemployed college graduates abound.
Our 'institutions of higher learning' are putting out thousands of graduates with useless degrees and a ton of debt.
Law degree does not count as useless and he already had a start and appears an undergrad degree.
Who wants to hire an old plumber with little experience? The trades is not the best place for helping an alcoholic along...
Me, personally, I'd go to trade school and learn plumbing.
It's next to impossible to find a good plumber but unemployed college graduates abound.
Our 'institutions of higher learning' are putting out thousands of graduates with useless degrees and a ton of debt.
Law degree does not count as useless and he already had a start and appears an undergrad degree.
Who wants to hire an old plumber with little experience? The trades is not the best place for helping an alcoholic along...
I imagine you have heard some the tales of woe from recent law grads; it is not the career it was, especially if you take on a lot of debt.
Still, more education is generally a plus, if you can keep the debt down. Have you considered any STEM fields?
Still, more education is generally a plus, if you can keep the debt down. Have you considered any STEM fields?
Yeah, I wen to school in my early 30-s and got a couple of graduate degrees. Then went back to complete the necessary coursework for a professional certification I needed to advance my career.
Got done within 5 years. It was hard work doing this while full time employed but was worth it.
Got done within 5 years. It was hard work doing this while full time employed but was worth it.
I was 45 when I enrolled to get my Master's degree. It was mainly for professional advancement. Where I work, it was an unwritten rule that you have to have at least a Master's degree to become Department Chairman.
Originally Posted By: berniedd
I was 45 when I enrolled to get my Master's degree. It was mainly for professional advancement. Where I work, it was an unwritten rule that you have to have at least a Master's degree to become Department Chairman.
You should have become a plumber if you wanted to succeed in life.
LOL
I was 45 when I enrolled to get my Master's degree. It was mainly for professional advancement. Where I work, it was an unwritten rule that you have to have at least a Master's degree to become Department Chairman.
You should have become a plumber if you wanted to succeed in life.
LOL
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