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About Me:
-31 years old (bachelor)
-Masters/Bachelors
-Currently have good job -High possibility that I will be laid off in May 2013
Contemplating another year of work with possibility of layoff vs. going back to school full-time
to purse doctoral studies (full tuition and small stipend will be provided).
My question.....Should I feel crazy for even considering pursuing a doctoral degree fulltime at the age of 31?
What would you do if you had the choice to move overseas for temporary teaching assignment vs. pursuing paid doctoral program.
First, you are not crazy to think of doing a PhD at age 31. That is not too old at all for graduate work. The hardest thing about going back to graduate school later in life will be the shock of your loss of income/standard of living, with unclear completion date, possibly taking many years, with unclear job prospects at the end.
But more importantly, why do you want this degree? If it will open up opportunities that are not available to you now, and/or if you are changing your career direction to something where this is useful, then it could be considered.
We cannot make the choice for you about what to do. We are not you and don't know your background, abilities, and long term interests.
I would not think about doing a PhD just because I am anticipating a lay off. That seems like not the best idea. You have not expressed a specific passion/interest that makes this route a good choice for you, or a long term goal that suggests it will help your employment long term.
Thanks for the response. My long term goal is to obtain a tenured position at a university. At the moment I have a masters which only qualifies me for lecturer jobs. I thought about pursuing a doctorate part-time while working but don't have the finances for this right now.
As you stated in your post, the financial adjustment is a big part of my decision. Definitely got a lot of thinking to do.
My dad finished his 1st PhD in his early 30's (Petroleum engineering).. keep in mind this was in the mid 80's when oil prices were rock bottom so he didn't see much career opportunities there and enrolled in Mechanical Engineering PhD program before dropping out a few years later (had family to support.)
Pursuing a PhD at that age has its sacrifices.. mainly you're definitely going to put off having a family. Also, it's probably not the most efficient path to earning more money so you must be passionate about pursuing a career in academia.
If you're still not convinced about the financial aspects, let's assume your current salary will continue increasing at the rate of inflation each year (whether you are laid off and find another job or get to stay with your current company.) Let's say you can invest that money at about a 5% return (after taxes and inflation.) Calculate how much money you'll have at age ~65 in today's dollars if you keep saving a part of each paycheck.
Now estimate how much more you'll be earning with your PhD but after sacrificing a few years of your life. Assume that salary increases at the rate of inflation each year and you can invest a similar proportion of your salary at 5% after inflation and taxes. Will you have more at age 65?
Please calculate this through seriously before pursuing a PhD if you're not secure about the financial benefits.
I was 34 when I started working on my PhD, so I don't think 31 is too old at all. In some ways it gives you an edge because more mature people tend to be more self-disciplined and independent, which is necessary for doctoral level work. If you want a tenure track faculty position, you pretty much have to go for the PhD. Moreover, in order to be a viable candidate for the jobs, you will need to spend a lot of time going above and beyond as a graduate student (publications, presentations, get involved in your field's organizations, etc.) If that sounds like a lot of work, it's because it is. But it won't seem like work if you truly like what you are doing. Good luck!
Great posts guys. Glad to hear that my age won't be a factor. I originally started on my Ph.D. back in 2007 while also working a full-time job and it was a bit too much for me. I can definitely say that my maturity level is much different now and I have a better focus on what I need to do to become a full professor. The Ph.D. is absolutely necessary and something that I need to get going. Thanks again!!
In some ways it gives you an edge because more mature people tend to be more self-disciplined and independent, which is necessary for doctoral level work.
I can certainly buy that argument a bit. Certainly the slightly older students (by 2-3 years) I've been in school with have generally done better. However, the much older ones I've gone to school with (admittedly a very small number) have universally flamed out after a year or two (sometimes less than a year) - the massive pay cut and grueling workload is pretty hard to swallow if you've gotten used to a 9-5 type job with a decent salary.
That said, already having an MS likely means the OP is already pretty familiar with things, and might even be able to skip some first year courses, which will make the whole thing a much more pleasant experience.
I can certainly buy that argument a bit. Certainly the slightly older students (by 2-3 years) I've been in school with have generally done better. However, the much older ones I've gone to school with (admittedly a very small number) have universally flamed out after a year or two (sometimes less than a year) - the massive pay cut and grueling workloadis pretty hard to swallowif you've gotten used to a 9-5 type job with a decent salary.
That said, already having an MS likely means the OP is already pretty familiar with things, and might even be able to skip some first year courses, which will make the whole thing a much more pleasant experience.
HAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHH!!!!!!
I finished my BS in Dec.
18-19 per term, even took 23 hours over the summer (2 different schools)
FAR from it!
18-19 per term, even took 23 hours over the summer (2 different schools)
FAR from it!
We're talking about Doctorate programs.... PhD.
Maybe you need to go back and retake some of your reading comprehension courses.
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purse a ph.d
