since i was laid off, i am considering going back to school to finish up my History degree...

problem is, as far as i can tell, everyone taking that course is in the 17-20 range.. and as i am in my mid-late 20s, i feel i would be somewhat ostracized as "the old guy in the front row", which from past experience would leave me in a state of depression (as i always seek acceptance in some form or another)..


so my question is, to those who have gone back to university as an Older Student than the rest of your classmates, did you find the age gap "built a wall" so to speak between you and your classmates?

I was 35 went I went back to collage to go to school for Millwrite mechanic. I thought I was going to be the oldest student and was shocked at how almost everyone was around my age. Only 2 or 3 young kids, rest was the older crowd.

It is never too late to go back to school.

Maybe wear a shirt with a contemporary pop band on it. That will fool the "young advlt". You can infiltrate their lifestyle. Learn their ways and become the young advlt.

Best case scenario it will be like that Tom Hanks/Julia Roberts movie.

Well... there are older students in my class, and there's no barrier there from my end of things at least.

It's a night class though, so I don't know how that would work in full-time college.

It's not about the age that makes the gap. It's about attitude. Some kids in their 20s are cool, and I've made friends with some of them. I've also met people my age range when I attended classes in the community college. One of my friends who is the same age as I am is going to community college so he can transfer to a university. In my accelerated nursing class alone, we have people from their mid 20s to their late 50s, all of us going back to school for a second degree and a new career path. So, you're never going to be the "old guy" in class. In fact, you should be more mature and have a greater prerogative to earn your degree.

I've done courses here and there when I was 24-25 at a community college close to me. The median age was usually 19. Never got any of that vibe of being "that old guy. "

Instead, I was that guy that severely messed up the curve.

A lot of the students I went to college with were much older than me. Some were in there mid to late twenties a few of them were in their 30's. They were not ostracized one bit. Don't let your age hold you back from doing what you want to do. Because in the grand scheme of things, the people who attend the same college that you're using to better yourself mean little to nothing to you -- as cynical as that sounds.