When I returned to school for a second time, I was still working full time and taking classes in the evening at the University of Colorado, Denver (UCD). My second semester, I found out that I could take classes at the University of Colorado Boulder while enrolled at UCD for the same price, requiring only a few signatures on a piece of paper. At the time, CU Boulder was ranked 19th for undergraduate programs in astronomy. After taking one class there, I realized that CU Boulder would offer me the education I needed and I transferred the next semester.
While this was absolutely the right move, the transition came with challenges. On the first day of class up in Boulder, my classical mechanics professor taught the whole lecture using dot notation for time derivatives without explaining it. [Dot notation puts one dot over a variable, like distance, to describe the change that happens in that variable per second]. I had never seen dot notation before. It was a little horrifying. I had never met anyone in that class, but the woman next to me talked to me after class and explained it to me. I eventually found a group of transfer students in the astrophysics program to study and work on homework with. This was tremendously valuable. It really pays off to have people to play on your team and help guide you in academia.
Other things come with the territory of being a non-traditional student. I sometimes envy the younger students who have plowed through 16+ consecutive years of education. It seems that, without the introduction of a break, their intellectual knives have had no time to rust. They will have more time in the field to devote to their work, which also means that they will be paid for more years at a rate commensurate with their degree. Student loans can be sort of unfortunate.
On the other hand, there are advantages to coming back to academia. Being a non-traditional student means I have more background to draw from. And some of the wisdom that has come with age and experience is helpful in navigating life in graduate school. I feel more comfortable now asking for what I want than I did at 25. Situations that could have felt very dramatic then, I can look at with more calm and nuance. I benefited from my years as a manager. For one, I have a lot of sympathy for those in leadership roles. I understand how being in charge tends to put your weaknesses on full display. Sympathy can go a long way in asking for changes.
All in all, it's been a winding road. There are many different ways to approach academia, all with their pros and cons. I'm not sure I would recommend my particular path to others, but I'm grateful for all the experiences I've had and I'm happy with how things are working out (this will be even easier to say once I have a job, post-graduation). Staying on the tried and true path has many advantages. But in this one life on Earth, I wouldn't be too afraid to go bushwhacking.
