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SeaWolf14
*Crazy Cat Lady*
Member since 7/13 1324 total posts
Name:
Heather
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Looking for HONEST advice regarding career change
How late is too late to make a total career 180?
Yes yes yes, I know its "never too late" but really, is that true?
Here are the basics: I'm in my mid 30's. I have a BA/MA in English. Looking to go back and possibly get a BS in a completely unrelated field that I was interested in as an undergrad but just went another way instead. I'm not unemployed. My job pays the bills but its not really fulfilling. I'm not excited about it.
If I went part time for a "second bachelors degree" I probably wouldn't finish until I was 39.
Too late? Be honest and blunt. I'm a big girl.
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Posted 10/18/13 2:05 PM  |
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AngnShaun
Sisters
Member since 1/10 21015 total posts
Name:
Ang
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Looking for HONEST advice regarding career change
No, but i think you also have to consider the field youre wanting to go into. Is it going to be difficult to get a job in that field?
Message edited 10/18/2013 2:09:28 PM.
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| Posted 10/18/13 2:06 PM |
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SeaWolf14
*Crazy Cat Lady*
Member since 7/13 1324 total posts
Name:
Heather
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Looking for HONEST advice regarding career change
From what I've read, its actually a great field to get into, especially on Long Island.
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| Posted 10/18/13 2:07 PM |
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Goobster
:)
Member since 5/07 27557 total posts
Name:
:)
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Re: Looking for HONEST advice regarding career change
Do you own a home?
Would it be a cost issue or put you in debt to go back?
If so, I don't think it's worth it at this point in the game.
If money is not an issue, then a) Do you have kids? b) Do you plan on having kids?
If money isn't an issue and you don't plan on having kids, then go for it. If you plan on having kids, I say don't do it at this point in your life.
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| Posted 10/18/13 2:08 PM |
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MichLiz213
Life is Good!
Member since 7/07 7979 total posts
Name:
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Looking for HONEST advice regarding career change
If the jobs prospects are good and you can afford it then I say go for it. It's never too late.
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| Posted 10/18/13 2:09 PM |
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SeaWolf14
*Crazy Cat Lady*
Member since 7/13 1324 total posts
Name:
Heather
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Looking for HONEST advice regarding career change
Ty for your input. I'm so glad people aren't just blowing smoke up my a$$ and telling me YOU CAN DO IT b/c these are all real concerns for me and I want to know what others would do.
Money isn't an issue b/t we do plan on having ONE child w/in the next 2 years.
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| Posted 10/18/13 2:09 PM |
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SeaWolf14
*Crazy Cat Lady*
Member since 7/13 1324 total posts
Name:
Heather
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Looking for HONEST advice regarding career change
I guess what I'm asking is - what would YOU do?
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| Posted 10/18/13 2:09 PM |
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AngnShaun
Sisters
Member since 1/10 21015 total posts
Name:
Ang
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Re: Looking for HONEST advice regarding career change
Posted by SeaWolf
Ty for your input. I'm so glad people aren't just blowing smoke up my a$$ and telling me YOU CAN DO IT b/c these are all real concerns for me and I want to know what others would do.
Money isn't an issue b/t we do plan on having ONE child w/in the next 2 years.
If its something you really want to do, then definitely do it.
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| Posted 10/18/13 2:11 PM |
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jessnbrian
Only God knows His plan for us
Member since 4/13 7238 total posts
Name:
Jessica
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Looking for HONEST advice regarding career change
I say go for it!!! I saw my 60 yr old MIL do something similar - go for it!! Pursue your dream!!!!!!!!!!
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| Posted 10/18/13 2:18 PM |
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dpli
Daylight savings :)
Member since 5/05 13973 total posts
Name:
D
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Re: Looking for HONEST advice regarding career change
I went back to school just before I turned 30. Went part time for a second bachelor's and finished when I was 35, then finished a master's when I was 38. It's possible, but as others said, I would want to be pretty confident that there are jobs for me when I get out. In my case, there were. I also was not married when I started, got married in the middle of finishing the master's, but finished before I had DS. IMO, it would have been tough to finish the bachelor's degree when I had a kid because I had more group work and projects than I did in my master's program.
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| Posted 10/18/13 2:23 PM |
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Goobster
:)
Member since 5/07 27557 total posts
Name:
:)
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Re: Looking for HONEST advice regarding career change
Posted by jessnbrian
I say go for it!!! I saw my 60 yr old MIL do something similar - go for it!! Pursue your dream!!!!!!!!!!
But I say this...it's different to do it when you are 60 with grown kids or no kids, than in your mid thirties with the plan to have kids. JMO anyway
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| Posted 10/18/13 2:24 PM |
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SeaWolf14
*Crazy Cat Lady*
Member since 7/13 1324 total posts
Name:
Heather
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Looking for HONEST advice regarding career change
I'm thinking that maybe the smart thing to do is take one or two classes as a non-matriculated student and see how that goes.
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| Posted 10/18/13 2:31 PM |
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FirstMate
My lil cowboy
Member since 10/10 7790 total posts
Name:
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Re: Looking for HONEST advice regarding career change
Do it. I work with a lawyer right now who became one at 48 years old. I just met a physician who went to med school when her youngest went off to college. She's been practicing for about 10 years and she has to be in her late 50's/early 60's.
But consider the job market for the field you desire and make sure it's something that will come to fruition after putting the time in. For example, I do not think trying to become a teacher would be a great plan considering the current state of that particular job market and the much younger competition you will have (sorry to say but it is the truth). I would also evaluate how recession proof the field is because you never know what the state of the market will be.
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| Posted 10/18/13 2:35 PM |
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SeaWolf14
*Crazy Cat Lady*
Member since 7/13 1324 total posts
Name:
Heather
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Looking for HONEST advice regarding career change
Definitely not teaching! Its in the environmental field.
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| Posted 10/18/13 2:40 PM |
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Teachergal
We made a snowman!
Member since 1/08 3239 total posts
Name:
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Re: Looking for HONEST advice regarding career change
I'll be honest, if it was me, no I wouldn't do it. Your life is basically my DH's life. We are mid-thirties, he graduated with an English degree but does something very different. We also have 2 kids and there is no way he would go back to school right now, we are simply too busy. I think having kids also gave him "something else to live for" besides his work if that makes sense. Again if it was me and I was mid-thirties and wanted a kid, I would not start a program now. Having a kid takes so much of your time and it would be really hard to be going to school at the same time. You would also then be starting out as a newbie in your field meaning it might be hard to take time off when your kid gets sick or has vacation from school. You would also *probably* need to put in some longer hours as a newbie in order to impress at work. That wouldn't fly with me either because I value the time with my kids. I guess what it comes down to is, my desire to be happy with my kids would outweigh my desire to be happy at my job.
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| Posted 10/18/13 2:53 PM |
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chilltocam
LIF Adult
Member since 11/11 9141 total posts
Name:
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Looking for HONEST advice regarding career change
I went to law school at 28 and there were some people (not many but a few) people in my class who were in their 40's at the time. If money and time is not a huge issue and you won't go into unmanageable debt as a result, I would say to go for it
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| Posted 10/18/13 2:55 PM |
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SeaWolf14
*Crazy Cat Lady*
Member since 7/13 1324 total posts
Name:
Heather
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Looking for HONEST advice regarding career change
Ty for all the advice on both sides. It gives me a lot to think about!
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| Posted 10/18/13 3:00 PM |
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stinger
LIF Adult
Member since 11/11 4971 total posts
Name:
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Re: Looking for HONEST advice regarding career change
Try it. The worst that can happen is you drop out.
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| Posted 10/18/13 3:06 PM |
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JME78
LIF Adult
Member since 11/09 3672 total posts
Name:
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Re: Looking for HONEST advice regarding career change
If you are in your 30s and lets say you plan to retire in your 50s/60s - that is still over 20 years of work ahead of you.
Definitely don't settle!
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| Posted 10/18/13 3:15 PM |
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cateyemm
Twins!
Member since 7/10 8027 total posts
Name:
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Re: Looking for HONEST advice regarding career change
Will you want to go to school while pregnant? How about paying for school, time away from work/family to go to school? Will it cause more of a hardship? Those are issues that immediately come to mind that I dont think were mentioned yet.
otherwise, i'd say why not?!
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| Posted 10/18/13 3:25 PM |
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alli3131
Peanut is here!!!!!!
Member since 5/09 18388 total posts
Name:
Allison
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Looking for HONEST advice regarding career change
I have and undergrad degree in interior design. At the age of 32 I went to law school. Graduated at the age of 36.
So nope I don't think it is too late.
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| Posted 10/18/13 3:27 PM |
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nrthshgrl
It goes fast. Pay attention.
Member since 7/05 57538 total posts
Name:
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Re: Looking for HONEST advice regarding career change
I would try to get into a job in that field that doesn't require a degree & then evaluate if I love it enough to pursue a degree in it. It's also possible, I could get some tuition reimbursement, grants, etc once I worked for a company where it was relevant to their business.
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| Posted 10/18/13 3:44 PM |
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SeaWolf14
*Crazy Cat Lady*
Member since 7/13 1324 total posts
Name:
Heather
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Re: Looking for HONEST advice regarding career change
Posted by nrthshgrl
I would try to get into a job in that field that doesn't require a degree & then evaluate if I love it enough to pursue a degree in it. It's also possible, I could get some tuition reimbursement, grants, etc once I worked for a company where it was relevant to their business.
That'd be awesome, but its a science oriented field so I don't think the jobs are there if you don't have the degree. 
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| Posted 10/18/13 3:46 PM |
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JDubs
different, not less
Member since 7/09 13160 total posts
Name:
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Re: Looking for HONEST advice regarding career change
Posted by Goobster
Posted by jessnbrian
I say go for it!!! I saw my 60 yr old MIL do something similar - go for it!! Pursue your dream!!!!!!!!!!
But I say this...it's different to do it when you are 60 with grown kids or no kids, than in your mid thirties with the plan to have kids. JMO anyway
ITA. I worked on my master's at night during the week while working FT and before I got pregnant with my DS. I am glad I finished before that because I honestly couldn't imagine taking those classes now.
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| Posted 10/18/13 4:05 PM |
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dctead
It's 5 o'clock somewhere!
Member since 11/10 2139 total posts
Name:
Emily
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Looking for HONEST advice regarding career change
Where there is a will, there is a way! Even if you plan on having a child while going back to school - it can work out. My stepmom decided to change her career in her mid 30's and went to Law school just as my younger sister and brother were born... it was hard work on the school and family front... but she did it and was 100% happier in her work life (which made home life happier too!).
I say go for it!
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| Posted 10/18/13 4:13 PM |
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