A little anxiety applying for Nursing school as an older male

[Magnicious]

First off I want to say I'm so happy there's a section for male nurses on here! It's nice to know there's a community like this.

So, went to school for IT in my younger years, didn't finish and wasted away most of my twenties but at 26 I joined the Air Force Reserves because I wanted to go to school and have some type of help paying for it. I have a really great job in IT but I've had a really higher calling to nursing. During my tech school I had to do a detail in which I assisted nurses for the day with minor tasks throughout the day. And I've really wanted to go to school for Nursing. I finished my pre-reqs Anatomy & Physiology I, II, and Microbiology all with A's. I know finding a job is hard and I don't mind continuing in the IT field until I can find adequate employment sometime in the future after finishing my degree. However, my dream is to become an officer.

However, I've told my family & friends my plans to go to nursing school and I'm met with being told I'm too old to go. I'm not a woman, nursing is for females nobody wants to be serviced by a male, etc. So much so that I've began to wonder if it makes sense at my age to go back to school and go into a way different field. I am still very serious about wanting to go but other people's comments are always making me question my decision. I'm just wondering, did any of you have to deal with any of these issues and if so how did you deal with them?

[CaliBoy760]

I turned 40 in nursing school and I never gave it a thought...

[thomasc]

Did I read correctly that the OP is 29?? Who considers that too old for anything? I am starting nursing school in less than 3 weeks. It is an accelerated (1year) BSN. This will be a third (and last) career for me. Most of the students in my cohort are mid 20s. During my interview, it was revealed that the school loves diversity, including age among other things. I was told that the previous year, a woman in her 60s was part of the cohort. I am male, and starting classes at the age of 52. I did consider the age thing, then I thought, screw it, I need to do what is right for me. You get one go around in this life, do what you want, don't let anyone dissuade you. Good luck.

[DragonPurr]

I graduated my ASN school in 2008. The oldest person in our class was 62. Since our graduation he has gone on to earn his BSN and complete NP school. Age is just a number. Don't let it hold you back from the things you want to do.