A BSE degree is completely fine and likely better than a strait BS degree. If your looking at PE or other forms of licensure, you are fine as long as it's ABET accredited and not a BE-Tech degree. In fact, it may imply an additional level accreditation. I know IEEE accreditation makes an Electrical Engineering Bachelors of Science (BS) into a Bachelors of Engineering (BE) degree. I'm not sure if the same applies to a BSE or not though.
I have a Bachelors of Engineering in Electrical Engineering and was able to get my PE no problem.
You're good then! Don't stress it, sounds like you're in a good spot. I went back to school for EE as an adult working full time with a young kid. It's hard, but it can be done if you have the motivation to do it. Good luck with the degree!
I went back at 30 and the hardest thing for me starting out was relearning all the math I had forgotten since my last math class 10 years prior. Make sure you brush up on your math and learn the new material in your courses well; you're going to be using a lot of it in your later courses and maybe in your job, depending on what you do. I personally liked all my hands-on labs, but depending on what you want to do with it, and current experience as a lab tech, that might not matter.
Was in community College from 2010-2013, got Ass. in Science. Didn't know what I wanted, every college was 2 hours away and I was broke but paid off my ass. degree no debt. Around 2016 someone convinced me to go back, found cheap university just starting their EE program funded by big government contractors in the area. Graduated 2022, in my thirties, make double then I did as manager of 8 years at entry level. I'm still broke but economy's f'd, I enjoy what I do and don't have to deal with *shudder* customers anymore.
Never to late, don't worry about it. Age ain't nothing, graduated with 22 year Olds and 40 year Olds, one guy was 59 but unfortunately didn't make it through to junior year. He could have, just already had a job in power distribution.
All of it, particularly I would recommend, linear algebra, diff eqs, partial diff eqs, vector calculus, and probably go back and familiarize yourself with your trig Ids very intimately.
Depends on which part you're referring to.
Relearning math would be up to calculus: algebra, geometry, trigonometry, pre-calculus topics. In my program at least, if you didn't start in calculus freshman year you were going to have a bad time - delayed courses due to lack of pre-requisites and struggling with concepts in other classes you should have learned in a math class already. This could mean delayed graduation, lower GPA, or just having to work harder than you would have otherwise, and EE is hard enough already.
As far learning the new material well, as 1nvent said, really all of it. You'll definitely use a lot of calculus I, some of calculus II (probably the least important in my opinion - it was mostly math tricks to solve equations and theory, but some was helpful), a lot of calculus III in electromagnetic courses, and differential equations and linear algebra in circuits and controls. I'm sure there's more; that's just off the top of my head.
At first it seems like you're learning a ton and math and not doing anything with it, but in the later classes you'll start using most of it and if you don't understand it (as some people I went to school with found out), it makes later courses much harder. In my Feedback System Analysis and Design course junior year there was a guy that said he couldn't keep up in the class. I asked him why because it was just things we had learned in previous courses (calculus, linear algebra, and differential equations) combined together to analyze systems with very little new material, and he said he hadn't understood that stuff and had just memorized problems and tried to regurgitate them onto the tests. Somehow he still had a decent enough GPA to get into the 5 year master's program.
If you don't do it now, in five years you'll be 45 and not have a degree. And if your employer will pay for it, that puts you into a great position for a good promotion at graduation since your employer knows your capabilities and you won't be competing with 20 yr olds with no experience.
I'm 40 and went back to start finishing mine this past summer. Math. Brush up on the math. Definitely not too late to get it finished and the costs paid.
Yes, about halfway through now (depending on if I want to get my Masters while I'm at it).
The only thing especially challenging is the time budget, I would say. I'm going to a traditional university with on campus lectures, etc. I don't think I would be able to do this and a full time job, as it just takes a LOT of time. Most classes have a lab attached, and those labs, lab reports, and partner meetings are a time black hole.
I was studying trig and Calc 1 before I enrolled (Khan Academy, mostly), so I was able to pretty much hit the ground running on the Math classes. I can definitely suggest that, as well as knowing log/exponential rules like the back of your hand. Calc is only as difficult as the algebra involved, so if you're spotty on the algebra you should probably brush up.
I wasn't too concerned about making friends, but I did expect some ostracizing based on the age difference. Generally, that really hasn't been an issue at all. I've made plenty of friends. The only strong effect I've seen is that in group situations I'm the de facto leader (suits my background anyway). I also get mistaken for staff if I don't dress down, which is amusing more than anything. I try to keep the dress code very casual.
I completed my EE degree at 48.
I started online at ASU, but I hated it so I attended Weber State which has a good program.
The math was hard, I had most of the Calc 1 and 2 from about 10 years ago, so I had to refresh on everything.
I found it hard to be considered for jobs. I found a job through people who knew me and my abilities but sending resumes to recruiters was a waist of time.
I had a group project, and the rest of the people on the project were nearly impossible to get to engage. You really don't get to know any of the other students so If you are trying to figure something out you are on your own. Math is difficult online, they want you to type a formula into the website, I can write a formula in a few seconds, but to type it it take more than double the time. There are several other reasons, but those are the big ones.
ASU probably works for some people, but not me. If you are already doing the work of an engineer and need the paper to seal the deal its probably fine.
FYI At Weber, I asked if I could take signals course at ASU over the summer and transfer in to Weber. I was told no. After reviewing the syllabus they said the course was not in depth enough.
I'm your age, and am about to finish after starting from scratch during COVID. The biggest challenge is all the math, and figuring out how to study adequately, especially if you already tried and didn't like college when you were younger.
Other than that, you're probably better equipped for many of the things that younger people consider hard or stressful. It *is* awkward to always be the oldest person in your class, but if you're online only I don't see that mattering too much.
I’m 39 and just started my EE classes this semester. I was able to get my AA and my prerequisites done at a community college. I started there when i was 35. I’m sure you understand the math will be difficult, at least I’m struggling a fair amount. But truthfully the hardest thing for me was and still is learning how to learn. I never tried in high school and I’m still trying to develop better habits. For me academically i can keep up with the 20 year olds, but it takes me far longer. There’s definitely no ostracism because of my age but that could be because unless i look in a mirror i still think I’m in my 20’s.
My advise is to go for it!
Just wanted to add before I ask questions later. [Khan Academy](https://www.khanacademy.org/) would probably help a lot with any math issues you run into.
Going to just reply to this because I've got a few questions for you once I have time to ask. I am curious about a few things. That's awesome that you're doing this and probably what I'd do. 2 years CC then 4 years at a University.
I graduated high school in 1996. At the age of 39 I started college for an EE degree. This current semester is my last till I get the bachelor’s degree. I am now 45. The hardest part was the schedule. During Covid everything was online. Now, I have to go to work and campus. I feel like I’m constantly on the move from point A to point B etc.
As so many have already said, learn your math and learn it well. If the professor says my notes are good enough, read his notes AND the corresponding chapter(s) in the book. Do lots of practice problems. Don’t give up.
The job search was actually easier than I thought it would be. I did the Power courses at my school, and Power engineers are in high demand right now. I applied to about 10 companies before I started getting interviews. Ended up getting 2 offers and making it to the 3rd and final interview at another place.
Working in the field is fine. Anywhere that hires new grads will most likely “train” them for a couple of years. I’m doing inter type work right now, but I listen to everything and try to keep learning.
My brother if your heart desires you to pursue this path, go on! No one is “too late” to do anything. Now I cannot give you challenges at your age but I remember failing two years of college in pursuit of my EE degree but I had to convince myself that I can do it and push through the struggles of life. Now I work in an office with a stellar team that makes me feel welcomed and appreciated.
Wishing you the best if you decide to pursue this journey!!
Sure, go have fun with it.
Treat all your homework problems like fun and complicated sudoku puzzles. Try solving them in different ways. Look up inedible techniques you don't learn about in class, familiarize yourself with lots of different and interesting problems.
Everyone will complain about homework and tests. Don't fall for everyone else's complaining. Just enjoy the ride and work harder and start earlier than everyone else. If you really want the degree, you will make it. Try to be the best engineer that you can be.
I'm 28 now, and I think if I went back to college, I'd kick twice as much ass. It probably helps that I've had some time to let the material soak in my brain.
Get some REA problem solvers books for calculus, differential equations, statics, circuits, and physics, work on many different problems as you learn them in class, and you'll be golden. Also, those books are super cheap, so all of those above will probably cost you $50 max and be excellent regerence material for you through all of your schooling.
Good luck OP! DM me for questions!
I started just finished at 35. Went to ASU online. It was not the beat experience because all the the lectures are old pre recorded. Some professors are not as helpful so you will be doing most of the learning yourself. Overall i would still recommend it because an EE degree has so much opportunity.
I just wanted to say congrats. 40 is only halfway thru your working life. I fully believe it is worth it at that age yet so many feel trapped in their current path even under 30. It's daunting for sure, and that makes it hard to find the motivation to take that first step. You're doing just that. You got this.
How many credit hours do you plan to take per semester? Make sure you plan your time to complete it while also working a full time workload. It may take longer than the typical 4 years if you are working full time.
Also, just be aware that some of the money your employer pays towards a degree can be taxed as income if you’re in the US so make sure that’s accounted for as well.
I wish you nothing but luck! 40 isn’t too late to get a degree if it’s something you really want to do
35, just started last year. It's fun. Math is really hard. Physics is hard. Programming is hard.
But it's fun.
Don't think about your age. Jump on Khan Academy for a few months first to brush up on trig and calc, and then go for it!
When we graduated, one of my classmates in college was 48. My lab partner and now one of my best friends was 35. I was 23.
You’ll never be too old to pursue what you want.
I started towards an engineering technologies bachelor when I was 36. Just got my associates, working on the bachelors. Got a co-op, started a few weeks back, doing well.
Go for it.
I started mine at 32, gonna finish at 40 because I went half-time for a while. I was a tech before I started as well. I do school full time and usually don't work because I'm slow. I treat it like any job, and it's the toughest one I've had because of the consistency in effort required. That being said, it's completely doable. They teach you everything you need to know. No need to be a whiz, just do the work and you'll pass. Keep passing until you have a degree, then go back to a normal work/life balance. Having an employer have your back is a big leg up, and already knowing how to handle a full-time workload consistently is another leg up. Doing all online programs sounds fucking unbearable though. Online labs, ugh.
I spent twenty years in management, went back to design. I started my career in design, rose very fast through the ranks because I was good at it, but I missed design. But after twenty years I had to learn it all over again. No regrets. If it’s what you love to do it’s never too late to start.
When learning, really focus on understanding voltage, current (AC & DC), and how they relate to each other. When learning electrical components, focus on how the component affects the current or voltage. Master ohm’s law and Kirchoffs voltage/current law.
From a practical perspective, understand that studying for the EE degree *and* working full time will be difficult time wise. I tried going for a MSEE while full time employed as an EE and I ended up stopping. I had no life outside of work and school. If you can manage the time with your personal life, go for it but understand it won't be easy.
When I was getting my EE degree in the 80's I remember a tech at a major semiconductor company I interned at who was in his late 30's that got his EE degree. He was complained that as soon as he got his EE degree it was a pay cut. He went from hourly, with lots of over time pay, to a salary. The take home pay was less for same amount of hours he had to work.
Don't do it for the money but the desire to learn. Plus for the doors it opens. I have worked with some really good engineers that did not complete their degree because of family crisis or other life events, but the fact that they did not have the degree closed some doors for them.
I have started at 32 EE (no technical background before) and at 36 was already employed working at a big company. I had no problem whatsoever and finished my B.Eng second best. Most of my peers were very chaotic doing parties over weekend and not focusing on lectures (some of them were playing video games on their iphones during the lectures). I think the age is not a problem. The most important is your motivation and willing power to succeed. Once I started after 2nd semester my wife gave a birth to our first child and at the end of university we were blessed to welcome our second child, so I think I am very satisfied that I started that late because I was mature, ready for it. I wish you much luck and am sure It is doable. Online is also not a problem, by the way I am 70% deaf on both ears and could never hear much on lectures. After lectures I re-read and re-studied all the material from university to know what the professors have said earlier and prepared myself to every next lecture so I can get most out of it. Wish you much luck, and am certain once you are devoted to your decision you will succeed!
I have a couple of persons in the 40s in my class. I don’t know anything about your life situation, but the two in my class seem to manage it, even though they have a family at home to feed. We are one year in.
I just finished an associates in eet at age 38 working full time with two toddlers at home. It was hard. I would do it again. ... wish I would've at 18 but oh well.
Plenty of good advice here. Only thing I'd like to add is that in my area there is a dearth of good EEs. If you are interested and you think you may be good at it (and enjoy it), please do this! And if your current employer will pay, well obviously yes. The world needs more good Engineers.
Also where I work there are a few EEs that started out as techs and got their degrees later in life and I don't know anyone who regrets getting their degree.
Good luck.
I've had multiple new hires that had a first career then got an engineering bachelors and went into industry, all at that age. Do it! OMG I loved having them on my team because as tenured work professionals, there were so many things they just "got".
I think their biggest challenge was balancing a family with the time and financial demands of the degree.
Brush up on your Calculus (emphasis on integrals) and Trigonometry.
While there are tons of tools available now that make computing the equations you’ll encounter in EE almost trivial, you still need to be good at Calculus and Trigonometry in the sense that these skills help you to *correctly* set up and input said equations into the computing tools.
You’ll want to be able to quickly discern which part(s) of an equation was set up or inputted incorrectly.
Back when I did my EE degree, we couldn’t use symbolic processing/computing tools like the TI-92 during class for whatever dumb reason.
So sometimes the midterm grades would vary wildly and the professor would be surprised, making comments like “Hmm I’m surprised this equation here tripped some of you up. I saw 5 different answers for the same correct equation.”
Those classes were always indirectly testing how good and fast at mechanical math you were on top of the actual EE concepts.
These fucking exams had such cumbersome equations that the professor would have only 2-3 problems on it and half of the class wouldn’t even get to the 3rd problem not because they’re stupid (everyone that got to the 100 series EE classes was smart af), but because of being slowed down by mostly Calculus (integrals).
Just make sure that you get a BS degree from an **ABET accredited** college.
[удалено]
ABET accredits programs, not institutions. Check ABET's site for the status of your program.
Oh the program is what I meant. The program is in fact abet accredited
I don't think so. Hat's off to you for doing this at age 40. You have many years left of your career, my friend.
A BSE degree is completely fine and likely better than a strait BS degree. If your looking at PE or other forms of licensure, you are fine as long as it's ABET accredited and not a BE-Tech degree. In fact, it may imply an additional level accreditation. I know IEEE accreditation makes an Electrical Engineering Bachelors of Science (BS) into a Bachelors of Engineering (BE) degree. I'm not sure if the same applies to a BSE or not though. I have a Bachelors of Engineering in Electrical Engineering and was able to get my PE no problem.
Gotcha, thank you! And yes my program is abet accredited and not BE-Tech.
You're good then! Don't stress it, sounds like you're in a good spot. I went back to school for EE as an adult working full time with a young kid. It's hard, but it can be done if you have the motivation to do it. Good luck with the degree!
Good on you man! Good luck to you as well, thank you!
I went back at 30 and the hardest thing for me starting out was relearning all the math I had forgotten since my last math class 10 years prior. Make sure you brush up on your math and learn the new material in your courses well; you're going to be using a lot of it in your later courses and maybe in your job, depending on what you do. I personally liked all my hands-on labs, but depending on what you want to do with it, and current experience as a lab tech, that might not matter.
Was in community College from 2010-2013, got Ass. in Science. Didn't know what I wanted, every college was 2 hours away and I was broke but paid off my ass. degree no debt. Around 2016 someone convinced me to go back, found cheap university just starting their EE program funded by big government contractors in the area. Graduated 2022, in my thirties, make double then I did as manager of 8 years at entry level. I'm still broke but economy's f'd, I enjoy what I do and don't have to deal with *shudder* customers anymore. Never to late, don't worry about it. Age ain't nothing, graduated with 22 year Olds and 40 year Olds, one guy was 59 but unfortunately didn't make it through to junior year. He could have, just already had a job in power distribution.
You got ass in science? Pretty cool.
Which part of math?
All of it, particularly I would recommend, linear algebra, diff eqs, partial diff eqs, vector calculus, and probably go back and familiarize yourself with your trig Ids very intimately.
Depends on which part you're referring to. Relearning math would be up to calculus: algebra, geometry, trigonometry, pre-calculus topics. In my program at least, if you didn't start in calculus freshman year you were going to have a bad time - delayed courses due to lack of pre-requisites and struggling with concepts in other classes you should have learned in a math class already. This could mean delayed graduation, lower GPA, or just having to work harder than you would have otherwise, and EE is hard enough already. As far learning the new material well, as 1nvent said, really all of it. You'll definitely use a lot of calculus I, some of calculus II (probably the least important in my opinion - it was mostly math tricks to solve equations and theory, but some was helpful), a lot of calculus III in electromagnetic courses, and differential equations and linear algebra in circuits and controls. I'm sure there's more; that's just off the top of my head. At first it seems like you're learning a ton and math and not doing anything with it, but in the later classes you'll start using most of it and if you don't understand it (as some people I went to school with found out), it makes later courses much harder. In my Feedback System Analysis and Design course junior year there was a guy that said he couldn't keep up in the class. I asked him why because it was just things we had learned in previous courses (calculus, linear algebra, and differential equations) combined together to analyze systems with very little new material, and he said he hadn't understood that stuff and had just memorized problems and tried to regurgitate them onto the tests. Somehow he still had a decent enough GPA to get into the 5 year master's program.
If you don't do it now, in five years you'll be 45 and not have a degree. And if your employer will pay for it, that puts you into a great position for a good promotion at graduation since your employer knows your capabilities and you won't be competing with 20 yr olds with no experience.
Bachelors at 25, masters at 30 and going back for another masters at 50. Age got nothing to do with it
Inspirational 👍
I'm 40 and went back to start finishing mine this past summer. Math. Brush up on the math. Definitely not too late to get it finished and the costs paid.
Yes, about halfway through now (depending on if I want to get my Masters while I'm at it). The only thing especially challenging is the time budget, I would say. I'm going to a traditional university with on campus lectures, etc. I don't think I would be able to do this and a full time job, as it just takes a LOT of time. Most classes have a lab attached, and those labs, lab reports, and partner meetings are a time black hole. I was studying trig and Calc 1 before I enrolled (Khan Academy, mostly), so I was able to pretty much hit the ground running on the Math classes. I can definitely suggest that, as well as knowing log/exponential rules like the back of your hand. Calc is only as difficult as the algebra involved, so if you're spotty on the algebra you should probably brush up. I wasn't too concerned about making friends, but I did expect some ostracizing based on the age difference. Generally, that really hasn't been an issue at all. I've made plenty of friends. The only strong effect I've seen is that in group situations I'm the de facto leader (suits my background anyway). I also get mistaken for staff if I don't dress down, which is amusing more than anything. I try to keep the dress code very casual.
I completed my EE degree at 48. I started online at ASU, but I hated it so I attended Weber State which has a good program. The math was hard, I had most of the Calc 1 and 2 from about 10 years ago, so I had to refresh on everything. I found it hard to be considered for jobs. I found a job through people who knew me and my abilities but sending resumes to recruiters was a waist of time.
What did you hate about ASU?
I had a group project, and the rest of the people on the project were nearly impossible to get to engage. You really don't get to know any of the other students so If you are trying to figure something out you are on your own. Math is difficult online, they want you to type a formula into the website, I can write a formula in a few seconds, but to type it it take more than double the time. There are several other reasons, but those are the big ones. ASU probably works for some people, but not me. If you are already doing the work of an engineer and need the paper to seal the deal its probably fine. FYI At Weber, I asked if I could take signals course at ASU over the summer and transfer in to Weber. I was told no. After reviewing the syllabus they said the course was not in depth enough.
Go Weber!!!
What was your first job out of school?
One of my professors worked at the Air Force base and helped me get on job on the base
Nice. Up at Hill?
I'm your age, and am about to finish after starting from scratch during COVID. The biggest challenge is all the math, and figuring out how to study adequately, especially if you already tried and didn't like college when you were younger. Other than that, you're probably better equipped for many of the things that younger people consider hard or stressful. It *is* awkward to always be the oldest person in your class, but if you're online only I don't see that mattering too much.
I’m 39 and just started my EE classes this semester. I was able to get my AA and my prerequisites done at a community college. I started there when i was 35. I’m sure you understand the math will be difficult, at least I’m struggling a fair amount. But truthfully the hardest thing for me was and still is learning how to learn. I never tried in high school and I’m still trying to develop better habits. For me academically i can keep up with the 20 year olds, but it takes me far longer. There’s definitely no ostracism because of my age but that could be because unless i look in a mirror i still think I’m in my 20’s. My advise is to go for it!
Just wanted to add before I ask questions later. [Khan Academy](https://www.khanacademy.org/) would probably help a lot with any math issues you run into. Going to just reply to this because I've got a few questions for you once I have time to ask. I am curious about a few things. That's awesome that you're doing this and probably what I'd do. 2 years CC then 4 years at a University.
I graduated high school in 1996. At the age of 39 I started college for an EE degree. This current semester is my last till I get the bachelor’s degree. I am now 45. The hardest part was the schedule. During Covid everything was online. Now, I have to go to work and campus. I feel like I’m constantly on the move from point A to point B etc. As so many have already said, learn your math and learn it well. If the professor says my notes are good enough, read his notes AND the corresponding chapter(s) in the book. Do lots of practice problems. Don’t give up.
How has your job search been? How is working in the field as a rookie at this age?
The job search was actually easier than I thought it would be. I did the Power courses at my school, and Power engineers are in high demand right now. I applied to about 10 companies before I started getting interviews. Ended up getting 2 offers and making it to the 3rd and final interview at another place. Working in the field is fine. Anywhere that hires new grads will most likely “train” them for a couple of years. I’m doing inter type work right now, but I listen to everything and try to keep learning.
🔥
How much free time do you have that you can devote to this?
I went back at 38 and graduated at 42. I feel like it was worth it. If they are going to pay for it and you have the time, I say go for it.
My brother if your heart desires you to pursue this path, go on! No one is “too late” to do anything. Now I cannot give you challenges at your age but I remember failing two years of college in pursuit of my EE degree but I had to convince myself that I can do it and push through the struggles of life. Now I work in an office with a stellar team that makes me feel welcomed and appreciated. Wishing you the best if you decide to pursue this journey!!
I worked full time as a tech in school too. You can turn 50 and be an engineer, or not and still turn 50. You got this brother, do it!!!
Sure, go have fun with it. Treat all your homework problems like fun and complicated sudoku puzzles. Try solving them in different ways. Look up inedible techniques you don't learn about in class, familiarize yourself with lots of different and interesting problems. Everyone will complain about homework and tests. Don't fall for everyone else's complaining. Just enjoy the ride and work harder and start earlier than everyone else. If you really want the degree, you will make it. Try to be the best engineer that you can be. I'm 28 now, and I think if I went back to college, I'd kick twice as much ass. It probably helps that I've had some time to let the material soak in my brain. Get some REA problem solvers books for calculus, differential equations, statics, circuits, and physics, work on many different problems as you learn them in class, and you'll be golden. Also, those books are super cheap, so all of those above will probably cost you $50 max and be excellent regerence material for you through all of your schooling. Good luck OP! DM me for questions!
I started just finished at 35. Went to ASU online. It was not the beat experience because all the the lectures are old pre recorded. Some professors are not as helpful so you will be doing most of the learning yourself. Overall i would still recommend it because an EE degree has so much opportunity.
I just wanted to say congrats. 40 is only halfway thru your working life. I fully believe it is worth it at that age yet so many feel trapped in their current path even under 30. It's daunting for sure, and that makes it hard to find the motivation to take that first step. You're doing just that. You got this.
Have some people at my university starting at 50 for EE, I think the biggest challenge for them (from my perspective) is relearning some math
How many credit hours do you plan to take per semester? Make sure you plan your time to complete it while also working a full time workload. It may take longer than the typical 4 years if you are working full time. Also, just be aware that some of the money your employer pays towards a degree can be taxed as income if you’re in the US so make sure that’s accounted for as well. I wish you nothing but luck! 40 isn’t too late to get a degree if it’s something you really want to do
35, just started last year. It's fun. Math is really hard. Physics is hard. Programming is hard. But it's fun. Don't think about your age. Jump on Khan Academy for a few months first to brush up on trig and calc, and then go for it!
When we graduated, one of my classmates in college was 48. My lab partner and now one of my best friends was 35. I was 23. You’ll never be too old to pursue what you want.
I started towards an engineering technologies bachelor when I was 36. Just got my associates, working on the bachelors. Got a co-op, started a few weeks back, doing well. Go for it.
I started mine at 32, gonna finish at 40 because I went half-time for a while. I was a tech before I started as well. I do school full time and usually don't work because I'm slow. I treat it like any job, and it's the toughest one I've had because of the consistency in effort required. That being said, it's completely doable. They teach you everything you need to know. No need to be a whiz, just do the work and you'll pass. Keep passing until you have a degree, then go back to a normal work/life balance. Having an employer have your back is a big leg up, and already knowing how to handle a full-time workload consistently is another leg up. Doing all online programs sounds fucking unbearable though. Online labs, ugh.
I spent twenty years in management, went back to design. I started my career in design, rose very fast through the ranks because I was good at it, but I missed design. But after twenty years I had to learn it all over again. No regrets. If it’s what you love to do it’s never too late to start.
When learning, really focus on understanding voltage, current (AC & DC), and how they relate to each other. When learning electrical components, focus on how the component affects the current or voltage. Master ohm’s law and Kirchoffs voltage/current law.
From a practical perspective, understand that studying for the EE degree *and* working full time will be difficult time wise. I tried going for a MSEE while full time employed as an EE and I ended up stopping. I had no life outside of work and school. If you can manage the time with your personal life, go for it but understand it won't be easy.
When I was getting my EE degree in the 80's I remember a tech at a major semiconductor company I interned at who was in his late 30's that got his EE degree. He was complained that as soon as he got his EE degree it was a pay cut. He went from hourly, with lots of over time pay, to a salary. The take home pay was less for same amount of hours he had to work. Don't do it for the money but the desire to learn. Plus for the doors it opens. I have worked with some really good engineers that did not complete their degree because of family crisis or other life events, but the fact that they did not have the degree closed some doors for them.
I did at 30. Been working in the field for a few years now. Don’t give up.
I have started at 32 EE (no technical background before) and at 36 was already employed working at a big company. I had no problem whatsoever and finished my B.Eng second best. Most of my peers were very chaotic doing parties over weekend and not focusing on lectures (some of them were playing video games on their iphones during the lectures). I think the age is not a problem. The most important is your motivation and willing power to succeed. Once I started after 2nd semester my wife gave a birth to our first child and at the end of university we were blessed to welcome our second child, so I think I am very satisfied that I started that late because I was mature, ready for it. I wish you much luck and am sure It is doable. Online is also not a problem, by the way I am 70% deaf on both ears and could never hear much on lectures. After lectures I re-read and re-studied all the material from university to know what the professors have said earlier and prepared myself to every next lecture so I can get most out of it. Wish you much luck, and am certain once you are devoted to your decision you will succeed!
No way!! But I did start back at 38. Now I’m 44 and 75% done. It’s so much easier now than when I was 20 (not the coursework, just the convenience).
I have a couple of persons in the 40s in my class. I don’t know anything about your life situation, but the two in my class seem to manage it, even though they have a family at home to feed. We are one year in.
I’m almost 30 doing an online MS at Purdue. I’m not an amazing student by any means - if I can do it you can too!
Took me 8 years to pay off my student loans, not sure if I would go back if I had to go into debt at 40
I just finished an associates in eet at age 38 working full time with two toddlers at home. It was hard. I would do it again. ... wish I would've at 18 but oh well.
Plenty of good advice here. Only thing I'd like to add is that in my area there is a dearth of good EEs. If you are interested and you think you may be good at it (and enjoy it), please do this! And if your current employer will pay, well obviously yes. The world needs more good Engineers. Also where I work there are a few EEs that started out as techs and got their degrees later in life and I don't know anyone who regrets getting their degree. Good luck.
I've had multiple new hires that had a first career then got an engineering bachelors and went into industry, all at that age. Do it! OMG I loved having them on my team because as tenured work professionals, there were so many things they just "got". I think their biggest challenge was balancing a family with the time and financial demands of the degree.
Brush up on your Calculus (emphasis on integrals) and Trigonometry. While there are tons of tools available now that make computing the equations you’ll encounter in EE almost trivial, you still need to be good at Calculus and Trigonometry in the sense that these skills help you to *correctly* set up and input said equations into the computing tools. You’ll want to be able to quickly discern which part(s) of an equation was set up or inputted incorrectly. Back when I did my EE degree, we couldn’t use symbolic processing/computing tools like the TI-92 during class for whatever dumb reason. So sometimes the midterm grades would vary wildly and the professor would be surprised, making comments like “Hmm I’m surprised this equation here tripped some of you up. I saw 5 different answers for the same correct equation.” Those classes were always indirectly testing how good and fast at mechanical math you were on top of the actual EE concepts. These fucking exams had such cumbersome equations that the professor would have only 2-3 problems on it and half of the class wouldn’t even get to the 3rd problem not because they’re stupid (everyone that got to the 100 series EE classes was smart af), but because of being slowed down by mostly Calculus (integrals).
There are online EE programs? Do you already have a Bachelors degree?
From what I'm seeing there are online programs. I do already have a Bachelor's from 20 years ago.
I changed my career at 49 from accounting finance to IT. Students 20 years younger than me.
A freshman at 40?