36 too old?

Do it. You have to do something to earn money between the age of 40 and retirement. Surely it is better to have a career that interests you?

I suggest you find a two year program that gives you an associate degree but has credits that can transfer. (In Virginia, if you get good grades in CC the state school MUST accept you as a transfer.)

You might be pleasantly surprised to learn that you might well get a good paying job with the two year degree.

A distant in-law only has an 2 year degree but he has a nice paying job with an electric utility someplace in Pennsylvania. He didn't particularly want to work in PA but that's where the job offer came from and he went!

To be "candid," 36 is "getting there." Work VERY hard in CC to get a 4.0 (including the non-technical stuff). This will help demonstrate that you can still learn new things.

I've seen a few retired cops go into technical fields. Why not you? Again, make sure to do VERY well in the classwork. Set higher standards for yourself than your teachers do. Make sure you really, really understand what the course seems to require.

Why not? If you enjoy it, it can be interesting. As far as age, I went back to school at 50 for another degree. "Some people learn something new every day, others just get 24 hours older."

daestrom

I am of the "never too old to learn" group. Go for it. I am not sure what your existing job might be, but you "experience" may give you a leg up once you graduate and start looking for a job. Make absolutely sure your credits will transfer. I suggest a 2 year associates program in engineering (not engineering technology) if possible.

Charles Perry P.E. Who looks at the world a little differently now that he has to hire engineers, technologists, and technicians.

Tim,

That age sounds perfect for someone to start in the profession really knowing that they want to be doing it. I agree with the other correspondents whole heartedly. A couple of pointers when you feel negative about the studies. Expect that some lecturers can't really teach and you will only really succeed if you do your own research and teach yourself (consider this training when you are in the profession.) Some subject material may seem irrelevant but it is only a fraction of what you really wanted to learn when you do become an engineer.

For people like me (20 years as an engineer) I get inspired when interviewing the late bloomers of the profession especially when compared with the very bright Generation Y who want to be Project Managers in 3 years or my job in 5 years.

All the best with the new direction in life.

Nick

Thanks for the input Mike, John, Daestrom, Charles and Nick!

I am going to make sure that my credits transfer. I don't know if it's the law or not, but I have checked into it.

after the Associate Degree.

all come later: A 4.0 huh? I'll try. I know that it seems that as I get older, I seem to want to learn new things a lot more and I don't mind researching things until I find the answer. And, all that math doesn't scare me a bit.

I agree with the "never to old to learn", I'm just afraid of all the learning and loans to become part of the "unemployed, because I'm to old to start" group. Thanks to all the support that I've been receiving, I will go for it though.

I finish drywall right now as a job, been doing it for 18 years. Well, at least I was finishing drywall until the major construction dry-up here in Michigan (with no real sign of it changing anytime soon). Throwing mud on the wall and wiping it off doesn't translate to a profession; no advancement, retirement (to brag about), promotion, etc., and the pay has a limit. (The same limit as someone who never did it before gets when they get hired in.) That is where the idea of schooling came from, I need more...

I have been in and talked with one of the Adviser's twice and a Career Counselor once. I have started to fill out for Financial Aid and I am working on getting an appointment with Michigan Works to talk about what programs they have available.

I narrowed my choices down to this or Accounting. I, along with a lot of other people, let me in on the point that Accounting is either very boring or so busy (16 hour days) that the stress level eats you up. The good point I heard was that most people would rather deal with an Accountant with grey hair and some years behind them, rather than someone who looks inexperienced. Looks can be deceiving.

Thanks again, I'll go for it. Registration is at the end of this month and classes start the middle of January.

-Tim

Jarv> Tim,