Completing education in your thirties?

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AngieS

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Hi there

I was wondering if anyone had any advice regarding completing education and getting a degree in your thirties.
Basically, I didn't complete my matric in 1999 (personal reasons) and didn't do any tertiary education either.

I left school at 17 and immediately starting working in retail as a sales assistant. As I am smart & hardworking I managed to move up the ranks pretty quickly, jumped a few job opportunities here & there....and fast forward to present day at 33 years old, I am now a sourcing manager earning 500k pa, which really isn't too bad for someone with only a Standard 9....

Now I'm thinking I would really love the opportunity to work overseas for a while but most positions in my field require a degree of some sort.
Would anyone know how I would be able to attain a degree or some other notable tertiary qualification in the shortest time frame possible? Do I really have to take 1 year to finish my matric & then move onto another 3 years to complete the degree?

This would make me 37 before I would even be able to consider fulfilling my dream of experiencing life in another country...which just seems way too long...or do I just say goodbye to my career and start working cruise ships or something similar??

Any advice or suggestions?
 
Last edited:
Never too late
I started my B.Comm at the age of 37. Six months left if I pass everything, taken me 4 years. Get hold of unisa, see what's needed to get in.
You won't get a degree in less than 3 years.
 
Sinbad said:
Never too late
I started my B.Comm at the age of 37. Six months left if I pass everything, taken me 4 years. Get hold of unisa, see what's needed to get in.
You won't get a degree in less than 3 years.
Click to expand...
How many hours per week does the studying take up. I assume you're also working a full-time job?
 
saor said:
How many hours per week does the studying take up. I assume you're also working a full-time job?
Click to expand...
Yes, full time work. You should probably take 3 hours per week per module but that depends on how you work. I probably average about 8 hours per module total but I have an unusually good memory.
 
Sinbad said:
Never too late
I started my B.Comm at the age of 37. Six months left if I pass everything, taken me 4 years. Get hold of unisa, see what's needed to get in.
You won't get a degree in less than 3 years.
Click to expand...

According to Unisa, degrees require a national senior certificate for admission...and I suppose no way to fast track getting adult matriculation either....
 
AngieS said:
According to Unisa, degrees require a national senior certificate for admission...and I suppose no way to fast track getting adult matriculation either....
Click to expand...

There is some age-exemption clause somewhere. If you're above a certain age, and if you maybe have some kind of certification of any kind, you might be able to get in. I'm not very clued up on this, but other members have been able to get in without a NSC.
 
Sinbad said:
Never too late
I started my B.Comm at the age of 37. Six months left if I pass everything, taken me 4 years. Get hold of unisa, see what's needed to get in.
You won't get a degree in less than 3 years.
Click to expand...

NO WAY you're under 50...
 
I see you consider your age as a bigger handicap than getting the degree. Got news for you, you will work for that degree. If you got a full time job as well to do, and kids at home and a husband, even tougher. You make it sound as if time is your biggest problem, believe me, it is not.

As to must you do it or not do it, definately do it, education of any kind is always better than none, no matter what your age. If you need it to do the overseas stuff, then obviously you must.

The biggest problem you have done from 1999 is not completing you matric, no matter if you wanted to study further or not.

But, should you do this, come back and tell us how did it go, and was it as easy as you thought.
 
Sinbad said:
Never too late
I started my B.Comm at the age of 37. Six months left if I pass everything, taken me 4 years. Get hold of unisa, see what's needed to get in.
You won't get a degree in less than 3 years.
Click to expand...

my hero. looking into this. more or less the same age. hope its work it. looking forward to it actually.
 
http://www.imm.co.za/

I was looking at options when I was wanting to study something to get out and they were on my list.

They informed me that experience in the field would help in obtaining entrance. I chose not to take that route...even though I am in the sales industry now.

I am now studying Theology, so it is unrelated, but it is possible to get a degree without a matric. And I am 33 this year ;)

There are also options through UNISA, but I forget what degrees they are. Bridging exams and whatnot.
 
OHNO said:
I see you consider your age as a bigger handicap than getting the degree. Got news for you, you will work for that degree. If you got a full time job as well to do, and kids at home and a husband, even tougher. You make it sound as if time is your biggest problem, believe me, it is not.
Click to expand...


I'm certainly not naive about the dedication & long hours it will require but I most definitely WILL be getting that degree while working my full time job. Plenty people do it. As for husbands & kids, well, I don't have any...and I guess I won't have much time for dating for the next 3 years so that solves that problem :)

On a side note, I've done more research with Unisa and it turns out that I won't need to complete my matric after all, thank goodness.
I fall into an age exemption clause and my extensive working experience is now considered an NSC equivalent, PLUS I may be able to get some credit towards the degree due to recognition of prior learning...BONUS!
 
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