Going back to school.

[Exodus_2pt0]

27, just had my first Kid, have a stay at home wife....

And I'm enrolling at my local Community College.

I have 12 years Mechanical experience already, and a knack for mathematics.

Therefore the only logical thing to do now is get a Degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Even if it takes me 8 years, It will be worth it to graduate with a degree and no debt.

Here's to bettering ourselves. Anyone else here go straight into the working field after high school and then decide to further their education later on in life? Let's hear some success stories.

[ThatOneEuroE30]

Once I'm done with school in may I'm going into construction for a while just cause it pays bank like 20+ a hour after that I'm getting my degree for automotive mechanics.

[hammrdwn510]

I would like to go back to school. Enrolled after high school but really didn't give it any effort. Ended up jumping into high rise construction, 10 years later Im at a point of where I stay where I'm at with little room to move up, or go back to school get some sort of construction degree and move on up into the office side of things where there is more places advance.

SUb'd to motivate myself

[Kevinl]

I didn't finish school went back at 28 I have an accociates degree now school Which has already paid for itself I kind of want to go back and get a bachelors but not sure for what

[ak-]

Good for you man. Literally.
So many job openings (from starting positions to project managers and such) for ME's are requiring literally minimum 3 years experience nowadays.
You'll be fine and ahead of the pack. *thumbs-up*.
I'm also majoring in ME.

[mrsleeve]

I just completed 3 of my last 5 weeks worth of class work, that I have been doing a couple of weeks worth a year for the last couple of years. Its not that I needed it to do my job, its that my employer is transitioning to a newer certification standard that many of our customers are wanting our personnel certified too. I have to go for 2 more weeks of "training" next month on a system I have been using for almost a year in the field, where I will know more about the system than the instructor. We just had a talk about that last week when I ran into him....

Yes I have gone back to school, its just my classes tend to be measured in # of hours not Credits. Will prolly take the next couple of years off before I go try to do my AWS CWI, my level III certs in a couple of things and industrial coating Level I & II inspections

[matthugie]

I started college right after high school, lasted a couple years changing majors before leaving because I had no idea what to do with my life. Went back part time at 26, graduated with a BS in Econ, Summa Cum Laude. Now work as the regional pricing manager for a large HVAC company and make enough to support my e30 habit.

You can do it, but it isn't easy, and you'll have to make sacrifices. To do well and attend to the rest of what you have going on is going to be tough. Having a newborn, sleep already comes at a premium, and your wife will need to understand that when you get home you have school work to attend to. Balancing all of that will be your biggest challenge, especially as time goes on. Good luck, and check back frequently for support.

[Nick_S]

I just turned 28. I really regret not taking school seriously when I was in my early 20's and want to go back and finish my degree this year.

[einhander]

Do it, man. Only good things could come from it. Experience and a degree opens doors up in any field. Congrats on the kid, too.

[Exodus_2pt0]

Going to try to meet with a counselor this weekend. My wife has a bit of college experience so she was helping me setup a course plan last night. Going go start slow, 1 class this summer and see how that goes, then move up to 2 at a time. We are hoping that I will have the option to test out of some classes. Glad I kept all of my ASE's up to date right now.

Im in no rush, as I'm finally in a good place financially with my current job, but I'm nowhere near where I want to be. Unfortunately I'm getting near my peak unless I get a degree under my belt...

[Exodus_2pt0]

I just turned 28. I really regret not taking school seriously when I was in my early 20's and want to go back and finish my degree this year.

This. I started but really had no idea what I wanted to do, and thought I had better things to do at the time.

Another situation where Mom was right. She told me to wait, because she knew I wouldn't take it seriously at the time. Sad thing is I had VA benefits that paid for classes back then, but I screwed that up.

Oh well, time to do it right.

[Stanley Rockafella]

Me ma had some pension benefits that kicked in for me when I finished HS. I had to stay enrolled into full time classes to get the benefit. For the life of me I desperately just wanted to take some time off, party hard and get laid lots, but me ma wouldn't have any of it so I sucked it up and finished.

No bloody way I could tolerate going back to study that useless shit now!

but good on you, you'll feel much better once you finally accomplish this, and your kiddo will be prouder of his pops too

on the upside (for anyone else out there lookin to pick up a chic) if you wanna mack up some single mommies, this is the way to do it. Single parent chics love dudes with ambition to do shit and such

[E30 Wagen]

I dropped out of calc again, no intention of ever going back to school ever... Fuck life.

[Andy.B]

I went back to college at 25, and am about to finish a BS in a few weeks. Its been a tough struggle and a ton of work, but I am looking forward to moving on to the next stage of my life, whatever that turns out to be.

[Joe G]

A guy in a few of my classes is 32 and finishing up his last year of his bachelors after being out of school for 10ish years. He told me it is the smartest thing he has ever done and he is excited to graduate and have much much better earning potential and desirability to potential employers.