Christina, Sacramento asked April Blackwell, NASA AddedMonday, August 15, 2016 at 5:57 PM Is it too late to start from virtually nothing? Hi April! I'm 24 years old and I'm sort going through a point in my life where I have no idea what it is I want to do anymore. I've only gone to a city college where I've done general education and was gearing up to working towards studying accounting. However, it isn't something that I have much interest in. I've always had interest in astronomy but have no real form of education in it. I guess what I'm trying to ask is, at this very time and moment, is it too late to start from virtually nothing, and work towards possibly where you're at now? I've never had real guidance, so anything helps! Is it too late for me to pick up a completely new area to start my studies in? Really looking forward to hearing back! Related to Aeronautical/Aerospace , Choosing a Degree, Preparation for College Reset Sort By Default April Blackwell , NASA Answered Monday, August 15, 2016 at 5:57 PM Hi Christina!! As cliche as it may sound, it is never too late to change your mind and pursue something you are passionate about!! You will probably be working for decades so it is wise to choose something that interests and excites you! With all of that in mind, I am an engineer, so I will provide you a couple of points to think about (sorry, my thought process has to include logic!): - Have you really found what you are passionate about yet? If you are still unsure about your forward plan, it may be wise to take a few months off from studies in order to clear your mind and determine where you want to head. - You will want to consider the jobs available in the field you are pursuing. Accounting has many job opportunities in a variety of salary ranges - astronomy is a much more limited field. You will want to research whether you will be able to pay for the school required or how long it will take to pay off student loan debt on an average "astronomer's" salary. This calculation may provide some perspective. - Set yourself up for success by finding a mentor in the field you want to pursue (maybe even use this website). If you are considering engineering, I would gladly volunteer, but if it is astronomy you will want to find someone who specializes in that area! It is very likely you will get to a point in your education where things get difficult and a mentor can help remind you why you choose that path in the first place - they will be great motivators! A final thought: my goal was always to work at NASA, so I worked hard to get an Aerospace Engineering degree. Unfortunately I was not hired by NASA immediately after my graduation, so I took an "interim" job as a Flight Test Engineer. Even though I was nervous to work on helicopters instead of spacecraft I ended up loving that first job - the people were awesome and I got to do some really cool things (like fly on helicopters!). Plus the experience I gained there set me up to get hired for my dream job of working in mission control! The point is - keep your mind and your options open!!