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Started By
Message
I’m in my mid 40’s and applying for college
Posted on 10/13/25 at 3:56 pm
Posted on 10/13/25 at 3:56 pm
Am I crazy? Have any of you gone back to school at this stage of life?
I already have 2 degrees, but never got the one I wanted which is Mechanical Engineering.
I’ve got a great career and earn 6 figures already, so I’m not doing it for money. However, I’m about tapped out in my career. There are very few growth opportunities for me from here and I’m getting bored being a Sr level guy and not learning much anymore.
Also, the company I work for will pay tuition which is also helping in my decision. I just hope I’m not biting off more than I can chew, it’s been a while since I’ve been in college.
I already have 2 degrees, but never got the one I wanted which is Mechanical Engineering.
I’ve got a great career and earn 6 figures already, so I’m not doing it for money. However, I’m about tapped out in my career. There are very few growth opportunities for me from here and I’m getting bored being a Sr level guy and not learning much anymore.
Also, the company I work for will pay tuition which is also helping in my decision. I just hope I’m not biting off more than I can chew, it’s been a while since I’ve been in college.
48
Posted on 10/13/25 at 3:57 pm to pickle311
How many credits you have to complete?
Posted on 10/13/25 at 3:57 pm to pickle311
Riz 'em with the tism pops
Posted on 10/13/25 at 3:57 pm to pickle311
Can you play an instrument?
Posted on 10/13/25 at 3:59 pm to 756
Don’t know exactly yet, I’m working on that. Hopefully I can finish in 2 years or less.
Posted on 10/13/25 at 3:59 pm to Jim Rockford
quote:
Can you play an instrument?
tuba section is already aarped out
Posted on 10/13/25 at 3:59 pm to Jim Rockford
I play your mom’s instrument regularly
Posted on 10/13/25 at 4:01 pm to pickle311
quote:
earn 6 figures already,
$105k or $950k. Big difference.
Posted on 10/13/25 at 4:02 pm to pickle311
Not crazy at all. Getting older gives you great perspective and you've had the opportunity to develop your time management skills even more.
That being said, I will forewarn you that ME requires a huge time commitment, depending on what math classes you've already taken and your baseline math skills.
That being said, I will forewarn you that ME requires a huge time commitment, depending on what math classes you've already taken and your baseline math skills.
Posted on 10/13/25 at 4:02 pm to pickle311
Go for it. You don't want to spend the rest of your career doing something you don't enjoy
Posted on 10/13/25 at 4:03 pm to pickle311
quote:
Am I crazy? Have any of you gone back to school at this stage of life?
I started college at 28 and spent 7 years taking classes at night to get an accounting degree. It's not fun but worth it. When I retire I hope to go back to get an art degree.
Posted on 10/13/25 at 4:03 pm to pickle311
Posted on 10/13/25 at 4:03 pm to pickle311
You should try to be around more college females. ME ain’t it.
Posted on 10/13/25 at 4:04 pm to danilo
quote:
quote:
earn 6 figures already,
$105k or $950k. Big difference.
baw was just plugging his obligatory OT baller bona fides
Posted on 10/13/25 at 4:05 pm to pickle311
I went back for an MS when I was in my late 30s. I found that I knew more about the field than 2/3 of the professors I had, having worked in it for 12 years. I just couldn't bring myself to just give the answers the profs were asking for knowing they were wrong.
But I also don't think I could go back today because of how so much of it is online. The whole process seems to have changed since the 80s.
But I also don't think I could go back today because of how so much of it is online. The whole process seems to have changed since the 80s.
Posted on 10/13/25 at 4:09 pm to pickle311
I finished my business degree at LSU in 2004.
Then I took 9 additional hours of geology at Centenary over 3 semesters from 2014-2015 because I worked in O&G and I had an immediate family member who worked for Centenary. At that time you could get free tuition for immediate family members until someone's autistic kid fricked it up by taking like 250 hours over 10 years.
Anyway, I was in my 30's and it was incredibly easy because I was genuinely interested in the classes. I was the old guy all the kid's hated. Missed 1 class in 3 semesters, asked extra questions at the end of class and set the curve on 90% of the test.
Then I took 9 additional hours of geology at Centenary over 3 semesters from 2014-2015 because I worked in O&G and I had an immediate family member who worked for Centenary. At that time you could get free tuition for immediate family members until someone's autistic kid fricked it up by taking like 250 hours over 10 years.
Anyway, I was in my 30's and it was incredibly easy because I was genuinely interested in the classes. I was the old guy all the kid's hated. Missed 1 class in 3 semesters, asked extra questions at the end of class and set the curve on 90% of the test.
Posted on 10/13/25 at 4:10 pm to Clyde Tipton
quote:
Missed 1 class in 3 semesters, asked extra questions at the end of class and set the curve on 90% of the test.
nerd alert
Posted on 10/13/25 at 4:12 pm to pickle311
quote:
I’m in my mid 40’s and applying for college
Am I crazy?
Yes
quote:
Have any of you gone back to school at this stage of life?
Last year I was bored and decided that I would try to get a masters of public health from LSU Shreveport. I enrolled in the program. Less than an hour into doing the coursework and after reading the discussion board I would have to participate in I decided that I was not that bored and dropped.
quote:
I already have 2 degrees, but never got the one I wanted which is Mechanical Engineering.
I have three degrees one of which is a Doctorate of Medicine
ETA: damn autocorrect changed bored to board.
This post was edited on 10/13/25 at 4:53 pm
Posted on 10/13/25 at 4:14 pm to pickle311
60 year old mechanical engineer here. Personally, I couldn't possibly sit in a class room again. I briefly though about grad school once then actually took a few days and walked around campus before a football weekend, including going through the engineering buildings and looking into the class rooms while the classes were in session. That's when I told myself "never again".
I spent the last half of my career in Automation and Motor Controls, much more electrical than mechanical. I was self taught. I applied controls and variable speed drives to plant processes to solve various problems. I was good at it and the bug bit me.
What goal do you want to accomplish with this degree? Most likely, to actually accomplish it will take way more individual initiative and self taught skills than it will any kind of classroom instruction or diploma on the wall.
Nobody who ever hired me really cared that much about what my degree was, they were way more interested in my skills and accomplishments.
I spent the last half of my career in Automation and Motor Controls, much more electrical than mechanical. I was self taught. I applied controls and variable speed drives to plant processes to solve various problems. I was good at it and the bug bit me.
What goal do you want to accomplish with this degree? Most likely, to actually accomplish it will take way more individual initiative and self taught skills than it will any kind of classroom instruction or diploma on the wall.
Nobody who ever hired me really cared that much about what my degree was, they were way more interested in my skills and accomplishments.
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