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Steven Scott

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    Steven Scott got a reaction from MettaSutta in Going back to school at 36 but worried I'm getting too old   
    So I've decided to go back to school and finish my bachelors in geology. I started this journey 15 years ago (I'm 36 now) but due to medical and family issues, I had to leave school. Since then, it's been a roller coaster ride trying to get things back in order but I'm finally ready.
    So, what's the problem?
    Well, like I said, I'm 36. I know this sounds silly but I'm worried I'm too old. You see, for years I've dreamed of pursuing a PhD in geology and working in academia. Before you ask, yes, I'm well aware that the job market is supersaturated with PhDs and getting a tenured position will be very difficult. Despite this, I just can't pull myself away from this goal. I want this so bad yet I have this nagging feeling that I'm too old and that it's just too late for me.
    I know that pursuing this will take several years and on one hand I'm not put off by the time commitment but on the other hand, it does worry me. I'm afraid no one will be willing to give me a chance because of my age.
    So, what are your thoughts?
    Am I being silly thinking it's too late?
     
  2. Upvote
    Steven Scott reacted to high_hopes in GPAs from different schools---which matters most?   
    Many graduate programs focus on your last two years of academic study. I recommend asking the programs you are interested in applying to if this is the approach they take if it isn't clear on their websites. You could also explain this in your application and also have your letter writes discuss what you have been like as a student recently.
  3. Like
    Steven Scott reacted to Pegeo in Going back to school at 36 but worried I'm getting too old   
    Hi Steven,
    Plain and simple, just do it. You'll only regret not doing it and the longer you wait the harder it will get. I am 35 and I'll be starting a masters in geology this fall. Many schools appreciate older students because we are viewed as being reliable, consistent, experienced, and hard working. I was offered a TA position and was told that my years of work experience played a role in them offering me the position.
    Hope everything works out for you.
  4. Like
    Steven Scott reacted to cavalior7005 in Going back to school at 36 but worried I'm getting too old   
    I'm not in a similar situation, but one of my friends went back to school at age 45 with 2 kids and having done service jobs up until that point. She got her second BA (she got one decades ago in music) in Geology and now is in a PhD program and rocking it. I don't think she has plans to go into academia after her program, but she seems happy and focused and fulfilled. Just my two cents - best of luck!
  5. Like
    Steven Scott reacted to imd in Going back to school at 36 but worried I'm getting too old   
    Hi Steven, 
    I will share with you my own personal experience. I apologize in advance if it seems like a long-winded post. I started my Phd last year when I was 35  ( I am 36 now, as well)  in a Humanities/Social Science program at an Ivy League College . I always dreamed of an academic career but due to family issues, I  had to work right after college. I had a great job, but I also felt completely apathetic, and I thought I needed to do something that makes me feel alive again. I decided to try out my luck and pursue this old dream. Of course, I had several worries not just because of age, and the dismal job prospects (I had for many years followed blogs about the misery of grad life and the uselessness of a Phd in Humanities) but I put all this aside and decided to focus my effort on pursuing this thing. Aside from the application process, here are a couple of challenges that I have faced:
    1. Whether programs will consider you or not: I am in the Humanities, I am afraid I do not have an answer for this specific concern in the sciences. It may be a challenge, because many people have to join specific labs/research groups and most people in sciences Phd's are fresh-grads, as far as I know. I did have this concern as well when I was applying. I tried to emphasize in my personal statement that the skills I acquired during my professional career (the responsibilities, managing teams and projects, budgets..etc) will basically help me get through the many years of the Phd. My program had many people in the 30's, this actually encouraged me to apply. You can check the grad student profiles on the department websites of the programs you are interested in, to get a sense of their backgrounds.
    2. The job market sucks: that means you really need to a get in a very good program if you want to have any chances of getting a job. By a good program, I mean the very best. Pedigree matters a LOT. One professor actually told me you did 50% of your job search by virtue of by being in this particular college. This was the top priority for me, I would not have left my very good job and salary if I did not know that I will end up in the best place.
    3. Financial: Never do this unless you have full financial support from your program! And even if you do, this will definitely be a HUGE compromise. If you are professional, then you will have a very different standard of living and lifestyle. You will live on an allowance, the stereotype of a poor grad student running between events for free lunches and scrapping to make ends meet at the end of the month, is a painful reality! and unless you put your heart and soul in pursuing this then this will hit you the hardest! By all means try to make it break-even, do NOT dip into your savings (if you have any). I am single and I do not have any dependents, if you have a family or any dependents, you need to think thoroughly of how the financial aspects play out. 
    4. Don't expect to be able to pick where you left off at the tender age of 23. Going back to study at the age of 35 is one of the hardest things I ever did in my life, and I am struggling with it. I was at the top of my class all my life and now I am finding it hard to keep up with everything and everyone. It's not that learning slows down as you grow older (although some studies actually prove this) but the set of skills you have acquired over your professional career is very different than that required for Academia. To acquire a new set of skills at this age is harder. It will take longer to finish things, to comprehend things and a lot of self-confidence and motivation not to feel like an imposter, but you can make up for that by working harder than everyone. Again, you have to be willing to put 100% of your heart and soul in this experience to make it work. And at times it will be frustrating but other times totally exhilarating. 
    5. Everyone is younger. I never realized that I am "old" until I actually started this program last year. This is frustrating, I am single and I did not realize before coming in Academia that almost EVERYONE is younger than I. In the Humanities, my sense is that people usually start their PhD's around the age of 25-28 and in Sciences I guess around 23-26. And while it could be great to hang around younger folks who have different set of challenges, I simply feel I am past many of theirs. I do have a tonne of friends though, and I have an active social life, I try not to make this matter, but it's always at the back of mind (maybe that's just me!)
    But on the other hand this could be something good, for example, I have travelled a lot and I have worked for 12 years,  so now I don't feel this huge pressure to finish ASAP  to go out to the "real world". This actually makes me focus more on my studies and on producing better quality research. I also cope well with the cynicism and the petty drama of Academia. By the age of 36, you have experienced enough in life to know how to handle such situations and not let them get to you.
    5. This is a horribly narcissistic and lonely enterprise, it is very personal. It will test your very essence, your mettle and intelligence and sometimes you may realize you have reached your limits (and for me this was the scariest thing!) you will have to prove yourself all over again and again because everyone around you will be younger they may not be able to grasp what you are going through. The cliched adage of  "fake till you make it" never felt more true! But again because it is a personal enterprise, every little success feels like a huge triumph and at the age of 36 it is incredible and fascinating to feel again to be able to learn new things and create new things
    Now, I have painted a very bleak image. But let me tell you this: So far, I think this was the best decision I ever took and I feel alive more than ever. I have concerns of course about my job prospects, but I am in a better position than my colleagues because well if worst comes to worst, I will just go back to my old career. Also, because it feels harder for me now at this age to go through those challenges, I feel even more persistent to make it succeed more than others around me. Every little win feels like a huge accomplishment. 
    Best of luck! 
     
     
  6. Like
    Steven Scott reacted to Warelin in Alternative degree programs to prepare for atmospheric science M.S.   
    Cornell says the following on their page: "We welcome applications for graduate study from students with various backgrounds, such as physics, chemistry, engineering, geological sciences, and mathematics, in addition to the atmospheric sciences.  Each of these backgrounds can be appropriate for an advanced degree in Atmospheric Science, but all applicants should have a solid undergraduate-level background in physics and mathematics"
  7. Like
    Steven Scott got a reaction from lemma in Terrible GPA and hopes of graduate school   
    Hi all,
    I'm ashamed to post this to complete strangers but I'm hoping you all might be able to give me some advice.
    I started college in 2003 and had to leave prematurely due to medical issues. At that time, I had what was to later be diagnosed as schizoaffective disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and a severe depressive disorder. 
    This was so rough on me that my GPA plummeted to an abysmal 2.1.
    Fast-forward to today. My conditions, though not cured, have improved dramatically and I'm going back to school to finish my B.S. in geology next Fall. I'm going to be going to a different university but I'm wondering that if (and I absolutely will)  perform well, as in get all A's in my remaining classes, do you think a master's program would consider me? My dream is to get my PhD but I'm sure with such a poor record they won't even consider taking me.
    Thanks everyone!
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