How old are you?

[RestorationJunkie]

The question of age has come up in a number of topics here on Waiting it Out and on the board in general. So I'm curious, how old are you? Do you think your age is helpful or harmful (or irrelevant) to your application?

[mallorn]

Currently 22, if I get into grad school I will enter at age 23. Graduated three years ago at the age of 19 (elementary+HS is only 10 years in my country, and I'm one year younger than the normal people in my batch- long story), realized that I wanted to go to grad school in my junior and senior year in college, but I knew there was no way that I was doing it straight out of college. First, my grades are not strong at all. Second, I couldn't imagine being a TA for people who would be my age or maybe even older than me! Third and most importantly, I knew that I wanted to deepen my learning but I didn't know how and where. In my past three years of work, I have been fortunate to get jobs that allowed me to travel all over my country and ones that taught me new skills. Like many people who posted here, I gained a lot of perspective on things, was able to pin down the subject that I wanted to do research on. Not to mention I went on a 2-week international trip with my college friends, very budget and basic but so much fun. I don't regret waiting at all.

[Italophile]

I'll be 23 next month. Only taking one year off of undergrad (assuming I get accepted), but that year has been well worth it to solidify that I'm headed in the right direction.

[txelizabeth]

24. I got my BA in 3 years and graduated summer 2008. Then I did a year of post-bac work before starting a MS program in a different field. Now, I'm going back to linguistics for a PhD without finishing the clinical work for my MS (completed the coursework last spring, currently taking grad linguistics courses to postpone loan payments and improve my apps).

[thestage]

28. started undergrad 8 years after high school. not going to pretend I learned any valuable "life lessons" during that time.

[sleepycat]

24, 5 years in college, 1 gap year.

[Michelleelleh]

I am turning 31 next month! Hoping my professional experience will make up for some of my questionable undergraduate grades.

[CarlieE]

I'm 30.

Interestingly I was asked by a prof from the school I want to attend if I was sure if I wanted to go straight into grad school (I am finishing my BA; took time off school to try "life", not regretfully).. And his concern about accepting me as his student was that I might burnout if I went straight from high school to college to grad school...

I explained I am 30 and that I had my time "off" so I'm sure of the direction I'm heading to now.

So, not to scare the 20-somethings, but this might be a question that comes up in an interview or perhaps something the adcomms consider when making their choices...

[TypeA]

I'm 22. Graduated with my B.S. in April 2011, and have been working full time since then, in a position arguably related to what I want to do. Depending on funding and my financial situation, I may defer for a year and matriculate when I'm 24.

[wlkwih2]

I am, as I had written before, 24, but this application & waiting time took 10 years out of me, so i'm 14 now, thank you very much.

This anxiousness really is like puberty all over again.

[koolherc]

I'm 50. Age matters. I've been told that I am being selfish and taking places away from younger students that have a longer potential career and potentially more opportunity to generate grant revenue for the department. I've been told that since I have a house and a husband and adult children I should let younger people have a chance at the same things. I've been told that my undergrad marks from the late 70's/early 80's can't be compared to current marks because marking standards have changed due to grade inflation (shouldn't that make my marks appear more favorable when you consider "inflation"?) I've been told to give up and go get a job. I have been asked if I think I am too old to have a dream of getting a PhD. I feel badly for ad com members when I get that question because apparently they no longer have any dreams.

wow, there are so many problems with the above, I don't even know where to begin. keep pushing summer_reader. I dunno where you've looked, but the CUNY Graduate Center has great PhD progs in a lot of fields and is often very open for older students.

[CarlieE]

wow, there are so many problems with the above, I don't even know where to begin. keep pushing summer_reader. I dunno where you've looked, but the CUNY Graduate Center has great PhD progs in a lot of fields and is often very open for older students.

wow, there are so many problems with the above, I don't even know where to begin. keep pushing summer_reader. I dunno where you've looked, but the CUNY Graduate Center has great PhD progs in a lot of fields and is often very open for older students.

I agree with koolherc. At NIU I see a lot of older students; and know a few in their fifties doing their PhDs.

[cunninlynguist]

23. And the median age for the programs I applied to is 26-28, due to work experience.

... On that note, see y'all in three years!

Edited February 1, 2012 by cunninlynguist

[abc123xtc]

I'll be 23 by the time I enter graduate school (well, if I get accepted....)

[Grunty DaGnome]

I feel about 20 years older than when this process started.

[GreenePony]

I'll be 22 if I'm accepted this year. I don't think age has that much to do with my application, however at my top choice I noticed there's more individuals a couple years older. But there is very little I could do in museums without a masters. The market is being flooded with museum students because there are more and more programs (apparently they look good to have) and less jobs with the budget cuts so museums can have higher hiring criteria and can realistically require higher education.

[Hillary Emick]

I'm 34. I took a few years off between high school and college, and have been working in a related field professionally for seven years. I have been told that while the chronological age is pretty irrelevant, my professional successes will be an asset in getting into graduate programs.

[crazygirl2012]

I'm kind of a baby-- turned 21 a few months ago. My POI at my top choice school told me that she'd prefer if I had taken a year or two off after undergrad to get a master's degree or something. Of course I didn't reveal my actual age, just the fact that I'm a senior in college. I hope she assumes I'm 22!

[MonkeyPants]

i'm 31. Did my undergrad from 24-28, started working full-time at 14. Couldn't afford college til i was 24. I did bring this up in my applications, and i have three years of work (in research!) between undergrad and applications. Tho' by the time this process is finished, i'll probably feel about 75.

Courage!

[Midlyfechrysalis]

46 in April. I do not know if that is a good thing in terms of my applications or not.

I'm worried the answer is "not"

Edited to add: I just graduated with my Masters, and I was not age conspicuous in that program. It was geared to older, "2nd career" students. I think the Ph. D. is different.

Edited February 9, 2012 by Midlyfechrysalis

[pikachu]

24, ou la la according to my country customs, should get married asap, almost spinster

so.. if I decide to do Phd studies, I am joining spinster_forever club automatically, hehe

[caitlee91]

I am 20 - turning 21 in June. Lots of AP credits and very careful undergrad planning has allowed me to graduate a year early (but still w/ a good amount of research exp. and study). I'm hoping programs don't think that I'm too young. We shall see!

[CellMol Biologica]

I turn 40 in June and I sure hope it is helpful to my shot at admission.

"Why didn't you try this years or even a couple of decades ago?" How do you answer that without sounding like a slacker?

"If you get a PhD, you will probably only have about twenty years to use it. Is that worth the investment?"

Can you please tell me how you answred both these questions? thanks

[CellMol Biologica]

26 (27 in June). Still got it, though.

I think my age is helpful because I've gained experience with my age; I'm not fresh out of college and have been working (in the same field I plan to study for a doctorate, pharmacology) for over 4 years. If I was doing some non-relevant work during those 4 years, my age wouldn't mean much in terms of being "more" prepared.

Thanks, can you repeat if you were doing 'relevant' or 'non-releavant' work during those 4 years? I asked as you said "have been working (in the same field I plan to study for a doctorate, pharmacology) for over 4 years. If I was doing some non-relevant work during those 4 years," If you were working in the same field how can that be nonrelavnt?

My second question is - how did you explain your age and applying so late in your interview? thanks

[CellMol Biologica]

35... and 36 by the time I get to New Haven in the fall.

thanks - how did you explain applying for PhD so long since graduating form undergrad in your SOP and inteviews?

[CellMol Biologica]

. One interviewer DID ask why I wanted a PhD when I could do consulting and conceivably earn a lot more (As if THAT would be so easy!), but that was still a complimentary kind of comment, I thought.

So how did you explain why you want to do PhD at 40+? I ask as I am an old applicant too. Your feedbacl would really help. thanks