I finished in May with a degree in Business Administration here at Georgia State University, at 31. I was a far better student at 31 than 21. Repetition was key for me.
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Started musicology studies at 30, got my masters 4 years later. In a couple of months I’ll be a music teacher. Which we’ll see how much I’ll like 
But studying at 30, and something I was passionate about was loads easier than studying history in my 20s. Which my failure is a testament to
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I decided to go to uni and study computer science when I was 30 cos I enjoyed programming and thought it would allow me to find work anywhere in the world relatively easily. And it did, but it turned out that I didn’t really enjoy working as a programmer. Could easily argue that I chose the wrong thing to study, but I am still quite proud that I did it, even if several years down the line I decided it wasn’t for me.
I have now been running a small company for past 10+ years and recently decided to change things up a bit again and go back to uni to study music tech. It definitely felt a bit strange going to do a masters degree at 47, but it turned out that I wasn’t the only old git on the course. I am still having to run my business on the side which can definitely get a bit hairy sometimes (it’s a full time course), but it’s been brilliant so far - I am really enjoying studying, have met some good people, and generally feel like I’ve been given a new lease of life. I chose the degree purely out of interest, and it was never about getting qualified to get a job or anything as I have the business for that, but I’m enjoying this so much I can easily see myself wanting to continue on with a phd afterwards.
So yeah, go for it! Like anything worthwhile, expect it to get pretty full on from time to time (especially when you have to work on the side). And it could be good to bear in mind the whole work vs interest thing when choosing what to study. Like I said, I don’t regret my computer science choice, but following your interests (I am a bit skeptical of the word passion here - passion runs hot and cold for me and, unlike curiosity, is rarely enough to keep me going through the tough times - ymmv of course), while it might seem risky, I suspect is the smarter choice. If it’s taken with your eyes open you never know where it could lead.
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Yeah I definitely took the hard way. It was an easy job, but I wasn’t making much money, my manager didn’t know how to find me more challenging work*, and I was often so bummed out by being bored at work that it was affecting my creative life. I had plenty of time to work on personal projects and/or learn new things while at work (due to learning how to automate most of my work) but it just didn’t feel right.
* - I know it was probably up to me to create the work, but my attempts to do so weren’t exactly met with enthusiasm 
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I am currently writing my thesis in “Medieninformatik”. I’ve been studying part-time for 5 years, besides my job, kids/family and music. Often it was really hard to keep the balance. But I would definitely do it again.
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When I was in university, I took some music courses to meet the “area studies” requirement to earn my bachelors degree in computer engineering. One of my classmates in the music theory course for music majors was a woman in her 60s.
After she graduated, she opened a music venue featuring jazz and contemporary classical musicians. It didn’t last because of business decisions not working out but I have much respect for somebody at that age going to university, graduating, and taking a chance.
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we are living at the times when becoming a student in one’s 40s, 50s, etc stops being unusual and eventually will become something rather necessary.
i’m excited about this.
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I tried, but couldn’t give up playing music in my free time so dropped out. I am happy with my current job, it pays relatively well and living in a country with high taxes, I’d have to make quite a bit more to actually see a significant rise in my paycheck anyway.
I kinda figured that as it was a four year degree, I’d have to work two jobs for four years for nothing to get a raise that wasn’t enough for me to make that lost time back in even 10 years, plus having to drop playing in a band and probably most creative endeavours due to lack of time and energy. Not worth it as I do like my job, I would just like it better if the money was better.
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I’m back in college at 38. Unfortunately music has been relegated to a few stolen moments on the laptop during the day, and the occasional noodle on a synth or guitar at night.
I believe that once the world is a bit more open I’ll have a weekly music collab night. Very tough for me to make music on my own but surrounded by kids/dog/partner.
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I’m 41 and studying it management at the euro fh Hamburg. It’s a fernstudium so I have to do it next to work and the kid + wife. It’s tough to get into learning again, but once you’re in, it’s actually really cool. At our age I think we can be more focused sometimes.
As you are German too, having a piece of paper that says you are capable of something and have a bachelors degree is worth a lot. Other than a lot of other places nobody cares what you really can do. If you want to progress career wise you need a paper saying you are worth it.
From my experience I can tell you its exhausting at times, but getting new perspectives and really learning valuable things feels really good. You will grow more grey hair from writing the tests though.
Do you have abitur? You can study without it. If you have any questions pm me
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totally, I am also way over the point to make it an issue for myself. Just accepting and moving on.
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I teach for “evening classes”, for people willing to get an engineering master. In the first year, we of course lose some of the students on the way. But then, from the second year, most of them do finalise the cursus!
Usually “older” students do enjoy a lot. They know what they want to learn, and they have a smart and efficient way of learning.
Think carefully to the best fit for what you want to learn. Then go for it! The you’ll probably enjoy any bit of it!
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oh wow! Such a nice discussion! Thanks everyone to write about your personal experiences. So much “pros” have named for sure! But also some information to think about twice.
I don´t have an “Abitur” but already 2 so called Berufsausbildung and a Betriebswirt at IHK (kind of business management dregree - but not an academic one).
In the last couple of years I already attendet to a lot of workshops about music production and music technology and music art. It´s my “job” (non-profit) to organize the workshop programm for DAVE Festival in Dresden. So I know education can and will open your mind in many ways for sure. Especially when you can interact with other students or the teachers.
@rescout: where do you study “Medieninformatik”? Fern Uni?
I’m almost the same age as OP. Shortly after the pandemic hit and lockdowns went in place last spring, I was furloughed indefinitely from my full-time job in the live events industry. My company is still covering benefits and health insurance for myself and my family, so it could have been much worse - most of my coworkers were laid off entirely. I’d just had my ten-year anniversary at the company and had planned to continue doing it until retirement.
Over the course of several soul-searching months last fall, it began to dawn on me that the older I get, the less tolerance I have for sitting at a computer for 8+ hours a day (which was about 90% of my job). I’ve always enjoyed working with my hands and have been fascinated with electricity for as long as I can remember, so I signed up for an evening adult education class in Basic Residential Wiring at my nearby vocational technical school. Only three more classes this semester and I’m going to miss it - I genuinely love every minute of it. I thought I’d be a dinosaur surrounded by a bunch of twenty-somethings, but about half the class is my age or older.
I still plan on returning to my full-time job (my company has already started bringing people back over the past few weeks), but I’m determined to have a fallback career if/when a pandemic happens again in my lifetime. At worst I don’t become an electrician but will be able to do my own wiring around the house, and can save a few hundred bucks by not calling a professional. Our human brains are truly remarkable things - don’t ever stop filling it with new skills and experiences!
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Agreed. The 20 year olds in school will probably find themselves back there at 40 and/or 50 too!
„Medieninformatik Online“ at Beuth Hochschule in Berlin.
yeah , im probably going tor educate this year at 29. no shame in pursing happiness
I recently completed a Masters of Information Technology.
Primary driver was because I never got an degree when I was younger, and for most of my career it wasn’t required. Consulting in London, no one cared whether I had a degree or not, when I had shed loads of skills and experience.
Where I am now however, the number one thing is networks and who you know, local work experience, then a degree, then your skills. And on top of that, recruiters user automated systems to scan your CV/Resume; and with no degree, yours can end up in the bin.
I’m unfortunately in a position where I live in a foreign country, know no one, have different skill sets, and can’t find a job. After having to take a sabbatical to look after my mum, dealing with the grieving process and depression, then Covid and the social and economic impacts, been a bit rough all round… maybe that will change with degree?
This was/is/has been the hardest part. Zero income, zero government support, nothing from OctaEdit etc.
We’ve barely been scraping by, and the government has destroyed the economy here as well. Good times 
Age is not a barrier, unless you want it to be. I’m constantly learning, always have been, across a range of subjects.
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I find school is for getting a job.
It also motivates you to learn what you are trying to learn by forcing you on a timeline.
Then you can prove you learned that with a piece of paper.
You buy books and the teacher teaches you things from the books.
If what you’re trying to do doesn’t absolutely require a degree and you’re really passionate about it. Then you can learn it from books on your own for much cheaper.
If you’re just trying to upgrade and get a better paying job, school is a relatively quick expensive route to that goal.
Obviously some fields legally require degrees for safety reasons (Doctors, Certain Engineers, etc…).
Definitely worth thinking about if you need a degree for your plan or not.
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The last time I took attended a French immersion session at University of Geneva, one of the fellow students was this English kid who wanted study Sanskrit at University of California in Berkeley. I don’t think she cared about getting a job. Seemed like she’d worry about the job thing afterwards.
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