Going back to school at 30

JJL618, RN · Oct 26, 2016

I also wanted to discuss changes in the curriculum. My transcript that I have showed classes such as fundamentals of nursing, health assessment, pharmacology, maternal & child nursing, and adult nursing. Looking at the classes now, it appears they have changed in the last 10 years or so.

LPNtoRNin2016OH, LPN · Oct 26, 2016

I went to LPN school at 21 but no other college after thattill I started my pre-reqs for my LPN-RN bridge program at 26. I will graduatethis April shortly before turning 30 so I think I can give you a good view ofwhat it may be like. I do have three kids and a husband which does make things abit harder.

I am actually 1000x glad that I waited till I was 26 to goto an actual college (LPN school was vocational) because I took it moreseriously than I would have at an younger age, I am more organized/motivated,and I realize this is debt I have to pay back no matter what so I need to dowell to graduate and get a job. I did terribly in public school, I graduated HSwith a 2.3. My pre-req and nursing class GPA is 3.96 â€“ I am no genius but as anolder student I am great at time management and have the discipline to sit downand study. They also utilize online classes more (Well school dependent obviously),my program's lecture portion is 70% online. I love this because lecture doesnot benefit me in any way shape or form and I can study when I want to and howI want to.

Hopefully you will not have to repeat all of your pre-reqsthat you did when you were younger. But I do think you will find that at 30 youwill not get as overwhelmed as easily as you did at 20, and you will have the confidenceto go for it and not let anything stand in your way.

JJL618, RN · Oct 26, 2016

Thank you for the encouragement. I am more of a hands on learner. Test taking was my down fall in nursing obviously, but I am a completely different person than I was 11-12 years ago when I first started college. Working with the public for so long will kinda do that. I just think I'm ready for a change, but that's hard for me to say because I don't really like change and I get into a routine and I stick with it.

alissa8168 · Oct 27, 2016

I'm 30 and in my first semester of nursing school. It's the hardest thing I've done in a long time but I love it and am glad I made the decision to go back. Go for it!

JJL618, RN · Oct 27, 2016

I'm just afraid of failure. But I know if I put my mind to it, I can do it. My problem was picking the best answer since all of them could be correct. One answer is just better than the rest. It's a completely different way of studying/thinking.

Medix73 · Oct 27, 2016

I'm currently 28. I started nursing school in 2006 when I was 18, but being young and pretty immature, it just didn't work out. I became a Paramedic instead and have been doing that about 10 years.

I started back in nursing school at 26, and it's been loads easier, not only because of my experience as a paramedic but also because I'm more mature now. I don't get all wrapped up in all the drama and the like that these younger kids do. I have a wife and two kids, and while some would say that makes it easier, I actually kind of disagree. Having a family complicates scheduling and makes everything a little more hectic.

With that being said, It's very doable. Getting older doesn't slow you down as much as people think it does. If you're having doubts about being able to hack it intellectually, then I encourage you to still give it a try. Life experience plays a major role in what nursing is today; it's way beyond just medical knowledge. Most of the other nursing students I'm in class with don't have a clue on therapeutic communication or enough life experience to know what people need to hear and how they need to hear it. Frankly, that is something that can't be taught, but must be learned in life.

I'm all for older students/nursing as a second career. I even have a 60 year old woman in my class starting college for the first time.

Lemon Bars · Oct 28, 2016

I'm 45 years old, male, and in the second semester of a BSN program. I'm definitely the odd duck but everyone is nice to me and I help them whenever I can. Going to college now is a lot less fun than it was the first time around, but my brain still works, and I'm grinding through it. Your pre-requisites might be too old now to count for some programs and you might have to retake them. You are definitely not too old but it's a heck of a lot of work. If you make good money now and are relatively happy with your work, I'd give it some serious thought become going back to school. For me there didn't seem to be many other options as my could not make a living anymore at my previous career. At my age, I really resent the time and money I have to spend doing non-essential classes such as statistics and nursing informatics.

As for being a student, my advice is to join study groups and be friendly with other students because we help each other a lot in my program. We have our own Facebook page to help each other keep track of things. Your age and life experience will be an asset with teachers, patients, and other students. Just be friendly and never condescending. I assume and hope you will not come to class hungover like some of the younger students occasionally do! If you are going back to school, best do it before having kids because it's a ton of work to get through. Good luck!

JJL618, RN · Oct 28, 2016

Thanks for the advice. I'm still unsure what I want to do. I know our family business isn't going to last forever as some are already saying they want to sell it so that's why I'm thinking of switching careers. Plus I'm just tired of the business. I've always liked the healthcare field, and I would love to work in it.

whatwasithinking75 · Oct 28, 2016

I have a similar background and last year I began an LPN program. I'm 30 too and I am actually happy I waited later in life to attempt nursing school. I really don't believe I would have been able to complete such a rigorous program at a younger age. I'm much more disciplined and devoted now then I was in my early 20's.

There were a lot of people in there late 50's in my class. It's never too late. Age has nothing to do with success. It's all about time management. Go for it if its really what you want. YOU ARE STILL YOUNG!

JCD2712, BSN, RN · Oct 28, 2016

I'll be over 30 by the time I graduate from an accelerated BSN program, and I want to repeat what others have said: it's never too late! And nothing is wasted: your past education and work experience will be very beneficial if you choose nursing as your career.

You yourself said in your original post that you've been having regrets about not continuing in nursing. If you have regrets, then do something about it! In most situations in life, you can't do anything about regrets, but in your situation, you have the chance to destroy those regrets. You don't want to have this conversation with yourself in another 30 years (though as others have said, you could be 60 and go back to school...it's never too late, c'mon, say it with us!!).

I have an English degree, and I was working in a related field for the past 6 years but when I was ready to move on from my job, I couldn't find any job postings that got me excited. So I stepped back and reconsider the whole kit and kaboodle. My husband suggested nursing, and I did a lot of research, and then made the decision. I kept going back and forth, back and forth, back and forth until I realized that at some point, you just have to decide. Just pick. Make a decision, and then follow through. Don't second-guess yourself after that point. Respect yourself enough to leave it alone.

I know that some people see nursing as a calling, and I really connect with the drive of nursing (service to others), but for me it was more like a business decision. In the business that is Your Life, what will help you reach your goals in the happiest way possible? What will put Your Life in the black and not the red? I tried to cut through the emotion of making a life-changing decision (obviously easier said than done) to see with clarity the logic behind it.

Again, you said you might regret not being a nurse, so if that's the case -- and if nursing will help you reach your life goals -- then it looks like you might have an answer. Good luck!!

explorereb96, ADN, BSN · Oct 28, 2016

Oh you are so funny. I have been an LPN for 28 years. I am now 51 years old and going back for my RN finally. I was accepted into a LPN-RN bridge program at the State College for this January. Your never too old until you feel too old.