"Too old" to go to college?

[Balldog]

I'm not happy with my current job and career path, I attended a Technical school when I graduated high school. I'm now 24 years old, while I have my own house and what not I think I'm slowly starting to lose money as the bills keep adding up.

I'm thinking about going to college, maybe I'm too old though? I was actually looking to find a college or university were I could either walkon the baseball team or be a student assistant. When I was in high school I was heavily recruited by smaller schools, I don't know if I still have it anymore though but I feel I am smarter now having learned a lot more about the game after coaching the last two years.

Anyways, my main question is am I too old to go college now? I'm probably going to start sending letters to baseball coaches at prospective colleges I would like to attend.

[FBPro]

Man, no way.....PLENTY of folks do what you are thinking of doing and have great success. Chances are you'll be a better student "now" than you would have been fresh out of h.s., my wife did this and has a 3.5+ GPA (currently still a student, has an associate and working towards BS and MA).

Good luck if this is the path you decide to take.

[Jon]

GO FOR IT! My mother went back to school when she was about thirty nine and graduated with a nurse's degree, graduating with honors in the process. There's no doubt you should do it if that's what you want. Good luck.

[Balldog]

I'll be living on campus too.

[Buccaneer]

It's amazing how people perceive college (as in thinking one is too old). The average age of undergraduates is 26.

According to the United States Department of Education, the average age of college students is rising. The average age now is 26.

This fall more than 42 percent of the nation's college students will be 25 or older, up 28 percent from 1980.

[Dutch]

By all means, if you can do it, do it. It's not going to matter 15 years from now if you graduated when you were 22 or 28 or 55....

Good luck!

[heybrad]

After years of realizing how stupid I was for not getting my degree I've been back in school for a while now. I'm 34. I am a much better student now than the 2 semesters I went to college right out of high school.

[Godzilla Blitz]

Go for it. 24 is nothing. You'll most likely see a huge return on your investment over the course of your life and chances are the work you do will be much more interesting as well.

[klayman]

You are never to old to get an education. Go for it!

School is cool, it sure beats working for a living

/buries head back in discrete mathematics books

[Barkeep49]

I know of several people who attended my small school who were older than you and were going to college for the first time and loving it. Good luck to you!

[Glengoyne]

Absolutely go back to school. 24 is still very young. I know I would have been a better student If I had gone back to school when I was more mature. I am figuring early 30s for me, hopfully for you mid 20s is good enough.

[AZSpeechCoach]

Hey Brad!

[Tasan]

Heck I just started back myself, and I'm almost 28. Go for it!

[Fonzie]

There's no such thing as being "too old." I'd recommend you give it a try - what do you have to lose? You stand to gain a great deal, and at the very least you won't be left wondering "what if?"

[Balldog]

I've been working full-time since I graduated and went to school full-time for 2 years to get my AD.

So I'm not to old to fit in at the dorms? If I can't afford an appartment.

[RendeR]

Ok, just to give you some confidence.


I am almost 35 years old (dec 1)

Not only am I going to go back to college but I fully intend that once I get accepted I am going to walk on to the Football team when I do so.

So, if you're only 24, I'd say you have plenty of time and ability to go back to school.

[thealmighty]

I went back to school at 25. After about 3 years of part time school and full time working, I got my teaching certificate. Best thing I ever did (besides family, of course).

DO IT.

[damnMikeBrown]

I'm 31, and am working on finishing off my BS at Miami (OH). Man, I'd love to walk-on next year, but I'm pretty sure my eligibility has run out. I played one year on '90 at a DIII school. I compiled an impressive resume of 1 reception, 1 fumble after catch.

14 more classes...14 more classes....just 14 more classes. . .

[Draft Dodger]

I'm 32 - I take a class or two every year or so. No plans at all to graduate, but I imagine I'll be in school for years.

[RendeR]

Well, I've technically never completed a semester of school in its entirety and haven't played at all, so I should have 4 full years of elegibility left. I just need to find a team bad enough to need me =)

One of my options are the Buffalo State bengals. Gotta love that option!

[kcchief19]

I had classes in college with two women who had grown children in college, and they did just fine. You're not so old that it will be difficult to fit in, but based on observation I would definitely recommend that when you consider schools, check with the counselors to see if there are other students your age. When you're 28, trying to deal with 18 year olds is going to be trying.

I fully encourage you to go for it. I'm planning on starting a master's program next year when I'm 32, so I say go for it and good luck.

Bye the way, Bucc, it looks like that stat is for all students, not just undergrads.

[RPI-Fan]

Walking on to a college football team at age 35? Good luck.

Even if you're talented, the coach won't take you seriously. And even if he does, the workouts are pretty damn demanding.

But if you can overcome those obstacles, by all means go for it, and have a blast.

I'm far from a great hockey player, but I'm playing down here on the Georgia Tech team. I never thought I would've been able to play hockey at the college level. So definitely try for football, Ren, just make sure you're prepared for the commitment you'll need to put in. For hockey, a _club_ sport, I'm out until 1-2am at practices twice a week, and pretty much every other weekend will be gone on a road trip. So that's a pretty big time commitment, and it's not even a varsity sport.

If you're trying to balance some sort of job, family, and sport, that might be tough.

But again, good luck!

[Eaglesfan27]

I say go for it.. 24 is definitely not past your academic prime, and as others have said you can do better with the perspective of maturity. The oldest guy in my medical school class was 49 at the start of our 1st year, and he graduated at 53 in the top 10% of the class.

As for the baseball aspect, 24 is certainly not too old for many athletes. If you have kept in good shape and had some decent baseball talent to begin with, there is no reason you can't do this. Good luck.

[NYFAN]

Definitely not too old to go back to school I know a lot of people your age in school, and a ton older than you. But, I would caution that if you live on campus, make sure it's in a good situation, and that you don't live in a freshman dorm. Living with someone who is 17-19 will be a very poor situation for both parties. Another thing I can say about living "on campus" is that you don't want to be 24 living with people under 21 unless you're willing to take that chance, because if you get busted, you will take a rap sheet that includes serving to minors...not good...

[cuervo72]

My dad graduated from college the semester before I did (of course he wasn't living on campus....). Then he went on to get his masters.

[Balldog]

I just sent an email to the coach as Arizona State, its a bit of a reach but I wanted to play their since I was little kid.

[scooper]

Go to Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati. You'll be young there. They have a good DIII ball program, too.

[KevinNU7]

I find it funny that everyone is telling him he should go to school (you aren't too old) but aren't answering his real question on whether or not he's lost any eligibility to play college baseball. I think the kid is smart enough to know that there is no age restriction on a college education

[scooper]

If he has not yet played, he is still eligible.