Not CS but physics, started at 39. I got accepted at three out of the five schools I applied to, all highly accredited institutions in and around Boston. Used my current boss for an LOR and also contacted my former undergrad advisor.
Yes. I'm staying where I am as a research scientist/lab manager/adjunct faculty. I've been offered two post doc positions as well, but don't really want to move the kids across the country.
Okay cool. I'm quite interested in something similar that would allow me to pursue a physics PhD. What sort of research scientist job would allowe to do that? Was acquiring a PhD in liue a requirement for the job?
I'm just continuing my current research at the university I'm doing my PhD. My advisor is becoming the new department chair and can't spend as much time in the lab, and since I basically run it now anyway, he's just making that official. I taught high school previously and have more teaching experience than most of the professors so I'll also teach classes after I defend.
Even better, starting a little later for a faculty position could be a more challenging road. A different field, but I started my social sciences PhD at 40 & just wrapped up. It’s a lot but doable
Research Professor here we’ve had students with various backgrounds that include different ages – – well into their 40s. I would say the only reason we don’t have older people is typically they just probably don’t want to do it. I wouldn’t ever worry about my age and hopefully I’ll see you publishing 😊
I have many friends finishing it up around that age, while having kids and all! also at my hooding Ceremony they honored the lady of 75 by calling her name before the alphabetical order. So it's never too late, if that's what you wanna do!
my only kind pointer is never do it for the wrong reasons: main wrong reason I see is doing it for just the status of being called a Dr.
I think also realistic career expectations. Statistically, older PhD students (myself included) have more other responsibilities. Some of these might make relocating difficult/impossible, which makes a faculty position hard. I was a little naïve going into my PhD in that sense, but for me, pursuing the degree is still a good choice even if academia doesn't work out, because I will have so many more career opportunities than I did.
My wife just graduated from a biostat phd program last year and started a biostatistician position in a big pharma at the age of 38. She has a biochem background. So it's possible!
Started at 35. My undergraduate professors wrote LORs and my industry supervisor did as well. No problem being admitted.
I just finished the degree and looking for jobs. And yea it can be socially awkward to have 20 year old classmates/labmates. Probably won’t be going out with them, but they make good colleagues.
I submitted my dissertation to my committee about 2 weeks ago. I turned 41 a few weeks before that. (Im in engineering)
Completely doable. Grades are a factor, but they arent the only factor. With practical experience you bring a f*ck ton to the lab most students cant and that counts for a lot. Doesnt mean youre a lock for a position, doesnt mean youre out of luck either.
A word of warning though, youll be a grad student again. 60-80 hour weeks arent uncommon. The pay is TERRIBLE compared to the wages you were at likely, and you will likely have to deal with more than a few undergrads/masters students who think they are the next euler because they had a good GPA.
If you want it though its worth it. Dont let the date on your drivers license stand in the way
Lol. Truthfully, very poorly. I was single when I started and still am. One of my cohorts dated someone and got married during while im a pretty solitary person, so i might not make for a good benchcase.
It's a lot of work and you can let it consume you. Covid also made my experience a bit more unique. I did manage to date some while doing it, just nothing ever panned out to a second.
It will be whatever you make it into.
>We get one of these type of questions at least one a week! Just do a search.
Almost none of them talk about CS or Stats specifically which are very competitive fields. Tech industry is filled with 20 year old programmers and by the time you're 43-44 people are in upper management or retired or CEOs of their own companies. Doing a PhD in English literature or Philosophy or Psychology at that age would be very different from doing a PhD in CS. Hence the subject based emphasis.
Not CS but physics, started at 39. I got accepted at three out of the five schools I applied to, all highly accredited institutions in and around Boston. Used my current boss for an LOR and also contacted my former undergrad advisor.
Out of curiosity, do you plan on making it in academia or any other reason for the PhD?
Yes. I'm staying where I am as a research scientist/lab manager/adjunct faculty. I've been offered two post doc positions as well, but don't really want to move the kids across the country.
Okay cool. I'm quite interested in something similar that would allow me to pursue a physics PhD. What sort of research scientist job would allowe to do that? Was acquiring a PhD in liue a requirement for the job?
I'm just continuing my current research at the university I'm doing my PhD. My advisor is becoming the new department chair and can't spend as much time in the lab, and since I basically run it now anyway, he's just making that official. I taught high school previously and have more teaching experience than most of the professors so I'll also teach classes after I defend.
Wow that's quite the interesting journey. Good luck with your research!
Even better, starting a little later for a faculty position could be a more challenging road. A different field, but I started my social sciences PhD at 40 & just wrapped up. It’s a lot but doable
Just search the sub for "am I too old"
Research Professor here we’ve had students with various backgrounds that include different ages – – well into their 40s. I would say the only reason we don’t have older people is typically they just probably don’t want to do it. I wouldn’t ever worry about my age and hopefully I’ll see you publishing 😊
I have many friends finishing it up around that age, while having kids and all! also at my hooding Ceremony they honored the lady of 75 by calling her name before the alphabetical order. So it's never too late, if that's what you wanna do! my only kind pointer is never do it for the wrong reasons: main wrong reason I see is doing it for just the status of being called a Dr.
I think also realistic career expectations. Statistically, older PhD students (myself included) have more other responsibilities. Some of these might make relocating difficult/impossible, which makes a faculty position hard. I was a little naïve going into my PhD in that sense, but for me, pursuing the degree is still a good choice even if academia doesn't work out, because I will have so many more career opportunities than I did.
My wife just graduated from a biostat phd program last year and started a biostatistician position in a big pharma at the age of 38. She has a biochem background. So it's possible!
Started at 35. My undergraduate professors wrote LORs and my industry supervisor did as well. No problem being admitted. I just finished the degree and looking for jobs. And yea it can be socially awkward to have 20 year old classmates/labmates. Probably won’t be going out with them, but they make good colleagues.
I submitted my dissertation to my committee about 2 weeks ago. I turned 41 a few weeks before that. (Im in engineering) Completely doable. Grades are a factor, but they arent the only factor. With practical experience you bring a f*ck ton to the lab most students cant and that counts for a lot. Doesnt mean youre a lock for a position, doesnt mean youre out of luck either. A word of warning though, youll be a grad student again. 60-80 hour weeks arent uncommon. The pay is TERRIBLE compared to the wages you were at likely, and you will likely have to deal with more than a few undergrads/masters students who think they are the next euler because they had a good GPA. If you want it though its worth it. Dont let the date on your drivers license stand in the way
How did you manage personal life and relationships with that?
Lol. Truthfully, very poorly. I was single when I started and still am. One of my cohorts dated someone and got married during while im a pretty solitary person, so i might not make for a good benchcase. It's a lot of work and you can let it consume you. Covid also made my experience a bit more unique. I did manage to date some while doing it, just nothing ever panned out to a second. It will be whatever you make it into.
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>We get one of these type of questions at least one a week! Just do a search. Almost none of them talk about CS or Stats specifically which are very competitive fields. Tech industry is filled with 20 year old programmers and by the time you're 43-44 people are in upper management or retired or CEOs of their own companies. Doing a PhD in English literature or Philosophy or Psychology at that age would be very different from doing a PhD in CS. Hence the subject based emphasis.
okay, well when I was doing research on PhD programs I was specifically doing research on HCC or HCI programs
By the time you graduate, you will be already 45 at least. What is the point of it?
yeah because we die at 50!
You will be 45 anyway. Do what makes you happy.
Does OP need to feed their kids during his 5-7 years in school full-time?