Large Gap Between Master's and PhD Programs?

[Medinari]

Hello Everyone!

Did anyone here take a significant break between earning a Master's and applying to PhD programs, or who can offer advice/perspective that might be helpful?  I am thirsty for mentorship!

I wondering how strong of a barrier this gap could be towards acceptance, and suggestions in terms of 'brushing up' on an education from a past life.

 

 Backstory:

I started college full-time very young (14), and completed my M.S. in Primate Behavior in 2010 directly after earning my bachelor's degrees at the same university. I applied and was not accepted to some Anthropology PhD programs at the time (2009), and took a zookeeping job right after graduation while I re-evaluated my options.  I ended up hating it and promptly quitting (small public zoo with ethical concerns, now private due to mismanagement), and found myself  in a pretty defeated place and essentially floated around for a bit. Long story short, I was severely burnt out and needed some time to be a person outside of academia and mature.

I eventually joined the AmeriCorps and discovered through my placement that I loved academic advising, and have been working in student affairs for the last ~6 years. I am currently in a leadership level position that also involves teaching and data analysis, so I am still stretching some of the same muscles at least. I enjoy this position, but now that my partner has finished their own graduate education, I have more stability in my life, and I have been able to reflect more clearly on my goals I feel I'm ready to return to my prior field.

I feel like this 8 year gap has absolutely been beneficial in building my resilience and perspective, but I am absolutely terrified that all of that domain-specific knowledge has atrophied in my brain without an application, or that it's too late for me to shift back into what I'm most passionate about.

I am hoping to spend the next year exploring programs, retaking the GREs, and brushing up on all of the subjects I once had a fresh grasp on. I'm also considering taking classes at local institutions to rekindle some of that information I know, but can't quite name anymore.

I did publish a paper in 2013 (from my 2009 research; took longer than I am happy to admit during my burnout period), and was lucky to have an abundance of varied lab/field research during both undergrad and grad (primate behavior, biodiversity sampling, molecular anthropology, zooarchaeology, international and domestic field schools, etc.) so my C.V. does have some content, but all of my recent work is in student affairs.

Thank you for your time, advice, and perspectives!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 19, 2018 by Medinari

[RepatMan]

Posting, more for a bump than having a strong testimonial. I stayed pretty engaged consistently, having gotten a BA in 2011, an MA in 2014, and then into another program in 2015 with another MA coming in 2016, then started PhD that fall. However, I know there are multiple folks in my program that were out for several years, one or two without having ever gotten an MA but still got into the program in their early 30s. So it seems very possible, and perhaps might even really benefit you when you apply. Programs want to know you really want to be there, you have the maturity/drive to finish, and have the ability to identify and pursue and interesting project. It sounds to me like all those things will apply to you, and when you contact faculty at the programs you're interested in, you should ask them if they can get you in touch with older students in their program to talk about their experience. As a side note, tt's often a good sign faculty are interested in your if they're game to send you along to chat with their students.