Too old for college? How old is too old?

Question

I am 24 years old and currently attending a community college. I want to go to a university to get my Bachelors in Healthcare Admin. Am I too old to go to a university?

I see 22 year olds saying "OMG I am so behind, I'm gonna be so old when I graduate."

Hearing this kind of scares me. lol Am I gonna fit in? Will the younger people accept me?

Should I even care what other people think?

Answer 1

Oh dear God, you are so not too old.  When I was 24, I felt the same way you felt.  I too had not finished college and was going back to community college.  I felt like "Jeez, I'm not even college age anymore."  I left school again eventually (not because I felt too old; it was separate; I just got bogged down with other stuff...yet again).  But I finally went back to school....at the age of 33...and am now finishing (age 35). It makes me laugh now to think that at age 24, I was thinking I was too old.  *33* is too old.  Heh.  But honestly, no age is too old.  It's just weird to me that I would even think 24 was too old.  

Also, at 24, you haven't aged enough to look much different from the 18 to 22 year olds.  I mean, in all practicality, you look exactly the same.

Good luck!

Answer 2

absolutely not, dont listen to those people. you are never to old to learn.  

Answer 3

There's no such thing as being too old for an education. I'm 25 and I'm in community college, I'll be in my late 20s when I graduate but better then than never. I don't want to keep working crappy jobs forever. So just think about your goals and the things that you want to do with your life. Nowadays so many people go back to college. Don't think about age. If someone makes fun of you then they're not worth talking to if they're going to be shallow.  

Answer 4

There is no such thing as too old to pursue higher education. I have seen people your age and older--30s, 40s, even into 70s and beyond! Don't worry about acceptance, I think you'll find everyone really supportive. Faculty tends to see older students as more serious, and fellow students really don't care. Don't be self-conscious. Enjoy! And kudos to you for continuing your education.

Answer 5

o no. i had a 70 yr old man sitting next to me in my History 102 class at a private university. so no you can never be too old. and at a community college alot of people are all different ages.  i was one of the youngest when i was there.

Answer 6

Dead is too old.. other than that..I say go for it... as an "older student"  you will probably do better in school and be more respected by the professors who are giving you grades!  

Answer 7

You are never too old. There are plenty of older people going to college--lots that are way older than you. Colleges generally appreciate older students because you're more mature, you've probably had a job already, you've probably experienced living on your own, and you probably know better than to drink until you pass out on a school night and run through the halls screaming during times that are meant to be quiet.

If a 70-year-old man can go to a 1st grade class then damned if you, at 24, can't go to college.

http://uk.reuters.com/news/video?videoId...

Answer 8

You are never too old.  My classes are filled with anyone between 16-50+.  Many people are returning to school now.  Professors prefer students that are more mature, and actually younger students tend to gravitate to them, asking questions before/after class.  Yes you will fit, very nicely!   (college psych professor)

Answer 9

Wow...since when was 24 old?

First, people go to college for different reasons.  When people ask if they are too old to go to college, my answer is usually "What is it worth to you?".  If you are going to school to improve the value of your human capital so you can make more money, you have to figure out if the money you will make with a degree will offset 4 years of lost wages plus the expense of going to college.  At 24, you will have a lot of years to make up the cost of college.  Unless you plan on majoring in something that has little job prospect or has no pay, it is well worth you going to college.

Some people go to college strictly for the sake of learning and plan on doing nothing with their degree.  This is fine too.  To some people, it is work the $80K to learn to fly commercial jets even though they will neverbea pilot by profession or $20K to learn auto mechanics at the local community college even though they will never be a mechanic.

Are you going to fit in?  At 24, you maybe the most popular person around as you can buy alcohol.  To be honest, we had some ex-military people in the undergrad program that would have been about your age and we treated them like anyone else.  People loved to talk to them as their tales of travels to foreign lands and funny stories from the military were fun to listen to as we were a bunch of 18 year old kids who hadn't seen much of the world yet.  I think you'd probably fit in just fine.  If you don't fit in, who cares.  In the end, you are there to learn.

My wife went back to school at 35 and she enjoys it.  I got my masters in my mid 20's and I still had the time of my life.

24 is not too old to start college.  As a matter of fact, I think it is a great age to start.  The main advantage you will have over the 18 year old kids is that at this point in your life, you probably have some idea of what you want to do and what your goals are in life.  Personally, I made an OK choice in my major and I am very successful at what I do, but I wish I had gone into the military for 4 years before college to learn a little more about myself and life before choosing a career path.

Good Luck to you!!