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A Guide for Adults Going to College

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Re: A Guide for Adults Going to College

#41

Post by uberman »

porphyrogene wrote: post #26

It is never too late for education. It is always too early for crippling debt that exceeds your proven earning potential. None of this advice touches on the lost principle of not putting one's future on layaway. Student load debt forgiveness is a death sentence for American politicians yet there are millions of us waiting for a miracle.

This is an important comment and having worked extensively in this space, I would like to expound on it.

The "best" college educations typically take 4 to 10 years to reach a break even point. Some degrees can result in a net loss of lifetime income.

The older you get, typically the less monetary sense a degree makes. Couple this with an open admissions degree from a for profit college and you are likely on thin ice.

If you (as a returning adult) want to continue your education, that is great. Just make sure you are doing it for the right reasons.

Re: A Guide for Adults Going to College

#42

Post by ddoolin »

PhasmaFelis wrote: post #31
ddoolin wrote: post #24

I really want to go back to finish school. I'm 28 and dropped out at the end of my 3rd year with 97 credits because I had a baby on the way in another country. I've been working as a software engineer ever since. I did try one semester at a CC shortly after but my job was too demanding on top of parenting a wee lad and I took a slate of all Fs, sadly, since I missed the withdrawal date. Now I have the time, funds, an…

If you've got a solid software resume under you already, I'm not sure a CS degree will open any new doors for you, or teach you much that you haven't already learned. Most employers (that you'd want to work for) only care about a degree if you don't have work experience.

Yes, that's true to some extent, though my primary goal is not to open new doors necessarily. It certainly would strengthen my position when applying for certain spots, but really I want to fill in the deep gaps in my knowledge in certain areas in CS/Mathematics and explore entirely new ones as well. This isn't a decision I'd take lightly either way, given the cost.

Re: A Guide for Adults Going to College

#43

Post by qubex »

ZhuanXia wrote: post #28
porphyrogene wrote: post #26

It is never too late for education. It is always too early for crippling debt that exceeds your proven earning potential. None of this advice touches on the lost principle of not putting one's future on layaway. Student load debt forgiveness is a death sentence for American politicians yet there are millions of us waiting for a miracle.

Even the ability to declare bankruptcy would be nice. Millions are in a state of what amounts to indenture.

I don’t mean to be contentious here, but the reason for which student debt cannot be discharged by bankruptcy is pretty sound: it’s because education (theoretically) adds warning power to an individual and cannot be liquidated.

(I’m not a lawyer and am not an American either.)

Re: A Guide for Adults Going to College

#44

Post by sjg007 »

zigzaggy wrote: post #11
mrfusion wrote: post #2

I’ve always wondered how employers treat an older person changing careers? Do you get an internship along with the young people? Is that wierd? Will they be uncomfortable asking a 45 year old professional to do low status jobs? And then are entry level jobs open to older adults? How would you design your resume? Leave your past career off?

All very good questions. I’m at the Senior Manager level in my profession, trying to switch to entry / junior level in IT security. I have solid experience and great references, and I get calls from clients and recruiters constantly for work in my current field. But I get practically no responses when I submit myself for positions in the new field. I tracked one recruiter down recently and she basically told me she’s…

You might have better luck becoming a manager of or in an IT security company. That way you can learn the technical details on the side. So you sell your value as a manager. Lateral moves happen all the time across domains. You don't have to start from the beginning again.

Re: A Guide for Adults Going to College

#45

Post by jgamman »

qubex wrote: post #43
ZhuanXia wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even the ability to declare bankruptcy would be nice. Millions are in a state of what amounts to indenture.

I don’t mean to be contentious here, but the reason for which student debt cannot be discharged by bankruptcy is pretty sound: it’s because education (theoretically) adds warning power to an individual and cannot be liquidated. (I’m not a lawyer and am not an American either.)

IIRC this was a policy decision change only 20 odd years ago. (also, not a lawyer or USAan)

Re: A Guide for Adults Going to College

#46

Post by azhenley »

mrfusion wrote: post #2

I’ve always wondered how employers treat an older person changing careers? Do you get an internship along with the young people? Is that wierd? Will they be uncomfortable asking a 45 year old professional to do low status jobs? And then are entry level jobs open to older adults? How would you design your resume? Leave your past career off?

In my experience, software engineering seems more open to nontraditional career paths. I've known plenty of people to get into it later in life and came from a variety of backgrounds without a problem. Most people probably never find out that they had a prior career.

At an internship I lived with a fellow intern that was 12 years older than me (I was also a bit older compared to most of the interns since I was a PhD student). Everyone seemed to treat him the same and he got a full-time offer. I don't think the others ever realized he had 10 years experience and a degree in something completely different!

Re: A Guide for Adults Going to College

#47

Post by ddoolin »

azhenley wrote: post #36
ddoolin wrote: post #24

I really want to go back to finish school. I'm 28 and dropped out at the end of my 3rd year with 97 credits because I had a baby on the way in another country. I've been working as a software engineer ever since. I did try one semester at a CC shortly after but my job was too demanding on top of parenting a wee lad and I took a slate of all Fs, sadly, since I missed the withdrawal date. Now I have the time, funds, an…

You might be surprised at what admissions might think. Stuff happens and people (including admissions) know that. In your application you are even given the chance to explain that sort of thing (it makes for a more interesting story if you ask me!) My advice would be to also reach out to the department admin and or department chair of the department you are interested in (CS at USC?) with a brief email. Even try to a…

Thanks for your advice. I'm not stranger to that kind of course of action since people are more understanding when you get a chance to speak to them candidly/truthfully. That said, can speaking to the dept. heads help my admission (do depts approve applications themselves?) Either way it'd give me an excuse to go check out the facilities so I may just do that.

I wish I could afford USC but I've used up most of my grants and blown past six figures so I would get no help, but I'm fine with a UC or Cal State :)

Re: A Guide for Adults Going to College

#49

Post by sjg007 »

eterm wrote: post #4
mrfusion wrote: post #2

I’ve always wondered how employers treat an older person changing careers? Do you get an internship along with the young people? Is that wierd? Will they be uncomfortable asking a 45 year old professional to do low status jobs? And then are entry level jobs open to older adults? How would you design your resume? Leave your past career off?

This may be a culture thing but I'd be uncomfortable asking a 20 year old professional to bring me a coffee. Edit: This was originally in response to a suggestion that OP would be uncomfortable asking a 40 year old for coffee which has since been edited.

Nobody brings coffee for anyone anymore. Everyone gets up and gets a coffee together or if someone is being nice asks if you want one and brings it to you which usually leads to getting up to get a coffee together.

Re: A Guide for Adults Going to College

#50

Post by hncomment »

twoquestions wrote: post #6

How does this fare in cultures where there are no second chances, like many places in the US? My gut says this is a scam.

There are lots of opportunities for career second chances in the US – probably more so than most other regions, according to the preponderance of reports I've seen from people with experiences in multiple cultures/countries.

If you perceive otherwise, then it is very possible that you are encountering one or both of the following:

1. A highly-local expectation, in your particular community/family/friend-groups. You may need to move.

2. A hyper-local expectation, in your own mind. It might be justified by the particular path through experiences you've had, but now become self-reinforcing & self-defeating. To see counterexamples, against human tendencies for confirmation-bias and negativity, you may have to deeply consider that you might be wrong, and that your sampling of the possibility space has been unrepresentative.

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