Famous Posted February 3, 2009 Posted February 3, 2009 Hello. This is my first posting on Gradcafe. I do recognize that this forum is about GRADUATE school, and part of my question pertains to graduate studies but that part is dependent upon the first part of my question which does not pertain to grad studies. I hope that you do not mind. This is my story: 2003 - 2005 Majored in Drama and English at a University 2005 - 2009 Earned Finance Degree At A Community College Because My Parents Thought It Was More "Practical" Than My Drama/English Studies Summer 2009 I want to re-enter the university to pick up my English degree (I only have two years to go). I will graduate at age 26. My plans after that include pursuing a graduate degree in English and then a doctorate - I aim to graduate by age 31. MY CONCERNS: 1) I feel really bad about graduating at 26 instead of the usual 22 - I feel different, not normal, etc. Should I feel this way? Or is it all right that my dreams got delayed? 2) I did really well at the community college, although I have ~ 2.33 CGPA from the university before I left (I failed an elective Sociology course). Is there any graduate program that will take me, seeing as how this was five years ago and I will do well in my last two years at the university? Please help me with these questions.
engguy Posted February 3, 2009 Posted February 3, 2009 MY CONCERNS: 1) I feel really bad about graduating at 26 instead of the usual 22 - I feel different, not normal, etc. Should I feel this way? Or is it all right that my dreams got delayed? no, you shouldn't feel normal. you should feel good about not feeling normal. your dreams were deferred, not dashed. 2) I did really well at the community college, although I have ~ 2.33 CGPA from the university before I left (I failed an elective Sociology course). Is there any graduate program that will take me, seeing as how this was five years ago and I will do well in my last two years at the university? i will go out on a limb and say that you will not get into a good english phd program with a sub-2.5 gpa. but you appear to have done well in the interim, and you have plenty of time to pull this up. far more important will be your writing sample, SOP, LOR, and then your GPA and GRE scores, probably in that order. more important than any of these will be a continuing dedication and willingness to be subjected to the worst privations and humiliations on your journey... i wish you luck :!:
fuzzylogician Posted February 4, 2009 Posted February 4, 2009 To address the first question, I'll be in my mid-20s when I will (hopefully) begin my PhD and don't think I'm old or "not normal" in any way. In fact, I don't really know what a "normal" grad student looks like. A lot of people change their course of study midway through undergrad, take years off to work or travel, get a MA, get married and have kids and whatnot before enrolling in a PhD program. I very much doubt it that everyone in any program will be 22 and will have had their hearts set on their subfield from the get go without change. Regarding your PGA, I am sure that if you keep your grades up and do well in your upper division classes, you will not be kept out of grad school. GPA is by far not the most important factor in admissions. You can address the one F you had a while back in your SOP and show that you have been successful ever since.
ridgey Posted February 4, 2009 Posted February 4, 2009 Hello. This is my first posting on Gradcafe. I do recognize that this forum is about GRADUATE school, and part of my question pertains to graduate studies but that part is dependent upon the first part of my question which does not pertain to grad studies. I hope that you do not mind. This is my story: 2003 - 2005 Majored in Drama and English at a University 2005 - 2009 Earned Finance Degree At A Community College Because My Parents Thought It Was More "Practical" Than My Drama/English Studies Summer 2009 I want to re-enter the university to pick up my English degree (I only have two years to go). I will graduate at age 26. My plans after that include pursuing a graduate degree in English and then a doctorate - I aim to graduate by age 31. MY CONCERNS: 1) I feel really bad about graduating at 26 instead of the usual 22 - I feel different, not normal, etc. Should I feel this way? Or is it all right that my dreams got delayed? 2) I did really well at the community college, although I have ~ 2.33 CGPA from the university before I left (I failed an elective Sociology course). Is there any graduate program that will take me, seeing as how this was five years ago and I will do well in my last two years at the university? Please help me with these questions. Just because you change username does not mean this is your first posting here. Some people would be annoyed at answering several questions, having the OP deleted, and then having the exact same situation presented looking for answers to the same questions under a different username. 26 is not old. You can feel however you want. Admission committees aren't going to not admit you because you're 26. You are understandably looking for reassurance, but no-one here is prescient or omniscient. It is common for people to improve their study habits/find their niche late in their studies and admissions committees take this into account.
linden Posted February 4, 2009 Posted February 4, 2009 I smell NOPM... I think it's weird a troll would dedicate so much time to writing such long and elaborate messages.
adaptations Posted February 4, 2009 Posted February 4, 2009 Given that you already have an undergrad degree (or two?), I would recommend trying for an english M.A. If you could do this, and you pulled very good grades in grad school you will have a much better shot at the Ph.D.
ridgey Posted February 4, 2009 Posted February 4, 2009 I smell NOPM... I think it's weird a troll would dedicate so much time to writing such long and elaborate messages. Indeed it is nopm. At least, the situation as described is almost identical. To be fair, I don't think it's a troll. I think the tone of lots of the posts under the nopm moniker were borderline hysterical and generally a bad reflection on the OP. Seems the OP, recognising this, is trying to reinvent him/herself minus the OTT-ness.
linden Posted February 4, 2009 Posted February 4, 2009 Ridgey: OTT? Sorry, I am not up on my Internet acronyms. Linden
ridgey Posted February 4, 2009 Posted February 4, 2009 OTT=over the top. I don't think it's an internet specific acronym though.
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