going to grad school after age 50

[ka16325833]

Anyone else out there thinking this is the beginning, not the end? I'm researching grad school and dreaming about a new and fulfilling encore career. I'd like to hear your experiences. Did you do an in-person or an online program? Were you accepted by the other students even though you were older? What were the rewards and the challenges?

[kanda]

At this time I am not looking at grad school, but will be graduating in May with my Bacholors Degree in Health Care Managment. The school where I am a student is National American University in South Dekota. I am an on line student and really have enjoyed the on line experience and have had a wonderful staff to work with. I do know that they have a Graduate Program and would highly recommend this school.

[mlavoie]

That depends, if you are going to grad school because you enjoy learning and can afford it. Grad school can be a lot of fun, it is challenging and keeps the mind alive with new information. However, if you are not yet financially stable and are thinking about changing careers, think again. I went to grad school, got a masters in nursing science, I enjoyed the education but as far as jobs go it is not worth it. I ended up with a large student debt and am back in the job I did before. I make more money as a staff nurse than what I coud make as an instructor, and other jobs are difficult to get because of my age.

[lk27678018]

My above comment was for an above entry. Sorry. What Sr. Citizen scholarship did you apply for and how did you find our about it? Thx.

[LivingADayAtATime]

There are many scholarships for seniors.  Many states offer students no or low cost options to go take college credits or audit courses.  You will probably need to google your own state's programs.  According to Collegescholarips.org:

"States that currently offer tuition waivers for some of their public colleges are: Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont and Virginia, and Washington, D.C."

Also many community colleges offer lots of scholarships/work opportunities for all students.  The community college we went to offered scholarships to seniors as long as the fund had money that semestier-it covered about 1/3 of the class cost. It wasn't a hard application form-just one page.

We did two Americorp programs.  That work provided us with over 6,000 dollars in tuition awards.  The programs we did also gave us an opportunity to work and hike in California and Alaska.

The future is now.  If you are wishing that you had finisned those last two courses to get your degree maybe the time is now.  If you have always been interested in  ??? but had to support your family-maybe learning about it will work out now.

The folks we met in our classes were really nice.  We learned from there expertise and they learned from ours.  There were some funny times-like when one of our classmates asked us what we did over the weekend and we said we celebrated our anniversary.  He asked how long we had been married and we could see him mentally calculating - they have been married more than twice as long as I have been alive.  Great way to stay yound and involved.

[retiredtraveler]

"...The folks we met in our classes were really nice.  We learned from there expertise and they learned from ours....".

   Ok. Everyone had a fun experience. What is the employment rate? That is, did everyone get jobs or just have a nice experience? 

[lk27678018]

Aren't you concerned about owing $80 ,000?

[LivingADayAtATime]

My husband and I went back for an associates degree at a local college.  Although we could have enrolled in a Masters program, we wanted more hands on work than a masters program would have prepared us for.  It was great.  It took a little while to get back into the habit of studying and tests but it was well worth it.  We are in our 60s and have had some really great seasonal jobs since then.  The students and profs were all younger than us - it worked out fine.  We were totally accepted.  We used money from Americorp work to pay for much of our schooling.  We also got senior citizen scholarships.

There is a fantastic world of opportunities out there. 

[lenora61]

Please help me. I'm retired and attempted getting my college degree. I have been trying to find funding for school since I've registered. I'm on a fixed income every little bit helps. I live in Pa. so could you please e-mail me any information that could help, thanks           

[jc2385226]

I AM IN A MASTERS PROGRAM FOR PASTORAL CARE AND COUNSELING,  MY UNDERGRAD WAS IN SCIOLOGY AND PSYCHOLOGY,  I AM GOING IN TO MY FOURTH SEMESTER BUT WILL NOT HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY FOR IT.  I AM LOOKING FOR A SCHOLARSHIP TO FUND MY PROGRAM SO THAT I CAN FINISH EARLIER THAN 2024 WHICH IS WHEN I WILL FINISH AT THE RATE I AM GOING! ONE COURSE A SEMESTER.  I NEED HELP WITH SCHOLARSHIP MONEY.  CAN ANYONE HELP ME?

[jc2385226]

I AM ADDING TO MY PREVIOUS POST THAT I AM 69 AND ON SOCIAL SECURITY. BLESSED AND LOOKING TO TAKE MY MINISTRY TO ANOTHER LEVEL BY GETTING MASTERS. IF ANYONE KNOWS OF SITE TO APPLY OR ANY RESOURCES AT ALL PLEASE SHARE. THANKS!

[cf476]

I have worked via a M.A. in family and consumer resources, in a 30 year career path that included being a Registered Dietitian, Health Educator, food columnist and college health and humanities instructor. During the 2010 AARP Convention in LA I took the challenge to "reinvent" myself and pursue a long deferred dream. Instead of going for another graduate degree after 50 I enrolled in a hands on B.Sc, program in Digital Cinema and Video Production at the Art Institute of CA (initially the Santa Monica campus; now the N. Hollywood campus). It has been fantastically rewarding. there were some physical challenges in lifting some gear, but younger students quickly begn to step in to give me lighter objects to carry when doing team projects. Between my start in 2011 and my upcoming graduation in March 2016 I have created three short documentaries, two narrative short films, had a portfolio film screened at the International Film Festival of Cinematic Arts, at my 50th hight school reunion, and at my church. I am happier with the skills and absolute personal happiness with learning something that was considered "too impractical" during my initial college education. People have asked why "at your age" are you doing another undergraduate degree rather than pursuing a doctorate. (I have been awarded an honorary doctorate in religious humanities for health work with underserved communities, however the degree is not the most important thing to me right now). Unfortunately the Institute's financial Aid department did not have or offer to help identify grants available for people over 50. 

I have a new student loan debt of over 80.000, but I feel rich with what I have learned and the opportunity it has given me to re-enter the job market confident that I can collaborate or compete with milleniums. Passion rather than age should be the determining factor in deciding whether to go back to college after age 50. i'm 69.

[retiredtraveler]

"....I have a new student loan debt of over 80.000, but I feel rich with what I have learned and the opportunity it has given me to re-enter the job market confident that I can collaborate or compete with milleniums. Passion rather than age should be the determining factor in deciding whether to go back to college after age 50. i'm 69.....".

[retiredtraveler]

"....I have a new student loan debt of over 80.000, but I feel rich with what I have learned and the opportunity it has given me to re-enter the job market confident that I can collaborate or compete with milleniums. Passion rather than age should be the determining factor in deciding whether to go back to college after age 50. i'm 69.....".

[philo]

With that much debt no company will hire you. A lesson for D. Trump: how can voters trust a candidate that has bankrupted ma ny companies?

[retiredtraveler]

As I've posted before, I was in IT until age 50 (and Y2K happened). I lost the job, couldn't get one for a year, and at age 52 went to a community college and became a CNA (certified nursing assistant). It was a total change to be working in a hospital after decades of suit-and-tie computer work.  In class, there was only one other guy, and everyone was younger than I. Classes are in a classroom, and clinicals were done in a nursing home (no online --- this is a hands-on job for sure).

   I worked in both hospital and nursing home for 4 years until I retired. Yup, got funny looks on the job (though nothing in class, at least in front of me). But, it's totally irrelevant if your classmates give you funny looks --- who cares? You're trying to accomplish something.

   But, I got through with work ethic --- worked my butt off, got noticed, and even was asked more than once about doing private work. Most fullfilling job I ever had, along with most difficult, physically demanding (I'm in good physical shape), and dirty.

  Go for it..................