To be more specificm at what AGE is education no longer beneficial

[MaxManwell]

And any other facts you would like to contribute.

[SeraBella]

It depends on your definition of beneficial. And do you specifically mean formal education? Most people would say it's beneficial to continue learning forever.

 

If you mean formal education, it's going to be different for everyone depending on their goals. Many careers require formal continuing education to maintain certain certifications and titles, so for those types it would be at least until retirement.

 

There are stay at home mothers (and fathers) with Masters and Doctorate degrees. Some of those same people may argue that it was a waste of money and time, but many of them would disagree with someone who thinks their degrees are wasted.

 

I don't think you'll find an answer to this question. Everyone's mileage will vary.

[GPFan]

I am not sure I understand your question but my answer would be learning is no longer beneficial once you are dead.

[allina]

Are you talking about cases where people in their mid 40s or so return to school to get their BA or other type of degree?

[Tony T]

Education is ALWAYS beneficial. Even the elderly get satisfaction and recreation out of reading educational materials. When you're green you grow, when you're ripe to rot.

[MaxManwell]

Are you talking about cases where people in their mid 40s or so return to school to get their BA or other type of degree?

 

Yeah 30's and 40's also late 20's.

[Calisto]

It depends on what you consider beneficial. If you are talking careerwise...it depends on the career path you are studying.

If you want to do it as a personal goal you never accomplished, and to achieve knowledge and be challenged intellectually....skies the limit.

 

I know a woman who earned a teaching degree at age 42, got a job in a top school district, and met another teacher in her building and they fell in love and married. (Her husband resented that she was earning a college degree and threatened to divorce her if she continued her studies. Well, SHE divorced HIM for being a jackass.

She is an excellent teacher and very happy and in her early 50s now.

[MaxManwell]

It depends on what you consider beneficial. If you are talking careerwise...it depends on the career path you are studying.

If you want to do it as a personal goal you never accomplished, and to achieve knowledge and be challenged intellectually....skies the limit.

 

I know a woman who earned a teaching degree at age 42, got a job in a top school district, and met another teacher in her building and they fell in love and married. (Her husband resented that she was earning a college degree and threatened to divorce her if she continued her studies. Well, SHE divorced HIM for being a jackass.

She is an excellent teacher and very happy and in her early 50s now.

 

Thats a bit extreme.

 

I used to work with a couple of guys; one went back to college at 31 for an IT degree and got a decent job with the government, another went back at 36 and as far as I know right now is sitting interviews having completed his second year of studies. So it seemed to work out well for them. I am curious if it is typical.

[Geishawhelk]

My mother is a full Italian, and lived in the UK until 1990. When she was in her mid-40's, took a year-long course and qualified as a Guild of Guides Fully Registered Tourist Guide for the whole of the UK. She specialised in the movement of religion through the ages, and the development of Ornamental Gardening. She is still registered, and is qualified to examine new guides in both English and Italian.

She went back to full time education aged 56. She got a Master's degree in Home economics, and is qualified as a teacher. She can also oversee classes in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Maths and English. She specialised in the manufacturing of textiles.

she is also a fully qualified aromatherapist (did the course when she was 59)

and a qualified and practising Reflexologist, qualifying when she was 64.

She also practises and teaches Yoga. She's now 75.

She's currently taking a 6-month course in Italy on Indian Head Massage.

 

Anything else you'd like to know?

[SeraBella]

Thats a bit extreme.

 

I used to work with a couple of guys; one went back to college at 31 for an IT degree and got a decent job with the government, another went back at 36 and as far as I know right now is sitting interviews having completed his second year of studies. So it seemed to work out well for them. I am curious if it is typical.

 

I went to college right after high school, but starting as a sophomore, I worked full-time with a full-time courseload so I tried to take as many evening and weekend courses as possible in order to keep my days clear for work. There weren't too many "traditional" students in my classes at those hours, so yes, from my experience I've seen that is very typical. The average age of those classes was easily 30-35 (whereas the few classes I had to take in the daytime may have only had one or two people over the age of 22).

 

Also, where I live a center opened a few years ago that was designed to make adult learning easier by hosting many courses off-campus in a suburban setting. Any school or business can use the facilities to host any type of educational event, or class, but there are about 15 colleges and universities that have made it standard to offer entire programs there. You must still be enrolled at your specific institution and follow their guidelines, but it has made it more convenient for many adult students, and it has really opened up many opportunities.

 

Another thing, is many people spend their 20's just having fun and figuring out what they are going to do, OR, they spend it realizing the career path they chose was not properly suited for them. In those cases, how is it possible that it would NOT be beneficial for them to return to school in their 30's or 40's when they probably will not be retiring until they are well into their 60's? I'd much rather learn in my 40's than spend the next 25 years miserable feeling stuck in a position or field that I hated.

 

And, too, there are some who go into a field that eventually is saturated and they cannot find a job, or a field that many positions become obsolete. So to continue as productive members of society they find it almost necessary to return to school.

 

Also, thinking back, a lot of the women in my courses were recently divorced housewives who started families young and then found themselves unable to obtain a job where they could support themselves after the divorce.