I'm 29 and still don't have a Master's degree! Is it too late?

[amerikajin]

Get a Master's but make sure you know what you want to do with it before you do. Grad school is expensive and it's one hell of a lot of work.

[Eve]

Maybe you should just spend some time travelling in order to find out what you want to do? Travelling seems to have had the most impact on you so far..

 

I wouldnt worry about the whole MS thing. Find out what you like firstly. As long as you look after yourself, age is just a number.

 

I see it to be good to be a little anxious about things because then you can find your focus. I dont think that you will find your focus where you are right now. Pack up and go travel. This is probably the last time that you will be able to do such a thing. You can study anytime - even with children and a Husband!

[eiithan]

I just graduated from college (being 24.5 yr old) and my plan is to work for next three years before I apply to the grad school. I'll probably hit 28-29 when I start my master's program. I kind of understand where your anxiety is coming as some of my friends who are perhaps a few months younger than me are grad students. My ex started college at 15 so I totally symphasise the feeling of having wasted time. But seriously, heading to the grad school at 29 is FINE. Maturity and mental stability affect your academic career more significantly than you think. What matters most is your commitment. Stop worrying and just focus on your studies. My fingers are crossed for you.

[Throne Of Lies]

Join the military.

 

Go to OCS- you have a degree and female officer candidates are highly desirable. Especially if they are fluent in another language besides English.

 

In the last two weeks of OCS start the process of applying for intelligence fields. You'll do different work depending on what service you join- Navy will be more direct translation of SIGINT (Navy intel is sort of like the NSA), whereas Army and Marine Corps will be more tactically oriented. I wouldn't recommend the Air Force, not right now.

 

 

Do two years in your job in your specialty, and apply for grad school while you are wrapping up your first tour of duty. As a female veteran with a guaranteed full ride, most colleges will snap you up if you are even a bit qualified. Finish up your grad school, and then do another two to four years.

 

The upsides are such:

1. You'll get into grad school, and your degree will be paid for.

2. You'll get to travel and have the adventures that you have been desiring.

3. You have a VERY good chance of meeting a great husband in the service- the numbers are massively in your favor and the intel communities are packed with bright, sensitive, single male officers.

4. TRICARE is a good program-- it will go a very long way in covering your medical expenses, especially once you get older.

 

I know that it might seem a radical prospect but it shouldn't- it is a great career (or just temporary job) that can get you everything you want.

If you have ANY questions please PM me, I would really recommend this for you, I think it would be great for your situation.

[CommitmentPhobe]

Hi, I lecture MSc students, and I spent 5 years in grad school.

 

I think you are at a good age to do one. There are many students of your age. Often those who come straight from their undergrad don't get the full benefits of it.

 

It's an extra string to your bow and is likely to be a positive experience. I say stop overthinking it and just do it!

 

Also you may well meet some interesting men!

[Kenyth]

I'd forget it, grandma, and get back to work. Grad school is for lazy people who don't want to do real work.

 

Anyway, one thing's for sure - don't be asking yourself this question again in 2 years' time. Or 4 years' time. By then, you could have gotten the darn piece of paper.

 

You might not be an intellectual, but you can still make a useful contribution to society. By having a baby, or something like that.

 

Stop being picky, and settle for a half-decent guy. That's not too ugly. It can't be that hard, surely?!

 

 

I'm sure it would be hard to find a less constructive comment. I sincerely hope it's just sarcastic.

[Kenyth]

I'll just have turned 40 when I get my undergrad, so I think you're OK at 29 .

 

I think to be accepted in a masters program they expect you to have a couple years of career experience in your chosen field. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[CommitmentPhobe]

I'll just have turned 40 when I get my undergrad, so I think you're OK at 29 .

 

I think to be accepted in a masters program they expect you to have a couple years of career experience in your chosen field. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

 

It depends on the program, many undergrads do go straight on to a Masters. Some of them are designed as a step to a PhD.

[kizik]

As a society, we have an addiction to comparing ourselves to others.

 

STOP it.

 

Yeah, some of your friends are married and have kids, and have their degrees. And I bet it makes you ten kinds of jealous when they gush about all the great sh*t in their lives.

 

But YOU have found a passion for Spanish and Latin America (which I share, BTW), and all those aforementioned friends are going to be super jealous as you bang Raul on the tranquil shores of Costa Rica.

 

Follow YOUR interests, and disregard all the rest.

[oneofakind]

I'm 29 years old and really want badly to have a career, and I would like to go to graduate school, but I am so scared that it's too late. I realize that technically a graduate school might accept someone of my age, but that at 29 I would be in a sea of 21-22-year olds, and I would feel like the "grandma" of the class. I guess that that would be better than simply NEVER going to graduate school, but I worry that my age would be a detriment to my getting accepted. Discrimination, ostensibly, is illegal but there's no way to guarantee that it won't happen to me, and I'm behind everyone else (most people have their master's by my age).

The trouble is, that if I pursue a Master's degree then by the time I finish it I'll probably be too old to get married and have children!

 

My grandmother went back to school in her early 40's after all her kids were adults and got a graduate degree in business. And this was back in the late 1970! From being in college myself, I saw students of all ages (from 19 to 40's) in my classes.

 

So no, it's not too late to go back to graduate school.

[Isolde]

Is this the 18th century? People get married at any age, while in school, out of school, it doesn't matter.

 

Now if you're going abroad that could be complicated in terms of relationships but if it's what you want to do, coming back to the US at 31 or 32 or whatever wouldn't be so bad. (most masters programs are 2 years).

 

Masters degrees are a lot of work depending on what field you're going into. But it's not like it's going to prevent you from dating. Go for it. In today's economy, just a BA sometimes doesn't cut it (again, depending on your field).

[daithi]

30's for a masters no sweat!!... why not try and go and get it. You;ll be that bit more mature and focused to go and get it. Good luck!

[Neutrino]

Sou, you sound very undecided about what you really want and it seems like you also have some misconceptions....

 

First of all - how can being married prevent you from going to study ? If you can study as a single - all the more the mental support of a partner would surely help ? Having a relationship and a career / study have nothing to do with one another - these are two separate things in your life.

 

Having kids is something else - but also for that you don't need to depend on having found a romantic-partner, you can also have a child by yourself - but allow me to mention - kids are expensive - so better make sure you can afford it...

 

The choice whether to have a child is a separate issue again - if you don't have the maternal instinct - don't do it - at least now. You plan your life in a haste - like you're going to die tomorrow - of course you are confused...

 

Go somewhere where you can be completely alone - and be honest with yourself when you make those decisions. Don't listen too much to other people and what they think - they all have their opinions (and their own lives to practice them on) but the consequences of your actions are yours alone....

 

Good luck

[BoredPerson]

I don't think 29 is too late to get a masters degree. People understand it takes time to get a degree. I think that 40 is too late to start anything new. But if you start it at 35 or below you should be alright. I don't think anyone is going to hire a 45 year old masters graduate. At 35 it is very explainable, you just changed your mind at 30. I'd hire you. But not someone who has just finished and is over 40.Thirty is still reasonably young so you shouldn't have to much of a problem.

 

Don't leave it until you are 33 because then you will be over 35 and it will start to become a problem. That is my advice.

 

Also some employers will only want 20 year old grads, then again lots of employers are discriminatory for other reasons.

[Kenyth]

As long as you have an employment history to go with it, you can continue schooling whenever you like. It's called adult education, and it's a huge market. Your choice of degree is usually more limited, but there are a lot of fully accredited schools that you can get your degree at with accellerated night courses.

[sweetbrokensoul]

As a society, we have an addiction to comparing ourselves to others.

 

STOP it.

 

Yeah, some of your friends are married and have kids, and have their degrees. And I bet it makes you ten kinds of jealous when they gush about all the great sh*t in their lives.

 

But YOU have found a passion for Spanish and Latin America (which I share, BTW), and all those aforementioned friends are going to be super jealous as you bang Raul on the tranquil shores of Costa Rica.

 

Follow YOUR interests, and disregard all the rest.

 

Kizik, LMAO!

Are you kidding me? 29? I'm 32 just finishing my bachelors in Psych, didnt go to school right away and had a child at 22....worked 2 jobs, raising him by myself with moms help, went back to school to finish, and now pursuing my other goal to go on and get my masters. Have even thought about changing careers, because there is not much you can do with a BA in Psych...My mom raised 3 on her own and also went back and got her Masters in Education in her 40's....it does depend what you want to do....Surely, my mother got a job right away teaching....but don't be afraid to go back because of the family aspect...you can possibly meet a great man there and open the door to many more opportunites!!! You are still young, live life!!! Get out there and find out what you want to do! Good Luck!

[TwinkletOes26]

im 27 and got my bs (transfering and having to take 120 hours of extra carricular courses takes a LOT of time and to add that the school wouldnt tell me what i needed ) i plan on taking a grad course online that way you wont have to see the people in your class so they wont know how old you are try kaplin university or troy