Anyone gone back in their late thirties/early forties?

How did you find it? Also, how did you finance it?

What are you thinking of doing?

Me – mid forties doing an MA. Doing it full time and paying for it through my redundancy money – another guy on my programme is working two days a week and has a sympathetic wife.

I found it difficult to get back into to the academic thing in some ways, particularly because I’m doing a Masters in political economy – which is a whole lot of reading with not too many seminars. Means it takes a lot of self-motivation. Particularly compared with work – you are not letting anyone else but yourself down if you don’t try. Temptation to just fanny about in the internet and post on forums is very high…

On the upside the flexibility is really good – nice day, go out on my bike and work in the evening. I also enjoy the intellectual challenge and my horizons have been significantly broadened. The students on my course are a bit older, so don’t feel too out of place in that respect – they are also from all over the world, which is interesting.Staff are a lot more approachable than when I did my undergraduate, and being older its more of a peer discussion

All in all I’m really enjoying it – but I have a medium term plan so its a relatively low risk choice for me.

I’m thinking of doing something in Geology, maybe Environmental Geoscience.

I have no dependents, other than a bicycle and music addiction, so that’s not an issue.

My ex went back in her late 40’s, it was a mature student targeted degree so many where doing while still working full or part time. Joining a normal undergrad degree with 18/19 year olds might be a bit wierd. If you really want to do it, then go for it !

I’m starting in September, Physiotherapy BSc (39 years old). I’m selling my van and the equipment from my old job, getting a loan and living very frugally 😉

This what I’m looking at:

http://www.bbk.ac.uk/study/2014/undergraduate/programmes/UBSGLEVI_C/

It’s a part-time/distance learning degree in Environmental Geology.

I live just South of London so fairly local.

Sounds good Mikey – 100 days of fieldwork! That’s why I did geology, or one of the reasons anyway 😀

Gotta work out how to pay for the thing now, lol.

Student finance will fund you, I’ve just graduated in geology and had no issues with the funding. The 18 year olds WILL make you feel ancient and you will need to learn their language 😉

but did you already have a degree?

Go for it Mike! I knew plenty of 30-40 year old students on my course and interacted with them no differently. Then again, I was 20 when I went (2 years out seems to make a bit of a difference).

Not a degree no but I had been funded for two HE courses previously. I got them classed as false starts and got a full four years funding for my Geology degree.

I didn’t go back after the first Summer.

Always considered returning put probably never will.

part time BA for me – taking unpaid leave as and when necessary.

Kids think it’s great when we’re all getting ready to go to ‘school’. Wife is understanding, which I think is the most important thing