I have a dilemma right now and not sure what I should do. A little history...

I have been home with my kids for 20+ years, moving around the country and world supporting my husband.

My husband and I left Mormonism over 7 years ago, still having issues with extended family, etc. Very similar to many of you.

Due to my kids ages and the amount of time my husband has always worked, I have been left with everything at home, which I don't believe it so uncommon within the church and also outside the church for women who quit careers to raise their children.

My dilemma now is this: I have been trying to find a job but really do not have marketable skills any more. (I have done a lot of volunteer work through schools and had a few miscellaneous jobs over the years.)

I am about to turn 50.

I would like to go back to school, get a master's in accounting, take the CPA exam, and hopefully find a job. My husband thinks I am a little crazy.

I contend that with the current job market, my lack of current and relevant experience, I have very limited opportunities. I suppose I could try and get some low paying, retail job, probably only seasonal for the holidays, but I have a hard time thinking about working for $7 or $8 an hour, working inconvenient hours, at a job I did in high school.

My prior work experience is as an internal accountant, working in private industry and banking.

So, am I too old to go back to school?

How old will you be if you DON'T go back?

(Go back!)

1. I agree with Twinker.
2. I agree with Twinker.
3. My wife decided about 4 1/2 years ago that she wanted to be a nurse. So, after two years of prereqs, she was accepted to nursing school. She graduated a few weeks ago, and now is an RN. She just turned 49. Was it a challenge? Yup!! Luckily, we have a very old cat that would climb in her lap while she studied. We think the cat was able to calm her nerves and help her to focus.

So, get a cat, and do it!

By the way, I could not be prouder of my wife.

More and more college students these days are adults returning to education. I have thought about going back myself - I'm sort of in the same boat as you. But we're getting ready to send my DD in 2 years and I'm not sure I can justify the expense right now. But age has nothing to do with it.

Every year it seems that I see a bit on the news about an 80+ getting their degree. If they're not too old then those of us who are still "spring chickens" in our fifties are not too old either.

Go for it!

Mormonism robbed you of your education and career. Take back your life and do what you've always wanted to do.

My situation is very similar to yours. I'm also about to re-enter the workforce after many years at home with the kids. I went back to school a year or so ago to sharpen my skills and have not yet put my certification to use outside the home. But I am about to . . . and I'm scared stiff! (As I'm sure you are, too, deep down inside).

Your husband only sees "crazy" in this idea because he's not looking at you outside of your Mormon box. He'll get used to the new you (and more money!) as you succeed in your university classes and eventually become happily employed.

Good luck to you! Really. I found a few other older students like me in the classes I took recently. The younger girls were nice and welcoming to me. I didn't feel weird or out of place. Common interest in your field binds you together as classmates. Age doesn't matter.

Love,
Shannon ;o)

P.S. I am 50.

You are absolutely not too old to go to school. Nobody is. And try not to be intimidated.

One thing that used to give me a little more confidence was to observe how poorly many people do their jobs. I don't mean for this to sound strange or uncharitable. But if the work these people do is acceptable, surely I would be able to hack it!

Yes, you are too old.

1. You might learn something, god forbid.
2. It might stimulate your brain, and we know that's not good.
3. FASB has like 285 new rulings you have to learn.
4. Going back to school will cut down on sex time at home.
5. Earning more money will only end up in you having... well..more money.

That's all I got.

Ron (57)

We old farts can prioritize, concentrate, control our impulses, make connections between the course material and real life... We have decades more wisdom and experience. Oh, and we can intimidate the instructors.

Women have gotten degrees in their 70's. You're a mere young 'un, compared to them!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/09/2010 09:44AM by WiserWomanNow.

So, am I too old to go back to school?

No. You are not.

go for it!

Of course you're not too old to go back to school.

However, if you're really asking if you'll be rewarded with a good job when you're done, that's a different story.

My old job folded up when I was about your age. I went back to school and got a couple fresh new pieces of paper. I'm glad I did.

However... in the current economic environment, there weren't many opportunities for the likes of me....

I'm able to find stuff to do here and there, and that works okay. I tell myself I'm kind of retired, working whenever I can, and enjoying life and traveling when I don't.

The CPA idea is good, especially if you can work independently and make a go of wrestling up your own work.

Best wishes. Like others have said.... we'll all be growing older regardless of the decisions we make!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/09/2010 09:55AM by jpt.

That one's a classic from a noted AA speaker...

Go for it...

I am in the same place in a way, without the Mormon box.

Left the work force over 20 years ago, and no degree.

With the job market being what it is, and no degree a job would be just that. And not needing a paycheck or retirement it would at this point be to alleviate boredom.

Seems to be a great time to be in school for anyone of any age.
The school my child attends has plenty of middle aged students. Mostly women from what he says.

Go back, my girlfriends and I are back in school. Me, I'm working on an MBA one class at a time, yes, it'll take a while but who cares! My gf has a degree in marketing and is trying to get into nursing school. My other gf doesn't have a degree and has started into her bachelors with two kids and running her own business. We're between the ages of 43 and 46. Do it. You have NOTHING to lose. But I like Ron's reply best....LOL!!! :)

More education is always a good thing, IMO. Even if you don't wind up doing something with it, stretching yourself, studying, and stepping outside your box is always a positive thing and well worth the investment.

My fiancé's grandpa always likes to joke that he was able to maintain a 4.0 in college because he went back later in life and took it one class at a time.

You may need to deal with being the oldest person in the class, but I will bet you will be an inspiration to many.

I was in the Navy for 8 years before I went to college. I was then 27, not in my '50s. The only problem I had was younger students always trying to get me to buy beer for them.

(I didn't. Being in jail might cause me to miss a midterm)

There were students much older than me; the ones I knew did well. One guy had dropped out as an engineering student to serve in WW II; after the war had worked many years as a surveyor; just wanted to prove to himself he could get a CE degree and a PE license.


DO IT!

You'll be a more dedicated student than most 20 year olds anyhow! :-) It's not so easy with a family, but it can be done. My daughter went back to school and will have her masters at 46.

My advice-

From what you have written it sounds like you would like a job, and consider the education necessary for a good job.

It also sounds like you are comfortable financially.

*IF* getting an education and becoming a CPA is your life's dream, I say go for it!

*IF* you are just looking for a respectable job and I am correct about your situation above, and if the education and the cpa aren't the goal itself, then I say start a small business that relates to something you are passionate and knowledgeable about.

It's respectable and doesn't require the few years of education.

It's never too late to enrich your life, and that is what this is all about, right?

Go for it! You will undoubtedly find other older students who will be going through the same things and will be a good support group for you. I went back to school full-time in my 40's to get my MBA while I had a 4-5 year old. I found that I was much more efficient with my time than most of the younger students and much more focused at studying than I had ever been as an undergraduate. I met some other older women in the program who were all very supportive of each other. I managed to graduate with honors, as did a couple other of my fellow older students. It was a very rewarding experience and definitely boosted my self-confidence. It's never too late to grow and learn.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
Mark Twain

"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great."
— Mark Twain

A friend of mine will graduate with her teaching credential next year, when she is 64. She has been in school the past 12 years. She will make an excellent teacher.

Go back! Age should not be a factor in your decision. Regret is almost always worse than fear.

Accounting is an excellent field, and even in this economy, there are accounting jobs out there! You may hear a lot of fear-talk and nay-saying, about unemployment, but Accounting and the medical fields are two exceptions.

I went back to school in my 40's, for 4 years, to get my PhD and other training, in order to advance in my career, and people said I was crazy, too. I was a newly-divorced single mother, and was able to work part-time at home. I turned the dining room into an office. I was home when the children came home from school, and I could study in the evenings with them. At first, I was so intimidated by the high-level classes and the younger, sharper students, that I actually would get stomach aches before class. After a few weeks, I realized that I was an A student. Yes--college is much easier when you're older!

You have previous accounting/bookkeeping experience, and that teaches you more than classes do. You will probably be their top student! Enjoy! It is a piece of cake! The only thing I didn't like were group projects, because that took valuable time in the evenings, and I was at the mercy of other people's schedules. I would inquire ahead of time, and make sure a class did not require a group project, and once I convinced the teacher to let me do an individual project instead.

You might decide to go to work before taking the CPA exam, which many accountants do.

Great idea to get your degree!
Great idea to go into accounting!
You have everything to win and nothing to lose!
You will be a great example to your children!
As a side-effect, your self esteem will go through the roof!

NO! I went back at 50 and it was wonderful! I got my Masters in about 14 months and went to work. It is never too late to live the rest of your life.

I returned to school the month I turned 50. Wandered around campus for awhile with all those 20-somethings on their cell phones. Three years later, I ended up as an art teacher, which inspired me to again paint. (Caring for young children and fine art painting hadn't mixed well earlier.) One of the best decisions I ever made. And, I've won national awards for my art. Shocked everyone, especially me!

Thanks to everyone for your thoughts! I have struggled with this because my husband really doesn't want me to go back to school, but I have wanted to do this for a long time.

After spending over 20 years worrying about everyone else, I think it is time for me to do something for myself for a change. I will return and report!

Keep us updated.

but do the math too....er I mean accounting. How much will the degree cost you and will you have to take out student loans to pay for it? If you end up 50 to 60 K in debt for your degree you might not have the timeline to make it worthwhile. That doesn't mean it will not be worth it for its own sake though.

Go for it!!! Nothing worse than looking back and thinking what could have been. Also might consider a good trade school. Any type of education at any age is good.

He did develop a practice but it was always rather small.

My advice is to do what you feel inclined to do. If that is to go back to school and earn a degree, I say, why not??

I am probably about the age my father was when he went to law school. If I were to go back to school, it wopuild be for one of two reasons. 1, to pick up a few more skills so I could gain a little freedom in my emplyment, or 2, for the shear fell of it and I would get a degree in something I would never be able to use at my age. Something like biology or horticulture. Life is to be lived (imo) and learning a a good part of living it.

Going back to school as an adult is such a privilege. I was a far better student as an adult than I was as a teenager. The intellectual challenge was immensely enjoyable.

For me, money was a major worry. If it's a concern for you, go to a state school and get a part-time job as a TA or GA. If you *must* borrow money to go to school, try to keep your loan totals as minimal as possible. I personally wouldn't go above 12-15K in loans given your age. And figure on working about fifteen years to make the investment worth it.

I agree with Crathes about the cat! :-) On nights when I was completely stressed out by school and expenses, I would grab our elderly family cat and have him sleep on my stomach. His warmth and his purr were very comforting!

I was given a Phi Kappa Phi honorary medallion for being in the top ten percent of all students grade-wise. My dad had been given the same honor back in the day.