I was told that attaining your Ph.D. at an age greater than your early 30's will hurt your job chances in academia, at least in the top schools. I'm 25 right now, considering going back for my Ph.D., but I think I might be able to compile a stronger application if I wait until next season to apply. I'm worried, though, about starting a program at the age of 27 and also about my chances of getting accepted by top schools at that age.
I would be applying to statistics programs, and I feel like I have a lot of independent research ahead of me, which I may or may not be able to feel good about by the time this coming season starts. Couple that with studying for the MGRE (which I think is a good idea to take to possibly wash over some sub-standard grades), and I'm in a bit of crunch.
So what do you think? How much does age matter?