Cherie
Is it pointless to go back to college?
I'll be 42 next week and have two young children. Returning to school would be a lot of work and expense, but my current career is unfulfilling and stagnant. My music degrees have proved useless, but I have always been interested in psychology. Is it too late for a career change? #psychology
4 answers
Linda Ann Robinson, Ph.D.
Linda Ann’s Answer
It's never too late for a career change. You will need to find a way to balance the time/expense of going to college (part-time, perhaps?) with the needs of your children and your own needs (i.e., downtime). IF you are a music performer (not clear from what you've written), you might want to consider Music Therapy...just a thought as I know little about you, other than what you've noted with your question.
IF you live close enough to a state university, I would recommend coursework with a state affiliated school rather than a private college or university given the cost of tuition at private schools. IF you are very self-disciplined, you might want to try an online course for starters since it's probably been some time since you attended college.
GOOD LUCK!
thank you for supporting
Alex F
Alex’s Answer
Though I'm a little younger, I ran into the same issues. I hold a M.M. in Music Performance and with people hiring fewer musicians these days, switched careers. I am going back to school for aviation maintenance (so like you, something completely different).
This brings me to the answer, NO it isn't pointless. I would look at local universities and online programs. I'm not talking about the for profit schools, but universities like UFlorida that are reputable and have an online option for their program. Some of these (not all) will have a separate online tuition rate that is cheaper than out-of-state and sometimes the same as in-state rates. Having children means in needs to be something the family is committed to though. They need to support your decision and understand that there will be nights that you have to study/research.
If that is what you need to enjoy life and feel alive again, DO IT!
Pamela Neff
Pamela’s Answer
First of all, congrats on your accomplishments! Raising children and getting degrees in music is hard work and deserving of recognition. Second, it's a great time to get into health care, especially psychology since humans are about as stressed out as we have been in recent memory. You will never struggle for work as a counselor or therapist. I did not raise children but had a degree that felt useless to me, so at the age of 30 I returned to school for post-bac courses and went to med school at 32, finally finishing my residency at 39. Surprisingly, I was not the oldest in my programs; there were former schoolteachers, bankers, researchers and moms in my class. Regardless, it felt daunting and like it was going to be a waste of time, but I know now that if I had not taken that path I would still be in a job that was not interesting or fulfilling. So if you have the support at home to study and pursue a dream, I would encourage you to do so. You will be working for another 20+ years hopefully so it makes sense to make it count and feel fulfilled at the end of the day. You also have the advantage of some life experience to help you help others in a more informed way than someone right out of school.
Hope this was helpful. Best of luck!
Pam
Tony LaRose
