How old were you when starting prereqs and did it discourage you?

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I just turned 22 and a lot of people I went to high school with are graduating with a bachelor's degree this spring. So I am feeling a little discouraged and sad.

I started community college right out of high school. I was a little lazy and didn't want hard classes so I went with elementary education even though I wasn't too sure about it. Well a year and a half into it I discovered nursing was where I really wanted to be so I changed majors and took classes for the local ADN program at my community college. I went to a information session and got misleading information that I could apply then with just a few prereqs done so I applied. I got a letter telling me I needed to finish all my prereqs before I could apply and the admissions advisor changed.

So feeling defeated I took a semester off which turned into two when my part time job's company declared bankruptcy and I had to work full time to help. This summer I moved from NJ to FL and have to wait until Fall 2013 to get instate tuition to finish my last 4 prereqs here. I wanted to take maybe a class or two until I was instate then I saw the price was almost 400 per credit! Yikes, I can't afford 1,200-1,600$ a class!

I have 5 prereqs done that apply to the program down here and my gpa is a 3.6. If I get in when I plan to I will be 26 when I graduate with a ADN. I can't get into a BSN program because my overall gpa in the classes I don't need anymore is still calculated into a lot of admissions which is only a 3.1.

I guess I am just looking for words of encouragement and your stories to help. I look forward to hearing some uplifting answers! :)

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You'll be 26 when you graduate with your ADN? Guess what, I'll be 44 in May 2013 when i graduate with MY ADN :)

My classes average age is 32 or so, we have students right out of high school and students who are my age (a couple are older than I am). If you do a quick search on AN you'll see that there are many, many, many of us who are decades older than 26 just starting or completing our ADN.

No worries. 26 is NOT old.

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Thank you! :) I think I had higher expectations for myself because my brother. He had his bachelor's degree at 21 with a government job and master's degree at 23 (paid for by his job). I need to stop comparing myself to other people and their accomplishments.

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I agree with the above poster. I am in my 30's and will be graduating next May along with some others who are older than me. You are never to old to learn and grow intellectually.

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Just want to add that I cannot tell you of how many family and friends I have who went right to college after high school and got their bachelors...only to turn around when they were older to go back to school for something different because they finally realized (or admitted to themselves) that they just didn't like what they went to school for.

Just b/c they got their degrees young doesn't mean diddly squat, doesn't mean that in 10 years they don't change their minds and go back to school for something else ;)

The age in which you obtained your degree will not make it any less valuable :)

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Ummmm...I finally got my B.S. when I was 38. Went to law school (sooooo not for me). Now I'm re-taking my science pre-reqs and I'm 57!!! What's "old?" I don't recognize that word. :D

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I am in my 30s, and if all works out as planned, I will be 38 when I graduate with my BSN. I would not worry about your age. I had classmates that were 18 up to 50. I think it really matters what is in your heart and what you want to do. No worries about age.....you will still be the same age regardless whether you go to school or not!

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Thank you all for your replies! It is making me feel much better haha. :)

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Don’t be discouraged! You are still miles ahead of the people who are going back to school mid-life!

I dabbled in community college after I dropped out of high school in 2006. I racked up a few withdrawals, and eventually gave up and just started working full time. In 2009, I went back, took a few classes but after exhausting full course loads and working full time, I left again because I didn’t know what I wanted to major in and figured I was just wasting time and money in school.

However, in early 2011 I ended up at a major hospital to visit a friend, where my Aunt worked as a NICU nurse. I went up to say Hi to her and 6 hours of shadowing her later, I was totally awestruck that I finally knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to be a nurse.

So I faced my fears of going back to school, and started working out all my academic probations, financial aid, etc. I’m 23 now and in my last year of pre-reqs. A few semesters ago I thought I’d never get here! I have some tough classes left but I know that nursing is what I want to do with my life and I’ll be damned if I let my own fear and doubts stop me. I feel like I owe it to myself to complete this.

I hope that you find yourself persevering if this is what you really want to do. Don’t ever feel like you’re too old, especially at out age! Sure, we’re not with our high school class but who cares, now is the right time for me and you! Just keep your end goal in mind and don’t get discouraged when things get tough or when you’re in a class with 18 year olds, everyone lives the journey differently. Maybe all that moving around and time for life experience made you a stronger person and that’s what you needed to get through nursing school!

Great luck to you and represent the 22/23 year olds well!!

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I took my very first pre-req class the summer after high school (age 17) I'm now 27 and I just got accepted to the ADN program at my community college that I took my very first class back in '03. Sometimes I do wish that moved a bit quicker with my studies but I really don't think I was mature enough at age 20-21 to start nursing school so I am happy with my decisions. I actually think I'm a bit younger compared to most of my class. But age is nothin' but a number! If YOU feel ready to be a nursing student and you work hard, you can be a nursing student! It doesn't matter what age you are!

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Specializes in Oncology/hematology.

Both of my brothers had their bachelors by 22, masters by 23 and 24 respectively. I took the lazy route and got my personal trainer certification in 9 months and went to work. Well, going back to start my prereqs at 40 was a little intimidating. I am so glad that I went back when I did. I'll have my degree by 44, work until I'm 65 or so, and still enjoy a long retirement.

Basically what I'm getting at is that everyone does things at their own pace and it's never too late!

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You are a spring chicken :-) ... I am in the upper 30's and taking pre-reqs with the hope of starting a program next summer or fall :-)

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