At 41 years old, I'm starting university tomorrow!

[Gryphon Rider]

I've been unemployed as a draftsman since February this year, and when talking with my mom about my frustrations, she made me an offer I couldn't refuse.  She's going to postpone her retirement (from a job she loves) to help cover expenses while I go to University of Calgary!  This means 5 years of keeping our belts tight while I do one year of open studies to bring up my GPA, then four years in the Engineering faculty.  This all started about a week ago.  I'm in the middle of scrambling to re-learn my high school chemistry so I'm not totally lost when I start a chemistry class that assumes students are fairly fresh out of high school.

[x]

Congratulations.  I started at 43, graduated at 47.  It's the math that matters... especially for engineering.  I took a brush up course at the community college before diving into my engineering degree.

[R J]

Good on ya.........

I was told about 6 or 7 years into my job I needed a degree to go past Sgt.  I was already there. Sgt that is.

24 years & 4 kids later I got my degree in Criminal Justice.

Oh, boss knew I was making an effort to get the degree so he went to bat for me on 2 promotions.    I never let him down, somewhere, I still have that chunk of very expensive paper in a frame........

[Karen]

Got my last degree in computer Science in 97 (at the age of 57) by going to school full time for a year after taking courses for close to 10 years after work as an assembler/inspector of electronics & getting laid off. Enjoy the time, it's worth the effort. You'll find you have enough time to handle your schoolwork & still live your life. Your experience will also stand you in good stead, you're not too old to do this, don't worry about keeping up with the kids, you already know more than they do.  Congratulations on making the leap, you'll do fine, just letting you know you're not the only one, and it's really nice not to have to work for a little while. Good luck!

[Gilligan]

Thoughts and prayers are with you and your beautiful family.

For those who don't know you, here is a pic of your family with us at Banff this June.

[Big Rig]

That is great, was in the same boat about 8 years ago...was a senior designer and got an associate engineers position, to get a full engineer (Design Engineer) position I needed my BS....Finished mine on-line about 4 years ago(40)...I did community college to get the studying thing down and work on a couple math courses, I also hired a tutor for some of the more advanced stuff...nail the math and remembering formulas and you are more than half way there.

Best of luck, and I will be waiting for the big anouncement upon your graduation...

[valkmc]

Good for you, education never hurts. I got my degree at the age of 30. Went to school worked part time as a carpenter and kept up with two young kids. I am now 51 and about to start on my masters degree.