Is 26 too old to go back to school?

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Hi, I'm currently working on obtaining my BSN in nursing. Before this degree, I pursued a BA in education. I thought that I wanted to be a teacher. After all it was something that I'd wanted to do since childhood. However, once midway through college something inside of me clicked. I didn't really want to be a teacher, but because I was halway through the program, and had taken loans I decided to go through with it anyway. I took my test for my credentials and once I found myself in the classroom setting, I realized that it was not what I wanted to do and should have trusted my gut instinct instead.

I was always drawn to nursing. Especially when in my junior year of college I went to my doctor and he misdiagnosed my symptoms of being the result of stress. I went to the school NP, and she ran test and found out it was more than stress. (I was SEVERELY anemic)

I was impressed and wanted to make a career change before I started my career as a teacher but was to scared to do so.

To make a long story shorter, everyone in my extended family keeps asking me why am I still in school. The one that really bugs me is everyone saying that I'm simple to old to go back to school. Should I be offended? Has anyone else heard someone say they were to old?

Specializes in ICU, Telemetry.

Holy crow, I'm going to be 43 when I start, after spending 20 years in the computer field. It's been my experience that the same people who whined, "why are you going back to school at 30?" when I went for my MS are the same ones who are whining, "why are you going back to school at 43?" when I told them I wanted to be a nurse.

Then I realized, these are the people in my family that, well, whining is the only thing they're good at. They'd whine about having to deal with the money if they won the lottery. So, let'm whine. God willing, in another ten years I'll have assorted nursing letters (lpn, rn, who knows what else) after my name, and they'll be whining about that, too....

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Yikes! I am 46 and I probably am too old, but what am I going to do. My aunt is 90 years old and still out traveling. Should I sit on the rocking porch now?

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Specializes in FNP, Peds, Epilepsy, Mgt., Occ. Ed.

I started with a BA and didn't want to teach. So I got an LPN diploma and went right on through to my ADN. I was 26 when I got that.

I got my BSN 10 years after that! Then my MN a couple of years later.

I won't rule out getting a doctorate at some point, and I'm 21 years older than you right now!

I've known people in their 30's and 40's and above go to nursing school and even medical school (which is usually a longer time commitment). People who have been other things- I know a 50-plus former mechanic nursing student right now.

I also knew of a guy who was a dentist in his 30's or 40's. He quit dentistry to go to medical school. Someone asked him why, when he had decided to be a dentist? He replied that "I didn't decide to be a dentist, an 18 year old kid decided I would be a dentist, and I want to be a doctor!"

Our lives change, we change. As someone else said, it's only too late to go vack to school when you're dead.

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Specializes in Telemetry/Med Surg.

I started nursing school 3 years ago at age 50. I'm now a new RN at age 53. Never, ever too late or too old.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
The one that really bugs me is everyone saying that I'm simple to old to go back to school. Should I be offended? Has anyone else heard someone say they were to old?
Most nursing students can be categorized as nontraditional (over age 25 and from the working classes).
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No way! My mom is 47 and is thinking about going to school for Nursing. I think it would be a huge mistake to not go back to school! I say who cares how old you are! You are never too old to go back to school. No matter how old you are when you become a nurse, think about it, you accomplished it! You will probably regret it your whole life if it is something you wanted to do and you never did it. My nieghbor who is 80 told me the only thing she really regrets in life is not going to Nursing School. Since you already graduated college, you probably did some of the pre-reqs already. For example for my Nursing program it's required that we take things like Eng.101 and Soc105, etc. So you probably already did a lot of those. Good luck!

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Specializes in Stepdown/IMU, full-time Night shift charge.

I'm 47 and in my first semester of nursing. I'll be 49 when I graduate. I was going to be 49 anyway, so ....

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Lord, no, Honey. I'm 47 and will be 48 when I get my RN next year. Follow your gut -- it's God speaking to you.

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Im 47 and getting ready to start prereqs after working behind a desk for 20 years!

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Specializes in Med Surg.

At 26 I was no where near ready to settle down and go to nursing school. (or any other formal thing) I am 34 now and about halfway though school. I am now a serious student and have a fairly good GPA. I did have a lot of fun in my twenties and don't regret any of it. I think GW Bush waited to get a "real job" until he was in his thirties also.

You are never too old to learn new things.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

You're just a baby.

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Oh my goodness no.

I'm in a part-time ADN program with a lot of career changers, myself included. Average age is probably late 30's, with some of us in our 50's. I'm 37. So just go for it and STOP MAKING US ALL FEEL SO OLD, WILL YA?? ;)

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