Applying when you've been working for a while

[The_Hanged_Man]

I'm considering applying to PhD programs in Educational Measurement, but I earned my last degree around 10 years ago and I am worried about references. My goal after earning my doctorate is to work in the private testing industry (ETS, College Board, etc), and I have little interest in research and academia.

I feel the rest of my application is strong. My undergrad (Stats/Econ) and master's program (MPA) GPAs were over 3.9, and I have strong work experiences related to education as a former Peace Corps and Teach for America corps member. However, the only reference writers I have available are the principals of the last few schools I have worked at. Will this be a significant barrier in the application process? Also, I currently have general letters of reference from my referees. Would copies of these be acceptable at any grad schools with their current contact info? My guess is no, but since I have been working for international schools my referees are scattered across the globe so it would be a huge hassle to get them to write another letter and coordinate getting them back to the schools I am applying to.

Any feedback would be much appreciated!

[t_ruth]

I think the educational field may look more kindly on industry references, but I do believe it would help to at least have one academic reference. Is there a course you could take or research you could do before you apply? I ask because I'm guessing this is for next year...

and yes, you will need letter-writers to write letters for each program (many of them ask for online submission and have specific questions about your aptitude included).

Also, all the programs I've looked at really want people who have academic aspirations, so I'm not sure how your goal statement might hinder you...

btw, my undergrad was 12 years ago, but I received a grad degree in 2003. My LORs were a mix of industry and academic writers (probably half and half)...I've just tried to stay in touch w/as many people as possible.

Good luck!

[Dreams]

Just to add on to t_ruth's response, it is a lot easier to coordinate gathering reference letters now since the majority of them can be submitted online. That it will save both postage and lag time due to overseas shipping of the letters.

[Inspekt]

If you have been out of school for so long it might be worthwhile to take 1 or 2 courses in your field so you can get back into "School mode."

Before doing that, I would contact the department/faculty you are interested in working with and ask for their opinion on the letters. Because you are not interested in academic research or a faculty tenure position, they may have different advice for your letters. They may suggest some other routes that could save you time and money. It certainly never hurts to ask what their expectations are for incoming students who have been working for a significant amount of time.

Finding a match where the PhD would advance your current career/interest is essential. Stay away from schools that are heavy on research and place people in faculty tenure track positions - they are looking for researchers. It sounds like more applied, practice based programs might be a fit for you. Have you looked at EdD options instead of the PhD?

[UnlikelyGrad]

Yes, definitely go back to school and take at least one course! I was out for 15 years, not working in industry. I had one LoR from my undergrad (yes, someone did remember me) and two from people I'd taken classes from the previous semester.

[The_Hanged_Man]

Thanks for your feedback, and I think the suggestion to take a course or two first is a good one. However, since I am overseas in China now it would have to be an online course. Do those courses or any potential recommendations from an online professor hold the same sort of weight in the admissions process? This is assuming the online course is from an established reputable university.

[orangepotato]

Look at the specific programs to which you would like to apply-- often the adcom will state their preferences outright. If the program curriculum is geared towards a professional vs. an academic crowd, I would think the adcom would welcome professional references. (Not that academics are not professional, just for lack of a better word...) Granted, I applied to programs in a vastly different field than yours, but all 3 of my references were from former bosses, and it has not been a problem. But my programs are very career-focused, rather than research or academic, so it seems appropriate.

If you take an online course, find one that has a lot of interaction -- online discussions, teleconferences, etc. and make a special effort to get to know the teacher. It sounds like that is your only option for the time-being, so make the best of it.