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You are absolutely right about the "nothing to do" retirees. My grandfather was just like that. Fortunately for my mum and dad, both of them are as busy now in

You are absolutely right about the "nothing to do" retirees. My grandfather was just like that. Fortunately for my mum and dad, both of them are as busy now in retirement than when they were working. Take for instance my dad.... - He was offered an early retirement package at age 55, hated being idle, and six months later returned to full-time work as a consultant. - Fast-forward 15 years, to age 71, when he finally decided to properly retire, ... - ... to do a full-time Masters of Mechanical Engineering. He just graduated, at 75 the univesity's oldest full-time student. - After a six month's break (to focus on gym circuit training and boxing classes), he has returned to university again, doing a 50% Masters of Aeronautical Engineering.

Aeolun 7y ago
Oh man, going to university again when I retire actually sounds like a great way to spend time.
- sokoloff 7y ago
  Some states have free tuition for senior (typically 60+) students to audit [and sometimes to attend] courses at the state public universities.
  - stevesimmons 7y ago
    When the university wanted him to pay the standard course fees, he somehow convinced them to give him a postgraduate scholarship so he could do it for free. During the course he got two concessions: - He was given 4 hours to do the 3 hour exam papers. After all, it had been 53 years since his undergrad math days. - Exemption from the engineering work experience requirement. Instead in the Project Management course, he did a guest lecture slot on 'real-life project management in the offshore oil and gas industry'.
- kazinator 7y ago
  Programming term projects done in one evening, haha!
mythrwy 7y ago
A masters at 75? That is the most awesome thing I've read all week! Congratulations to your dad.
- stevesimmons 7y ago
  I admire his tenacity a lot! He worked enormously hard to learn Master's level math properly. I hope I am half as switched on when I am his age. P.S. One other thing I just remembered is he and my mum live in a country town 90km outside Melbourne. They weren't just round the corner from the university... It was a 90 minute trip by public transport each way. That's a major effort each day just to get to class if you are 18, let alone 75.

Aeolun 7y ago

Oh man, going to university again when I retire actually sounds like a great way to spend time.

sokoloff 7y ago
Some states have free tuition for senior (typically 60+) students to audit [and sometimes to attend] courses at the state public universities.
- stevesimmons 7y ago
  When the university wanted him to pay the standard course fees, he somehow convinced them to give him a postgraduate scholarship so he could do it for free. During the course he got two concessions: - He was given 4 hours to do the 3 hour exam papers. After all, it had been 53 years since his undergrad math days. - Exemption from the engineering work experience requirement. Instead in the Project Management course, he did a guest lecture slot on 'real-life project management in the offshore oil and gas industry'.
kazinator 7y ago
Programming term projects done in one evening, haha!

mythrwy 7y ago

A masters at 75? That is the most awesome thing I've read all week! Congratulations to your dad.

stevesimmons 7y ago
I admire his tenacity a lot! He worked enormously hard to learn Master's level math properly. I hope I am half as switched on when I am his age. P.S. One other thing I just remembered is he and my mum live in a country town 90km outside Melbourne. They weren't just round the corner from the university... It was a 90 minute trip by public transport each way. That's a major effort each day just to get to class if you are 18, let alone 75.