This is the story of an 87-year old who earned a doctorate degree from FIU. It just goes to show you that you are never too old to go back to school.:headbang: Here is the link: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/08/11/2358338/florida-international-university.html
That's Great! In the first church I Pastored there was a man about that same age who used climb on the STEEPLY pitched roof and tar old leaks... He told me once that the worse thing you can do after retirement is to sit still for too long because you trick your body into thinking that you don't have a purpose any longer. Keep moving, he said. I still didn't like seeing him on the roof, but good advice nonetheless...
My 93 year-old grandpa insisted on painting his own house and all was good until he fell off the ladder. Broke an ankle and a wrist. It's now 6 months later, I just went out to breakfast with him and his is healed and back almost as good as new. We all forbid him to get on a ladder again, however. The guy is one of my heroes. I hope to be as strong as he is at 93.
When I attended the convocation to receive my doctorate, my peers and I were delighted (and stunned) to learn that one of fellow doctorate recipients had just celebrated his 80th birthday (he looked at least 15 years younger than that). It truly is never too late.
This is especially gratifying because this gentleman obviously had no concerns about the ROI of his degree. It is highly unlikely, although not impossible, was employed and trying to advance in his field. It appears that he did it solely for the love of the subject matter and for the joy of the achievement.
You are correct. While ROI is, of course, important for most people, other motivations can be just as strong. He had started a doctorate at another university decades earlier was not able to finish at that time. He had a lifetime goal to finish what he had started (even if that meant starting again from scratch). What an inspiration!