Topic: is 23 too old to go to college or transfer.

[shingi_70]

So the nature of the beast is I'm at a 2 year community college I started in spring 2012. Due to colossal **** ups on my part my grade average is pretty low. However I have a plan that I can have my GPA back up to a 3.0+ and be ready to transfer to Grand Valley State for next years fall semester. I've noticed my problems and have fixed them and seeking additional help in the subjects I suck at.

So saying that I'm worried that transferring in next year I'll be too old. I'll probably have to live on campus for the first year and I don't know if that would be a problem, in addition I'll be 23 by the time I transfer next year and 25 by the time I would be graduating in 2017.  I talked yo my uncle about my plans but he was pushing me to transfer the spring semester (I'm not ready mentally or GPA wise) and made me feel bad about the fact that I should be transferring this year.


So not sure what to do and advice would be helpful.

[Oblivion]

You're never too old to go to college.

[Ceric]

I found being in your early 30's is still considered young in this job market.  I don't think it will hurt

[Phil]

I'm 28 and still in college. There's various stories of people in their 30's, 40's and on going to college, too.

[Shaymin]

My mother's graduating from college this year. She's 53 and is retired from the armed forces.

Go for it.

[lolmonade]

23?  Hell no.  That's not far removed from most on campus.  Enjoy your college experience.

[BranDonk Kong]

No. I went back to school when I was 28, still haven't graduated (32 now). Go for it, and I wish I could have lived on campus, makes for a much better studying experience.


Also, don't be too concerned with your GPA now, I'm pretty sure most colleges just take your transfer credits as a "T" and they don't affect your GPA from the university.

[marvel_moviefan_2012]

I went back at 28 also, am 31 now, and my mom is 51 and she is in her third semester now just got her GED a year ago. It is never too late to go back to school or to transfer to a better school. My sister on the other hand, took 12 years to get a bachelors, don't let that happen to you.

[BlackNMild2k1]

HELL NO!!! YOU SHOULD GO!! x3

[shingi_70]

Thanks for the words of encouragment guys. Was a bit worried starting late would put MW behind or ruin the rest of my life. A bit worried about living in the campus dorms at 23 but I guess most RAs and geadvstudent living on campus are the same age or even older.

[ShyGuy]

What are you studying?

[Stratos]

I'm doing college and I am 30 and finishing a transfer degree next summer and transferring to a local university to complete a bachelors in computer engineering. Heck, I was 22 when I entered college for the first time (and failed gloriously). I knew a lot of students who were older. Anyone who thinks you are "too old" at 23 to attend college has a very narrow understanding of reality. The average college student age is 25 [US News].



Better to get your GPA up. I too am an academic screw-up and am hoping to bring my GPA above a 3.0 soon. Higher GPA = more scholarship options. Talk to your school's financial aid reps. There are foundations at many schools where community members donate money for specific types of students and they can inform you of opportunities. Example, I am being considered for a scholarship for "second-time students" who washed out of college, learned their lesson and are now returning. I am also hoping to get a STEM scholarship.


Living on-campus is actually the cheaper route to go if feasible. Technically it is cheaper to live off campus but the reality is that students tend to spend more when they live off campus (more time eating out and more spent at the grocery store). Just be smart with your money. I had a job with campus security and made $500-$1000 a month. I burned through it on games, coffee, restaurants and social events. I could have been smarter with my cash or even worked less and focused on my studies (or saved it for my books).


Good job on doing the transfer. It is one of the cheapest and smartest ways to get a college education. I'm actually a bit shocked at how dirt cheap community college is compared to the private university I went to years ago. I am thankful I didn't go to Digipen, the game programmer school near NOA headquarters, as they we an $80k school.

[shingi_70]

What are you studying?

Computer Science.

[Stratos]

Smart. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) is one of the few justifiable reasons to pay as much as we do for a college education. It is not much of a financial justification otherwise.


I dislike the thought of going to get a "liberal arts" education because most of that is available for the taking in books, online and through our interactions with other people. I sometimes learned more through conversations over a $3 coffee or a trip to the art museum than for thousands of dollars in a classroom.

[shingi_70]

I thought about studying art history or photography, but I thought I can do that stuff on the side and learn more on my own time or in clubs. There's a kid at my job who has an English degree and told me in hindsight it was pretty useless..

I'm taking two classes this summer semester and than the fall will be building my GPA back up with next spring focused on finishing up the pre reqs to transfer. Though I might take some of the math classes at GVSU.