It just goes to show that you can succeed in education at an older age. I just finished getting my AA degree in humanities in 2023 and I was 62 years old when I graduated! Degenerative disease my ass!
I got some good grades, my last three classes were the hardest: Geography, English2B and Math and I got an A in Math, a B+ in English and a B in geography. Geography was an insane amount of work; weekly assignments, five big projects and tests. I had my doubts I would do good in math but I put my mind to it and kept up in class and did great.
I started college in 1984 by taking a couple classes at the college near my house. I stopped and didn’t go back until 1990 when I was living in the board & care home; so that’s another thing I proved, you can live in a group home and still succeed. I went in person for five years and stopped. Then when I was living by myself in 2009 I started taking online classes and finished my degree online in 2023 and graduated and went to the graduation ceremonies. And now my diploma looks great on my wall.
One thing I learned from people here is even if there’s obstacles some people can overcome them. I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder but I’m fine now. I think it was more situational. I think your environment and situation can say a lot when it comes to mental health.
Yeah, I went from being psychotic and shuffling through the halls of the mental hospital for 8 months and then my parents found a group home for me to move into. The group home was in an older house but it was clean and neat with new furniture and I did great there. It was in an affluent city with tree lined streets and squirrels and it was almost like I changed overnight and became saner. I soon became stable and 9 months later I had a job. I was just in a great environment and situation.
I was worried about going for my masters at 34, but we have people in my program in their 50’s going for their MSW. We have single mothers working full time while doing it, and they’re a huge inspiration.
An associates in your 60’s is an amazing achievement.
While I was in the height of my psychosis my associates actually took the longer for me to get than my bachelors. It’s definitely been the hardest part of school for me so far.
Fauja Singh completed a marathon at age 100, and didn’t get started in competitive running until age 89 so who knows? He lived to be 114 and it was an accident that got him, not old age.
@77nick77 A praiseworthy achievement. I’m of the school of thought that believes that so long as the conditions are right age is no barrier to academic achievement. They have never been right for me.