[popdrops]

Your heart already seems set on it. Hey, you live only once, right?

[Nitebot]

Hey, it's never too late to start anything but getting into a profession when in your 40s and 50s can be difficult of course. It's possible but it helps if you already have lots of relevant experience in the field and/or you have contacts who will help you get into a job. It's common for people in the public sector with quite advanced careers to pursue a degree to try and climb the career ladder. I know people in their 40s who've done that. But going into a completely new area and trying to start a new career is obviously much tougher. Breaking into law at over 50 with no contacts in the sector could be very, very tough. And when you consider the costs involved to qualify as a solicitor, you'll need a job at the end of it!!

Employers have to start to rethink about the way they recruit as we're going into an age where nearly everyone may have to have several different careers and writing people off after 50 like what seems to be happening at the moment is not acceptable.

[TheStudent.]

(Original post by easty46)
Hello All

I am 47 years old and considering either taking an Open University LLB Law Degree or Access to Higher Education course with a view to taking a university degree in Engineering or Law in 2013. The reason for me doing this is I was a university drop out in the 80s and now regret doing this deeply. My A level results then would not get me into University straight away now. Given that I would graduate when I was 52 or 53 am I wasting my time using the qualification I gain for a complete career change ?

I have spent many years working in General Administration and Purchasing and would like one last chance to be what I feel I should have been. All Opinions would be much appreciated.

Many thanks

You've still got another 50 years to live, do it

[awais590]

(Original post by easty46)
Hello All

I am 47 years old and considering either taking an Open University LLB Law Degree or Access to Higher Education course with a view to taking a university degree in Engineering or Law in 2013. The reason for me doing this is I was a university drop out in the 80s and now regret doing this deeply. My A level results then would not get me into University straight away now. Given that I would graduate when I was 52 or 53 am I wasting my time using the qualification I gain for a complete career change ?

I have spent many years working in General Administration and Purchasing and would like one last chance to be what I feel I should have been. All Opinions would be much appreciated.

Many thanks

If you can dream it you can do it.

[arbaaz]

ask yourself two questions:
why am i doing the degree?
will and how will it benefit me?
you'll get your answers then and can decide accordingly whether to proceed or not
one thing i'd say from a law point of view is that if you are planning on becoming a solicitor it will take you at least 6 years presuming you get training contract straight away so the monetary rewards will not be immediate, so i'd make sure that it is something that you really want to do and you research it carefully... ie job prospects etc. furthermore the ou is quite expensive so again i dont know you finances so i can't comment on them but the cost makes me want to reinforce that you should make sure you are confident that a career in law is ultimately what you are suited to.

[Dee Leigh]

It's never too late to study a degree Some people at the age of 80 go to study degrees.

[lucas13]

how long do you see yourself working for? paying 9 grand would make it not worth it economically but if it would make you happy then maybe you should, what uni do you think you could get into.

[JiaM]

Alot of the comments here are really good,

Arbaaz mentioned two very important questions - why are you doing the degree? and your response to this was you'd started an engineering degree when you were much younger and then went on to drop out and you've regretted it since.

I'm now going to probe a little further and ask, why you've regretted it? It's important to understand this because it might be your need for progression and a new challenge that's bothering you as opposed to the desire to obtain an engineering degree. If that is the case it is completely possible for you to progress in other ways without embarking on a 3 year degree.

Such as consultancy in the fields you've already worked. After the amount and level of experience you've had you'd have a fair amount of knowledge people would pay for.

The second point that needs to be considered is also, which I'm sure you already know to a certain level - an interest for a subject and working in the field on a day in day out basis can quite often be two very different things. Which is why I'd asked if you'd gained any first hand experience in a law firm on even a voluntary basis?


I'm definitely not trying to deter you, nor am I trying to push you toward it. I'm all for fulfilling ones dreams and pursuing ones passion in life. With the cost implications involved, it's always good to have looked into matters.

If you choose not to pursue your degree in Law/Engineering, there are still so many ways in which you can continue to further yourself and add that sparkle of excitement and motivation back into your career. Having given careers advice to numerous students mature and young alike, I'd be happy to assist you in anyway I can. (For free ofcourse)

JiaM

[edjunkie]

In my mind you should discount your age as a factor and concentrate on your motivation to undertake a degree now. If you are starting an under graduate degree course with the Open University from September, you will be looking at fees in the region of £5000 a year. You may or may not qualify for some student finance, it will depend on how many years you spent on your previous course. If you think that independent learning is something that you can handle, then look also at the University of London International program, at the moment anyway financially it cost effective, although you don't get the same level of support as the OU. But if you are doing this course purely for your own interest, then it might be suitable.

You may find that as you progress on the Law course, that you see opportunities to use your law skills in a non law setting. So you would not necessarily have pursue becoming a solictor or barrister.

To summarise, if you really want to do it, make sure you have done your research, that you can afford the fees and go for it. If you are not 100% sure, look for shorter courses that offer logical stepping stone to the degree you want to do.

[jami74]

At my interview today I was told that a 4th year student who was in her fifties was on track to get a first.

[Nitebot]

(Original post by edjunkie)
You may find that as you progress on the Law course, that you see opportunities to use your law skills in a non law setting. So you would not necessarily have pursue becoming a solictor or barrister.

This is very true. If you want to be a pseudo legal person without having to go the whole hog then there's all sorts of advisory posts where a degree in law could come in useful. Citizens advice officers are often called upon to give basic legal advice. A law degree would be also good for public sector bureaucrat posts and business posts.

[TobeTheHero]

sure if you got high uni drive ! :P

On a serious note, why not? if you think by going to university is going to help you then by all means go for it! your age shouldn't be a barrier to a GOOD education(depending on uni)

[Crystalclearmagic]

You can never stop learning in life - go for it! Why should age matter? And all the best with your studies!

[KJane]

(Original post by easty46)
Hello All

I am 47 years old and considering either taking an Open University LLB Law Degree or Access to Higher Education course with a view to taking a university degree in Engineering or Law in 2013. The reason for me doing this is I was a university drop out in the 80s and now regret doing this deeply. My A level results then would not get me into University straight away now. Given that I would graduate when I was 52 or 53 am I wasting my time using the qualification I gain for a complete career change ?

I have spent many years working in General Administration and Purchasing and would like one last chance to be what I feel I should have been. All Opinions would be much appreciated.

Many thanks

There is a man on my course who is 59, and we're both first year University students. Go for it.

[evening sunrise]

As per my original post the age is not important but the reason for doing so is material to reaching a conclusion, factored by the year of starting.

For those individuals who are already undergraduates then the ROI in terms of career change is different as their investment will amount to 9K rather than 27K. The question they need to answer is would they have made the same decision at 27K rather than 9K.

For many it is not a question of career change but of interest or maxing out their potential, whether they get to first degree, masters or Phd.

We are both starting in September but for reasons of interest and personal achievement, and we wish to do post grad. It might facilitate a career change it might not, but if it does facilitate a career change a decently paid position in the field would be 20% of what I left behind. For my wife it is different, she has been a home maker for the last 18 years, so if she does find some level of employment on the back of her studies it is a 100% return in terms of her annual income. But we really want to do research and thats why we are going in Sept 2012.

[cshane]

I am 43...and I am trying to go for it !! ....with some hiccups off course....

[Nitebot]

(Original post by evening sunrise)
We are both starting in September but for reasons of interest and personal achievement, and we wish to do post grad. It might facilitate a career change it might not, but if it does facilitate a career change a decently paid position in the field would be 20% of what I left behind. For my wife it is different, she has been a home maker for the last 18 years, so if she does find some level of employment on the back of her studies it is a 100% return in terms of her annual income. But we really want to do research and thats why we are going in Sept 2012.

Giving up all that money eh? You've been watching the History of Ancient Britain too many times!

[Nitebot]

(Original post by cshane)
I am 43...and I am trying to go for it !! ....with some hiccups off course....

Followed your link. Are you after a paid career in law or just want to use the degree for other things?

[cshane]

Oh hello there

I am set on becoming a barrister, and plan to get to it thru the degree and and any extras during pupilage.......I know I make it sound so simple....but I'll be picking up more info as I go along I think...

[shampoo1]

YES, WORTH IT!!
I'm 24 going back to uni. I think it's always worth it xxx