Am I nuts?????

[Jbs2763]

Now before y'all jump to conclusions and answer that without reading this....(kira, checker, hoosier)

Here is what I am pondering......

I have been out of HS for 11 years..... made a very unsucessful attempt at "real college" in 1997 basicly i failed everything ... convincingly

I am going to start taking online classes thru BYU

and maybe...if i do gooder than i did a decade ago......after i get about 30 hrs of online stuff done

transfer to BYU or BYU I

keep in mind..by then i'll be 31/32 and perhaps still single.....

so

AM I FREAKIN NUTS????

[Lbybug]

i'm upset that you left me out of the list of those who jump to conclusions...because i'd say yes automatically...

however, it's never too late to start school. i think if you're doing well and enjoy taking classes then, by all means, transfer. when i went back to school the 2nd time, the average age of people in my classes was probably 35. i say go for it.

[checkerboy]

Hahahah Wow I was so ready to say yes but then you mentioned me by name, so now I feel all special. But no I think it is awesome that you are going back to school. And if you do come to Rexburg I have a cool mid singles group that I started going to that I could hook you up with.

[Palerider]

Now before y'all jump to conclusions and answer that without reading this....(kira, checker, hoosier)

Here is what I am pondering......

I have been out of HS for 11 years..... made a very unsucessful attempt at "real college" in 1997 basicly i failed everything ... convincingly

I am going to start taking online classes thru BYU

and maybe...if i do gooder than i did a decade ago......after i get about 30 hrs of online stuff done

transfer to BYU or BYU I

keep in mind..by then i'll be 31/32 and perhaps still single.....

so

AM I FREAKIN NUTS????

as long as you keep doing gooder....you will never be nuts....:)

[Jbs2763]

i'm upset that you left me out of the list of those who jump to conclusions...because i'd say yes automatically...

however, it's never too late to start school. i think if you're doing well and enjoy taking classes then, by all means, transfer. when i went back to school the 2nd time, the average age of people in my classes was probably 35. i say go for it.

sorry becks....today was a 14 hour day at work and i aint perfect....dang close but no....

[piper]

Definitely not too late to start school. Hope it works great for you

[Lbybug]

you're forgiven jbs, just don't let it happen again

[Tough Grits]

AM I FREAKIN NUTS????

Nope...not in my book.

I am 34, married, have two small children, and I work full-time. I am also in my third semester at college, getting an associates degree in Sociology.

I am tired, exhausted, and VERY busy...but I LOVE it. College is awesome. I have not regretted a moment of it so far!

Go for it!

[AngelonaWing]

I don't think your NUTS!! GO FOR IT!!

[StallionMcBeastly]

AM I FREAKIN NUTS????

yes.

lol

[breeb]

My H is 34 and going back to school too. If it will better you and your situation how can it be nuts? My H is actually pretty peeved he didnt do it sooner. He'd say your nuts if you put it off any longer.

[Kirajo]

I think you're more mature now then you were then so you can handle more and are more disciplined. Who cares what age you are as long as you're doing what you love and are happy?! :)

[Maureen]

...AM I FREAKIN NUTS????

jbs, I think it's better to go now, since you are single, than waiting till you're married with kids. You're never too old for school.

Now, wanting to go to school doesn't mean you're NUTS, you could be NUTS for other reasons though.

M.

[HoosierGuy]

I almost graduated and left in 1998. Ten year later, at age 36, I went back and tried to finish my degree. One of the reasons why I wanted God in my life is to give me the strength to go back and finish my degree. I went back, found out I needed only one class. I took it. Made an A. I thought I would be given my degree. Then I found out I may need two semesters of a foreign language. I always wanted to learn a foreign language, so cool I thought. But last week I found out I will probably have to take an English class and a Multicultural class as well. I did not want to take another English class or Multicultural class. I was devastated. I was even asking if Father was punishing me for some reason.

Now I know, this was not a punishment. It's there for a reason. So, here I am, 36 years old. Trying to finish my degree. Hopefully next semester I can start taking those classes, preferable online.

I have to say - I'm a lot more mature now than I was back in the 1990's. If I took all those classes over again - I would have made higher grades for sure. Now I actually like reading and putting things to memory.

I'm not sure if I can make it thru those classes I need or not. But if I can, I'm going to start thinking about, maybe, take some more classes. Maybe on something that really interests me - social work and helping the needy and poor. Long way off tho. I have to get thru those three courses first.

It's nice to find so many people in their 30's also going back to school.

[Jbs2763]

I almost graduated and left in 1998. Ten year later, at age 36, I went back and tried to finish my degree. One of the reasons why I wanted God in my life is to give me the strength to go back and finish my degree. I went back, found out I needed only one class. I took it. Made an A. I thought I would be given my degree. Then I found out I may need two semesters of a foreign language. I always wanted to learn a foreign language, so cool I thought. But last week I found out I will probably have to take an English class and a Multicultural class as well. I did not want to take another English class or Multicultural class. I was devastated. I was even asking if Father was punishing me for some reason.

Now I know, this was not a punishment. It's there for a reason. So, here I am, 36 years old. Trying to finish my degree. Hopefully next semester I can start taking those classes, preferable online.

I have to say - I'm a lot more mature now than I was back in the 1990's. If I took all those classes over again - I would have made higher grades for sure. Now I actually like reading and putting things to memory.

I'm not sure if I can make it thru those classes I need or not. But if I can, I'm going to start thinking about, maybe, take some more classes. Maybe on something that really interests me - social work and helping the needy and poor. Long way off tho. I have to get thru those three courses first.

It's nice to find so many people in their 30's also going back to school.

I emailed IUPUI to see if BYU Online stuff would transfer...they haven't replied but i wonder if they would to ISU?

[MarginOfError]

Anyone who would go to BYU (of any variety) has got to be nuts.

Edited September 20, 2008 by MarginOfError

[Guest SisterofJared]

You know, my s-i-l went to college and got his degree after he was a married father of 3. He worked a full time job and a part time job to support his family while he was in school.

He tripled his income when he got his degree.

Are you nuts for going back to school now, while you are still single and don't yet have a family to support? Are you nuts to do this when you won't have to work two jobs all the time you're in school just to feed and care for your family?

Heck no, you'd be NUTS if you put if off!

Good luck! My only advice is whatever career you pick... make sure it's one that requires a physical presence here in the US, or whichever place you choose to live. Far too many jobs are going overseas... if they can hire a computer programer in the philipines for 1/3 the cost of a programer in the US, that's exactly what they will do. But generally a doctor or even a mechanic must be physically present to do their job. If you want security for the future, be careful not to go into a career field that can be done overseas. Having a career that you are interested in is important, but think through the odds. Just a word from an old lady who has seen the jobs fleeing our country.

Good luck!

Sister of Jared

[Misshalfway]

Anyone who would go to BYU (or any variety) has got to be nuts.

Thems is fightin' words, bub! I may have to take you out behind the barn and show you what for!!!

[HoosierGuy]

I emailed IUPUI to see if BYU Online stuff would transfer...they haven't replied but i wonder if they would to ISU?

I was talking to a member in my ward a month ago and he said his wife went to BYU Idaho and ISU would not take the credits she earned. Might be different for you or some one else tho.

[Truegrits]

Am I nuts?????

keep in mind..by then i'll be 31/32 and perhaps still single.....

I was divorced and 32/33 when I went back to school. One of the best things I ever did! Go for it.

[richlittell]

I went back to school at 30ish, had great plans for finishing before I was 35, didn't finish till I was 40---jobs, family, school, family, jobs, school, and etc. Just kept plugging at it. Now I work nine months out of the year, get paid for three to do nothing, and get an annual monthly bonus to boot. I'd say it was worth it. (however, BEWARE the student loans! don't overdo it or you'll have serious regrets)

[Elphaba]

Hi JBS,

I went back to school at 26, and felt that was too old, but I did it anyway, and had my bachelor's at 28 (I had many classes the college articulated.) Then I decided to get my master's degree and finished when I was 30.

I realize 30 is younger than you will be, and you might dismiss what I have to say because of it. But it was pivotal in my decision to return, and so it might help you as well:

The time is going to pass whether you go back to school or not.

Therefore, in three years you're either going to have a degree, or you're not. While returning to school may be difficult, it will pass much quicker than you realize. And no one is going to think it odd, as many colleges have a higher percentage of non-traditional students than traditional these days.

Returning to school later in life is the "IN" thing to do now. In fact, here is a story about a ninety-year-old woman who went back to school to get her master's.

I can imagine the thought of going back to school is daunting. But whenever you feel this way, keep telling yourself, the time is going to pass no matter what I do.

I have another piece of advice that will not be popular, but here goes:

I was fanatic about my grades and worked my butt off to get As. And I got them, but guess what? All of the anxiety, and frantic work that left me exhausted to the bone, was a TOTAL WASTE OF MY TIME!

In fact, I thought my grades would ensure I could choose, and enter, any master's program I wanted, but I was wrong. It turned out that when deciding which students to let into the program, straight As was a detriment. The administrators saw it as a sign of a perfectionist who did not use her time wisely, and was unable to focus on balance. And they were right. I had spent so much time obssessing about getting As, I had no time for anything else. In fact, I was editor-in-chief of the school's newspaper, and had to give it up because of my drive to get As. This was heart breaking to me, as I loved being the editor. So, I made a huge mistake choosing grades over the paper.

Additionally, once I graduated, not one person who interviewed me for a job asked to see my transcripts. Frankly, I was annoyed, as my grades were my one claim-to-fame. But, all they cared about is that I had my degree.

That is when I realized I could have relaxed, and not taken the grades so seriously. I could have even settled for some Cs, and would have been fine. I don't know that I could have done that because I was a fanatic perfectionist at the time. But even Bs would have been much easier than As. In fact, I really went overboard getting those.

My point is, if you do decide to return to school, don't take the grades so seriously you exhaust yourself.

Perhaps someone here has had a different experience than me, but I swear to you, NO ONE cared about my grades.

Hope this helps.

Elphaba

Edited September 20, 2008 by Elphaba

[candyprpl]

Your never nuts to seek more learning, education. It's never nuts to better one's self.

D&C 130:19

And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come.

Do it now before wife and kids -- that's just sanity speaking.