MACON, Ga. — It's never too late to pursue your dreams of higher education in Georgia.
Residents that are 62 and older are offered free tuition if they choose to go back to school. Middle Georgia State University is one of 31 participating Georgia colleges.
Assistant Vice President of Enrollment Management at Middle Georgia State, Melinda Robinson-Moffett said Georgia residents who are 62 years and older can take advantage of the tuition waiver.
"That tuition waiver is one in which they can obtain undergraduate courses or graduate level courses without paying tuition," said Moffett.
"It's similar in some ways because I really never had that campus experience of going to school and joining a sorority or even having that college life experience. I worked from the day I graduated high school," student Michele Barber said.
A high school counselor told Barber that she was not college material.
Now, she has graduated with a bachelor of science degree and added on studies in Elementary Education.
"I love learning. One of the things that my dad has always said is that I am a professional student," she said.
Barber went back to school to get recertified to be a 7th grade teacher. This will be her fifth year in the college classroom.
"I am very excited about it. This time it has been more meaningful. I think the more mature and of course the older you get you come to appreciate things you didn't take seriously when you were younger," she said
Barber says that there is always time to learn if you want to.
"Go back to school. Just do it. It doesn't matter what age you are. Age used to be an excuse." Baber said. "'I'm too old.' I'm not too old. You are never too old, and if you are not in the ground you can still learn. If you have a heart and a passion and a desire to do something do it," Barber said.
Students must meet all University System of Georgia and institution undergraduate or graduate admission requirements.
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