Am I ridiculous for thinking of going to Uni at 38?

[overthinkersanonnymus]

Please can I have some words of wisdom and advice on whether I am indeed crazy for thinking about this.

I want to be a midwife. I am fascinated by all things birth related. From conception, foetal development, birth and postnatal care.

My problem is I have no real qualifications that would allow me in to uni to study. I'd have to do an access to higher education course and I'm not very academic!! I also don't really know how to navigate the whole university world.

I'm currently in a finance role and i don't like it. It's boring, the money isn't that good and I feel like my life is just drudgery at the moment.

What would be a reasonable cut off age retrain? I was half thinking of working in finance a few more years, pay a massive chunk off my mortgage snd then maybe relook at it. But I could be well in to my 40s by then.

Help!

Age is a number. Do what you want. Go for it! All power to you.

Not at all! It's never too late to learn or make a career change..

When I was a nurse, I was a student assessor. I always preferred the older students - common sense, practicality and personal strength is much more valuable than A Levels.

It's a tough, all consuming course though.

@Needanewname42

I am doing my Social Work degree.

Wishing you lots of luck in your learning, and for the exhilarating ride ahead.

I can't comment on the access course itself, but everywhere I have studied has offered study support and guidance.

You are absolutely not too old. I graduated at 21, 30 and 59, and each graduation has got sweeter.

Have a great time!

Good stuff.
I'm a little younger than you and considering a career change.

DP did a year of Open Uni and didn't feel too challenged so switched to a red bricks uni which he finished at 38. This was an undergraduate engineering course so very challenging. He failed the first year, having not done maths in nearly 20 years, but then got into the swing of it and graduated with a merit. We also had a baby in this time. It was hard and he def was the oldest in the course but he did well and find a job easily. You can do this if you want to!

Go for it!!!! Life's too short, do what you really desire to do.

Three links @overthinkersanonnymus

How to write an essay.

https://www.open.edu/openlearn/education-development/essay-and-report-writing-skills/content-section-0

Access to university via the Open University
https://www.open.ac.uk/courses/do-it/access

OU healthcare courses.
https://www.open.ac.uk/courses/nursing-healthcare

Embrace Open Learn and go at your own pace. I would recommend going to a local university for the midwifery course, but the OU are the world experts in supporting mature students with no academic background and are best for helping you start out.

I’d look up ‘when push comes to shove’ run by Nickita Stark and consider training as a doula….