Older students?

[socioholic]

32, got my BS 10 years ago and an MS 5 years ago. Married and expecting first baby in a couple months. Obviously, I hate to not be busy,

[tony m.]

great thread, i have my apprehensions about applying to grad programs at my age, i'm 39. i begin to worry about the financial and time commitment away from my children. the programs i have my hopes set on would take me abroad, but i weigh them heavily because of the opportunity for employment they provide and it's only a 1 year MA program. thanks for letting me vent.

[Caylynn]

I'm 41 and applying for Master's programs for Fall 2014.  I went back to university in 2010 to get a second undergraduate degree, as I'm totally changing careers.  To be a registered dietitian in Canada, you need to complete an undergraduate program that is accredited by the Dietitians of Canada, so I had to complete a second undergraduate degree (my first degree was in engineering).

 

My husband is incredibly supportive and we don't have any children (just three demanding cats).  I am limited in terms of geography, however, as we need to remain in our current location due to my husband's job.  So that definitely limits my options, but fortunately there are still a number of programs that match my needs.

[NavyMom]

I's right there with you all.  I just took the GRE and I feel very discouraged because I didn't do so well.  Although the advisor told me not to worry so much about the GRE, because they do look at other things, I am still worry about getting admitted.  It's so nerve wracking!

[smootie]

I'm 34.  I went back to college to get a degree a few years ago, after flunking out when I was a teenager.  IF I pass my classes this semester *fingers crossed* I will have a BS in Mathematics in December.  This morning I got an email from the program chair of my university's LIS program to let me know I was accepted to their master's program, but there are still some formalities before it's official.

 

My husband has been incredibly supportive throughout this whole process.  I am incredibly grateful for him because he certainly did not sign up to be the sole breadwinner when we got married four years ago.

 

My relationships with my fellow undergrads are complicated.  We have math in common, and they are a great bunch of people, but I am much older than them and feel a little awkward around them.

 

I am hoping that, because the MLISc is a professional degree and because many of the students are working adults, I will find friends my own age!

[danieleWrites]

I turned 42 after starting my first year in a PhD program. We're a military family, so moving is normal. Staying in one place is weird! We spent 7 years in our last home because we promised our son that he could graduate from high school with the new friends he would make. I ended up getting two bachelors degrees and a masters there, and then spending some time as an adjunct. He was starting his senior year just as I applied to PhD programs. I picked schools located in places my spouse approved of.

 

I'm getting this PhD for me. I don't care if it's worth it to my family or not. What I want is to live to work, not work to live. My "career" choices before college were dictated by his career. Now he can follow me around until I'm done. He's okay with that. My concession was to my son's stability. A "gap" year between MA and PhD let him have what he needed to get his own adult life. I miss him. He's starting college at the same university I did my undergrad in. Luckily, my program of choice is only two hours from him by car, on a bad day.

 

My cohort and I have so little in common. I'm pretty much the living incarnation of interdisciplinary. I'm getting a PhD in literature, but it will be sociological in perspective. They're concerned about dating in grad school, and what if they find the love of their life, but can't get jobs near each other?! I just celebrated my 24th anniversary. They've never been in the so-called "real world". I've been on three continents, lived in two social classes, and have adapted to a series of new social mores, and new perspectives. I lived 30 miles from Clint Eastwood's house. I lived in a town where the tea party are little to left-wing. I can only relate to their problems paternalistically, which sucks. I go to class with people who have never seen a real card catalog in person, except in a museum. It's freaky.

[virginiarunninggirl]

Enjoying reading these post. I am a non traditional student applying for Speech Pathology. I was a high school English teacher.  My husband is in the Navy, so my teaching credential is not as portable as we initally thought. That being said, if I don't get into school, I will work on getting it transferred, or apply for a different program.

Those of us that have work experience know that GRE scores and GPA only tell part of the story. Like some other people that posted, I also have lived and worked on two different continents, traveled to four continents,  and lived in six different states. It would be nice if admissions committees placed some value on those experiences.

[Caylynn]

I turned 42 after starting my first year in a PhD program. We're a military family, so moving is normal. Staying in one place is weird! We spent 7 years in our last home because we promised our son that he could graduate from high school with the new friends he would make. I ended up getting two bachelors degrees and a masters there, and then spending some time as an adjunct. He was starting his senior year just as I applied to PhD programs. I picked schools located in places my spouse approved of.

 

I'm getting this PhD for me. I don't care if it's worth it to my family or not. What I want is to live to work, not work to live. My "career" choices before college were dictated by his career. Now he can follow me around until I'm done. He's okay with that. My concession was to my son's stability. A "gap" year between MA and PhD let him have what he needed to get his own adult life. I miss him. He's starting college at the same university I did my undergrad in. Luckily, my program of choice is only two hours from him by car, on a bad day.

 

My cohort and I have so little in common. I'm pretty much the living incarnation of interdisciplinary. I'm getting a PhD in literature, but it will be sociological in perspective. They're concerned about dating in grad school, and what if they find the love of their life, but can't get jobs near each other?! I just celebrated my 24th anniversary. They've never been in the so-called "real world". I've been on three continents, lived in two social classes, and have adapted to a series of new social mores, and new perspectives. I lived 30 miles from Clint Eastwood's house. I lived in a town where the tea party are little to left-wing. I can only relate to their problems paternalistically, which sucks. I go to class with people who have never seen a real card catalog in person, except in a museum. It's freaky.

 

We have a lot in common!  My husband is a member of the Canadian Forces, and up until now, I've followed him around (one of the reasons I was never able to get my PEng).  We've moved around a lot.  Once I'm done with school, he'll be happy to follow me - we just can't afford for him to retire from the Forces until I'm done with school (especially since dietetic internships are unpaid and the graduate programs I'm applying for are all professional programs, so they tend to offer much less financial support).

 

I'm old enough to be the parent of my current classmates (in fourth year of my second undergraduate degree).  I remember when home computers were new (the Commodore Vic 20 was my first computer).  I remember having to listen to lectures (during my first degree) and decide, for myself, what I was going to write down, since I couldn't scribble fast enough to write everything the prof was saying.  I remember when email was newly introduced to the university.  I've lived on two different continents, in four different provinces, have travelled to over 20 different countries on four continents and I speak three languages.  I've held full-time jobs where I was responsible for supervising other personnel, for managing budgets, and for ensuring projects were completed on time.  I've had to deal with my husband being deployed to places like Afghanistan and Eritrea.

 

I have more in common with my profs than my classmates, and I'm actually older than a couple of the profs I've had.  In one case, I knew more about the subject than the grad student teaching the course, and had to really watch what I said so I wouldn't "overshadow" the instructor.

 

I enjoy my studies, however, so wouldn't change a thing.  I just hope my life experience is worth something when my applications for dietetic internships and combined masters programs are evaluated.  It's actually kind of ridiculous:  I actually think I have a better chance of being admitted to the combined internship/masters programs, as opposed to the stand alone internships (which should be easier to gain admittance to).  Why?  I'm limited to a 2-page, 12pt Times New Roman, 1" margins resume for the internships (so can't include all my work and volunteer experiences - I've lived too long to condense it down to 2 pages) whereas for the grad programs I can include a CV with no page limit!  I'm also limited to a 1 page SOP for the internships, but have 2 pages for the combined programs.  Since the combined programs are my preference, I'm actually okay with that, but I just find it weird.  It's clear that the requirements for the internships are based on students who went straight from high school to university to internships.

[Hereandthere]

I'm a US Navy wife too, 33, with two kids ages one and three (for now). We have not lived in the same zip/postal code for more than a year at a time, and I'm finding it frustrating to even get the applications going. I quit my job as a clinic manager to follow my husband and haven't worked in four years.

My ultimate goal is work in Bioanthropology, but I can't up and move to the universities at this point...we spend enough time apart. So I'm considering an online (I know) masters in medical anthro at Creighton for the time being. I don't really see any other viable option at this point, I just really don't want to waste my time or money. Is it just wrong to do a degree that is "the next best thing"? I can't decide. I figure at least it would help me fill in the gaps in my résumé.

[virginiarunninggirl]

Here and now, I understand your predicament.  I think that brick and mortar universities are the best. That being said, I am not willing to have a long distance marriage, so I am limited in the graduate programs I can apply to.  I am applying to a couple of online universities as well--but would have to consider if they would be worth it, or if I could later transfer to a brick and mortar school. The program I am applying to is super competitive, so I have to remind myself that if I don't get in, I do have my teaching credential to fall back on. For me, doing the next best thing is not what I want, but it is a personal choice. I was worried about a gap in my resume as well, as we moved midyear and teaching was not an option. I filled the time with writing a novel and doing volunteer work.

[Henry Hudson]

Hi all!

 

I am 45 and have been a grad student i  History since 2009 (and an older undergrad 2006-2009). I have been in one MA program and one PhD program, but will hopefully be starting a different PhD program in the fall. 

 

There can be cohort issues as some have noted, but there are plenty of older students around as well. In my MA program there was a woman my age plus another 10 years older. In my recent program there was less of a sense of community but there were several older students, some I TAed with and some I shared the same supervisor with. 

 

Many of us are out there doing it, whether those entrenched in local life going to a local program or those of us uprooting and moving several time zones from prior places of residence. 

[emmm]

I'm 45 and in my 3rd year of a biology-subfield PhD program. It's been an up-and-down experience. My program is very isolating, and my cohort is not at all close. I rely on my friends from before grad school for support. There are days I wish I were doing something else, and I have no idea if I will finish the program. On better days, finishing seems possible, but never definite. I have been enjoying learning new things, but I enjoy my electives more than anything else, I'd say. I don't know if things would be different if I were younger. I don't think it would make any difference in how I relate to others in my cohort and in my program. I think it's more a program-wide issue. It is really hard to give an answer that is applicable across the board, as everyone's experiences will vary, depending on so many factors. I don't regret starting on this journey -- but there are definitely things I wish I could change.

[virginiarunninggirl]

Would anyone be interested in trading and critiquing statement of purpose essays? As older students, there is a lot more experience and volunteer work to account for and it is hard to truncate it and make it more concise. I am an English teacher, and have critiqued hundreds of essays. If someone is willing to reciprocate, it would be good to get extra eyes on my essay.

[Caylynn]

Would anyone be interested in trading and critiquing statement of purpose essays? As older students, there is a lot more experience and volunteer work to account for and it is hard to truncate it and make it more concise. I am an English teacher, and have critiqued hundreds of essays. If someone is willing to reciprocate, it would be good to get extra eyes on my essay.

 

I'm happy to exchange and critique essays.  This is my first time applying, however, so I don't know all the ins-and-outs of SOPs.  I'm told I'm a decent writer, however.

[DogMa]

Would anyone be interested in trading and critiquing statement of purpose essays? As older students, there is a lot more experience and volunteer work to account for and it is hard to truncate it and make it more concise. I am an English teacher, and have critiqued hundreds of essays. If someone is willing to reciprocate, it would be good to get extra eyes on my essay.

What I have always heard (and what I did on mine) is that you need to tell them how their program fits into what you want to do career-wise. You need to show that you know about their program (has it won any awards, is it ranked nationally, etc.).

Write it in an outline form first. Try doing some free writing - where you just write anything that comes to mind down - just to get the creative juices flowing. And show yourself in the writing don't be afraid to let them see who you are.

[NavyMom]

Nice to see all of you on this thread!!!  I didn't know when I created it how many people would respond.  It's nice to know I am not alone!

 

I am playing the waiting game.  I applied Oct. 1st, and it's pending department approval.  Not sure what that means.  I am guessing they still need to review my application, and approve me for admission status?

 

Hope all of you are well this holiday season. 

[calliope_dogstar]

I think I qualify as "older"

 

I'm 31, finishing up my Bachelors. I have a husband and two kids. 

 

I want to be an evolutionary biologist/ecologist when I grow up. 

[NavyMom]

I think I qualify as "older"

 

I'm 31, finishing up my Bachelors. I have a husband and two kids. 

 

I want to be an evolutionary biologist/ecologist when I grow up. 

 

 

Haha, thank's for the laugh.  I haven't decided to "grow up" yet.  But yes, you do qualify. 

 

I am 38, and will graduate in March with my BA.  I am married, with an 19 yr old son in the Navy.

[Henry Hudson]

aw, you 30-somethings are sooo cute!

 

j/k

 

yes, calli, I'd say you count. 

[browncow]

I was younger than most in undergrad but have been out of school for almost a decade. Can I join? It would be nice to hear from others who are a bit removed from school. Who did you chose to ask for recommendations, how did you offset potentially weak academic recommendations, what part or how much of your experience did you treat in your SOP, etc. If anyone is still interested in exchanging SOP drafts, let me know!

[callista]

Hi!  I'm 41 and I just finished my first semester.  I got my master's 15 years ago and grad school has changed a bit since then... for the better, I'd say (though I think I'm also a lot more capable and mature!)

 

I'm the oldest in my cohort but not in the program.  I have some comments to make about working with the younger students, but I think I want to process my thoughts more because while some of it was generation gap, some of it was working style and personality.

[Henry Hudson]

browncow, I think a decade of real life makes you eligible. Not that I am the definitive judge on the matter, but in my MA program the 30ish students generally cleaved in half: some o the mid-20s people (although this also largely coincided with geographical factors) and the rest to us older folks. So if you feel more like us, then I say welcome!

 

callista, there are definitely differences working with younger grad students, but I have found that working with them is still far easier than socializing with them. I am young at heart, but definitely of a different generation as mid-20s grad students. 

[browncow]

Thanks, Henry Hudson!

 

Did anyone else have to ask for recs many years later? Did you get any negative responses? I need two academic letters and have one yes and one no response. I'm not sure whether I should move on to the next possible letter writer just in case.

[socialequity]

Glad to see I'm not alone! I wondered if being 36 would be a negative on my applications. I've applied to ten programs in the hopes of having a couple to choose from where my husband has postdoc opportunities in his field. This waiting period is not easy!!!!!!! 

[NavyMom]

Well, I did it!!!  I got a phone call yesterday and was offered admission to the Masters program of my choice! 

 

SOOO excited!