To study at 30?

[snowbellsxox]

I am 30 with two DS one has just started school and my other is 1.
I'm currently in a dead end job and would like to have a career once my youngest DS starts school.
The only way I can do this is open university ...... the career I want requires a degree and then a masters ... am I mad to want to do this and finish at 35/36? I feel a bit old
5 years to me sounds a lot but then if I don't do it now I'll still be in the same position?
Please let me know your thoughts
My partners work is shifts so my study would work really well around him.

I am 42 with 2 toddler DC and started my degree last year.

It can be hard work to juggle everything, but no harder than having a full time job tbh.

Go for it op. Otherwise in 5 years' time you'll wish you had done it as you'll still be 35/36 but without your degree and your chance at the career you want.

This is the board you want: Mature Study and Retraining.

www.mumsnet.com/talk/mature_students

It was started exactly for you - and you’ll find hundreds of people considering or engaged in exactly the same thing.

How would you afford it?

I did a degree at 50 and started a whole new career. Juggling studying and family was fine, there were lots of other mature students at uni and anyway the younger students didn’t seem to find me unbearably old!

I also went on to finish a PhD at 60 and start yet another career. Not sure you have that in mind, but just to say that you are never too old to do something new.

I really struggled at school, I just got 4 o levels with low grades. I always thought I was stupid. Going back to uni at 50 was so different to my early experiences as a student. I was much more motivated and being a parent meant I was more efficient and organised with my time.

Do it!

I'm 50 and have just started back at school. Go for it!

“Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.”

I'm starting an OU degree next month. Go for it.

You're so young OP!! Of course you should retrain at your age. I changed career at 40 and there are loads of people on here who have done similar. Also, with covid disrupting people for a few years I know a number of graduates who are only really starting their first careers at 25 (when it would have been 22/23). Go for it!

I'm considering exactly this, DD is currently 3 and I'm pregnant with number 2. I have qualifications but I don't have the same passion for my current career that I had before I had DD, if I'm going to do it I'll be roughly 33 when I start as I'd like to wait until this one starts nursery. The way I see it is I can either be doing something I don't enjoy or I can be trained in something completely new I'm still going to get older regardless so I may aswell!

Thanks everyone! I'm going to go for it :)
I'm a bit nervous but I suppose that's a good thing!
I work x 2 days a week and my partner is full time.

Would you get more in student finance than you do 2 days a week working? Could you do degree and work and get childcare grant ( I don’t know the rules these days but my husband worked full time and we qualified).

if it’s a job that requires masters will open uni be ok

Ps I did my first degree when 30. Just about to do a foundation level qualification in a different field. Lots of mature learners must older than 30!

My boys were babies/toddlers when dh became a student. He's nearly finished at mid thirties. It's crippled us financially but it'll be worth every penny once he's done

I would love to do this also OP. Have you got gcses, a levels etc? I'm not sure the open university would accept me though as I only have gcses (but failed maths).

I went back to college to gain a qualification to start a new career at 42.

I know 2 people who got degrees in their 50's.

Go for it.

You don't need formal qualifications for some courses. You should definitely look into it.

Thank you everyone I really appreciate your positive responses

This is perfect. So true.
i graduated at 40. Well worth it. And those three years would have happened anyway.

I'm 35 and just gone into my 3rd year of a degree. Have 3 kids, youngest just started school. Go for it! It's been hard work but I've enjoyed doing it

Go for it !! I did my degree with two DC as a single mum at 31 .. loved every moment of it , was hard but glad I did it .. my best friend was 10 yrs older with 5 children and also a single mum.. she got a first

Hey, did you decide to go for it in the end? I'm about to register for the psychology undergraduate degree so I'm in the same boat you were! Curious to see if you went for it or not!

I really think the days of having one career for life are gone. Many people have 2, 3, 4 career changes in their lifetime. 30 is young. Do what you want to do.

You've potentially got 30 years plus of work/career; why would you not op? Good luck!!

Sorry, just saw this from Sept last year; hope you went for it!!

I'm 39 and started my degree last year. I'm loving it. Go for it 😊