# Starting College/Uni at 26?



## Polar (Dec 16, 2006)

Due to my SA I could never bring myself to go to college.

I feel I have improved a bit in the last year though, and I have for the past few days been thinking of getting an education and starting college next year (probably overseas). The thing that worries me a bit is that next year I'll be 26.

For those of you who go to the bigger universities, are there some older students there? I hate being the odd one out, and am not sure I would be comfortable being way older than anyone else in my class. Would it be too weird to be starting college at 26? :stu


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## valley_girl1919 (Jun 18, 2007)

i promise you that there will be people of all ages at any college you got to especially a large university. i go for the moment at a community college and i have classes with people from ages 18 to 40. universities will have sooo many people in them that you will forget the age thing.


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## meesha327 (Mar 15, 2007)

no its not weird at all. most people are the standard college age of 18-23ish but 26 is hardly that much older than that. also, every semester i have at least 4-5 older adults in my classes and i go to a very small school. if you go to a big university and feel weird about hanging out with younger people, then make friends with the graduate students! good luck, you won't regret it!


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## Michael Scofield (Feb 29, 2008)

There are always older people in uni and colleges. Even if you end up being the only older guy, trust me there are plenty around. Just do your thing.


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## Polar (Dec 16, 2006)

Okay, thanks for the replies guys. I'm gonna go for it!


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## alex989 (Nov 20, 2005)

my 25 year old cousin is going to start school next year at Central Washington University. he kind of joked about himself being a 26 year old freshman, but who cares. people of all ages go to university/college.


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## Roberto (Aug 16, 2004)

Yeah, no way. I know people in their late 20s early 30s, some at my community college doing lower division stuff to transfer to uni. You're never too old, and you are actually quite young. 18-21 is the norm but hardly reality from what I see. Definitely go for it.


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## ardrum (May 13, 2007)

There's nothing at all strange for someone your age to be in college (for ANY kind of degree). Go for it! 

I'm still entertaining the idea of going back to school myself at some point (maybe around 26 too).


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## Lisa (Jul 8, 2006)

At 26 you won't stand out. Go for it.


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## emptybottle (Jan 3, 2005)

I'm a slightly older undergrad myself. I go to a big university, and there are lots of people in my classes older than 22. The people in their mid twenties don't really look any different from the 21 year olds, so it's not like you'll stand out. People don't care about the age thing.


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## SAgirl (Nov 15, 2003)

I started at 28.


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## Bon (Dec 24, 2005)

I doubt you would ever be the odd person out in college. I've attended classes at varying ages, and will continue to do so when the mood strikes;-)

One of my Mentors, she's in her late 60s, she's a doctor (non practicing) she still goes to school, Central Michigan University. I think it's awesome.


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## kokoloko (May 9, 2007)

Nah on my course it's around age 20 through to 50.


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## Gerard (Feb 3, 2004)

Good luck, Polar.

Best wishes,
Gerard


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## Eraserhead (Sep 23, 2006)

There's nothing weird about it. I had a couple of classmates last year who were about your age. I wouldn't have known if they hadn't told me.


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## Polar (Dec 16, 2006)

Thanks for the support guys, makes me feel more at ease about it. Also, I guess if this guy can start 1st grade at 70, I don't see why I can't start college in my mid 20s. :lol


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## CopadoMexicano (Aug 21, 2004)

nothing wrong as long as you follow what the university or college wants they dont care if what age , race, ethnicity, etc.


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## FairleighCalm (May 20, 2007)

I didn't graduate until I was 28 and I'd go back in a flash now.


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## redstardude (Mar 10, 2008)

Go for it. I've been in classes with students who were 50. Good luck with your future studies.


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## User57854 (Dec 26, 2006)

I'm not exactly 'young' anymore, but I've decided to go back. It's never too late.


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## Just Lurking (Feb 8, 2007)

I'd love to go back. It's the presentations, group work, and class participation marks that keep me from it.

:sigh


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## yellowpaper (Nov 13, 2007)

I go to a community college and don't really know about a large university, but.. as many people have said, I go to school with a lot of older people. The ages range from i guess 17 for some to over 50. The people in their mid 20's or even early 30's are barely even noticeable to me. In class, normal socializing people (lol), socialize as usual.. regardless of age. I also find it really easy at my college to stick to myself for the most part, especially in comparison to high school. 

I'm sure things may differ at a university, but whatever. You should definitely go for it.


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## Cmwright (May 12, 2008)

Well I went to college straight out of high school. I wasnt really all that prepared, and I was not organized with the scheduling of my classes. I had one bad semester and I took time off from school. So anyway, I went back to school to finish my associates degree. So I can transfer to a University and get my Bachelor's degree. At my school right now, its more younger people their. Its a few people 25 and up that go their. Mostly the people 25 and up is just getting their associates degree. Most people 25 and younger is part of the Transfer program. But anyway, I say go back to school and get your education. Its people in their 70's and 80's that go back to College to get their degree.


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## BeautifulSorta (May 2, 2008)

It's never too late. Go for it!


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## free thinker (Nov 11, 2003)

I got my degree in my 40s and I expect to continue to take classes well into my 60s.


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## ardrum (May 13, 2007)

free thinker said:


> I got my degree in my 40s and I expect to continue to take classes well into my 60s.


Awesome! Yeah, I never want to close out the option of schooling, regardless of my age.


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## serolf (Jan 10, 2008)

Yep, there were a lot of people in mid to late 20s at my school.


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## LonelyEnigma (Jan 7, 2007)

I'm 26. There are a lot of students in my classes who are my age or older. In fact I would speculate that the average age of the students in my classes is about 25. I don't stand out at all because my appearance has not changes much since I turned about 20. Most peoples' appearances do not change significantly during their early to late 20's, especially if you exercise. 

Even the students who are in their 40's and 50's are well-accepted by other classmates. The only older students who are not well-accepted are the people who have absolutely no fashion/hygiene sense and/or make strange responses to questions.


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## spinal97 (May 11, 2008)

I actually wouldn't mind going back to the Community College of RI. It was cheap, easy, nice people. Best school I ever went to. If it weren't for the student loans I have to payback I would do it. 

But there are lots of people who start off late. My mom went to college after she turned 50 and she never went to college before then. There was actually someone on the news here about a year ago, she was in her 80's and she had just graduated college. So I guess it's never too late to go.


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## DitzyDreamer (Jun 10, 2008)

No. It wouldn't. I have a friend whose mother is almost 50 and she takes classes, and then on the other hand, my mom is thinking about going back to college for another degree, or maybe a masters.


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## embers_of_satin (Nov 27, 2004)

Bumping a kind of old thread here, but I was wondering about this myself. I'm 24, and I'm still in community college (i've taken at least one class every semester since I graduated HS at 19) I'm finally going to be done with the community college at the end of this semester if I stick with all my classes, and now I'm worrying about what I'm going to do. My major (anthropology) requires that I get at least a Bachelors, and probably a master/Ph.d to have any kind of career. I'd like to take some time off and actually do something other than work and go to class, maybe travel a bit. 

I was worried if I transferred to a traditional college between the ages of 26-28 I'd be the weird old guy. 

I know at community college it's normal to see a lot of older people in your classes, I'm just not sure how "normal" it is to see older people in undergraduate classes at a 4 year college.


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## Hoppipolla (Apr 11, 2007)

Yes. I've seen quite a few and they're much older than 26. Possibly in their late 50s/upper 60s.


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## timidgeek (Dec 22, 2008)

> I know at community college it's normal to see a lot of older people in your classes, I'm just not sure how "normal" it is to see older people in undergraduate classes at a 4 year college.


Its not uncommon. When i was first starting four year college I knew a person who was 26 and a freshman as well. I also saw much older people, maybe 50+ in my classes through the four years.


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## eagleheart (Jun 14, 2007)

Nope! And you're not alone. I know someone who got her BSc. in late '20s, but besides that, I've had classmates who were older than 26. In fact I've had classmates with grey hair  (And sometimes it's really hard to tell people's age anyway.) Well anyway, one's never too old to continue education! I wish you all the best!


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## Sonoran Lion (Dec 18, 2008)

embers_of_satin said:


> I was worried if I transferred to a traditional college between the ages of 26-28 I'd be the weird old guy.
> 
> I know at community college it's normal to see a lot of older people in your classes, I'm just not sure how "normal" it is to see older people in undergraduate classes at a 4 year college.


It's not unusual to see people in their late 20s earning a degree from a university. For my major the average student age is 26 years old. I know a few students who are in the 40s and 50s attempting to earn a degree to supplement their careers or just because they now have the opportunity to earn a degree.


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## blc1 (Jan 8, 2009)

My brother knew a college freshman who was in his seventies. no joke


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## alex999 (Oct 21, 2008)

26 isn't old at all. To my 56 y.o. mother you'd be just a kid. There's a guy I talk to in one of my classes who is 34 (14 years older than me), along with several other people 30 and above. A lot of older people these days are going back to school to get better jobs. In fact I've taken some classes in CC where it almost looked like I was the youngest one.


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## pita (Jan 17, 2004)

There are students of all ages in my classes, including plenty of people in their late 20's. Nobody finds it weird.


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## Sierra83 (Sep 24, 2007)

I started college in September and I'm turning 26 in 3 days. So go for it! My take is that you'll probably do better because you'll be more mature and dedicated to your studies.


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## duo (Mar 3, 2013)

*This post is really old...*

Hi,

I know this post is kind of old... But I was wondering if you decided to go or not?

I'm 23 years old and I'm thinking of starting University next year when I turn 24.

I'd like to complete a Bachelor Degree, therefore I'll be 28 by the time I'm done.

Thinking about the fact that I'll almost be 30 really scares me... In fact I'm really depressed right now...

I'm getting older and older... and I'm not able to be happy anymore... I see life as pointless... I believe I'm a nihilist... I don't believe in afterlife or in God and because of that I find no motivation in doing anything...

I'd love to be excited and happy as much as when I was a kid... But I can't...

I was wondering how you are living now? Are you happy? Are you still in University?

Take care!


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