Going back to school as a mature student can make you question everything.
Am I too old?
Will I fit in?
What will people think?
But what if I struggle?
Is it really worth starting again?
These are perfectly normal questions because when we think about students, we often picture people in their late teens or early twenties, figuring out life as they go. However, life does not always follow that timeline. Sometimes, going back to school later in life can be one of the best decisions you make.
I was reminded of this by a client who decided, at 50, that he wanted to go to law school. It was not an impulsive decision. He thought about it a lot and discussed it over and over with people that he trusts, including me. In fact, he probably thought about it more than most people would. He considered the time, the money, the workload and of course, his age. Starting law school at 50 means sitting in lecture rooms with people who were young enough to be his children. There was also the bigger question of what happens after graduation?
Would it be worth it? Would he be able to start a new career at that stage of his life?
He could easily have decided that it was too late – but he did not. He started law school. A year into the journey, I asked him how he felt about his decision. His answer was – he couldn’t be happier that he had done it.
The doubts that had seemed so overwhelming before he started had turned into something else – he was learning and meeting people, while challenging himself. Most importantly, he was doing something he genuinely wanted to do.
And perhaps that is one of the biggest advantages of being an older student – you usually know why you’re there.
When we are 18 or 20, we can make big decisions without really knowing ourselves. We choose a degree because our parents think it is a good idea or because our friends are doing it – or perhaps because we think it will lead to a successful career.
By the time we are older, we tend to know ourselves a little better.
We know what we like and what we don’t. We know what kind of work gives us satisfaction and we have probably learned, sometimes the hard way, that life is too short to spend years doing something simply because we think we are supposed to.
I have another instance, this time, a good friend whose story has stayed with me for a different reason. She had already earned a master’s degree before moving to Norway. In her new country, however, her previous qualification was not in an area where there was much demand – so she faced a difficult choice.She could stay with what she already knew, even if it wasn’t opening many doors or she could start again. She chose to start again.
She went to a dental school so that she could eventually practice in her new country.
Think about that for a moment.
Having earned a master’s degree, she had already invested years in education.
Nevertheless, she was willing to become a mature student again to build a meaningful working life in her new home.
That takes courage – it also takes humility. There is something very humbling about sitting in a classroom again, learning the basics, asking questions and being a beginner when you have already achieved so much.
That said, being a beginner is not a bad thing. In fact, it can be quite liberating.
Older students also bring something into the classroom that cannot be taught from a textbook – life experience. They have worked, dealt with difficult people and they have made mistakes; not to mention their responsibilities. Some have raised children. Others have changed careers, moved countries, cared for family members or experienced setbacks that completely changed their plans.
All of those experiences become part of how they learn. A 20-year-old and a 50-year-old can sit through exactly the same lecture and walk away with completely different perspectives.
And there is another advantage – older students often have a greater appreciation for the opportunity to learn. When you are young, education can sometimes feel like something you simply have to get through. When you are older, choosing to study can feel very different. You are there because you want to be.
Of course, it isn’t always easy. There may be financial commitments, family responsibilities and the simple reality that staying up all night to study is not quite as appealing at 45 as it was at 20.
And yes, there may be moments when you look around the classroom and wonder what you are doing there.
But then you remember why you started.
And perhaps that is what matters most.
We sometimes think of age as a deadline. We tell ourselves that if we haven’t achieved something by 30, 40 or 50, we have missed our chance – but life doesn’t work like that.
If you start a three-year degree at 50, you will be 53 when you finish. If you don’t start, you will still be 53.
The question is – what do you want those three years to look like?
Being an older student may come with a few extra challenges – but it also comes with perspective, confidence, resilience and a much clearer sense of purpose.
Sometimes, starting over is not a sign that you have fallen behind. Sometimes, it is a sign that you have finally figured out where you want to go.
