to ask you to help me make this life decision?

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Hello MNers!

I'll try to keep this brief - would really value your opinions on this.

I have recently been offered a place on a masters course at Cambridge to study a subject I love and I cannot decide whether to go or not. This is not at all a humblebrag situation and I actually have some quite significant imposter syndrome which leads to me telling myself that I don't deserve the opportunity I've been presented with here (but that is another story).

So the backstory is that I am 31 - no children or partner at the moment, so relatively free of any significant commitments. I am not at all the stereotypical Cambridge 'type' - wasn't privately educated or anything like that, although I know they are trying to move away from all that now, and rightly so. I am the opposite in fact, and have come from quite a difficult background, both academically and in terms of my family life - I left school very early, with few qualifications at all and my home life as a child was pretty disastrous - including a brief stint in care.

I just don't know what to do and whether or not to go. Will it benefit my life in a significant / tangible way, both professionally and personally? Hard for you, as strangers to say, maybe. I am just concerned that I would be going for the wrong reasons - which are basically that I feel there is a huge void in my life and this feels like the only remotely positive thing in my future.

My career is not on track, at all! But I think that maybe it could be with this masters degree on my CV. And I have worked out that with a student loan I can scrape the money for the fees + living costs together.

What other things might I gain from doing a postgraduate degree at a good university like Cambridge? Am I too old? (I realise I am not old of course, but relative to the other twenty-something students there perhaps?).

The last 3 years have been extremely difficult and have included leaving an abusive relationship - it has taken me most of this time to recover.

Thank you for any advice - and please be kind as I am feeling a bit wobbly!

Btw you are definitely not too old

I voted yabu - grab it with both hands and go for it

Seconding PP - there are plenty of Masters students aged 30+ and also to say that Cambridge wouldn't have offered you the place if they didn't think you were capable. Admissions tutors know what they're looking for and they saw those abilities and promise in your application - it's OK to feel proud of that!

The degree will give you the chance to apply yourself and develop your skills (subject knowledge and transferable) in a way which will help your career, whatever you decide to do when you leave Cambridge. And there may well be college funding to help you with living costs (see www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/funding).

It all sounds very exciting but we understand the feeling of trepidation about taking this step. Lots of people feel/felt this way when they go to university, no matter what age, level of study, and HEI they want to study at!

congratulations!

Go, enjoy it! One life...live it!

Don't do it. Forget it, move on.

Aye, like you'll do that. You're not even s18, when your reservations might slightly be justified (but the advice the ame)

Look at alternatives, study locally or defer for a year. What support will you need, how can you get it? Don't give up your dream, go for it.

I did my masters at 38 at another Russel group uni..was petrified I'd be the oldest there but no where near..I would say I'm in the middle age wise and actually, because we had the same interests we all got on well. Different scenario that I live with dh and our kids so didn't move anywhere but still enjoyed it and found it very interesting and useful. Go for it.

You applied for it so what was the reason you applied? If its juat one year out of your life you'd be silly bit to do it, worse case scenario you don't pass it but no doubt you will kearn lots along the way.

You applied for it so what was the reason you applied? If its just one year out of your life you'd be silly not to do it, worse case scenario you don't pass it but no doubt you will learn lots along the way.

Academic of 20 years with imposter syndrome here. Not all masters degrees are equal, or have good earning potential. It’s a lot of debt to get into. I definitely encourage you to consider it, but, it may help to say what the course is and how you think it will help your career? I think there is an academics corner on here who may also be best placed to advise.

Oh sod the downsides.

Grasp it with both hands.

What an amazing opportunity.

It sounds amazing - you should totally go for it, they wouldn't have made the offer if you weren't up to it!

Your voting is impossible though - is it YABU to think you're not worthy of the place on the course, or is it YABU to go for it, or even YABU to ask us to help you make this life decision? I don't think that the results will be particularly meaningful, so I'd focus on the messages instead, all of which seem to be in favour of you accepting that you are going to be a Cambridge University student!

What a fantastic opportunity, in your shoes I'd snap their hand off!

Well done for coming through the adversity in your life and getting to a place that entitled you to apply in the first place. You most definitely deserve it. You are an inspiration to many!
Good luck!

Oh do it!!! I DON’T have a Masters but I lived there and worked at the Graduate Centre. There is so much support for Masters students there, they give you the time, space and support to get the very best out of you, it’s a lovely place to live, and you’ll meet many, many interesting people. And who knows what that’ll bring.

Please, please go.

You are worth it and you are good enough.

There used to be an add about how time passes anyway I think it was the Just do it! series of adds.
I try to think of that when I'm trying to wriggle out of things that will push me out of my comfort zone. So if it's just fear of the unknown holding you back I say go for it!

Of course you should do it OP! There is no 'type' for doing a masters and age shouldn't hold u back either! In any case you are young!

Please do it! And enjoy it.

Yes go & from what you have written you deserve this amazing opportunity.
Well done!

Well Cambridge didn’t just randomly phone you and offer a place. You applied for this, put in all the effort that entails and were successful. How did you feel when the offer came through? I bet it was delighted before real life and worries lucked it. That’s how you really feel.
Another way to consider it would be how would you feel if it were suddenly withdrawn? Disappointed? In that case you have your answer.
Go for it! If it’s about justifying the cost, make a plan to take full advantage of the opportunity. Utilise the careers service, see what mentoring schemes are available, look into alumni networks.
Plus if you would like to meet a partner at some point it will be a lot more fun than on line dating!
Do it now before life throw any more complications at you

I mean it’s a good opportunity and sounds like a lot of fun

I don’t think your socioeconomic background is an issue

However I don’t think it will have much of a tangible effect on your employability frankly, unless it’s a career field that requires this masters.

So essentially you’ll be going for the experience and the learning opportunity- which is still a valid reason! But I would put high expectations of your life changing afterwards

Sorry - I would NOT put high expectations of your life changing

Go go go!

I left my career to go back to uni - at 31.

Ended up meeting my husband on my first placement! Now have two lovely girls and a great husband.

Opened a door to a career I love too.

Go for it!

Do enquire at your college if there are any hardship funds/grants. Some may not be big, but worth asking.

Read "Educated' by Tara Westover. She comes from a very rough uneducated beginning and ended up acing at Cambridge. They want original thinkers not people from privileged backgrounds.

It's fine to have impostor syndrome, loads of people have it. But don;t let it stop you. There is nothing in your way - you are young and free and single. perfect time to go. You won't regret it.