Is Getting a Degree at Age 50 Worth It?

Jayney Wallick, StraighterLine Student

There are many people who plan on going back to school one day to earn their degree. Then there are people like Jayney Wallick, a StraighterLine student, who finds a way to make it happen all while running up against obstacles like a busy work schedule, financial constraints, and a need to determine if it is “worth it” because of her age.

When it was all said and done, it was worth it. Jayney took seven courses with StraighterLine, earning a total of 21 credits towards completing her bachelor’s degree in humanities–at the age of 56–from Thomas Edison State University, fulfilling a lifelong goal. She’s grateful that StraighterLine courses were available to help her save thousands on her degree, avoid taking on student debt, and shave nearly a year off of the time it took her to graduate.

But that’s only part of the story. Let’s hear what Jayney told StraighterLine in a recent interview.

What is your degree in?

Jayney Wallick: I’m such an overachiever, I earned two degrees! I have an associate degree in Liberal Arts/Music and a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities. Because Thomas Edison State University is a partner college, I transfered my StraighterLine courses directly to TESU.

Jayney Wallick, Thomas Edison State University Graduation

Do you feel like StraighterLine classes helped prepare you for your future career?

Jayney Wallick: When I first started my career, there weren’t many–or really any–related degrees for it readily available. When I went back to school, I needed to get the quickest bachelor’s degree I could for credentialing purposes. Since I already had accumulated college credits along the way, I was looking for a degree program where I could maximize their use.

Going back to school in my fifties, I was deep into my career by the time I got my college degree(s).

Did StraighterLine help you save money on your degree?

Jayney Wallick: Oh you bet—and time too!

What did you enjoy about the online classes you took?

Jayney Wallick: I could complete the online classes so quickly. I ended up taking classes for electives that I would never have thought of taking otherwise, like Medical Terminology and Introduction to Philosophy, and I scored really well in both.

Would you recommend StraighterLine to others and why?

Jayney Wallick: I absolutely would recommend StraighterLine because of the financial and time savings. You can get a degree potentially years sooner than otherwise!

Want to meet more students who have successfully completed classes at StraighterLine? Read their online student success stories on our blog!