MyTake November 23, 2008, 11:26AM EST

Too Late for an MBA? Never!

For BusinessWeek reader Jim Gordon, 51 turns out to be the perfect age to pursue a graduate degree in business school full time

Jim Gordon is an educational consultant from Beverly Hills, Mich. He has been a BusinessWeek and BusinessWeek.com reader for four years.

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I was in the library recently, searching for an article with a strategic bent to present to my MBA class. As it happened, I found it in my e-mail in-box, courtesy of my BusinessWeek.com account: "Too Old for Business School?" (BusinessWeek.com, 10/5/08). "Not me," I thought.

Going back to school for an MBA—my second graduate degree—has been one of the best personal and business decisions I've made. I didn't have a second thought about my age. I felt, in fact, that earning my MBA at Walsh College of Accountancy & Business in Michigan would give me the latitude I'd been seeking in co-managing a small business and in making my transition away from the public education treadmill.

I'm a former public school teacher. My wife and I own E Gordon Associates, a firm that helps parents find the best schools and programs for their children's needs. Especially considering the state of the U.S. economy, some are now reluctant to send their child to a boarding school or to a therapeutic program. With the business strategies we've implemented and are currently developing, I can proudly say that in 10 years, we've expanded Elizabeth Gordon Associates from a small home-office startup to a nationally and internationally respected educational consulting firm.

Bringing Experience to Class

When I contemplated which local business college would best meet my needs—as an older student, an entrepreneur, and someone moving from the public education sector to the private business sector—I saw Walsh College as my best option. A small, local college provides me the opportunity to personally access my professors' real-world knowledge and experience while I focus my efforts on expanding the educational consulting business. I have been able to apply insights from every course I've taken at Walsh.

The "age factor" has worked to my advantage time and again in class. At 51, I bring personal history and a seasoned perspective to discussions about business and other topics, and these are welcomed by my professors and younger colleagues. Textbooks don't always contain what one needs to learn about Middle East oil embargoes, the Big Three's automaking woes in Detroit, and the skyrocketing inflation and unemployment rates of the 1970s and '80s. For example, my long history as a Michigan resident gives me an informed perspective on the cyclical history of southeastern Michigan's Rust Belt industries as they limp along with little change other than new car models and corporate leaders, despite promises of progress from Michigan's governors.

The historical and contemporary perspectives haven't been all one-sided, however. My younger colleagues and professors have challenged me to see situations in different ways and in different contexts. As a baby boomer of the 1960s and '70s, I believed as my parents and grandparents did: One works loyally for one company throughout one's career for the promise of security at retirement. Not so for the Generation X and Y colleagues in my classes and study groups. Many of them tote résumés in their vest pockets or briefcases—documents they post at all of the major online job search sites. They learned from seeing their parents lose their security to downsizing and offshore production.

MBA: A Ticket to Adventure

Even now, after more than 20 years as a teacher and administrator in public education, I see my work colleagues—and myself—facing an environment of layoffs and displaced-employee status. Many educators who are laid off or otherwise displaced find themselves standing at the edge of an abyss: In front lies uncertainty and anxiety; behind is only disorder and confusion under leaders one had hoped would prove to be reassuring and confident. Since union rules—and administrative interests—collude to favor less experienced and lower-paid teachers, it is often a professional death knell when educators are laid off for any length of time.

Although I received my first master's degree in educational leadership many years ago, an MBA will allow me to leverage my background in education either to further develop the consulting business or to take a position in an altogether new field. I feel my horizons are boundless, promising adventure around every corner.

I can't expect to fully measure the return on investment for my MBA. The knowledge, wisdom, and lifelong friends and relationships I've made cannot be gauged by a degree or school or potential salary increase. Passion and inner confidence are the intrinsic rewards I'll carry forward. I am confident that money will follow, provided I pursue my passion and commitment to be happy and fulfilled—regardless of age.

A former public school teacher, Jim Gordon owns Elizabeth Gordon Associates with his wife, a psychologist. The consulting firm (www.therightschool.com) specializes in matching children with appropriate schools and educational programs. In his spare time, Gordon enjoys gardening and playing the bagpipes. He lives in Beverly Hills, Mich.