So what age are the ages of all you grad school hopefuls this year?

[33andathirdRPM]

I was 40 before I ever stepped into a college class ---now I am 44 and applying to grad schools. (And the waiting is awful!)

 

Inspiring.

[WhyPhD]

I'm 27 and will be 28 in November, got my BA at 22 and MA at 25. I feel old....

[WhyPhD]

And one thing I can't understand is how the Americans graduate so young from Bachelor's and can directly go to a PhD program. Not sure about science disciplines, but a 21 year old is too young to do PhD in history, religion, philosophy and other similar fields. Simply because you are not well-read enough, I think.

...or maybe I'm wrong?  

[Boril]

25 here.  Of those in my social circle, I will be among the last to start grad school (hopefully this fall!), but I've had a chance to travel and work a bit and figure life out.  I seriously considered grad school right out of my undergrad, but am so glad I didn't pursue it.  I've completely changed career ambitions since then and would've ended up studying something that pays well but doesn't make me happy.

[MSW13]

Although I think it is great that there are so many academically inclined individuals out there, I tend to agree with you.  Maybe this is just a personal bias but I tend to think of PhD's as people who have at least spent a few years in the 'real world' to really round out their knowledge base. Dont get me wrong, I dont want to take anything away from younger students because it is no small feat to get into a PhD program.  It just strikes me as a bit premature. (I see you're from Ottawa--maybe this is just a Canadian perspective??)

And one thing I can't understand is how the Americans graduate so young from Bachelor's and can directly go to a PhD program. Not sure about science disciplines, but a 21 year old is too young to do PhD in history, religion, philosophy and other similar fields. Simply because you are not well-read enough, I think.

...or maybe I'm wrong?  

[veggiez]

Although I think it is great that there are so many academically inclined individuals out there, I tend to agree with you.  Maybe this is just a personal bias but I tend to think of PhD's as people who have at least spent a few years in the 'real world' to really round out their knowledge base. Dont get me wrong, I dont want to take anything away from younger students because it is no small feat to get into a PhD program.  It just strikes me as a bit premature. (I see you're from Ottawa--maybe this is just a Canadian perspective??)

Yeah I think this is probably just a cultural difference. There is no expectation in my field here in America to do anything between undergrad and grad school. I mean, there really isn't much you can do with an undergrad psych degree that would prepare you for grad school (except maybe work in a lab, which is what you would be doing in grad school), so that may play a role too. 

[jmu]

And one thing I can't understand is how the Americans graduate so young from Bachelor's and can directly go to a PhD program. Not sure about science disciplines, but a 21 year old is too young to do PhD in history, religion, philosophy and other similar fields. Simply because you are not well-read enough, I think.

...or maybe I'm wrong?  

In the social sciences, entering a PhD program at 21-22 means you're most likely going to be in your low thirties before you are able to take on any kind of full time position.

 

Typically it goes 6-8 years for the PhD (assuming you don't already have an MA), a year or two of post-doc, a year or two as a visiting professor, then you can start to apply for full-time, tenure track positions. Since you're unlikely (but not impossible) to have any kind of fulfilling life experience with a social science degree and most people in the US want to get on with having a family and what-not it's not that unreasonable.

At 27 I'm looking at my late-30s before I can really start my carer and even though the starting a family thing is not a major concern for me, I still wish I had started earlier sometimes.

Edited February 18, 2013 by jmullenite

[travelnguy]

I got my first BA at 22 and finished my second at 34. I'll be 36 before grad school starts (assuming I get in somewhere).

[sansao]

I got my first BA at 22 and finished my second at 34. I'll be 36 before grad school starts (assuming I get in somewhere).

 

I'll be turning 36 right around the first day of grad school (assuming this whole thing doesn't fall apart, which it could if I can't locate an advisor and/or don't get in anywhere else).  I didn't start my BS (har har har) until I was 27, though.  I spent 7 years in accounting before I decided that I hated it more than anything on Earth and decided to do something meaningful with my life.

 

And one thing I can't understand is how the Americans graduate so young from Bachelor's and can directly go to a PhD program. Not sure about science disciplines, but a 21 year old is too young to do PhD in history, religion, philosophy and other similar fields. Simply because you are not well-read enough, I think.

...or maybe I'm wrong?  

 

I think generally it's expected that you'll either go to work or go to grad school here in the US.  Some of those PhDs in arts and social sciences can take a really long time (I've heard of 10+ years).  So by the time they're done with the program, they're probably extremely well read.  I wish I had done all of this 18 years ago when I finshed high school.

[Pretty_Penny]

Graduating at 21 in May with two BAs. If I accept the offer I currently have I will be 27 when I finish my PhD. As for real life experience, I worked a full-time job every summer since I was 14, including one where my shift started at 4 AM so I had to consistently be up at 3 AM. Talk about not having a life.

[cleverfool]

28 here. I wish some of you other older applicants were at my interviews! I was unprepared by how old I would feel. Most other attendees were still in school. At work, I am the youngest in the department by several years, but I keep feeling like some crazy old person on these visits because I have a spouse and a mortgage, and because I don't want to go out drinking the night before the interview.

Also, I find myself pretty excited at the idea of taking classes again, whereas most of the others are still so burnt out from undergrad (and I definitely sympathize - I was too, at that point) that they complained quite a bit about coursework requirements, while I was busy reading class descriptions and asking about elective options.

[midnight]

that net gets to be pretty expensive though.

 

It can be, but then again, if you want to be admitted somewhere, it may be worth it.

 

However, if I've gleaned anything from this board, it's been that you should only apply to programs you believe in and that match your goals and interests.

 

Engaging with POIs, visiting programs in person (again, potentially expensive but often necessary or helpful), etc.--these are other important ways to "cast your net wide" if you can't or don't want to apply to 10 or more schools. Finding a good fit seems to be of utmost importance.

 

There are never any guarantees, but there are still ways to improve your chances!

Edited February 19, 2013 by midnight streetlight

[kabelo]

i'm 25, with a masters. in my field (social psych) this is a common age to start grad school.

[pears]

It can be, but then again, if you want to be admitted somewhere, it may be worth it.

 

in the long run, for sure, but in the short term, it can be really brutal. my parents, both of whom work and are quite successful, were kind enough to put me through undergrad at an awesome private school (a scholarship paid for half of my tuition so it was manageable for them). because my field of work and study has a very limited number of paid student jobs/internships, and all of my academic year wages went to rent etc. (rent was $725-$800 monthly, plus another $50-$100 of utilities on top), the total cost of applying to grad programs ended up being somewhere around 15% of all the money i had to my name. i can break even comfortably where i'm working now, but i don't have a lot of wiggle room.

 

i'm paying for everything out of pocket for the first year, most likely, since i'm going for a terminal MA (PhD programs aren't the right move for me at the moment for a number of reasons), so the application process alone was a major monetary setback, as far as applying for loans will go down the road. my favorite programs are out of state, too, which means i'll have a big decision to make if i get accepted to either one. 

 

i guess this was a really roundabout way of saying that for some, the application process-- let alone the entire tuition payment shindig-- can be a huge financial burden.. but i totally agree that it's worth it.   an MA alone shatters my glass ceiling so i'll call it an investment, even though it will take a big chunk of my paychecks for the first couple of years to get rid of the debt.

[hopeful80]

I'm 23, graduated in May 2012. Applying for a Masters, will be 24 when I start and 26 when I graduate.

 

... hmm.

[rllnyc]

25. Graduated 2010.

[aapril]

26. Will be 27 in the fall. Got masters at 25. Should hopefully be wrapping this school thing up in my early 30s...gahhh

[GeoLing]

Finished my Master's at 27, and I'll be 28 when I (hopefully) begin my PhD. At one point I insisted that I'd be doctorated by the age of 30, but now I'm perfectly comfortable with my new, much more flexible timeline.

 

For those older and younger folks, just remember that youthful enthusiasm and maturity are both assets for any program. My ideal program would have a healthy age spread to ensure some diversity of thought.

[phku]

I'm 30.  Took a semester off that turned into 7 years.  Finishing my undergrad up this Spring.  In my experience, everything usually works out in the end, regardless of what actually happens.  As long as I don't die in the process, then I am happy.  Good luck to everyone!

[n_psych]

I entered my master's program with 22, hopefully will enter a PhD with 23.

[midwestgirl]

I will be 31 when I start.......

[jhereg]

Will be 31 also when I start.  It is nice hearing of other people around my age.  I keep worrying that I am behind the ball hehe

[kitk]

I'll be 25 soon and hope to be going into a Master's program this fall.

 

During my undergrad, I remember the head of the department saying he prefers graduate applicants who are older. He said he didn't like students coming direclty from undergrad because they didn't know the world yet. However, this is with anthropology so I suppose having real life experience is especially important with this field of study!

[hiroshiman]

Just turned 30! Took 4 years off between undergrad and Master's, got the Master's at 28. A new decade seems to be the perfect time to begin a PhD program.

[zoefeldman]

I am 28.  I was 22 and straight out of undergrad when I started my first Masters , and 25 when I started my second.  Now that I have two Masters degrees, I'd like to think it will be helpful in showing admissions comittees that I am serious about my doctorate.  I know programs vary greatly, but can tend to skew younger, which is ironic, because when I first applied for a PhD at 23, they essentially told me I was too young!