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Epigrammatic

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  • Interests
    Twentieth/Twenty-First Century American Literature
    Gender Studies/Men’s Studies
    Psychoanalytic Theory
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  1. I'll be applying for PhD programs in the fall as I finish my masters thesis. If all the stars align, I'll be starting my PhD at age 42, so I guess that puts me in the geriatric ward. To answer the original question, I'd bet money that there are far more of us old codgers pursuing PhD's than you might think. Not a thing wrong with it, and I personally couldn't do it any other way. After getting my BA, I wanted nothing to do with graduate school. I landed a help desk job that developed into a software developer career. I make pretty good money doing it and the job is about as stable as anyone can expect given the current economic climate. The problem? I burned out about ten years ago -- and I'm still doing it. I took a few English classes a few years back at a local university because I was listless and I missed academia. At the time I didn't realize how much. I eventually decided I had to give the tenured professor schtick a shot or I'd regret it. I say all this because I'm aware of the odds, and to say that they are daunting is like standing in a mosh pit and saying, "Gee, this is loud." I figure that knowing exactly what I want, including a very specific research focus, helps mitigate the risks somewhat, but that just makes what I want to do slightly less ridiculous. That said, I'm not quite huffing the magic pixie dust either, since I know I can convert the PhD into a technical writing/editing gig with my previous software experience or (worst case) go back to software development. There are options, and I sorely need a change. I'm sure not happy doing what I'm doing now. So to answer Swagato, this is why I'm forging ahead with this insanity. I think it's important to go for broke and do everything in your power to pursue what you love. But plan B's, as cliche as they are, help take some of the pressure from plan A's. And anything that makes a plan A more viable is a good thing.
  2. I have a similar concern, but being married for almost fifteen years puts a different spin on it. My wife and I relocated to the Milwaukee area once, and while she was initially supportive, the year we were there did not go over well. Nothing wrong with Milwaukee, it was just tough being away from friends and family, and while I had a promising job, she had a tougher time forging connections. Distance from friends and family is therefore a key consideration as I finalize my list of schools where I intend to apply. It may sound hokey, but once you're accepted somewhere (and maybe even beforehand), it might be a good idea to actively research potential social outlets for your partners. Discussing some of these opportunities in advance might help ease the loneliness that can accompany a relocation like this. Then again, if your significant others are social butterflies, maybe this won't be a problem. Also, I should be in full on SOP and writing sample mode here in a few weeks, so I'm definitely interested in editing partners. Feel free to contact me if interested.
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