Is it ever too late to go to uni?..

rare

rare

rare

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I'm 24 this month, and have been out of full time education since I was 18. Since then I have worked full time in the motor trade in a variety of positions. I'm currently the manager of a profitable motor factor branch,and consider myself to be good at my job (generally!). I am on a good wage and have good prospects. However, like most people I hate my job. I dislike (nice way of putting it) all the people I work with, and can say the same for most of the people I have to deal with every day.

When I was 18 I wanted to go to university to study History. The one subject I loved more than anything, but at the last minute, decided to leave to peruse a job opportunity. Since then I have always wondered what would have happened to me if I went and studied, would I have a better job? Probably not, but would I been happier?...

My girlfriend has applied to study teaching for 3 years, and I currently live at home. I have been saving for a deposit to move out and have lived the good life for a few many years, buying cars, computers, holidays, pretty much anything I wanted. But I have a empty feeling inside, that I have never achieved what I wanted, that I was better than this.

I have saved enough money to be able to put myself through university, but I would forfeit my job and the prospects of more earnings from it in the future. My mum and GF all say I should follow my heart, as I still have the time to do it.

Whats peoples opinions? Am I to old? Do I take the plunge and do what I always loved, or do I face up to the reality of the world and be grateful for a job. Will I look back when I am 50 and say what if? Thats what worries me.

Thanks for any feedback:)
 
Theres a guy on my course, early forties. He's been a builder all his life, got divorced decided to go back and get some proper qualification and go back to his company a little higher up.
 
You want to be settled in a career you like by the time your 30 otherwise switching to another position could be hard with the employers eyes.

Given you will finish university at 27 this doesn't leave you much time.

Personally, I think you should just continue with work experience and get up the ladder that way.
 
It's never too late to further yourself. There are a couple of people on my course who spent a fair few years working at Asus but have come back to Uni.
 
There are loads of people over 25 on my course. Luckly for me i finished college i took a year off to earn money. When i told the boss i was going uni he wanted to keep me on and basicly said "turn up when you can" Although the job is a bit rubbish pay i enjoy the people there and it makes uni life so much easier earning money when i can, not getting in the way of studying.

Could you go 3 years without a decent wage? If you could not get through your life with a part time wage for 3 years its not for you.

Your living at home for now so you could survive on part time but surely when you are 26 and in the last years at uni you will be paying your own bills in your own pad?
 
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I would like to think you could still attend Uni at any age if that's what you want to do.

I think I would like to do it at some point myself if I find myself with nothing else to do.

"Throw your heart out in front of you and run to catch it" :)
 
I don't think it can be too late for people in their 20s, although that doesn't mean to say it's a good idea.

The questions I would ask yourself are, what do you hope to achieve out of going back to uni? What would happen if you didn't enjoy the course? What would happen if at the end of the course you can't get a related job?

If you are happy with the answers to these questions, go for it. I'm studying for a MSc with the OU as much for my 'intellectual ego' as any kind of job prospects, I just missed studying and felt that I needed some kind of platform to excercise my brain and prove that I've still 'got it'.

edit: essentially what I'm getting at is that going to uni won't necessary remove that feeling of 'emptyness' in the medium-long term. You could finish your course and be in a situation where the only real option open to you to earn decent money would be going back into the Motor trade and basically find that you've just had a career freeze for 3 years.
 
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Nah never to late and yeah you probably will regret not doing it later. Though of course you may regret taking time out to do the degree.

When you get older you'll see how pointless and soul destroying it is to be in a career you hate so change your life now!
 
If you're in London, Birkbeck do evening/part-time degree courses - if not, you could always look at a correspondence course and do it from home.

That said, 24 is most definitely not too late - as others have pointed out.
 
xyphox said:
You want to be settled in a career you like by the time your 30 otherwise switching to another position could be hard with the employers eyes.
Click to expand...

So a couple of years after leaving Uni he's stuck in a career? Rubbish.

He'll still have 30-35 years of working life after that.
 
loads of mature students on my valuation/development surveying degree, most of them are getting jobs as well, even in this climate, i think if you are going to reflect on your age as been a problem then you need to make sure the degree you are doing is worth doing, even if its hard
 
You're never too old to study,why not keep your current job and study a history degree course via the Open University,my ex Mrs dad studied and obtained an OU History degree in his fifties.
 
Do it, you only live once. If it's something you really want to do then go for it - as long as you are prepared for the possibilities you will be faced with once the degree is finished. As above, an OU degree sounds ideal!
 
definitely not too old!

go for it :)

Even if you do not get another job from it, you will know! you will also have it as a great experience in your life
 
my mum went back when she was over 30 to do history.
What do you want to do careerwise, its all fair wanting to go to uni to get a degree.. but what will you use it for?
If you're wanting to teach, then go for it.
 
I went to Uni at 18 for half a year but quit because I didn't really enjoy the course.

I was 24 in October and have been working in the same job for 5 years now.

I have considered going back and doing something else. But I am on a decent wage now at a good company and with some studying and qualifications I could be on more. It would be pretty harsh working and studying.... :(

The question is do I do them while working and play it safe or go to uni for 3 years and worry about getting a job in the future.

It would be hard to have no money for 3 years and now all my mates have finished it might not even be that much fun. and then once I have finished a degree doesn't even guarantee a good job, I could end up in a worse position I am in now with a mediocre degree, worse job and loads of debt.

The 3rd option is attempting to start my own business while working and either do both or eventually quit and do it full time.

Either way I am bored and need to do something for fulfilling or at least pays more money.


There is no obvious answer but certain professions do depend more on degrees, IT isn't so bad but if you want to be a Doctor or a Lawyer it is an easier choice.

You aren't too old though.
 
There are plenty of older people doing Full/Part time courses at university and they dont look out of place, if you fancy it, go for it
 
If you do go, do it right.

I completed uni 3 years ago and it's crossed my mind to do the whole thing again at a different course/institution and actually do proper study throughout the entire 4 years this time.

I guess that's the advantage of being older, messing around isn't so appealing.
 
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