Grad School Plunge...Ready to Jump!

[perrik]

Now at 47 I'm actually this close to entering grad school! Am I too old to do this? Is it crazy at my age to plan for 2 more years of school?

As Ann Landers was always fond of pointing out, you'll be the same age in two years whether you enroll in school or not. I'm starting a master's program at age 45. Eventually I intend to pursue a Ph.D - even if I keep aging like a normal human. My boss's boss is 60, and just completing the coursework phase of her Ph.D program, so just set up your study space and get going!

This just seems like a huge commitment compared to what I have done to date. I'm also worried about the expense. The school doesn't offer any scholarships and my employer doesn't do much, so does anyone have any suggestions? Can anyone give me some insight on what I might expect in an online grad program?

Well, student loans aren't fun, but they're hard to avoid. Stafford/Ford Direct Loans have a 6.8% interest rate. Assuming you pay for the entire program through loans (about $15k total), your loan repayment will be about $175/month for ten years. The annual loan limit for independent students in graduate (non-medical school) programs is $20500, so you'll be well below that limit. If you can get a cheaper loan elsewhere, great. If you can find scholarships, even better!

Don't underestimate how much time it will take to do the necessary work for online courses. Budget 3 to 4 hours per credit per week for your reading, online discussions, and writing/researching papers. I took 8 credits this semester while working 32 hours a week... by March, I was exhausted and stressed out! Now I only work 8 hours a week, and have regained my sanity. Sort of. :p

If you've got the discipline and internal direction to complete your undergrad degree through self-study, you've got the discipline and internal direction to pursue that MHA. (handy hint: when you have to do collaborative group projects, Google Docs and Skype will be your new best friends)