grad school at 42?

[playfulrocky]

Does it make sense to want to go to grad school at age 41? I LOVE science, but am feeling dejected by my late start. I've been working in labs forever, so am aware of the money and other unsavory issues. I don't want to be a tech, PERIOD.

[wildviolet]

Sure.

I'm 32, but in my field (education), the average age tends to be older because most people have had some experience teaching in K-12 schools before they attend graduate school.

Anyway, people are living longer and healthier--there's no reason to feel like it's too late, especially if you are passionate about your studies.

[emmm]

I've posted on other threads -- but I'm starting a PhD in a biology subfield next month (I'm older than you are), WITHOUT the extensive lab experience. I have a fully-funded offer from a top-notch school. I am incredibly excited and feel extremely lucky. Deciding to apply was a major decision, and I was quite nervous about my chances, but I am very happy I did it. You may be surprised at how much support you'll get from friends and acquaintances. Feel free to PM me if you have questions during the application process.

[playfulrocky]

thank you both. you have just made my day!

[Agradatudent]

I'm not older than you are, but if it doesn't put you in an abysmal financial position and your current job makes you unhappy/doesn't pay much better than grad school go for it!

[UnlikelyGrad]

Not quite your age--but I started grad school at 37, after 15 years at a stay-at-home mom (no work experience between undergrad and when the apps went in, either). It's possible--miracles do happen.

[Golden Monkey]

I started my master's at 40 and started on a PhD a couple of weeks ago at the age of 44.

[Wisco]

I'm 40 and just started my Master's this fall. I'm working full time in the field and planning to take one, maybe two, classes a semester. The program isn't geared towards non-traditional students, in fact I might be my advisor's first in 20 years of teaching. He's supportive but has also let me know, in a positive way, that the expectations won't be any lower for me. I appreciate the challenge, even if I've already had a few mini breakdowns this semester! It will get easier. Or it won't, but I'm going to finish anyway.

Your start might be later but it's not that late. I talked to a professor before I applied (different program) and she said no colleague she knew of would ever consider 40 too late for grad school.

[emmm]

I did have one interview where I was told it made no sense for me to get a PhD -- because, even if I got in, what would I do when/if I finished?!

[Wisco]

That's awful. You'd do the same thing other grads would do. Your career might be shorter that's all.

[emmm]

Yeah, that's what I hope anyway. I felt like telling that interviewer I wasn't in my 80s! But I got in (different program), and I may even run into that person on campus sometime. And so far, I'm loving being a grad student!

[makeitthistime]

I am older than most of you. I am applying this year though!

[tinkerBell33]

I think it puts you ahead of the game because you have life and work experience.

[Sigaba]

I think it puts you ahead of the game because you have life and work experience.

This experience can also work against older students. One has to eat a fair amount of humble pie and crow in graduate school.

I've seen those who have "been there, done that" balk when those instances arose.

[emmm]

I guess it depends on what you were doing in the interim. I wasn't doing anything much likely to give me a swelled head.

[Hopin'-n-Prayin']

I'm 38 and receiving my M.A. next month (hopefully). I'll be starting a Ph.D. program somewhere next fall (double hopefully). I started to explain to a prestigious scholar at a presitigious school that I am "non-traditional" (I love euphemisms!) and she stopped me cold- "Nobody cares about your age!" she said.

On the flip side, here is my advice for anyone starting this process in thier mid-30s or beyond: If money matters, do not try to 'stumble through' this process like a freshly minted 23 yr old can. Do everything you can to map out what happens in graduate school and beyond. This means being very clear as to what is required at each stage of the program and how to best position for an increasingly competitive job market- which yes, does include overcoming a certain amount of agism

Just my two cents...

[nimo6211]

I am older than most of you. I am applying this year though!

Thank you. So am I..probably even older and I sure can empathize with the original poster. I am still in undergrad...late starter and all that and am applying to grad school (MSW) for the fall of 2012. This discussion group has made me feel a whole lot better about grad school.

[bythesea]

42 is perfect. I'm 46 and a single mom with one child in college and one in junior high. So if I get in to a Ph.D. program this year, I'll finish at 52 or 53... but do I want to still be drawing a nice salary and sitting in a house by the sea at 52 or do I want to be an impoverished researcher? No contest!

[Dynamom]

^{What a great thread! I am mid-thirties and just started my MA. After the past 12 years of juggling marriage, a career, and 4 kids it's been AWESOME to rediscover my passion. I dropped out of grad school when I was 22 - I am a COMPLETELY different person studying a completely different subject now. I think life experience that has both humbled me and focused me.}

[UnlikelyGrad]

This experience can also work against older students. One has to eat a fair amount of humble pie and crow in graduate school.

I've seen those who have "been there, done that" balk when those instances arose.

Good grief...you mean people in the workforce never have to eat a fair amount of humble pie and crow?

My favorite fellow grad student here is a couple of years younger than me (mid-30's) and has 10+ years work experience. I love her because it's clear that she's learned to be self-directed, to do things without someone constantly hanging over her shoulder. She also landed her own funding before starting and therefore created her very own project (which does dovetail nicely with her advisor's work; he knew this when he took her on.) Best of all, she's driven to help others become as competent as her. I wish there were more people like her in my cohort!

Non-traditional students rock.

[Ettenav]

I'm glad to have found this forum because I desperately need to hear other people's stories for encouragement. I will be a non-traditional student hopefully this Summer. I earned my BA and MA degrees when I was much younger, and now after a number of years I am returning to school. I attended a grad school which was geared toward older/non-traditional students, and I was often the only student in my class in my age group. So now I will be able to view things from a reversed perspective. But I need the encouragement because I was somewhat depressed when I considered how long it will take me to earn my degrees (Ed.S. and Ph.D.) as an older student, so I really needed to hear your stories.

[emmm]

I just started a grad program with an average time for completion of just over 6 years. This doesn't bother me, though, because being here is much more interesting than what I was doing before. And even though I am the oldest student in my program (over 30 grad students total), I don't feel out of place. It has been an adjustment being back in school fulltime, and it can definitely be stressful, but I'm very glad to be here.

[Sigaba]

Good grief...you mean people in the workforce never have to eat a fair amount of humble pie and crow?

My favorite fellow grad student here is a couple of years younger than me (mid-30's) and has 10+ years work experience. I love her because it's clear that she's learned to be self-directed, to do things without someone constantly hanging over her shoulder. She also landed her own funding before starting and therefore created her very own project (which does dovetail nicely with her advisor's work; he knew this when he took her on.) Best of all, she's driven to help others become as competent as her. I wish there were more people like her in my cohort!

Non-traditional students rock.

There's a well known essay by Peter Lowenberg that discusses the infantalizing dynamics of graduate school. MOO, when one goes directly from being an undergraduate to doing graduate work, one is staying in a similar mindset for a variety of reasons. By contrast, if one has done work in the private sector, a program's emphasis on process can be jarring.

The four graduate students I had in mine when I wrote the post were a lawyer, a businessman, an investor, and an officer in the USAF. Neither appreciated what they took to be unnecessary hoop jumping. The lawyer felt that his coursework in law school should count as his outside field. The business guy chaffed about his dissertation not getting rubber stamped by his committee. The investor had little positive to say about any aspect of the Ivory Tower. The officer was going through the motions to get his ticket punched and invested very little of himself in discussions.

[Midlyfechrysalis]

I just graduated with my masters. I started when I was 43. I worked full time also. It helped that my children were all "double digits" and that my husband was able and willing to take over a lot of the home responsibilities.

It was hard, but worth it.

Now he's attending. He'll be 60 Saturday.

[OldGrad2012]

I am 37 when I will be starting grad school in Fall 2012. Got in. One acceptance from UCR so far. Yay!!