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Just this week I was talking with a grad student from another program that I'd had a class with. He told me that class had been his toughest -- it was my easiest. We both were unfamiliar with about 1/2 the material starting out (different halves). The course combined both of our "usual" fields. So, you never know that a class is too easy for everyone. I do think it is a BAD idea in ALL circumstances for an instructor to make the comments you report. Even (especially?) in an introductory class. Learning can be very difficult, and when it is, it is not helpful in the least for someone to say "oh, this is easy" or "this should be easy." I can actually think of few better ways to turn someone off a subject forever. I am thankful for the gifted professors I've had who were enthusiastic about their subjects and shared my joy when I understood something new (in spite of its typically being something they could probably do without thinking at all).

I think your letters of recommendation may be more important. Do you have good relationships with any of your professors? Could they recommend programs to you (and you to programs)? When I was interviewing (non-traditional applicant), one thing I had not expected was just how many of the other students at the interviews had worked with professors who knew the professors who were now interviewing them. Tell me that was not an advantage...

The University of WA has a program in computational linguistics, so I would guess both departments are strong there.

I'm not sure I would send a return receipt letter -- that seems pushy to me. A reference letter needs to be willingly written (ideally enthusiastically), or it won't be worth much. I would also be concerned about asking someone for a letter when I have not been in contact with that person for a decade. They have no knowledge of who you are now. I was in a similar position a few years ago, and I never even considered asking people from my last academic experience (~10 years earlier). Instead, I formed new relationships with academics, both at a local CC and at a local state U. It took a few years, but I was also able to show that I could perform well academically (still) and that I was up-to-date in at least SOME areas. I did not have the option of work colleagues writing for me, but you might be able to get one letter from that. I am not suggesting what I did is the only way to manage this issue, or even the best way. I was specifically told at one interview I was invited to that my "unknown" letter writers would probably be seen as too much of a negative by the admissions committee as a whole for me to be accepted, despite the fact that some people on the committee supported my application.

I would recommend going and talking to your professors now. Tell them your plans. Don't ask for letters now, but tell them that you would like to send them updates on how you are doing and that you hope they'd be willing to write you letters when you are ready to apply. Ask for advice as to what programs they think you should start looking at. If they are anything like my professors, I think you'll be surprised by how supportive they'll be. Good luck!

I am older than you are, and I started in my program 2 years ago. I definitely worry about my age affecting my chances at being hired when I'm done. For now, however, I am enjoying being back in school and learning lots of neat stuff :-) No one seems to have a problem with my age in my program, although one of my interviewers for a different program (that did not accept me) told me that what I was trying to do "made no sense," and seemed to think the idea of my getting a job when (and if) I finished a PhD was ludicrous. So be prepared for those who will try to dissuade you and ignore them. I have found many more people are willing to be helpful. I may not get a job when I'm done, but I am living in the present for now.

I took 20 years off between undergrad and grad...mostly spent that time at home with kids (though there was some school in there also).

That's a bit harsh. One year longer than expected really isn't that long...especially with the less than ideal advising the poster seems to have received. It does not mean that she would not do well in a PhD program. There is a lot about this situation that we don't know. I would rather err on the side of being too supportive, rather than being so discouraging. There are professors who are jerks (sadly) and it seems likely that the poster had the bad luck to be stuck with one. Her current difficulties may more validly be attributed to him than to any serious deficiency of hers.

I would add that it is also dependent on your personal situation. I was geographically constrained, so I could not apply to a large number of schools, but I was able to apply to multiple programs at individual schools. They were not all perfect fits, but it is not always easy to figure out which programs are during the application process (interview days are helpful for this). I would say apply to as many as you can manage and that you are seriously interested in attending if admitted.

I would second the suggestion to try to find a job teaching at a community college. Doing so would give you a break from school (and it sounds as though you could use one) and would also give you experience teaching your own classes, which may help you decide if you really want an academic career. Also, you are still very young, and you have time. It may not seem so to you, but I am about 20 years older than you are, and I am in a science PhD now. I was not ready in my 20s, but I am enjoying the experience now. I don't actually recommend waiting SO long (I had kid obligations), but a few years away could give you a different perspective.

When I taught a class as an adjunct, I got around $3500/class per quarter, 30-ish students. No benefits.

$100 seems too much to me. It might be fine to spend that much on a more personal gift, but not on a gift card.

If you made a good impression on your professors, they should be happy to write letters of recommendation for you. If they seem less than enthusiastic, I would question whether you want letters from them at all. Your recommendation letters may be the most important part of your application. You need to have people who are really on your side writing for you. Ideally, these would also be people known to members of the admissions committees at the schools you are applying to. Have you discussed your grad school plans with these professors and actually asked them if they'd be willing to write you STRONG letters. They may be trying to send you a message that they think you'd be better off asking someone else. It is possible that they are flakes, but most professors I have met do take this part of their job pretty seriously. Being "busy" shouldn't keep them from writing letters. All professors I know are busy.

I'm sure you can also truthfully say the financial burden was an obstacle to completing the program.

My guess is that it depends on the school. I taught part time at a CC in a field that was pretty new to me. They just cared that I had SOME advanced degree.

You would need to submit a transcript, since you were, in fact, enrolled in the class. Even if you had withdrawn from the class and received a "W," you would have needed to send a transcript.

I graduated over 20 years ago, so when I was applying to grad school, I took classes at a local CC first and got letters from profs there. I was also able to get an internship at a state U, so another letter from that. It took time and effort, but it was worth it. I had some wonderful experiences and met some amazing people.

A CS instructor whose opinion I respect greatly has said good things to me about the Tacoma program.

I started my program at age 43. I don't intend to go into academia, and, in fact, I don't have any plans yet for what I want to do when I'm done with school. Right now I am trying to enjoy the experience (as much as possible), learn as much as I can, and actually be useful in my research group so I don't feel as though my advisor is wasting his money. It's always tough being the newest, most inexperienced person around, even when you are "old." I just started with this group, so I guess it will take some time to get going, and, overall, I'm really glad to be doing things that are challenging and intriguing again.

A letter from a graduate student would not be "invaluable." It would make you look clueless -- sorry. I really recommend against it. Of course, it depends on the program, but from what I've seen and heard about, most want letters from people who are researchers with experience working with graduate students, and preferably in the same field you are applying to.

And, sadly, not all graduate school experiences involve Mine seems especially lacking in coffee breaks, happy hours, and youtube... Heck, you might as well throw walking around campus in there as well...though I have made an effort to do more of that (to avoid the weight gain someone mentioned above)

I am one of multiple students admitted my year (program ranges from 4-6 admits/year generally), and it's really not all that social. You just have too much else to worry about in grad school. Provided you have a good relationship with your advisor, I wouldn't worry about how social the program is, since size alone may not be a great gauge of that. Visiting both programs would give you a better sense of how social the program is, but you may need to find your social supports outside your program. If you can't visit, it is tough to know how comfortable you might be in a program -- bigger programs might offer more research opportunities, which is something you should consider, but I wouldn't necessarily count on the program for a social life.

Well, it sounds as though you realize you are lucky to be in a funded program (in the humanities, no less!), so that's out of the way. And you don't need the lecture about only applying to schools you'd be happy to attend. The reality is, no matter how much preparatory research you do, you won't really know what a program is like until you're in it. Unfortunately, it's a reality of life that things don't always work out as you imagine they will, and you can't always predict what will be a good fit for you. What you need to determine now is whether you can adjust to the reality of your current situation enough to make it tolerable (hopefully, better than just tolerable), or if it might be better to look around for other options. Also, given how competitive admissions are nowadays, no one should ever take rejections (even multiple rejections) personally. I think there is a large degree of random luck involved.

I'm also older, but I applied to a lot more programs than you did. If nothing had worked out, I definitely would have reapplied. I knew where the weaknesses in my application were and I would have spent the year working on them.

And as long as you can afford it...go for it!