Older students?

[browncow]

^ Congratulations!!!

[Henry Hudson]

Congrats, NavyMom! 

 

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.

definitely move on down the list! If you wind up with too many, it is easier to let some off the hook than struggle at the last minute to fill a gap. I have one former prof aware of the situation, and happy to step up when needed while not insulted when I do not. 

[browncow]

Thanks, Henry Hudson. The day I'd set myself as a deadline to move on, I got a yes to my second academic request! I'm very relieved because beyond the two, sad to say I would have been grasping already -- either professors/TAs to whom I didn't stand out at all, or professors from STEM fields (I'm applying in humanities, and my professional recommendation is also STEM).

[med latte]

So glad to see this thread!  I'll be 40 when I apply for PhD programs. I have wondered if that will count against me as an applicant.  It would be interesting to dive into the age data for accepted students.  Right now all I can do is read about current PhD students in the program I am interested in.  The majority seem to be very young, but a few are 40+.  

[samsales]

Hi All!

 

I decided to un-lurk and introduce myself. I am a 48 year old Senior in my final semester, and am majoring in American History and minoring in Museum Studies. I have been an antiques dealer, estate liquidator, personal property appraiser and an auctioneer for the past 20+ years. I love my work, but being self employed for the last 20 years has been stressful, and I would also love the opportunity to delve into the scholarly aspects of my field.

 

I am nervously waiting to hear from five programs that I have applied to. I have no idea where I may land, how I will swing it, or if I will get the job of my dreams; but, I am having a blast living out a true fantasy that I never thought I would be able to do!

 

Good luck to all of us "Old Timers"!!

[DogMa]

Congrats NavyMom (and anyone else that go into a program)!

aw, you 30-somethings are sooo cute!

 

j/k

 

yes, calli, I'd say you count.

You 40-somethings are also cute (boy am I old)

[Brisingamen]

I don't know if I qualify as "older" but anyway... 32, married 7 years. I do feel a mite like an old fart when I realize I know people who'd finished their PhD well before I'm going to even get started... Finished my BA 12 years ago, my MA 6 years ago.

Edited January 7, 2014 by bombilfry

[Ironydreams]

Hello everyone— 

 

Hearing all of your stories continues to provide esteem and confidence moving forward in my career towards a daunting application process ahead. I'm sure I have a lot to learn from everyone here at Grad cafe. Here is a little spinet of my non-traditional path. 

 

I just turned 35 this past December and plan to apply to PhD graduate programs in Clinical Psychology for Fall 2015. Yes this is quite an early start to the process, but then again I've had an unusual journey to get to where I am. I decided to give college a try after flunking out at the age of 19. All of this transpired when a career of retail was discarded in favor of a journey towards self-acceptance and leaning into the edge of my past. Two summer internships (one being a HHMI), a poster presentation at a Cognitive Neuroscience Society this April, a publication being prepared with another possibly in the works, and a 3.92 GPA at an Ivy league university leads me to report it was a wise choice. (Interesting side note: I was informed at the age of 6 I had a learning disability, on top of not speaking till I was 4.)

 

I hope to learn much thru this period and impart any help or guidance to others that I can. 

[astondb4gtz]

I will add myself to this list. I am 43 and have just put in for PhD programs in Marine Ecology. I have a BS in Zoology from 20 years ago and a BS in Business.

 

I have been, and continue to, work as an analytical chemist in industry. I am trying to go back and do what I should have done in the first place and pursue what I am passionate about. I have a wife and three kids. Fortunately my wife and I both make a decent salary, and she can likely support the family in a halfway decent manner while I support myself throught school. I really have no idea if my prospects are any good - I only applied to four schools that would be within ~3hours drive of where my wife has a job opportunity and I put the applications together at the last minute.

 

Still, I am clinging to hope, and if it doesn't work out this round I am going to see if I can learn why not and cast a wider net next year.

[callista]

 (Interesting side note: I was informed at the age of 6 I had a learning disability, on top of not speaking till I was 4.)

 

I was a late speaker and had selective mutism at 4, myself.

[Ironydreams]

I was a late speaker and had selective mutism at 4, myself.

Glad to see another of us striving for more greatness!

[microarray]

I'm 29 and hoping to start my PhD this fall. When I went to Mich State a little over a week ago for interview, I was surprised how young all the current grad students and current applicants were. There were only a few grad students I saw around my age or older. 

 

Do you guys/gals think that we have an advantage or disadvantage of being a little older? Personally, I think I have an advantage, I'm much more mature and I know exactly what I want and how to get there.

[LMac]

I believe being older is a huge advantage. I would not have done very well had I started grad school at 22-23 years old. A few (to a lot of) years in the work force provides invaluable perspective in my opinion. I think it helps with everything from professional correspondence, time management, long-term goals, ability to organize and prioritize....etc. I'm 35 and just started my second semester in a PhD program for Neuroscience. I was 10 years out of undergrad when I took a couple years of post-bacc classes for GPA repair.  I used this forum when I was applying last year, and it just occurred to me to search "non-traditional" to see if anyone else was out there. I'm so glad you all are. My class has 18 people in it, I am the oldest, and only one other student is over 25. I was feeling out of place until I realized that I was doing that to myself. Since starting the program I have spoken to faculty who remembered my application because they find that non-traditional students pursue graduate programs with more realistic expectations, and are more committed to their education. I had to laugh as having a mortgage makes you consider all these decisions much more carefully, but I think my age worked in my favor.

[virginiarunninggirl]

I am applying to SLP programs. I have an opportunity to work in a research lab at Harvard at spring break and then maybe some this summer. Will the lab work at Harvard and lor help my application? It will be a closely related field to SLP.

[LMac]

Yes, I believe the lab experience will most certainly help your application. Even more so if it's a closely related field. A good LOR is always beneficial, but try to take any opportunities to let the PI get to know you (if you're curious, meticulous, passionate about research, what your long-term goals are, etc) . A personalized LOR will go 1000x further than one that's just "This person worked in my lab, they showed up on time, they did a good job....." This research experience sounds like a wonderful opportunity!

[Academicat]

I finished my MA in 2009, and went on the job market. I am so glad I waited to go back for the PhD. I'm 31 and have been working full time for four years, and what I've learned working full time will most definitely inform my research. I wish I'd discovered this community a little earlier in the app process, but it's terrific none the less.

[levoyous]

This is my new favorite thread.

[Brisingamen]

Are you an older student too, levoyous?

One crappy thing about starting a PhD at almost 33 is the relentless ticking of the biological clock. Women who started PhDs when that age or older, how did you manage a balance? Start trying to conceive after coursework?

[Inka dreams]

Guess I must qualify too. Im 30, still single and looking for my 2nd masters degree. Hold an Engineering degree and an MBA but now think it is time to really work with people, so looking at a HR masters. It was a big decision as my career also was going along fine, but realized this is the last chance to turn around and do stuff that excites me and make me happy. 

 

I might be interested in a Phd sometime down the line, but at this point a 2nd masters from a good school would be just perfect for me.

 

As an international student, I guess I am still nervous about my decision to study again in a foreign country... but well if I didnt try, I wouldnt know.

[NavyMom]

Wow!!

I didn't think this thread would take off when I created it. Pretty awesome stuff. It's nice to see you all here, and know I am not alone in my venture for higher education.

I am home sick today. Woke up Tues morning feeling a little "ick", thinking it was probably allergies and dealt with it all day. Woke up this morning with a full blown cold. I haven't been sick in a few years.

We should set up a place where we can chat from time to time, maybe create our own Skype group or something? What do you all think?

[microarray]

One crappy thing about starting a PhD at almost 33 is the relentless ticking of the biological clock. Women who started PhDs when that age or older, how did you manage a balance? Start trying to conceive after coursework?

 

I guess you have to figure out what's most important to you. I don't want to have kids, so this won't be an issue when I get my PhD in my late 30s.

[Loric]

I went to an event for the school that covered all prospective students, grad and undergrad. I walked up, and the man I later learned was the head if admissions says "You're interested the graduate program right?"

I guess I am younger than the undergrads parents but older than the undergrads, but I kinda wanted to hit him. Just a little.

[Brisingamen]

I guess you have to figure out what's most important to you. I don't want to have kids, so this won't be an issue when I get my PhD in my late 30s.

Yes, that's it. And apologies, i should have addressed that post to women in their thirties in gad school who DO want kids, not all women in their thirties in grad school.

Trouble is, I want both. And they're both very important. Technically, grad school could wait, but one can't put it off to do something as uncertain as having kids.

Do what comes up first, I guess.

[NavyMom]

I went to an event for the school that covered all prospective students, grad and undergrad. I walked up, and the man I later learned was the head if admissions says "You're interested the graduate program right?"

I guess I am younger than the undergrads parents but older than the undergrads, but I kinda wanted to hit him. Just a little.

You're lucky... When I took a tour of my prospective school, they didn't even address grad students. They only offer tours to transfers and freshmen. When I asked if they had materials about grad school, the kid looked at me with a blank face.

[LMac]

In one of my classes last semester the instructor, who is also head of the program, asked the whole class who was an "older" student and then looked at me until I raised my hand. He was trying to point out that our different backgrounds mean that we might have a bit more confidence and speak out more (not true of me, as I'm pretty shy at times). I know his intentions weren't bad, but I could have hit him. I guess it's not like anyone hadn't already noticed though...plus I'm the only married student in my class, so that stands out.