Shadowknite25 wrote:I'm not a good person to give others advice since I'm not very experienced about this, but I'm just giving out the reason I'm getting my PhD. Currently I'm working as an engineer, but I don't really enjoy it at all. I feel empty everyday I go home as I am not doing what I'm passionate about and not living up to my potential. Then I realized that physics is my passion. I don't care much for money as long as I have enough to satisfy all my needs. I think that there's nothing wrong with doing what you love and what makes you happy. I think that's what makes life worth living. You're only 39 when you graduate, plus, say, 6 years of grad school and maybe 2-4 years of postdoc. You'll be around 50 by the time you finished with everything and it's still plenty of time for you to continue your professional career wherever you like.
admissionprof wrote:I'm surprised by your advisor's comments. We often take students (sometimes out of the military in their early 40s). They are great TA, great researchers, and usually get good jobs on finishing. I would be curious to know how many of the PhDs at the top 20 schools are over 40. (We are a top 50, but not top 20, and have had one every couple of years for a long time).
I have no plans to be the next Feynman or Newton
Now the real question is whether getting into a top 20 program is really necessary considering you'll be 40 when you get there and 45 when you get out.
Actually, one of my classmates at MIT is 30 working on a masters. The military is paying, and he'll teach at West Point for a while before coming back for his PhD. By the time he comes back, he'll probably be 36 or 37. Age probably isn't issue when the school doesn't have to pay.bfollinprm wrote:So don't worry about what your advisor said, other than to recognize that you should apply other places then MIT et al.
bathingape wrote:I had planned on applying to one top 10, but only because my wife received her history PhD there (and maybe by some inconceivable chance her professors that she remains in contact with have some sway over the sciences dept.)
CarlBrannen wrote:I don't think that will make any difference. And I don't think being older is any disadvantage. I'm 54 and will be taking the PhD physics qualifying exams (or preliminary exams) next month. Frankly I feel sorry for the kids who have to compete with me.
bfollinprm wrote:CarlBrannen wrote:I don't think that will make any difference. And I don't think being older is any disadvantage. I'm 54 and will be taking the PhD physics qualifying exams (or preliminary exams) next month. Frankly I feel sorry for the kids who have to compete with me.
I can find no other reason other than your age, Carl, that would have caused the ridiculous rejections you received last year. And for the record I tremble at the thought of going toe-to-toe with you.
alphanumeric wrote:I'm an older student myself, and I can say that my maturity has been quite a benefit. I got into a top 20, but I think I might have missed out on higher due to my age and confusing history. No matter. Those who rejected us will apologize and kick themselves soon enough.
bfollinprm wrote:CarlBrannen wrote:I don't think that will make any difference. And I don't think being older is any disadvantage. I'm 54 and will be taking the PhD physics qualifying exams (or preliminary exams) next month. Frankly I feel sorry for the kids who have to compete with me.
I can find no other reason other than your age, Carl, that would have caused the ridiculous rejections you received last year. And for the record I tremble at the thought of going toe-to-toe with you.
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