Is it worth me going to uni to study business degree at age 29?
Hello TSR
I'm 29 and I've been slightly regretting not going to uni when I was younger. When I was 18, I struggled with depression that contributed to me getting bad A Levels, even though I was intelligent. I then gave up on the idea of uni because of that and I didn't know really what I wanted to do career-wise anyway, so thought to put it off rather than waste money on a degree for the sake of it.
Right after A Levels, I did a one year college course in Business Admin and did fairly well in that. Went through a couple of periods of unemployment and working a few temp jobs. Went travelling for a bit, then ended up moving from my original home in London to Edinburgh when I was 22 to be near my then-boyfriend (now husband). I enrolled in college there full time to study HND Admin and IT, in which I graduated with all top grades. I applied to go to uni following that, and it would have sent me straight to Year 3 of a business degree as opposed to Year 1 as it was a top up. I was 24 by then and only needed to study 2 more years to get that degree, but I ended up withdrawing because I was fed up with studying again. I decided to get into work, so I continued my part time security work whilst trying and struggling to find a full time professional office job. I then discovered about being a freelance PA and decided to pursue that.
4 and a bit years down the line, I've now built up quite a successful freelance admin business. In this industry, no one cares about your qualifications - just your skills and personality. However, I still have that niggling regret about missing uni and wonder about whether I should still pursue a business management degree, even if it's just solely for myself. I have learned from other people that this sort of degree is not very useful compared with having work experience, which I have plenty of now. However, I think I just want the prestige of holding a degree, feeling like I've achieved in education and scoring a first class.
I also hate that I missed out on the social experience, which many people say it's worth going to uni for. I'm older now but I still enjoy clubbing, parties, socialising, and various other activities, so I'd like to think I could maybe fit in and make friends both old and young. I know it's coronavirus times at the moment, but hopefully by the time I did decide to go uni, things would be normal again. I already have a husband, mortgage and pets (but no kids and no plans to), so I'm not sure moving to halls would work unless we decided to move away together somewhere else. Otherwise, I'd probably just stay at home, attend uni locally and do what I can to get involved with all the clubs and social events.
I wouldn't want to give up my business or stop earning, and I know there are options to study remotely and part time alongside it. Maybe even full time would be possible, since I read it's 21 hours a week of study so I could balance with my business, albeit working fewer hours myself. I did work a 25 hour a week job alongside my business, so I guess it would be comparable to balance. I can even get a free degree if I study at a Scottish uni, so the cost of that wouldn't be a worry either.
I know I've written a lot there. Just wondering what folk on this forum think. Anyone experienced similar and decided what you would do? Any advice for me. Thanks in advance!
I'm 29 and I've been slightly regretting not going to uni when I was younger. When I was 18, I struggled with depression that contributed to me getting bad A Levels, even though I was intelligent. I then gave up on the idea of uni because of that and I didn't know really what I wanted to do career-wise anyway, so thought to put it off rather than waste money on a degree for the sake of it.
Right after A Levels, I did a one year college course in Business Admin and did fairly well in that. Went through a couple of periods of unemployment and working a few temp jobs. Went travelling for a bit, then ended up moving from my original home in London to Edinburgh when I was 22 to be near my then-boyfriend (now husband). I enrolled in college there full time to study HND Admin and IT, in which I graduated with all top grades. I applied to go to uni following that, and it would have sent me straight to Year 3 of a business degree as opposed to Year 1 as it was a top up. I was 24 by then and only needed to study 2 more years to get that degree, but I ended up withdrawing because I was fed up with studying again. I decided to get into work, so I continued my part time security work whilst trying and struggling to find a full time professional office job. I then discovered about being a freelance PA and decided to pursue that.
4 and a bit years down the line, I've now built up quite a successful freelance admin business. In this industry, no one cares about your qualifications - just your skills and personality. However, I still have that niggling regret about missing uni and wonder about whether I should still pursue a business management degree, even if it's just solely for myself. I have learned from other people that this sort of degree is not very useful compared with having work experience, which I have plenty of now. However, I think I just want the prestige of holding a degree, feeling like I've achieved in education and scoring a first class.
I also hate that I missed out on the social experience, which many people say it's worth going to uni for. I'm older now but I still enjoy clubbing, parties, socialising, and various other activities, so I'd like to think I could maybe fit in and make friends both old and young. I know it's coronavirus times at the moment, but hopefully by the time I did decide to go uni, things would be normal again. I already have a husband, mortgage and pets (but no kids and no plans to), so I'm not sure moving to halls would work unless we decided to move away together somewhere else. Otherwise, I'd probably just stay at home, attend uni locally and do what I can to get involved with all the clubs and social events.
I wouldn't want to give up my business or stop earning, and I know there are options to study remotely and part time alongside it. Maybe even full time would be possible, since I read it's 21 hours a week of study so I could balance with my business, albeit working fewer hours myself. I did work a 25 hour a week job alongside my business, so I guess it would be comparable to balance. I can even get a free degree if I study at a Scottish uni, so the cost of that wouldn't be a worry either.
I know I've written a lot there. Just wondering what folk on this forum think. Anyone experienced similar and decided what you would do? Any advice for me. Thanks in advance!
Original post by JamesManc
I was going to say no until I read that you have a successful business already, go for it.
Out of curiosity - why would you have said no if I didn’t have a successful business?
I am 31 and in year 2 of my degree. I don’t feel ‘too old’ and I enjoy the socialising as much as anyone else. I have 2 children and work 3 days a week (22.5 hours) and I manage to find time for lay ins, socialising and my work and still have a good family life. It’s definitely possible.
I certainly don’t think your age would be any issue and there are many students around the same age or older too.
I have met some of my closest friends at uni
I certainly don’t think your age would be any issue and there are many students around the same age or older too.
I have met some of my closest friends at uni
Yes. Do it or regret not.
Original post by CherryCherryBoomBoom
Hello TSR
I'm 29 and I've been slightly regretting not going to uni when I was younger. When I was 18, I struggled with depression that contributed to me getting bad A Levels, even though I was intelligent. I then gave up on the idea of uni because of that and I didn't know really what I wanted to do career-wise anyway, so thought to put it off rather than waste money on a degree for the sake of it.
Right after A Levels, I did a one year college course in Business Admin and did fairly well in that. Went through a couple of periods of unemployment and working a few temp jobs. Went travelling for a bit, then ended up moving from my original home in London to Edinburgh when I was 22 to be near my then-boyfriend (now husband). I enrolled in college there full time to study HND Admin and IT, in which I graduated with all top grades. I applied to go to uni following that, and it would have sent me straight to Year 3 of a business degree as opposed to Year 1 as it was a top up. I was 24 by then and only needed to study 2 more years to get that degree, but I ended up withdrawing because I was fed up with studying again. I decided to get into work, so I continued my part time security work whilst trying and struggling to find a full time professional office job. I then discovered about being a freelance PA and decided to pursue that.
4 and a bit years down the line, I've now built up quite a successful freelance admin business. In this industry, no one cares about your qualifications - just your skills and personality. However, I still have that niggling regret about missing uni and wonder about whether I should still pursue a business management degree, even if it's just solely for myself. I have learned from other people that this sort of degree is not very useful compared with having work experience, which I have plenty of now. However, I think I just want the prestige of holding a degree, feeling like I've achieved in education and scoring a first class.
I also hate that I missed out on the social experience, which many people say it's worth going to uni for. I'm older now but I still enjoy clubbing, parties, socialising, and various other activities, so I'd like to think I could maybe fit in and make friends both old and young. I know it's coronavirus times at the moment, but hopefully by the time I did decide to go uni, things would be normal again. I already have a husband, mortgage and pets (but no kids and no plans to), so I'm not sure moving to halls would work unless we decided to move away together somewhere else. Otherwise, I'd probably just stay at home, attend uni locally and do what I can to get involved with all the clubs and social events.
I wouldn't want to give up my business or stop earning, and I know there are options to study remotely and part time alongside it. Maybe even full time would be possible, since I read it's 21 hours a week of study so I could balance with my business, albeit working fewer hours myself. I did work a 25 hour a week job alongside my business, so I guess it would be comparable to balance. I can even get a free degree if I study at a Scottish uni, so the cost of that wouldn't be a worry either.
I know I've written a lot there. Just wondering what folk on this forum think. Anyone experienced similar and decided what you would do? Any advice for me. Thanks in advance!
I'm 29 and I've been slightly regretting not going to uni when I was younger. When I was 18, I struggled with depression that contributed to me getting bad A Levels, even though I was intelligent. I then gave up on the idea of uni because of that and I didn't know really what I wanted to do career-wise anyway, so thought to put it off rather than waste money on a degree for the sake of it.
Right after A Levels, I did a one year college course in Business Admin and did fairly well in that. Went through a couple of periods of unemployment and working a few temp jobs. Went travelling for a bit, then ended up moving from my original home in London to Edinburgh when I was 22 to be near my then-boyfriend (now husband). I enrolled in college there full time to study HND Admin and IT, in which I graduated with all top grades. I applied to go to uni following that, and it would have sent me straight to Year 3 of a business degree as opposed to Year 1 as it was a top up. I was 24 by then and only needed to study 2 more years to get that degree, but I ended up withdrawing because I was fed up with studying again. I decided to get into work, so I continued my part time security work whilst trying and struggling to find a full time professional office job. I then discovered about being a freelance PA and decided to pursue that.
4 and a bit years down the line, I've now built up quite a successful freelance admin business. In this industry, no one cares about your qualifications - just your skills and personality. However, I still have that niggling regret about missing uni and wonder about whether I should still pursue a business management degree, even if it's just solely for myself. I have learned from other people that this sort of degree is not very useful compared with having work experience, which I have plenty of now. However, I think I just want the prestige of holding a degree, feeling like I've achieved in education and scoring a first class.
I also hate that I missed out on the social experience, which many people say it's worth going to uni for. I'm older now but I still enjoy clubbing, parties, socialising, and various other activities, so I'd like to think I could maybe fit in and make friends both old and young. I know it's coronavirus times at the moment, but hopefully by the time I did decide to go uni, things would be normal again. I already have a husband, mortgage and pets (but no kids and no plans to), so I'm not sure moving to halls would work unless we decided to move away together somewhere else. Otherwise, I'd probably just stay at home, attend uni locally and do what I can to get involved with all the clubs and social events.
I wouldn't want to give up my business or stop earning, and I know there are options to study remotely and part time alongside it. Maybe even full time would be possible, since I read it's 21 hours a week of study so I could balance with my business, albeit working fewer hours myself. I did work a 25 hour a week job alongside my business, so I guess it would be comparable to balance. I can even get a free degree if I study at a Scottish uni, so the cost of that wouldn't be a worry either.
I know I've written a lot there. Just wondering what folk on this forum think. Anyone experienced similar and decided what you would do? Any advice for me. Thanks in advance!
Hi there! 👋 It's great to hear that you're thinking about returning to education! Though you may not need a degree, I would agree that the prestige of being able to say that you hold a degree is fantastic. Additionally, studying a business management degree will allow you to advance your knowledge across various different sectors which may allow you to better the services you are currently offering to your clients. I originally wanted to study a marketing degree but instead studied a business management degree and I'm so glad that I did - it enabled me to advance my knowledge in various different sectors such as finance, HR, and economics as well as marketing - areas which are all important when running a business. Additionally, obtaining a degree will be beneficial if you ever decide to explore a new career path.
If not going to university is something that you are still regretting in your late 20s, I would definitely say go for it! A high number of students in our university as well as many other universities are classed as 'mature' and still get involved with student activities and friend-making, so you won't be alone!
Best of luck in your academic endeavour!
Lauren
WrexhamUniReps
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