I'm 31...just enrolled for Software Engineering (Score 1)

I've done computer support work for about 10 years and web design for the past 2 years. I'm 31 now and I just decided to enroll in school for software engineering. I had some credits from previous college experience, so I'm a sophomore. I'm going with an online college (CTUonline.edu) because of the convenience and acceleration that it offers. I'll graduate in early 2008. So far things are going very well. I have a 4.0 GPA right now and I plan on keeping it. Do I consider myself too old to change gears? heh...hell no. Not even close. I realize that it is easy to be fearful about things like this, but you can always count on the fact that there are intelligent business people out there (I swear) who can make good decisions about hiring people. I've found that at least half of the people in my classes are older...some of them are in their 40's and even 50's. There are a few that already know how to program, but they just want to get that paper that says so. It's also probably a life goal for them, something they want to accomplish. Some are moving into programming for the first time...in their 40's. This doesn't mean that they will automatically get a job upon graduation. However, if an employer sees someone who has lots of job experience (and life experience) and is a good programmer, and graduated with a high GPA, that might turn a few heads. In fact, that person may even be considered extra valuable due to their mix of experience and work ethic. At 40, they have at least another 20 years of hard work in them (and possibly more). 20 years is a lot of time. Why wouldn't a company hire a programmer while knowing they can put in a good 15+ years? Most workers tend to change jobs after just a few years anyway. Someone in their 40+ will be very loyal and dependable. I feel like I'm in the perfect position. I have a good amount of business and work experience behind me and I'm sure of what I want to accomplish now. I happen to have as much fiery energy as any 20-something year old techie that I've ever met, and my creativity and desire for challenge is very high. I now have a polished work ethic, and I'm VERY motivated now, which is different than a lot of 20-somethings that I have worked with in the past. I will graduate after just turning 33, and I don't see how most 20-something graduates would have any advantage over me. That is, of course, in theory. People see things differently, and I can't jump to too many conclusions about how employers might assess someone like me as a potential employee. But I have more reasons to be confident than I have reasons to be concerned. Remember, most people in business are "older", as in over 30. 20-somethings are in the minority in business. Obviously business owners are hiring people who are 30+ years old. I'll tell you another quick story that changed my mind about college. When I was 28, I worked a temp job doing tests on medical equipment. A guy from some company in San Diego hired us for 2 weeks and trained us to run the tests. I did a very good job and he offered me a job interview with his company in San Diego. I was surprised by the offer, and very interested. Then he asked me about my degree. I told him I didn't have one. That was when he gave me the long story about how he worked as an electrician for 10+ years and then decided to get his degree in Electrical Engineering at age 30. He said that, even though his 10+ years as an electrician didn't really do much for his resume, going to school and changing careers was the best decision that he ever made and he would do it again in a heartbeat. I think he was in his early 40's when we had that conversaion. He was doing very well working for a medical equipment manufacturer in San Diego, where everything is expensive. That was 2-3 years ago...and now I happen to be following the same path that he did (except I'm doing software engineering). Hope that helps.