Age at start of degree - POLL

[jacket24]

I know this question has been asked several times in various locations, but I thought it might be useful to have a graphical representation compiled in one location for the reference of future applicants. How old were you (or will you be) when starting a PhD or master's degree? (Don't forget to vote in the poll.)

Edited April 1, 2015 by jacket24

[brown_eyed_girl]

I'll be starting a direct-entry PhD program in the fall at age 25; since it wouldn't let me answer one question without the other, that's my answer for both questions. 

[jacket24]

I'll be starting a direct-entry PhD program in the fall at age 25; since it wouldn't let me answer one question without the other, that's my answer for both questions. 

 

I added a "N/A" option for those who will only go through one type of program since you have to answer both. If you will be doing a master's only, answer N/A for the PhD question.

[dat_nerd]

I see these questions pop up from time to time, but can't help but wonder if they're of any use.

 

All it seems to do is make anyone outside the 23-28 age range feel out of place. Isn't there enough worry already about being able to connect with new peers?

 

One of the things I love about grad school is that it's so transient. For some amount of time, you get to be surrounded by peers who are from different backgrounds, different knowledge bases, different sets of experiences, and so forth. With that, you get a number of students who don't fit the "standard" age range, but it also means that it just doesn't matter any more.

 

What does matter is that you can learn new information quickly, keep up with a hard-working lifestyle, and build relationships with new and interesting people. I don't see how age affects any of that, nor why anyone outside the "standard" age range should feel like they have something to prove.

[jacket24]

I completely agree that age is irrelevant to one's potential for success in graduate school. The fact of the matter is, though, that this question will never stop coming up as it is natural to compare yourself to those you are working with or competing against. With all of the responses organized, at least there will be a reasonably large data set available for future applicants to consult before starting redundant threads.

[Sword_Saint]

I completely agree that age is irrelevant to one's potential for success in graduate school. The fact of the matter is, though, that this question will never stop coming up as it is natural to compare yourself to those you are working with or competing against. With all of the responses organized, at least there will be a reasonably large data set available for future applicants to consult before starting redundant threads.

 

I agree to some extent that age is irrelevant in terms of success in grad school. For me, age in relation to competition and comparison of others is of less concern: if there is one spot left, my opponent being 20 or being 60 doesn't matter because regardless you 'fight' to win that one spot.

 

Age is more important in my opinion because it gives individuals an idea of the generational backdrop applicants, and subsequently colleagues, will have. Being able to effectively communicate with someone who is 20 is different than effective communication with someone who is 60, their coming of age was markedly different and historically characterized by unique phenomena. Effective communication is important whether you are in the work force or in graduate school, and understanding those who you have to communicate with is vital.

 

I wonder about this poll's validity because it is online; convenience sampling with an online poll wont capture a generalizable sample of applicants and won't be very representative of those who are older and less tech savvy but I still don't think the poll should not be done.

Edited April 1, 2015 by Sword_Saint

[Monochrome Spring]

Started PhD directly from UG at 20 (turned 21 in fall). I completed my UG degree quickly due to JC courses in HS.

[dat_nerd]

I completely agree that age is irrelevant to one's potential for success in graduate school. The fact of the matter is, though, that this question will never stop coming up as it is natural to compare yourself to those you are working with or competing against. 

 

True. But should we be making those comparisons? 

 

I ask this because I entered grad school knowing I would be much younger than my peers. Starting with that comparison in mind made me less confident in my abilities, and it took me some time to move past that comparison. Two years later, I realize that age simply doesn't matter as I had originally thought.

Edited April 1, 2015 by dat_nerd

[dstock]

Thanks for making this.  It is cool to see the distributions

[RunnerGrad]

I agree to some extent that age is irrelevant in terms of success in grad school. For me, age in relation to competition and comparison of others is of less concern: if there is one spot left, my opponent being 20 or being 60 doesn't matter because regardless you 'fight' to win that one spot.

 

Age is more important in my opinion because it gives individuals an idea of the generational backdrop applicants, and subsequently colleagues, will have. Being able to effectively communicate with someone who is 20 is different than effective communication with someone who is 60, their coming of age was markedly different and historically characterized by unique phenomena. Effective communication is important whether you are in the work force or in graduate school, and understanding those who you have to communicate with is vital.

 

I wonder about this poll's validity because it is online; convenience sampling with an online poll wont capture a generalizable sample of applicants and won't be very representative of those who are older and less tech savvy but I still don't think the poll should not be done.

Older and less tech savvy? I swear that the "digital natives" only know how to use social media (exaggerating, but it boggles my mind how many 20-somethings don't really know how to use computers). Whereas those of us who are "older" remember command lines, having to program to get a computer to do anything, etc. I find those in their 40s who had Commodore 64s as their first computers are much more "tech savvy" than the 20 year old who uses social media, but can't put together a computer or program anything.

[jacket24]

True. But should we be making those comparisons? 

 

I ask this because I entered grad school knowing I would be much younger than my peers. Starting with that comparison in mind made me less confident in my abilities, and it took me some time to move past that comparison. Two years later, I realize that age simply doesn't matter as I had originally thought.

 

Should we be making those comparisons? Maybe, maybe not. Should we stress or overanalyze any part of the application process? For the sake of our collective mental health, certainly not. Whether we should be asking certain questions is irrelevant. The point of the poll is not to offend or alienate anyone. The intent is to provide information that is clearly of interest to thegradcafe users.

 

I agree to some extent that age is irrelevant in terms of success in grad school. For me, age in relation to competition and comparison of others is of less concern: if there is one spot left, my opponent being 20 or being 60 doesn't matter because regardless you 'fight' to win that one spot.

 

Age is more important in my opinion because it gives individuals an idea of the generational backdrop applicants, and subsequently colleagues, will have. Being able to effectively communicate with someone who is 20 is different than effective communication with someone who is 60, their coming of age was markedly different and historically characterized by unique phenomena. Effective communication is important whether you are in the work force or in graduate school, and understanding those who you have to communicate with is vital.

 

I wonder about this poll's validity because it is online; convenience sampling with an online poll wont capture a generalizable sample of applicants and won't be very representative of those who are older and less tech savvy but I still don't think the poll should not be done.

 

You make a good point about the sample bias. We are only getting a glimpse of a small subset of the overall graduate student population that happens to visit this forum. The results should be taken with a grain of salt, but it's the best we have under the given constraints.

[Sword_Saint]

Older and less tech savvy? I swear that the "digital natives" only know how to use social media (exaggerating, but it boggles my mind how many 20-somethings don't really know how to use computers). Whereas those of us who are "older" remember command lines, having to program to get a computer to do anything, etc. I find those in their 40s who had Commodore 64s as their first computers are much more "tech savvy" than the 20 year old who uses social media, but can't put together a computer or program anything.

 

'Tech savvy' wasn't meant in the sense of individuals being proficient at writing code or script in a particular computer language. I meant the phrase more with respect to spending longer amounts of time on the computer and more importantly, to finding this website and finding this section where there is a poll asking respondents to indicate their age starting a master's / PhD program. It may be a stretch to say that the longer you spend on the computer the more likely you are to find grad cafe, but I guess I'm making that leap. I can't speak to the percentage of 20 year olds capable of computer programming compared to 40 year olds, but I can speculate that 20 year olds spend more time on their internet accessible devices, leading to more of them potentially being represented in this poll by having more time to find this website.

 

*Cowen and Company indicated individuals in the 20-29 age range spent more time on every form of internet based social media than individuals in the 60+ age range*

 

Article: "Younger Users Spend More Daily Time on Social Networks"

 

http://www.emarketer.com

Edited April 1, 2015 by Sword_Saint

[Cheshire_Cat]

I think it is an interesting question.  One may get discouraged if they aren't in the middle of the bell curve, but others may take it as a challenge.  It is ok to go back to school at any age, and being younger than everyone else isn't a problem either.
 

However, we should note that these are averages.  Your cohort may consist of students along the bell curve, or all older than you, or all younger than you (unless you are 19 or 20.)  I will be 26 when I enter, so exactly at the middle of the bell curve.  However, from what I can tell, my cohort will consist of people right out of college, so I will be the old, wizened experienced one, whereas when I started my masters I was way younger than most people.

[Pitangus]

I've only ever read/heard age mentioned by people themselves. I didn't even know how old my lab mates were until recently, and knowing didn't affect how I perceived or interacted with them. Yes, age affects lifestyle and experience, but there is plenty of variation beyond that. 

 

I completely agree that age is irrelevant to one's potential for success in graduate school. The fact of the matter is, though, that this question will never stop coming up as it is natural to compare yourself to those you are working with or competing against. With all of the responses organized, at least there will be a reasonably large data set available for future applicants to consult before starting redundant threads.

 

It's a nice thought, but redundant questions are inevitable. Honestly, I think some people like bringing up their age if they think it makes them distinctive, even if they frame it as a concern. 

[Guest]

I'll be 23. Out of curiosity, it makes me wonder which age group will be the largest in my classes this fall. By all means, we should apparently not look down on anyones capabilities because of age. However, in the back of my mind, I do have a hence of anxiety that involves me sitting in classes wih slightly older people,who might have more knowledge and experience in my field (overseas experiences, government work, veterans, etc), while mine might be a bit more limited. At the end of the day, we all aim to get an advanced degree to broaden our knowledge. Then, we also have different stages in life for when we feel is the best time to obtain more schooling.

Edited April 3, 2015 by Guest

[Crucial BBQ]

I think some bring it up because it is truly a concern, in particular if their age is an outlier (20<, or 29 and above).  I always assumed that my current age was closer to the median but after seeing the spread above I feel like an old man, and I am not even that old! When I read posts by those who are 21 or 22 who talk about the "older students" I also assumed that they were just that, older...as in like late 30s or 40s or whatever.  Now I am thinking who they were really talking about were the 27, 28 year olds in their program.  Sigh.  

[1Q84]

I think some bring it up because it is truly a concern, in particular if their age is an outlier (20<, or 29 and above).  I always assumed that my current age was closer to the median but after seeing the spread above I feel like an old man, and I am not even that old! When I read posts by those who are 21 or 22 who talk about the "older students" I also assumed that they were just that, older...as in like late 30s or 40s or whatever.  Now I am thinking who they were really talking about were the 27, 28 year olds in their program.  Sigh.  

 

 

Right? Guess I'm going to be the only 29er (soon to be 30er) in my program when I begin in the fall... 

[dat_nerd]

I always assumed that my current age was closer to the median but after seeing the spread above I feel like an old man, and I am not even that old! When I read posts by those who are 21 or 22 who talk about the "older students" I also assumed that they were just that, older...as in like late 30s or 40s or whatever.  Now I am thinking who they were really talking about were the 27, 28 year olds in their program.  Sigh.  

 

Right? Guess I'm going to be the only 29er (soon to be 30er) in my program when I begin in the fall... 

 

This is exactly the kind of reaction I was referring to in my original post 

 

The intent of these topics/polls is never to offend anyone, but topics like this that emphasize the comparison of applicants' ages (which is irrelevant to success in graduate school) only seem to heighten anxiety. It's unfortunate.

[1Q84]

This is exactly the kind of reaction I was referring to in my original post 

 

The intent of these topics/polls is never to offend anyone, but topics like this that emphasize the comparison of applicants' ages (which is irrelevant to success in graduate school) only seem to heighten anxiety. It's unfortunate.

 

Oh don't worry... I'm not offended. I've long ago come to terms with the fact that I'll be older than most people in any of my programs!

[Crucial BBQ]

This is exactly the kind of reaction I was referring to in my original post 

 

The intent of these topics/polls is never to offend anyone, but topics like this that emphasize the comparison of applicants' ages (which is irrelevant to success in graduate school) only seem to heighten anxiety. It's unfortunate.

Sometimes the reality stings, but nah, I am not offended.  I was once their age; one day they will be mine.  

[Sword_Saint]

I'm curious about the frequency of "n/a" category responses in the Master's category. Do you guys think that's from individuals going straight from their undergrad to PhD programs or something else?

[Sarochan]

I'm curious about the frequency of "n/a" category responses in the Master's category. Do you guys think that's from individuals going straight from their undergrad to PhD programs or something else?

Probably the straight-to-PhD crowd.

[TheMercySeat]

I will be 28, and I hope my incoming cohort is younger!

I'm single, so it's not like I can bond over what it's like to be a parent with other students. All silly insecurities about age go out the door when I work with people who are in their 30s/40s and working on grad degrees at Ivy league institutions.

Edited April 10, 2015 by TheMercySeat

[Chiqui74]

I will be 34 by the time I start the PhD this Fall.  Judging by the recruitment weekend, I'll be either the second oldest or the oldest in my cohort, it depends on whether the other person chooses to attend.  I'm OK with that.  I was always one of the oldest students in my undergrad classes since I took a bit of a detour on my way to college.  I also have a family so there's that too.  I'm OK with my situation, I don't necessarily think it will hurt my chances of success, I just have to work around a few more hurdles.

Edited April 13, 2015 by Chiqui74

[Crafter]

Age should not matter. But I guess that certain factors related to age do. For instance, the older you are, the higher the chances of already being a parent. Grad school is hard, and being a parent is hard too. Both things combined should require an extra effort and time management that the younger cohort will not have to deal with (not saying that young students should not manage their time, but it is certainly harder to balance family, extracurricular activities and school as opposed to just balance school and extra curricular activities).

 

I am on the old side of the cohort, well into my 30's. However, I have an MD and a MS before starting my PhD. So I guess that accounts for my starting age. Also, I am married with one 2 year old. When I attended med school and grad school, I was single and married without children, respectively. Now I will start this Fall a PhD program having to balance being a wife, a mother and a PhD student. It is possible and I know many who have done it in the past with most success. But it won't be easy. 

 

On the bright side, I feel much more mature in terms of attitude and time management, career goals and expectations. I know that my current way to see things, and priorities will be more advantageous than the way I was during my other degrees. 

 

That being said, age should not matter to any applicant or adcom. Otherwise, there would be an age requirement for enrollment.