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RE: Need advice for going to college
August 31, 2016 at 1:28 pm
Well I'm 37 and at college; Accountancy for anyone interested.
The young ones don't have the experience to understand the value of the courses and are out to find something interesting or exciting. Us old farts with kids and mortgages are here to increase our earning potential and have a much lower drop-out rate.
Quote:I don't understand why you'd come to a discussion forum, and then proceed to reap from visibility any voice that disagrees with you. If you're going to do that, why not just sit in front of a mirror and pat yourself on the back continuously?
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RE: Need advice for going to college
September 1, 2016 at 6:11 pm
(August 30, 2016 at 5:04 pm)Won2blv Wrote: So I am 29 with a HS diploma. I really want to college and get my undergrad and possibly law school. Am I starting too late? Does anyone here have experience going to college later in life? My plan is to have heavy semesters when my work is slow and just a few credit during my busy times. Just give me the facts of what I am being unrealistic about. And thanks!
We moved a lot, so I went to college in different states through decades. Got my BA when I was 39 and my MSW when I was 44. Go for it!
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RE: Need advice for going to college
September 7, 2016 at 12:03 am
I'm a lawyer, I've been out for 10 years and I absolutely hate it...you should only do it if it really is your calling in life (which is only the case for a very small percentage of people who go to law school--almost all of them are doing it because they think they'll make money).
Unless you get into a state school it is an awful lot of money (it will easily set you back six figures) and you'll be stuck making the same $60K as an associate for a small to medium sized firm, or you'll be stuck doing document review (if you don't know what document review is, look it up). If you think you're coming out of school with a $100K+ job in hand you're absolutely kidding yourself--the largest firms in the country have immovable criteria for hiring so that they can show off to clients that they only hire the most credentialed lawyers. This means you either needed to graduate from an Ivy League school (or of that ilk like Duke, Stanford, etc.) or you were top of the class of any non-prestigious law school.
If you're already making $60K a year then there is no need for you to go to law school unless practicing law is a burning desire within you and that's the only thing that will make you happy. Even in the largest cities in the US, you will be very hard-pressed to do better than that. In fact I would discourage you from going to college altogether unless you're totally miserable with what you're doing...remember that ANYONE can get a college degree now so unless it's a something in hard science, it doesn't really improve your earnings potential.
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RE: Need advice for going to college
September 7, 2016 at 12:35 am
(August 30, 2016 at 5:04 pm)Won2blv Wrote: So I am 29 with a HS diploma. I really want to college and get my undergrad and possibly law school. Am I starting too late? Does anyone here have experience going to college later in life? My plan is to have heavy semesters when my work is slow and just a few credit during my busy times. Just give me the facts of what I am being unrealistic about. And thanks!
Never too late to continue your education.
Last year(?) a man got his Ph.D at the age of 100.
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RE: Need advice for going to college
September 7, 2016 at 3:02 pm
(This post was last modified: September 7, 2016 at 3:02 pm by Jenny A.)
(September 7, 2016 at 12:03 am)=VH= Fan Wrote: I'm a lawyer, I've been out for 10 years and I absolutely hate it...you should only do it if it really is your calling in life (which is only the case for a very small percentage of people who go to law school--almost all of them are doing it because they think they'll make money).
Unless you get into a state school it is an awful lot of money (it will easily set you back six figures) and you'll be stuck making the same $60K as an associate for a small to medium sized firm, or you'll be stuck doing document review (if you don't know what document review is, look it up). If you think you're coming out of school with a $100K+ job in hand you're absolutely kidding yourself--the largest firms in the country have immovable criteria for hiring so that they can show off to clients that they only hire the most credentialed lawyers. This means you either needed to graduate from an Ivy League school (or of that ilk like Duke, Stanford, etc.) or you were top of the class of any non-prestigious law school.
If you're already making $60K a year then there is no need for you to go to law school unless practicing law is a burning desire within you and that's the only thing that will make you happy. Even in the largest cities in the US, you will be very hard-pressed to do better than that. In fact I would discourage you from going to college altogether unless you're totally miserable with what you're doing...remember that ANYONE can get a college degree now so unless it's a something in hard science, it doesn't really improve your earnings potential. That's pretty much it except that I enjoyed law both in school and out. I was the top of the class (second not first) in a lower tier school. My husband was upper third in the Ivy leagues. For most people law is high stress and medium compensation. For us it was high stress and high compensation. I dropped out to play mommy. He dropped into state government work. That's a good but not spectacular income and moderately stressful I'm happy he isn't working much over 40 horse. But for the next generation the stress is the same and the compensation less. Its a business not a profession now. Just don't.
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RE: Need advice for going to college
September 7, 2016 at 7:34 pm
Personally, I'd recommend business courses or computer science. It seems to me that with declining wages, the death of unions, etc. entrepreneurship and technology are really the only avenues with a good chance of success.
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RE: Need advice for going to college
September 7, 2016 at 8:20 pm
(September 7, 2016 at 12:35 am)The Valkyrie Wrote: (August 30, 2016 at 5:04 pm)Won2blv Wrote: So I am 29 with a HS diploma. I really want to college and get my undergrad and possibly law school. Am I starting too late? Does anyone here have experience going to college later in life? My plan is to have heavy semesters when my work is slow and just a few credit during my busy times. Just give me the facts of what I am being unrealistic about. And thanks!
Never too late to continue your education.
Last year(?) a man got his Ph.D at the age of 100.
And how much money is he making?
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RE: Need advice for going to college
September 13, 2016 at 1:23 pm
(September 7, 2016 at 3:02 pm)Jenny A Wrote: (September 7, 2016 at 12:03 am)=VH= Fan Wrote: I'm a lawyer, I've been out for 10 years and I absolutely hate it...you should only do it if it really is your calling in life (which is only the case for a very small percentage of people who go to law school--almost all of them are doing it because they think they'll make money).
Unless you get into a state school it is an awful lot of money (it will easily set you back six figures) and you'll be stuck making the same $60K as an associate for a small to medium sized firm, or you'll be stuck doing document review (if you don't know what document review is, look it up). If you think you're coming out of school with a $100K+ job in hand you're absolutely kidding yourself--the largest firms in the country have immovable criteria for hiring so that they can show off to clients that they only hire the most credentialed lawyers. This means you either needed to graduate from an Ivy League school (or of that ilk like Duke, Stanford, etc.) or you were top of the class of any non-prestigious law school.
If you're already making $60K a year then there is no need for you to go to law school unless practicing law is a burning desire within you and that's the only thing that will make you happy. Even in the largest cities in the US, you will be very hard-pressed to do better than that. In fact I would discourage you from going to college altogether unless you're totally miserable with what you're doing...remember that ANYONE can get a college degree now so unless it's a something in hard science, it doesn't really improve your earnings potential. That's pretty much it except that I enjoyed law both in school and out. I was the top of the class (second not first) in a lower tier school. My husband was upper third in the Ivy leagues. For most people law is high stress and medium compensation. For us it was high stress and high compensation. I dropped out to play mommy. He dropped into state government work. That's a good but not spectacular income and moderately stressful I'm happy he isn't working much over 40 horse. But for the next generation the stress is the same and the compensation less. Its a business not a profession now. Just don't.
Im curious from both of you if think a law degree would be most useful to someone who wants to pursue politics. Maybe representative politics but mainly the background stuff. Like a staffer or something?
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RE: Need advice for going to college
September 13, 2016 at 1:37 pm
What about Poly Sci instead of Law?
I started a Masters after I turned 50. I have another Masters and a PhD. I was working one full-time job plus a part-time job at the time, so I could only take one class per semester. Online courses helped a lot.
Thought 1: If you take more than two courses a semester while working full-time, unless you can actually study on the job, you won't be getting much sleep.
Thought 2: It will take considerably longer than 4 years to get a Bachelor's Degree, if you're employed full-time.
Thought 3: Really be SURE of what degree best suits your goals. And know that there are good jobs available in your future career path. I chose my degrees badly - no jobs.
But - older students who really know what they want tend to be good students. Motivated, organized, hard working. Go for it! Good luck.
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RE: Need advice for going to college
September 18, 2016 at 1:21 am
(September 13, 2016 at 1:23 pm)Won2blv Wrote: (September 7, 2016 at 3:02 pm)Jenny A Wrote: That's pretty much it except that I enjoyed law both in school and out. I was the top of the class (second not first) in a lower tier school. My husband was upper third in the Ivy leagues. For most people law is high stress and medium compensation. For us it was high stress and high compensation. I dropped out to play mommy. He dropped into state government work. That's a good but not spectacular income and moderately stressful I'm happy he isn't working much over 40 horse. But for the next generation the stress is the same and the compensation less. Its a business not a profession now. Just don't.
Im curious from both of you if think a law degree would be most useful to someone who wants to pursue politics. Maybe representative politics but mainly the background stuff. Like a staffer or something?
It could be a help but only if you hit it big time, in particular getting in with the district attorney's office. Obviously those jobs are very few. Otherwise it's not worth the cost or aggravation. If that's your main motivation for law school then you're better off simply working for someone's campaign or joining local political organizations.
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