Going Back to College at Age 25 (& Rocking it!)
By: Lisa Lewis, Director, Advising and Academic Success, Muhlenberg College School of Continuing Studies Tuesday, October 11, 2022 04:01 PM
When it comes to birthdays, you celebrate your Sweet 16 and embrace adulthood at age 18, but don’t forget about your 25th birthday.
Why is 25 another magic number? Some scientists believe that the brain reaches its full maturity at age 25. Moreover, by the time you reach the quarter-century mark, you’ve gathered several years of real-life experience. You’re brimming with confidence. Your future is limitless. And your goals are clearer.
If one of your “vision board” items at age 25 is to earn a bachelor’s degree or an advanced degree, then it’s an ideal time to start. Here’s a quick guide to going back to college at age 25 (and rocking it!).
Signs That it’s Time to go Back to College at age 25
Age 25 means it’s time to start shaping the future you want to create. Start by asking yourself these questions:
- What will my next 25 years look like?
- Am I satisfied in my current job or career?
- Do I want to earn more money at my current job?
- What will I need to get a promotion where I work?
- Will I need an advanced degree to reach the next stage of my career?
If at any time—whether it’s at age 25 or years from now—you feel that not going to college is holding you back from reaching your personal or professional goals, then it’s time to prioritize your education.
And, by the way… you’re not too old to start college at age 25. Far from it! In fact, at the Muhlenberg College School of Continuing Studies, the average adult student is age 37.
Why College Will Be Better at Age 25
How you think about life in general—and education in particular—is far different at age 25 than when you were 18. So, it’s time to challenge some of your longstanding perceptions about pursuing your education.
Maybe you didn’t attend college at 18 because you didn’t enjoy high school. At the time, you thought college would be more of the same. Now you know that’s not true.
Maybe you didn’t go to college because you didn’t have the money to do so, or perhaps you didn’t understand how financial aid worked. Now you have the maturity to research your financial options. If you have a steady job, you also may have the income to support your education. Or, even better, you might qualify for tuition reimbursement from your employer.
Maybe you started college but stopped because you were taking classes you weren’t sure you would need. Now that you’re age 25, you have the maturity to know which fields you like and which you don’t so that you can restart with a refreshed focus.
Maybe you did get a degree, but it was in a major you didn’t like. But since graduation, you have worked in a different field and found it enriching. Now is the time to pursue a degree in an area you know you love.
No matter your motivation, your college experience will likely improve at age 25 because you have developed new skills over the past seven years. You know how to be a productive employee. You’ve sharpened your time management capabilities. You’ve learned how to work in groups. You know how to take tests and do well on them. Your skills, maturity and experience will make you better prepared for college at age 25 than you were at 18.
Another plus about going to college at age 25 is the advent of hybrid learning models. At the Muhlenberg College School of Continuing Studies, hybrid learning is baked into many courses we offer. This blending of online and in-person education gives you more flexibility, reducing your time to come to campus in person. It will also help you make the most of all the technical skills you’ve learned in your life and on the job.
How to Start College at Age 25
Starting college at age 25 may be even easier than it was at age 18. You’ll want to select a school with the field and degree you wish to pursue. Online research will help you compare schools, programs and courses.
If you do your online research and choose Muhlenberg College as a potential option, we’ll help you handle all the rest. All you have to do is to call (484-664-3300) or email ([email protected]) one of our academic advisors or schedule a 30-minute session with an advisor.
We’ll sit down with you, review any prior transcripts, and let you know precisely what you’ll need to do to earn your degree of choice. We'll let you know if our programs can help you achieve your goals. If we don’t have the programs you’re interested in, we’ll let you know that, too, and we’ll give you advice on other schools that might better fit your needs. We’ll also walk you through the financial aid process so that you understand everything you need to know about the cost of your continuing education.
And while email or phone may be easiest for you, we always encourage you to visit our campus.
Four College Success Tips: How to Rock it at age 25
Once you choose to go back to college at age 25, how can you make sure you rock it? I recommend these four success tips:
- Have a goal. Knowing what you want to achieve with your bachelor’s degree, certificate or master’s degree will motivate you to make the most of your college experience.
- Get engaged with your school. Don’t just come to class and go home. Go to athletic events. Attend lectures and symposiums. At Muhlenberg College, we offer students a Career Center that offers resume assistance, mock interviews and other resources that will prepare you for success long after you earn your degree.
- Make the time. Many people shy away from higher education because they have many other responsibilities, including work and family. But there’s always a way to make time for your education. Could you watch less TV? Cut back on the time you spend on a favorite hobby. Learn from these real-life examples of students who found a way to balance work, school and home. And, in our accelerated degree programs, you can attend class just one night a week and earn a degree in 22 months.
- Know that it won’t be easy. If there’s one thing you’ve learned at age 25, you need to work for something you want to achieve. When you go back to college, there will be times that you will struggle. You may not like a particular course. You may dread writing research papers, but when you do the hard work, you will amaze yourself at how much you can accomplish.
Final thought: While age 25 is a great time to go back to college, the reality is that any age is an excellent age to pursue an education. It’s never too late to go back to college. If you want to begin your journey today, just let us know.
Interested in learning more about the Muhlenberg College Division of Graduate and Continuing Education?
Set up an appointment with an advisor.
About the Muhlenberg College School of Continuing Studies
For more than 100 years, Muhlenberg College’s School of Continuing Studies has provided lifelong learners the opportunity to continue and enhance their education in ways that recognize their experience, maturity, motivation, life circumstances and capacity for independent scholarship. Through a rich variety of certificates and baccalaureate degrees, the School of Continuing Studies aligns a rigorous, high-quality and student-centric curriculum with the needs and trends of our regional economy.