I'm 40 and thinking of going back to school

[Fritzo]

It pisses me off. I'm fine with regular math; addition, subtraction, multiplication, division...but as soon as you throw in the x's, y's, etc...it might as well be written in some obscure ancient Chinese dialect...

I took algebra during my freshman year of high school...but that was a LONG time ago...and I think they've changed the numbers since then. :biggrin:

It's easier than you think. Look- just imagine X as a number of your choosing, then Y as another number of your choosing, and then do this:

 

[Blackjack200]

It pisses me off. I'm fine with regular math; addition, subtraction, multiplication, division...but as soon as you throw in the x's, y's, etc...it might as well be written in some obscure ancient Chinese dialect...

I took algebra during my freshman year of high school...but that was a LONG time ago...and I think they've changed the numbers since then. :biggrin:

Not a lot of people will tell you this (or maybe they just won't admit it to themselves) but as you learn algebra (and geometry/trigonomety) the problems start to become very interesting and enjoyable.

I hope you give it a shot, I think it can actually be easier for an adult that is enthusiastic about learning than it is for a teenager that hates being in the classroom.

 

[rasczak]

I'd love to do it, but I'm in a situation where I have two teenage kids, a mortgage, and a partially disabled wife. I'm not sure I can afford it

Financial aid. There's got to be something out there for you.

 

[Fritzo]

Financial aid. There's got to be something out there for you.

I would think I make too much money. I make a good amount, but I'm in the phase of life where the kids are a giant money pit, my wife has a lot of medical bills, and the weak economy makes me cash strapped. I'll look to see what's available, but I'm not too hopeful.

 

[Saint Nick]

Get a loan, in this economy, who cares if you pay it back or you don't. Your cost of tuition will be a drop in the bucket in comparison to the millions of jobless graduates with $40k+ in student loans.

 

[PingSpike]

A degree from the University of Phoenix is pretty much worthless. My own company's HR dept. has laughed at people that list that in their education. It screams "Looks like this person couldn't cut it anywhere else."

And as for my company paying for school, here's an example I had with the company president last week:

Me: "I need to associate our Wordpress blog with our domain to increase it's SEO score. It's getting over a thousand hits per week and drawing people to our main page. It costs $12/year."

Prez: "Hmmmm....$12 per year? ::whips out calculator:: Let's see, that's $1/month. Hmmm.....well....::thinks long and hard for a minute or two:: I guess that would be OK. If it were $12/month I don't think we would do it, but $12 should be alright."

I can imagine approaching him for education costs.

I think I can see why your company is going down hill.

 

[Fritzo]

I think I can see why your company is going down hill.

He's been like that with every single expense in the company for the last 13 years. If you need something, the hoops you have to go through are:

1. Is there a free version?
2. How long can you use a trial version?
3. Is there any other way to do this without buying anything?
4. Is what you're doing REALLY necessary?
5. Find the 3 best prices.
6. Wait three months until the request is forgotten.
7. If it is still remembered after 3 months, the request will be considered.

 

[Turin39789]

Get started part time now, if company tanks go back full time and finish quickly.

 

[dfuze]

I say go for it. I am glad I did (and lucky company paid for 100% of it), going back in my mid 20s for my 2 year degree at a community college then last year went gung ho and got my bachelor's. I'm getting to my mid 30s but had the same thoughts, wondering if I took a class at a time if it was worth it. I'm not using my degree yet for my job, but I am glad I got it and can use it for future positions as they open up that require that magical 4 year piece of paper.

 

[PingSpike]

He's been like that with every single expense in the company for the last 13 years. If you need something, the hoops you have to go through are:

1. Is there a free version?
2. How long can you use a trial version?
3. Is there any other way to do this without buying anything?
4. Is what you're doing REALLY necessary?
5. Find the 3 best prices.
6. Wait three months until the request is forgotten.
7. If it is still remembered after 3 months, the request will be considered.

I can understand some level of obstruction just to prevent extremely frivolous expenses but the amount of expensive employee time spent quadruple justifying every tiny purchase and doing without the equipment needed to be more productive seems like the very definition of penny wise and pound foolish. I've worked places like that before, only it was worse. Politics dictated who got tons of weird unneeded crap and more pragmatic people were constantly bulldozed when they asked for something that would have actually made their lives way easier.

Regarding the topic at hand: My work offers tuition reimbursement (super awesome benefit) so I've started taking a course per semester related to software development or math. I already have a BS in CIS but I kind of wish I'd gone the software development route. I wouldn't be taking the courses if I didn't have tuition reimbursement though...to many competing expenses at this point my life. While my position is secure enough, I do worry if I ever lost this job whether I could find something comparable in the area. I figure having a broader skill set certainly couldn't hurt me in the adaptability department.

But ugh...with a house, wife, commute and at some point a family I'm not sure I'll keep up. I had a buddy that seemed to do it all at once and he did come out better on the other side but he seemed chronically over tired the whole time and had to work campus security nights to get tuition reimbursement while he studied.

I sort of agree with others though that if nothing else just take a course here and there. Is it possible to get transfer or get some credits from your 2 year degree? That would help a ton because who the hell wants to do the general education crap over again for no reason?

 

[BoomerD]

Solution: we meet for some grub and beers once per week, and I'll tutor you in algebra. I'm not claiming to be a math genius, as I barely passed entry-level calculus and trigonometry, but I'm solid in entry-level to intermediate algebra and finite math.

Alternatively, you could spend a few weeks/months drilling the algebra lessons from the Khan Academy website for free (you were going to pick-up the tab for grub and beers, right?).

Thanks for the offer, but the budget won't allow such frivolities..

I've spent some time in the khan academy. Good stuff, but I don't do all that well with the on-line learning stuff.
I have an old "Beginning and intermediate algebra" textbook that I picked up for $1 at the campus bookstore's "yard sale" a couple of years ago. I drag it out from time to time.

 

[BoomerD]

I'd love to do it, but I'm in a situation where I have two teenage kids, a mortgage, and a partially disabled wife. I'm not sure I can afford it

So start off with one course. Choose something you WANT to learn about...but something that's not so challenging and time consuming that you can't give it the time needed to be successful.

Dude...I went to community college in my 50's, after being out of school for almost 40 years. I had no "learning skills," no "study skills," and had basically forgotten how to learn in a classroom setting.
I changed my major from architectural drafting to bookkeeping/accounting after 1 year, so it took me 2-1/2 years to get my AS degrees...but in all that time, (2 regular semesters and one short summer semester every year) the LOWEST grade I got was a "B," and that was in "basic keyboarding" because the instructor didn't like my typing technique. My accuracy and speed were great...but my technique sucks.
For an old fuck like me who dropped out of high school to enlist in the USMC, a 3.94 GPA was quite an accomplishment.

Will it be easy? Hell no, but IMO, nothing worthwhile is ever "easy." Anytime you can learn something, it's time well spent.
I DO agree with those who have suggested that you not major in liberal arts...unless that's REALLY where you want to go...

 

[Josh]

MOST jobs of the future will require going back to school constantly. Just accept it.

As for going back at your age: Its doable but it sucks balls. I am 32 and I hate it. The children irritate the shit out of me.

The feeling is mutual buddy. I'm not saying I'm old, I'm 24, work full time and pay my way through school. Almost done. However, there are some older people in my classes who say the dumbest shit and don't know how to use a laptop/access the class' website and upload homework, download documents, etc. The class can be slowed down consideribly with all the questions you old folks ask...my God it's crazy.

Not saying this is you.

 

[alkemyst]

MOST jobs of the future will require going back to school constantly. Just accept it.

As for going back at your age: Its doable but it sucks balls. I am 32 and I hate it. The children irritate the shit out of me.

Most jobs don't require SCHOOL...in any real job learning is always needed. If you aren't reading and learning weekly you are setting sail to fail soon.

I went back to school at 30. Busted out a CSBS in 3 semesters. Just did it full time to not drag it out painfully.

 

[alkemyst]

The feeling is mutual buddy. I'm not saying I'm old, I'm 24, work full time and pay my way through school. Almost done. However, there are some older people in my classes who say the dumbest shit and don't know how to use a laptop/access the class' website and upload homework, download documents, etc. The class can be slowed down consideribly with all the questions you old folks ask...my God it's crazy.

Not saying this is you.

24 is the the slower grad. Most should be done by 22 with a four year degree unless they failed too much.

In 1999-2000 I noticed a lot more old people in class, in 1990-1995 not so many; but there where always a load of fucking retards in every college class.

Fortunately they failed back then. I think today they pass them since it's so easy to sue people and all that.

IMHO getting into college is too easy now, they made the the bachelor's degree really 16th grade.

 

[shortylickens]

Actually I spend most of my time teaching the children how to use their fucking computers. Most kids nowadays can only access facebook and their favorite porn site. Anything else and the computer kicks their ass.
Morans.

 

[gaidensensei]

I think today they pass them since it's so easy to sue people and all that.

IMHO getting into college is too easy now, they made the the bachelor's degree really 16th grade.

They've made the SAT's harder in response to this. It's nothing compared to what some of us took the sat's 10-25 years ago had. In fact, I actually feel more pitiful for the younger generation because they have so much more crap to memorize compared to people who finished college a decade ago.

 

[MarkXIX]

MOST jobs of the future will require going back to school constantly. Just accept it.

As for going back at your age: Its doable but it sucks balls. I am 32 and I hate it. The children irritate the shit out of me.

This. I just finished at age 35 and I hated every fucking millisecond of it. So glad I'm done though.

 

[alkemyst]

Actually I spend most of my time teaching the children how to use their fucking computers. Most kids nowadays can only access facebook and their favorite porn site. Anything else and the computer kicks their ass.
Morans.

serious? I don't get you too much here...the only thing I usually see is you in chick pic threads and in the same breathe saying you can't get laid over 2 years now.

I'd learn to use your dick first. Before teaching anything else.

 

[KentState]

I lacked the motivation the first time around and could only get through 3 years. I applaud anyone that can juggle school, work and family later in life. The biggest problem I had when trying to go back was putting in the extra time and missing out on additional contracting opportunities. If I'm going to spend time outside of work, I'd rather make $100/hour for it.

 

[tcsenter]

I've spent some time in the khan academy. Good stuff, but I don't do all that well with the on-line learning stuff. I have an old "Beginning and intermediate algebra" textbook that I picked up for $1 at the campus bookstore's "yard sale" a couple of years ago. I drag it out from time to time.

Well from one math-challenged person who doesn't easily "understand" math to another, its like anything else; practice, practice, exposure, exposure. The more you do it...

 

[Elias824]

My dad didnt get his CS degree until he was in his 40's, I had a guy in on of my undergrad classes that was in his 60s even. Id say go back part time and if shit happens a year or two down the road you can go full time and burn through the degree.

 

[tcsenter]

I'd love to do it, but I'm in a situation where I have two teenage kids, a mortgage, and a partially disabled wife. I'm not sure I can afford it

I understand. I'm on disability and my disability has seriously limited my opportunities and future. But moderate to severe depression has sometimes also limited what I believe is possible for me to do, and sometimes I have trouble knowing the difference between perception and reality insofar as what is possible or feasible for me. I can't tell you what is possible or feasible for you, I just want you to know that whatever you think is your limit, your real limit is probably a lot higher than you imagine it to be. Good luck!