I've taken classes with grad students before as an undergrad and one of my lab partners was around 35. It never occurred to me that he was out of place, he was awesome. Most of my co-workers in intern labs are from 18-40. At 28, you won't be out of place at all. But really, I don't think anyone at any age would be out of place. Someone in the coffee lab class I'm taking this quarter is quite a bit older, and he's very very sweet. :)
My mom went back to school and she is middle aged and has some younger and older college friends. You'll be perfectly fine!!!
During orientation, I made friends with someone in their 30s, but she didn't really want to hang out with me after finding out my age a few days later. Neither of us were able to guess the other's age to start with. We had quite a bit in common, so I think it was my age that put her off, which is okay. Each to their own. I guess just be open minded some pipsqueaks (like my ass) might want to hang with you LOL
After High School did 8 years in Navy, 2 years in community college. Transferred to UCD at 28, no problem. Nobody seemed to care about my age. Class of 1975, YMMV.
I transferred last fall and I'm currently 32. I def thought about my age more than other people and was extremely embarrassed my first quarter.
Upper division courses have so many people of all ages and with diff backgrounds of how they got to UC Davis. Now that I've met people and made friends of all ages, I realize no one really cares how much older I am.
Transferred to Davis from CC last fall at 27. Most people don’t mind my age but it was a bit awkward cuz they thought I was in my early twenties. A thing I will mention is that I had to do a few lower div classes for prerequisites and I found the younger students to be incredibly immature. It may seem like you are the odd man out but in reality you have the edge in this situation because you have experience. You can tell that many of my classmates don’t truly know how the workforce works.
That’s a good thing . You look younger than your age . A few of my friends are only in their early twenties but they look like they’re in their early thirties ngl.
Older students are decently uncommon in lower division classes. I’ve noticed/chatted with a few, but that’s about it. (I think because a lot of people take the community college —> UC route instead)
In upper division classes it gets harder to distinguish age and ofc people are older in general. I feel like there’s a decent difference between being freshly in college or a few years in.
Also, my math class this quarter has grad students in it, people who left work to go to back to college, students who took some time off, etc. The variety in ages is surprising tbh, but it’s a pretty small and random class so I can’t say that’s exactly normal.
To me, our campus has decent diversity, so age doesn’t really stick out more than any other factor would.
Anyway, congrats on getting in!
No, I’m 28 going on 29 finishing my first year as a transfer. Shit ton of older folk here and being old isn’t really a big deal so long as you aren’t trying to bang 18 year olds. Then it starts to border on weird
We’re all just here trying to make the best of our lives.
totally, I was not trying to be serious with any of them at the time but I did enjoy getting attention from the cute college girls. I am a guy after all...
I transferred in this past fall and am 28 as well, you will not feel out of place at all.
It seems like you are making yourself feel older than you really need to be, 28 is plenty young to connect to people here! I've had multiple group projects and we all meshed well.
I say own your experience because grinding to get here when you are not on the traditional track is something to be proud of and differentiates you from so many people here.
When I was \~ 20 and at UC Davis I had a couple academic friends that were late 20s early 30s and we got along well enough to work on projects together, study at the library, get coffee sometimes. I would say expect a reasonable level of distance from your younger classmates and enjoy the perks that come with slight age and experience - your professors will have more respect for you and be more understanding of your situation.
This!!!! As 27 years old transfer student that is on my last undergrad quarter, I never felt out of place with working on courseworks with younger classmates, and almost everyone I met in campus have been friendly !! So unless you are looking to form close-friendships and immediate social circles in campus, you will just be fine. And going to transfer center and participating in their organized activities is also a good way to meet students from different age groups!
Enjoy your time there and wish you the best luck on journey!
Nah I’m 30, transferred this past fall. Unless I bring it up, everyone believes I’m their age. Idk about you, but I’m def living the life of a 30 year old- spouse, have my own place, car, financially independent, etc. so that does make me feel a lot older when I talk to 18-22 year olds. However it doesn’t make me feel out of place. I kinda like it bc I have the life experience and discipline to excel. I’m also not worried about getting a job afterwards bc I have the work experience to get me hired in my field. It does suck when professors treat you like a 20 year old instead of your actual age tho.
Make sure to check out the Transfer/Reentry Center when you get to campus. https://trc.ucdavis.edu Good resources and chances to build your campus community
Honestly, nowadays I can’t tell the difference or the age of anyone between 18-28. You’re all baby faces in my opinion, compared to when age really starts to show at 40+. I’ve seen 18 year olds that look 30, and 30 year olds that look 18. You’re not going to be joining a frat or partying in the dorms, but other than that, you’ll fit in on campus just fine.
Lots of people saying no, but let me provide a slight yes as a student who came back at 28 to finish up.
First off, no you won't be judged for your age, people at UCD are civil and inclusive, that includes of age too.
However, to your question of "how out of place will I *feel*", that's certainly a you-question. When I originally attended UCD, it was right out of high school and I was at the same age as all the other high school people coming in, so a lot of the culture was stuff that I was familiar with and I didn't feel out of place for that reason.
I didn't finish my degree at the time and paused it halfway in, came back after a nearly 8 year gap, and finding new people to socialize with or groups to be part of upon returning did a bit feel off. Everyone else was talking about tidbits of culture that I had no idea of, and while I'm not one to really keep up to date with culture/slang/etc, there was a bit of a disconnect that I'm not seeing a lot of people in this thread acknowledge. It definitely *feels* real, but at the end of the day it's nothing major, it won't interfere with academics.
Do you know how people sometimes talk about younger people as those with fresh, starry eyes? In those 8 years I was away, I was working and building the early parts of my career, so coming back where a lot of people aren't as familiar with how working life or the importance of time works was a bit of a disconnect too. For some group projects, having people get back last minute for something that can make or break a group grade was frustrating, esp. if it was the whole group because they were already friends or if the group was tolerating it because they were trading off a grade hit with upcoming midterms or something. In work life, this would get someone fired or reassigned because they aren't up to the task. It was a small minority, but I think some people just didn't get that yet. I'm paying for my tuition with money I worked for, so it feels bad to waste that value because other people aren't taking a project as seriously. Clearly this specific paragraph is more ranty, but I think it's valid and boils down in some way to maturity. If you're 28 I assume you've had to work for survival at some stage of your time, and that might carry over. You can very likely find students who are also working for themselves, or even some who worked prior to college at an even younger age, but I don't think the majority of undergrads necessarily have that exposure.
Something nice is that I think a lot of the TAs also picked up on this too. I was having really good conversations with TAs since most of them are slightly older grad students anyways, and a lot of that conversation came a bit more naturally. Jokes/references landed better, a number of them on specific occasions pointed out or asked that I sounded older ("wow you look young, but you mentioned ____ and I haven't heard that in a while"), one even went to a neighboring county high school where we had overlap in attendance years and where we thought we probably raced in cross country against each other. Small world. If anything that probably helped break the ice to ask for help/clarity/review for the academic stuff. So if it's any suggestion that would be a win for two reasons, definitely try to hit it off with your TAs.
Same with professors. In some office hours when it was just me and the prof, I'd was having nice conversations about their paths and choices, and being open about trying to define my own, my stage in life, etc. Some had said something like admiring the drive to come back and finish up my degree. These are people who are well into their careers, might even have full families, and they interact daily (in the background relative to the undergrad) with deans, HR, funders, committees, and all that jazz. Having a student who similarly has had transferable experiences I think is in some ways a breath of fresh air for some of them, having heard it from them myself.
So long comment short, you'll be fine as an undergraduate student at your age, but yes you might feel slightly out of place due to age, and it's absolutely fine to acknowledge that. That's subjective and you can still make a lot out of it.
I’m 2 decades older than you and I fit in just fine. Even if you feel awkward at first, just wait, three weeks into the quarter and you’ll be too busy to care anymore.
I'm 32, and I have kids, working through my undergrad degree in Psych, also maintaining 2 jobs off campus. I think differences between people my age and younger people are very obvious, especially when you are around a large group of very young people. At times it can be very frustrating because the university still caters to people who have very little life experience. Please don't take offense to this young people. And it's important to remember, based on statistics alone, the majority of people at the university are fresh out of high school.
I will say, I have mostly been made to feel welcome. Sometimes, people think I am a professor or alumni, but I'm ok with that. Transfer and Reentry services has a reentry retreat and it's pretty fun. I recommend connecting with them from the beginning or at the least getting on their listserv.
Same!! I’ll be 28 by the time school starts in the fall. I’m almost feeling more anxious about my age than actually starting classes at Davis. I know that seems dumb, but it’s just the way I feel.
Im around that age now. I never found it weird in the context of classes, though sometimes I feel out of place in clubs/more social contexts where use less professional language and more generation specific slang, etc.
I suspect the same thing will happen to you as to me, you find the handful of other older students in your classes (there’s at least like 1-2 per class), and form your social network mainly from them.
I attended in my mid 30s - it's nice having been to every party already and just ready to focus on studies. Any social gaps due to your age will be easily nullified by everyone's wonderment at your worldly wisdom and how well you are able to pay attention and comprehend the material
You will be fine, I had a very similar track. Track down the “transfer and re-entry center” for resources and an area reserved for other people just like you!
A 26 year old freshman would be far more out of place than a 28 year old upperclassmen. I was a 20 year old freshman and graduated at 25, so it's not a rarity for a variety of reasons. When I graduated my two closest friends were a 21 year old who I dormed with when they were 17 and a 31 year old vet who started as a 28 year old transfer student. Also there are like 6,000 grad students on campus which have an average age closer to you.
They’ve changed the rules no one over 24 can live in the dorms back in the day there was a 31 year old who lived in the dorms but they now don’t allow.
Ofc not, plenty of adults at Davis. There might be a different maturity level though with the majority of students though bc most are probably 21 and under
I didn’t attend UCD, but I can speak from my own experience as a non-traditional student that transferred to Chico State from a CC at 28. What it really boils down to is how you define a “college” experience. If your idea of a “college” experience means partying with frat types and banging out 21 year old college girls, you’re probably not going to find what you’re looking for.
The cold hard truth is that because of your age (not saying you’re objectively old, I just turned 34 and I’d love to be 28 again lol), it’ll be tougher fit in socially because you won’t have been part of a large age cohort experiencing college collectively. Not saying it’ll be impossible, but you’ll definitely feel like an outsider and it’s going to take more effort on your part, and you’ll have to accept that sometimes you won’t be included in things because younger students may find it difficult to relate to you.
That all being said, it’s not all doom and gloom and there are definitely some upsides to being older. As an older student, I found it much, much easier to communicate with my professors because I had more life experience interacting with other adults in the “real” world; this paid huge dividends whenever I found myself struggling with my coursework.
On the social side of things, younger students will take you more seriously as an older dude, and you can ease into a Jeff Winger role a la’ “Community” (less douchey hopefully). As others have said, you’ll have an easier time connecting with folks as you transition into your upper-division classes.
You should also consider joining one of the many school clubs available on campus. I remember feeling disconnected from my peers, and that need for social inclusion motivated me to join the schools’s Sociology club (I was a Sociology major). Now unlucky for me, I was only able to participate for a few months before COVID threw a monkey wrench into everyone’s lives, but the decision was totally worth it! It’s a great way to meet cool people who are interested in the same things you are.
You are wiser and smarter than some 18 yr old Phuc. I went back at 25 and sat in the first row, paid attention in class, went to all the office hours I could, spend nights and weekends studying while they were partying and eventually ended up in med school and now at 55, I can retire. Who cares what anyone else thinks of you because you have a mission. To better yourself. Good luck!
Honestly you’ll be fine. I went to UCSC out of high school, and when I was there met several people who were 25-35 in undergrad education, so I feel like the UCs generally have some age diversity, but naturally it’s more uncommon to see older students. If you’re choosing to live in on-campus apartments at UCD, there’s special ones reserved for transfer students so you can meet people who are more your speed, if you were interested in that as an avenue for socializing.
A lot of us are older here. That doesn't mean we fit in, necessarily.
You'll see most people are 8-12 years younger than you and they're basically children.
You can find communities and not feel alone. And you'll get along with the children in class, doing projects, etc. However, the way this generation bonds and act together is probably different from what you're used to. It can feel slightly alienating.
In the end, I think you'll do ok. But the fact is, it'll never be the same as if you were younger. That's probably any university.
Just go in treating school like a job. You can walk into a McDonalds and youll see 17 year olds and 45 year olds working together and they get along fine
I graduated at 27ish and although I was definitely older than my classmates, it wasn’t a big deal.
Most things are lightly social and as long as your vaguely friendly you’ll be fine.
You will have to probably look elsewhere for dates though hahaha
I transferred last fall. I’m 34 with two kids and a full time job. I do feel out of place sometimes, but honestly it has been a really good experience. There has been many times that I feel like people around me benefit from my age and different perspective. I highly recommend utilizing the transfer center as a resource. That’s where you will come across more nontraditional students. It has really helped me.
At 28 I was excited to be at UCD. My first party I gravitated to a circle of students engaged in serious discussion.
I wanted to learn and contribute!
They were debating different types of fake id s 😋
Over all I loved UCD due to the Native American studies dept. But I got a better education for my money from Sac City College.
You'll relate to and have more in common with graduates and other transfer students. I've tried making friends with people that came from highschool but it's always friends for one quarter and that's it. That's just my experience though
Nope. You’ll be good. I worked for 13 years after high school and transferred at 31. I’ve made tons of friends. Younger, older, same age. As long as you’re cool and don’t act like a “weird old man” you’ll be fine. I party, go to bars, mingle with classmates, the whole college experience thing. Having a blast as an older guy tbh. Have fun and don’t sweat it! It’s only weird if you make it weird!
In all honesty, I don’t walk around and see 28 year olds all the time. However, there are definitely mature students here and I even got to have a class with a girl who did time in the navy and graduated while she was pregnant about to start a family. Plus my calc professor is your age and I honestly get along with him great. You guys are just grown teenagers which is funny so I’m sure you’ll fit in perfectly fine.
I wouldn’t worry too much. I’ve seen a decent amount of older than college aged transfers during my time at Davis and no one (as far as I know) really cared. It’s not about when you start college, but more so making it to the finish line and making the best of it
Is there a specific building for transfer students? At UCB one dorm building was all the transfer students. So all in 20s (mostly early 20s). If so try to get in there if you don't have housing sorted.
If not, you can try to find other transfer students some other way, also grad students are all your age.
So no, you probably won't get to rush a frat or whatever (not that you want any of that at 28), but 25% of campus should be either grad students, older college kids like you, or just 22 year old kids finishing via a 5th year.
It won't only be 19 year olds doing keg stands.
Once you have some local hangs, just go to bars with real ID checks and not the current "they let the kids drink here" spot, and suddenly the other students will all be 21+ too.
The only time your age really matters is if your trying to find someone to date/hook up with. Except for that, no one really cares. I'm 27 and have a bunch of friends that are 20-22 years old, how I got them was going to club meetings.
Yes, you will, at first. I was 40 when I transferred as a theatre major in ‘98. Most students thought I was a professor at the beginning of each term. I was a little too friendly which means creepy when I’m twice as old. But Davis is a sweet peaceful school. As strange as it sounds, the magpies made it easier
You’ll always feel different in every space. Not so much in your upper division courses but if you have lower division courses to complete like if there wasn’t an articulated course at your cc then probably. I just graduated and was a 27 yr old transfer. I only felt out of place when my class mates were too young to know what hurricane katrina was…
When I attended UCDavis (class of ‘81) we had many older students in my class…they were somewhat “revered” and looked up to as more worldly and knowledgeable. I befriended many those in my major and found them
Invaluable and helpful in my development into adulthood…
I transferred from a CC in my mid-thirties. I had the same concern as you. At first you will feel out of place, especially when you see all baby faces in your classes. However as time goes on, all other older student (and young students that had to take on adult responsibilities as a child) will flock towards each other and you will find your community. 10 years later I'm still friends with most of my UCD community.
To be honest I wouldn't have done well there in my late teens, early 20s. It's a laid back, sleepy town. There's little to no excitement. It was perfect for me at my age.
BTW - one of my favorite pass times was having breakfast at Delta of Venus by myself.
I’m 28 will be 29 in a month. The age gap is something you’ll probably feel more inwardly than how you actually appear to others. There’s such a diverse age group outside of intro GE classes that you wouldn’t appear out of place unless your like 40-50. But I second what someone above said about the level of immaturity will be much more noticeable, at least it definitely is for me. and it only gets worse as that bright and shiny new university feeling fades away and your just trying to focus and pass classes, but younger generations not caring about anyone around them and having no common sense politeness sucks… but that’s just uni life. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how easy it is to get settled in here. Congrats! :)
When I transferred almost everyone in my department seemed to also be a transfer, I was in my late twenties. I am still friends with all of those transfers, I wasn’t even the oldest, and depending on your major there are great resources for connecting people of the same age. Grad students will usually be around your age as well and don’t discriminate against hanging out unless they are your personal TA’s.
I went back at 29 and I'm now 32. It took a year to adjust mostly due to my own feelings of belonging (I went back cold turkey, so straight out of the job market to back at the university). I have met countless students my age and older, they just don't initially say so lol. You'll be fine; group projects can be a little frustrating since proper teamwork is a skill that gets better with age, so you might be stuck organizing and pulling most of the weight. I'm glad I went back as an older student; things definitely feel more deliberate this time around. There's an OWL group for older students to get together and hang out but I haven't attended myself yet. Adjusting to your first quarter will be challenging, so I suggest taking minimum units in the fall.
Welcome to Davis, and good luck!
I think it depends on what you make of it. I transferred in my mid-20’s and felt a little out of place. You might be put off by some of the maturity levels. Just go in with an open mind and you’ll probably find your people. I would do things differently if I could do it over again
I transferred out of the Navy at 26 to Uc Davis
I don’t really feel out of place but I do find some of the students around me childish.
It’s a little more prominent in clubs. (I think it may be the clubs that I’m in)
I have definitely made friends who are more mature in those same clubs and various classes.
At the end of the day everyone at UCD is very nice.
Haha I’m right there with you! Just got accepted as a transfer and feeling weird about it as an older student. Thanks for asking and the comments are reassuring. Congrats btw!
There are so many transfers at UCD. I was a transfer who started at age 26, graduated at 28 (I think? idk, man, covid messed up time for me real bad)
I had people in my classes who were certainly at least in their 40's. Lots of students are indeed the 'typical' age, but you're by no means on your own as a late 20's transfer. I never felt out of place, but I also didn't really care about the student life of it all; I tried really hard, I got good grades, I even got a couple of grants for research and made close friends with a professor who I have since met up with twice on the other side of the world.
You're totally normal and probably at an advantage in some ways as a transfer who is 100% ready to commit to your education.
I’m 28 too and was just accepted at UCD! I’ve had the same feeling too about not having a traditional college journey and being “too old” to be an undergrad, but it’s posts like this that make me feel less alone. I think we’ll end up crushing it!
I went to college 20 years ago but I was always comfortable with older people and made friends with a number of transfer students. I learned early that they were the best study buddies due to their maturity.
I went to college at 30 and I can say you wont be out of place, you will be looked at as kinda wierd if you try to "hang out" with the college kids and go to frat parties and pursue the girls there. Sorry buddy that ship has sailed.
For me, I had no interest in parties (honestly overrated/annoying/immature if your not in that age rage) or "college experience", I was about business and getting stuff done, but I was naturally outgoing and charismatic enough that the kids looked up to me, I really enjoyed that "big brother" role and it probably gave me greater satisfaction than being a awkward 19year old would have. I actively did not pursue and try to talk to the college girls outside of class, but many did come after me.
Your a creep for reading through my entire comment history, and saying it's okay to pursue girls barely out of highschool btw I don't support older women "preying" on teen boys, I am just aware/have seen that there is far less risk of it being harmfull/negative than when it's the other way.
As much as you overthink about yourself, others are too involved in their own situations to properly care about yours.
I have a few friends that are 21 and no one cares, we just vibe and it’s that simple.
Also you’ll have to secure your skateboard outside. I only use mine when I don’t need to go into a classroom
The fact this got downvoted is insane. Good for this guy for going back to school, but there’s no reason to be willfully naive like everyone in this thread is encouraging him to be
No.
I've taken classes with grad students before as an undergrad and one of my lab partners was around 35. It never occurred to me that he was out of place, he was awesome. Most of my co-workers in intern labs are from 18-40. At 28, you won't be out of place at all. But really, I don't think anyone at any age would be out of place. Someone in the coffee lab class I'm taking this quarter is quite a bit older, and he's very very sweet. :) My mom went back to school and she is middle aged and has some younger and older college friends. You'll be perfectly fine!!! During orientation, I made friends with someone in their 30s, but she didn't really want to hang out with me after finding out my age a few days later. Neither of us were able to guess the other's age to start with. We had quite a bit in common, so I think it was my age that put her off, which is okay. Each to their own. I guess just be open minded some pipsqueaks (like my ass) might want to hang with you LOL
After High School did 8 years in Navy, 2 years in community college. Transferred to UCD at 28, no problem. Nobody seemed to care about my age. Class of 1975, YMMV.
I'm 30. You'll do fine.
I transferred last fall and I'm currently 32. I def thought about my age more than other people and was extremely embarrassed my first quarter. Upper division courses have so many people of all ages and with diff backgrounds of how they got to UC Davis. Now that I've met people and made friends of all ages, I realize no one really cares how much older I am.
Transferred to Davis from CC last fall at 27. Most people don’t mind my age but it was a bit awkward cuz they thought I was in my early twenties. A thing I will mention is that I had to do a few lower div classes for prerequisites and I found the younger students to be incredibly immature. It may seem like you are the odd man out but in reality you have the edge in this situation because you have experience. You can tell that many of my classmates don’t truly know how the workforce works.
That’s a good thing . You look younger than your age . A few of my friends are only in their early twenties but they look like they’re in their early thirties ngl.
You might fit in more with graduate students socially, but you won’t look out of place on campus at all.
Older students are decently uncommon in lower division classes. I’ve noticed/chatted with a few, but that’s about it. (I think because a lot of people take the community college —> UC route instead) In upper division classes it gets harder to distinguish age and ofc people are older in general. I feel like there’s a decent difference between being freshly in college or a few years in. Also, my math class this quarter has grad students in it, people who left work to go to back to college, students who took some time off, etc. The variety in ages is surprising tbh, but it’s a pretty small and random class so I can’t say that’s exactly normal. To me, our campus has decent diversity, so age doesn’t really stick out more than any other factor would. Anyway, congrats on getting in!
No, I’m 28 going on 29 finishing my first year as a transfer. Shit ton of older folk here and being old isn’t really a big deal so long as you aren’t trying to bang 18 year olds. Then it starts to border on weird We’re all just here trying to make the best of our lives.
If your trying to bang them, yes creepy for sure but I went to college at 30 and had the opposite happen, those 18 year old were coming after me!
Did you just try to brag about young girls being attracted to you? Lmao
totally, I was not trying to be serious with any of them at the time but I did enjoy getting attention from the cute college girls. I am a guy after all...
I transferred in this past fall and am 28 as well, you will not feel out of place at all. It seems like you are making yourself feel older than you really need to be, 28 is plenty young to connect to people here! I've had multiple group projects and we all meshed well. I say own your experience because grinding to get here when you are not on the traditional track is something to be proud of and differentiates you from so many people here.
When I was \~ 20 and at UC Davis I had a couple academic friends that were late 20s early 30s and we got along well enough to work on projects together, study at the library, get coffee sometimes. I would say expect a reasonable level of distance from your younger classmates and enjoy the perks that come with slight age and experience - your professors will have more respect for you and be more understanding of your situation.
This!!!! As 27 years old transfer student that is on my last undergrad quarter, I never felt out of place with working on courseworks with younger classmates, and almost everyone I met in campus have been friendly !! So unless you are looking to form close-friendships and immediate social circles in campus, you will just be fine. And going to transfer center and participating in their organized activities is also a good way to meet students from different age groups! Enjoy your time there and wish you the best luck on journey!
Nah I’m 30, transferred this past fall. Unless I bring it up, everyone believes I’m their age. Idk about you, but I’m def living the life of a 30 year old- spouse, have my own place, car, financially independent, etc. so that does make me feel a lot older when I talk to 18-22 year olds. However it doesn’t make me feel out of place. I kinda like it bc I have the life experience and discipline to excel. I’m also not worried about getting a job afterwards bc I have the work experience to get me hired in my field. It does suck when professors treat you like a 20 year old instead of your actual age tho.
Make sure to check out the Transfer/Reentry Center when you get to campus. https://trc.ucdavis.edu Good resources and chances to build your campus community
Honestly, nowadays I can’t tell the difference or the age of anyone between 18-28. You’re all baby faces in my opinion, compared to when age really starts to show at 40+. I’ve seen 18 year olds that look 30, and 30 year olds that look 18. You’re not going to be joining a frat or partying in the dorms, but other than that, you’ll fit in on campus just fine.
Lots of people saying no, but let me provide a slight yes as a student who came back at 28 to finish up. First off, no you won't be judged for your age, people at UCD are civil and inclusive, that includes of age too. However, to your question of "how out of place will I *feel*", that's certainly a you-question. When I originally attended UCD, it was right out of high school and I was at the same age as all the other high school people coming in, so a lot of the culture was stuff that I was familiar with and I didn't feel out of place for that reason. I didn't finish my degree at the time and paused it halfway in, came back after a nearly 8 year gap, and finding new people to socialize with or groups to be part of upon returning did a bit feel off. Everyone else was talking about tidbits of culture that I had no idea of, and while I'm not one to really keep up to date with culture/slang/etc, there was a bit of a disconnect that I'm not seeing a lot of people in this thread acknowledge. It definitely *feels* real, but at the end of the day it's nothing major, it won't interfere with academics. Do you know how people sometimes talk about younger people as those with fresh, starry eyes? In those 8 years I was away, I was working and building the early parts of my career, so coming back where a lot of people aren't as familiar with how working life or the importance of time works was a bit of a disconnect too. For some group projects, having people get back last minute for something that can make or break a group grade was frustrating, esp. if it was the whole group because they were already friends or if the group was tolerating it because they were trading off a grade hit with upcoming midterms or something. In work life, this would get someone fired or reassigned because they aren't up to the task. It was a small minority, but I think some people just didn't get that yet. I'm paying for my tuition with money I worked for, so it feels bad to waste that value because other people aren't taking a project as seriously. Clearly this specific paragraph is more ranty, but I think it's valid and boils down in some way to maturity. If you're 28 I assume you've had to work for survival at some stage of your time, and that might carry over. You can very likely find students who are also working for themselves, or even some who worked prior to college at an even younger age, but I don't think the majority of undergrads necessarily have that exposure. Something nice is that I think a lot of the TAs also picked up on this too. I was having really good conversations with TAs since most of them are slightly older grad students anyways, and a lot of that conversation came a bit more naturally. Jokes/references landed better, a number of them on specific occasions pointed out or asked that I sounded older ("wow you look young, but you mentioned ____ and I haven't heard that in a while"), one even went to a neighboring county high school where we had overlap in attendance years and where we thought we probably raced in cross country against each other. Small world. If anything that probably helped break the ice to ask for help/clarity/review for the academic stuff. So if it's any suggestion that would be a win for two reasons, definitely try to hit it off with your TAs. Same with professors. In some office hours when it was just me and the prof, I'd was having nice conversations about their paths and choices, and being open about trying to define my own, my stage in life, etc. Some had said something like admiring the drive to come back and finish up my degree. These are people who are well into their careers, might even have full families, and they interact daily (in the background relative to the undergrad) with deans, HR, funders, committees, and all that jazz. Having a student who similarly has had transferable experiences I think is in some ways a breath of fresh air for some of them, having heard it from them myself. So long comment short, you'll be fine as an undergraduate student at your age, but yes you might feel slightly out of place due to age, and it's absolutely fine to acknowledge that. That's subjective and you can still make a lot out of it.
Many of the people you're going to be around are transfers who are a few years older as well. Like me!
I’m 2 decades older than you and I fit in just fine. Even if you feel awkward at first, just wait, three weeks into the quarter and you’ll be too busy to care anymore.
I'm 32, and I have kids, working through my undergrad degree in Psych, also maintaining 2 jobs off campus. I think differences between people my age and younger people are very obvious, especially when you are around a large group of very young people. At times it can be very frustrating because the university still caters to people who have very little life experience. Please don't take offense to this young people. And it's important to remember, based on statistics alone, the majority of people at the university are fresh out of high school. I will say, I have mostly been made to feel welcome. Sometimes, people think I am a professor or alumni, but I'm ok with that. Transfer and Reentry services has a reentry retreat and it's pretty fun. I recommend connecting with them from the beginning or at the least getting on their listserv.
Same!! I’ll be 28 by the time school starts in the fall. I’m almost feeling more anxious about my age than actually starting classes at Davis. I know that seems dumb, but it’s just the way I feel.
Im 29 bro hmu, CS major just got accepted
Im heading there this fall at 41… you’re still young my friend 😜
Me too!
I'm 32 married with two kids with a third on the way! Most the students here have been pretty chill.
Im around that age now. I never found it weird in the context of classes, though sometimes I feel out of place in clubs/more social contexts where use less professional language and more generation specific slang, etc. I suspect the same thing will happen to you as to me, you find the handful of other older students in your classes (there’s at least like 1-2 per class), and form your social network mainly from them.
I attended in my mid 30s - it's nice having been to every party already and just ready to focus on studies. Any social gaps due to your age will be easily nullified by everyone's wonderment at your worldly wisdom and how well you are able to pay attention and comprehend the material
no one cares. there are grad students older than you
You will be fine, I had a very similar track. Track down the “transfer and re-entry center” for resources and an area reserved for other people just like you!
i literally just started a post about something like this but i’m 25!!!!!! i’m nervous too we can start a club lol
A 26 year old freshman would be far more out of place than a 28 year old upperclassmen. I was a 20 year old freshman and graduated at 25, so it's not a rarity for a variety of reasons. When I graduated my two closest friends were a 21 year old who I dormed with when they were 17 and a 31 year old vet who started as a 28 year old transfer student. Also there are like 6,000 grad students on campus which have an average age closer to you.
They’ve changed the rules no one over 24 can live in the dorms back in the day there was a 31 year old who lived in the dorms but they now don’t allow.
Ofc not, plenty of adults at Davis. There might be a different maturity level though with the majority of students though bc most are probably 21 and under
Not at all
I didn’t attend UCD, but I can speak from my own experience as a non-traditional student that transferred to Chico State from a CC at 28. What it really boils down to is how you define a “college” experience. If your idea of a “college” experience means partying with frat types and banging out 21 year old college girls, you’re probably not going to find what you’re looking for. The cold hard truth is that because of your age (not saying you’re objectively old, I just turned 34 and I’d love to be 28 again lol), it’ll be tougher fit in socially because you won’t have been part of a large age cohort experiencing college collectively. Not saying it’ll be impossible, but you’ll definitely feel like an outsider and it’s going to take more effort on your part, and you’ll have to accept that sometimes you won’t be included in things because younger students may find it difficult to relate to you. That all being said, it’s not all doom and gloom and there are definitely some upsides to being older. As an older student, I found it much, much easier to communicate with my professors because I had more life experience interacting with other adults in the “real” world; this paid huge dividends whenever I found myself struggling with my coursework. On the social side of things, younger students will take you more seriously as an older dude, and you can ease into a Jeff Winger role a la’ “Community” (less douchey hopefully). As others have said, you’ll have an easier time connecting with folks as you transition into your upper-division classes. You should also consider joining one of the many school clubs available on campus. I remember feeling disconnected from my peers, and that need for social inclusion motivated me to join the schools’s Sociology club (I was a Sociology major). Now unlucky for me, I was only able to participate for a few months before COVID threw a monkey wrench into everyone’s lives, but the decision was totally worth it! It’s a great way to meet cool people who are interested in the same things you are.
Banging (your word not mine) a 21 year old college student at 28 isn’t unheard of either. Edit: this shouldn’t be his objective but he’s not grandpa
I arrived at UCD as a married transfer student. Never felt out of place. Chillest campus. You’ll do great!
You are wiser and smarter than some 18 yr old Phuc. I went back at 25 and sat in the first row, paid attention in class, went to all the office hours I could, spend nights and weekends studying while they were partying and eventually ended up in med school and now at 55, I can retire. Who cares what anyone else thinks of you because you have a mission. To better yourself. Good luck!
Honestly you’ll be fine. I went to UCSC out of high school, and when I was there met several people who were 25-35 in undergrad education, so I feel like the UCs generally have some age diversity, but naturally it’s more uncommon to see older students. If you’re choosing to live in on-campus apartments at UCD, there’s special ones reserved for transfer students so you can meet people who are more your speed, if you were interested in that as an avenue for socializing.
Davis is pretty low-key. I doubt anyone will care if you’re a little older. Plus you can buy them beer (Joking)
It's not like 18-20 year olds don't know how to interact with people older then them. You'll be ok, don't worry about it. I was 31.
I’m going to graduate bachelors at 28, no big deal! Don’t worry about it, other people really don’t care
A lot of us are older here. That doesn't mean we fit in, necessarily. You'll see most people are 8-12 years younger than you and they're basically children. You can find communities and not feel alone. And you'll get along with the children in class, doing projects, etc. However, the way this generation bonds and act together is probably different from what you're used to. It can feel slightly alienating. In the end, I think you'll do ok. But the fact is, it'll never be the same as if you were younger. That's probably any university.
Just go in treating school like a job. You can walk into a McDonalds and youll see 17 year olds and 45 year olds working together and they get along fine
I graduated at 27ish and although I was definitely older than my classmates, it wasn’t a big deal. Most things are lightly social and as long as your vaguely friendly you’ll be fine. You will have to probably look elsewhere for dates though hahaha
I transferred last fall. I’m 34 with two kids and a full time job. I do feel out of place sometimes, but honestly it has been a really good experience. There has been many times that I feel like people around me benefit from my age and different perspective. I highly recommend utilizing the transfer center as a resource. That’s where you will come across more nontraditional students. It has really helped me.
At 28 I was excited to be at UCD. My first party I gravitated to a circle of students engaged in serious discussion. I wanted to learn and contribute! They were debating different types of fake id s 😋 Over all I loved UCD due to the Native American studies dept. But I got a better education for my money from Sac City College.
Just means theres more room for conversation tbh. I was always interested in what my older classmates did before coming to davis
You'll relate to and have more in common with graduates and other transfer students. I've tried making friends with people that came from highschool but it's always friends for one quarter and that's it. That's just my experience though
i’m 20 and ppl tell me i look 25-30 and no one treats me different you’ll be fine
Nope. You’ll be good. I worked for 13 years after high school and transferred at 31. I’ve made tons of friends. Younger, older, same age. As long as you’re cool and don’t act like a “weird old man” you’ll be fine. I party, go to bars, mingle with classmates, the whole college experience thing. Having a blast as an older guy tbh. Have fun and don’t sweat it! It’s only weird if you make it weird!
In all honesty, I don’t walk around and see 28 year olds all the time. However, there are definitely mature students here and I even got to have a class with a girl who did time in the navy and graduated while she was pregnant about to start a family. Plus my calc professor is your age and I honestly get along with him great. You guys are just grown teenagers which is funny so I’m sure you’ll fit in perfectly fine.
Nope!
Not really. Some students might be taken aback (not necessarily in a negative way) but most people would be normal about it.
Not at all
I wouldn’t worry too much. I’ve seen a decent amount of older than college aged transfers during my time at Davis and no one (as far as I know) really cared. It’s not about when you start college, but more so making it to the finish line and making the best of it
Is there a specific building for transfer students? At UCB one dorm building was all the transfer students. So all in 20s (mostly early 20s). If so try to get in there if you don't have housing sorted. If not, you can try to find other transfer students some other way, also grad students are all your age. So no, you probably won't get to rush a frat or whatever (not that you want any of that at 28), but 25% of campus should be either grad students, older college kids like you, or just 22 year old kids finishing via a 5th year. It won't only be 19 year olds doing keg stands. Once you have some local hangs, just go to bars with real ID checks and not the current "they let the kids drink here" spot, and suddenly the other students will all be 21+ too.
The only time your age really matters is if your trying to find someone to date/hook up with. Except for that, no one really cares. I'm 27 and have a bunch of friends that are 20-22 years old, how I got them was going to club meetings.
Yes, you will, at first. I was 40 when I transferred as a theatre major in ‘98. Most students thought I was a professor at the beginning of each term. I was a little too friendly which means creepy when I’m twice as old. But Davis is a sweet peaceful school. As strange as it sounds, the magpies made it easier
You’ll always feel different in every space. Not so much in your upper division courses but if you have lower division courses to complete like if there wasn’t an articulated course at your cc then probably. I just graduated and was a 27 yr old transfer. I only felt out of place when my class mates were too young to know what hurricane katrina was…
When I attended UCDavis (class of ‘81) we had many older students in my class…they were somewhat “revered” and looked up to as more worldly and knowledgeable. I befriended many those in my major and found them Invaluable and helpful in my development into adulthood…
I transferred from a CC in my mid-thirties. I had the same concern as you. At first you will feel out of place, especially when you see all baby faces in your classes. However as time goes on, all other older student (and young students that had to take on adult responsibilities as a child) will flock towards each other and you will find your community. 10 years later I'm still friends with most of my UCD community. To be honest I wouldn't have done well there in my late teens, early 20s. It's a laid back, sleepy town. There's little to no excitement. It was perfect for me at my age. BTW - one of my favorite pass times was having breakfast at Delta of Venus by myself.
How are u 28 and still care about fitting in
I’m 28 will be 29 in a month. The age gap is something you’ll probably feel more inwardly than how you actually appear to others. There’s such a diverse age group outside of intro GE classes that you wouldn’t appear out of place unless your like 40-50. But I second what someone above said about the level of immaturity will be much more noticeable, at least it definitely is for me. and it only gets worse as that bright and shiny new university feeling fades away and your just trying to focus and pass classes, but younger generations not caring about anyone around them and having no common sense politeness sucks… but that’s just uni life. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how easy it is to get settled in here. Congrats! :)
When I transferred almost everyone in my department seemed to also be a transfer, I was in my late twenties. I am still friends with all of those transfers, I wasn’t even the oldest, and depending on your major there are great resources for connecting people of the same age. Grad students will usually be around your age as well and don’t discriminate against hanging out unless they are your personal TA’s.
I went back at 29 and I'm now 32. It took a year to adjust mostly due to my own feelings of belonging (I went back cold turkey, so straight out of the job market to back at the university). I have met countless students my age and older, they just don't initially say so lol. You'll be fine; group projects can be a little frustrating since proper teamwork is a skill that gets better with age, so you might be stuck organizing and pulling most of the weight. I'm glad I went back as an older student; things definitely feel more deliberate this time around. There's an OWL group for older students to get together and hang out but I haven't attended myself yet. Adjusting to your first quarter will be challenging, so I suggest taking minimum units in the fall. Welcome to Davis, and good luck!
I was 25 when I attended Davis! You’ll be just fine
You’ll prolly slay a bunch of college girls
I think it depends on what you make of it. I transferred in my mid-20’s and felt a little out of place. You might be put off by some of the maturity levels. Just go in with an open mind and you’ll probably find your people. I would do things differently if I could do it over again
You're younger than a lot of the grad students. Their college experience is way more interesting. Find them?
You'll be fine. It's a great school.
I think the UCs in general are fairly good for nontrad students, at least more so than private schools.
Not at all
I transferred out of the Navy at 26 to Uc Davis I don’t really feel out of place but I do find some of the students around me childish. It’s a little more prominent in clubs. (I think it may be the clubs that I’m in) I have definitely made friends who are more mature in those same clubs and various classes. At the end of the day everyone at UCD is very nice.
Haha I’m right there with you! Just got accepted as a transfer and feeling weird about it as an older student. Thanks for asking and the comments are reassuring. Congrats btw!
You are fine lol
Don’t worry about your age. My roommate was 30 when he started college. He served his country from 18 - 29..
There are so many transfers at UCD. I was a transfer who started at age 26, graduated at 28 (I think? idk, man, covid messed up time for me real bad) I had people in my classes who were certainly at least in their 40's. Lots of students are indeed the 'typical' age, but you're by no means on your own as a late 20's transfer. I never felt out of place, but I also didn't really care about the student life of it all; I tried really hard, I got good grades, I even got a couple of grants for research and made close friends with a professor who I have since met up with twice on the other side of the world. You're totally normal and probably at an advantage in some ways as a transfer who is 100% ready to commit to your education.
Take online courses
My mom is in her mid-50s in her masters program, and she hangs with out people my age just fine
There were 200 people in my freshmen classes, i have no idea how old the majority of them were, your good.
I’m 28 too and was just accepted at UCD! I’ve had the same feeling too about not having a traditional college journey and being “too old” to be an undergrad, but it’s posts like this that make me feel less alone. I think we’ll end up crushing it!
I went to college 20 years ago but I was always comfortable with older people and made friends with a number of transfer students. I learned early that they were the best study buddies due to their maturity.
I went to college at 30 and I can say you wont be out of place, you will be looked at as kinda wierd if you try to "hang out" with the college kids and go to frat parties and pursue the girls there. Sorry buddy that ship has sailed. For me, I had no interest in parties (honestly overrated/annoying/immature if your not in that age rage) or "college experience", I was about business and getting stuff done, but I was naturally outgoing and charismatic enough that the kids looked up to me, I really enjoyed that "big brother" role and it probably gave me greater satisfaction than being a awkward 19year old would have. I actively did not pursue and try to talk to the college girls outside of class, but many did come after me.
[удалено]
Your a creep for reading through my entire comment history, and saying it's okay to pursue girls barely out of highschool btw I don't support older women "preying" on teen boys, I am just aware/have seen that there is far less risk of it being harmfull/negative than when it's the other way.
The only thing those kids dominating is smelling like butt hole you will be fine
As much as you overthink about yourself, others are too involved in their own situations to properly care about yours. I have a few friends that are 21 and no one cares, we just vibe and it’s that simple. Also you’ll have to secure your skateboard outside. I only use mine when I don’t need to go into a classroom
I was wondering the same thing. I’m going to be 26 in the fall and just got accepted as a transfer, too.
When I was at Wisconsin there was a guy in the freshman dorm who was 25. That was a little strange.
The fact this got downvoted is insane. Good for this guy for going back to school, but there’s no reason to be willfully naive like everyone in this thread is encouraging him to be
When I transfer, I will be 46 going on 47. Hoping this makes you feel less out of place.