To be Scared or not to be? That is the question. To start this out, I am age 40, going to be 41 in May, Just now figuring out what I want to be when I grow up, and lemme tell you, its frightning. School just scares the pants from me...or should I use a little humor and say Scrubs? *smirks* I know bad joke, but anyhow, Please, Share your experiences with me if you were round about this age or are currently experiencing the same thing, I could use a little reassurance that this is going to be the best days of my life. = )

I am 32 but have always wanted to be a nurse, I guess I just got caught up in life and now, well here I am in school, taking the prereqs hoping to get accepted. I work fulltime, am a wife and a mother. I am inspired by many of the nurses that work around me (I have an administrative position in the hospital) Many of them did not go to nursing school until they were in their late 30's early 40's. I even know someone who went to nursing school the same time as her daughter! She has no regrets and has been a great inspiration to me to not give up and it is never too late.

Hi- I will be 40 in June and know how you feel. I homeschool 7 of my 9 children and was scared to death to even take the Accuplacer test for admissons. I did feel a little self conscious sitting there with seniors in highschool. However, I believe that with age comes wisdom and felt pretty good after receiving scores of 112 up to 119.
So hang in there and remember that you have an advantage over the "younger" students: You have a great desire to be there and have been attending the "school of life" for double their age!

I am 32 and I am almost finished with my program. Believe it or not there are more students my age than the 19 and 20 year olds at my school. I like this because I find many people that I can relate to. Plus we have some great discussions at clinicals. I had my psych clinical with five 19-21 year olds and all they talked about on our breaks were which doctors were cute and which ones were not. Come on now be serious. So I like that my class are more like me. You are never to late to return to school. My mother went back when she was 49.

I went back to school at 39 to take my prereqs I started nursing school at the age of 41. I felt scared at first but I had the advantage of going to college with my oldest daughter so we studied together and drove to class together. It was great fun. I;m not going to say it was easy juggling being a studnet and wife and mother and homeschooling my kids but I will say it is possible. You can do it if its what you really want to do. I am now 45 and I;m working on my BSN and I plan to get my masters in midwivery. You go girl.

Jettysgirl5867 said:

To be Scared or not to be? That is the question. To start this out, I am age 40, going to be 41 in May, Just now figuring out what I want to be when I grow up, and lemme tell you, its frightning. School just scares the pants from me...or should I use a little humor and say Scrubs? *smirks* I know bad joke, but anyhow, Please, Share your experiences with me if you were round about this age or are currently experiencing the same thing, I could use a little reassurance that this is going to be the best days of my life. = )

Im 37 and decided to become an RN when I was 34.... it is very intense but with lots of prayer, perseverance and determination I did it.  I am not going to lie to you.... but let me tell you... It is good for me to go to school in my 30's because I felt much more focused and determined to make it happen.  While others in my class (much younger) were going to clubs and partying 'til 3am, wasting their lives, I was studying hard and getting ahead... The next morning I will see them with the hangovers in class and looking lost, I was very focused because I knew exactly what I wanted... so don't be afraid, go for it and enjoy your days in school... 

It is never too late to follow your dreams. I went back to school at 44, just finished my prereq's and now I'm biting my finger nails waiting to be accept to Nursing School.

I have never felt so alive and young again.

Go for it!

Hi everyone,

I am 39 and started taking my prereq for nursing.. I am really scared but I know I can achieve it if I work at my goal.  I guess I am more focus now then if I had it earlier in life.   Glad knowing that there are folks going through the same thing.. Thanks to a frined, I joined I am loving it now..

I was 31 when I started nursing school (18 or so years ago!)  And I was AVERAGE age.  There were a few women in their 50s.  I am now 50 and I just got accepted to a BSN program, starting this fall.  I just finished chemistry 101 at a local community college (where I was proudly the oldest student in my class!) and will be taking Bio in the fall.  All the while working at one-two jobs in nursing!


You are never too old to learn.  Or to set an example to younger students.