Phoenix84
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Post by Phoenix84 on May 13, 2011 17:28:48 GMT -5
I want to go to graduate school and get my masters degree in health physics. Since I’ve gotten my B.S (in physics) in 2007 I’ve been moving around a lot and taking new and better government jobs. While I’ve increased my salary by over 100% from when I started in 2007, I haven’t been anywhere long enough to complete my graduate school. I’ve started graduate school (been accepted and started classes) three times, but a better job offer always comes up.
Anyway, I think I’ve finally gotten to a point where the promotions won’t happen as fast. I’m in an area with a good health physics program. The only problem is it’s been so long since I’ve been a student full time. I’m 26 now, but after waiting 12 months to qualify for in state tuition and then waiting until the next full semester (another 6 months) I won’t be able to start until fall of 2012. After that it could take me three years to graduate, and I’d be 31. That’s ANCIENT to be graduating from graduate school. It’s worrying me that I might be too old by then.
Did you or anyone you know go back to school later in life while working full time? Should I just give up?
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Post by illinicheme on May 13, 2011 17:31:36 GMT -5
You're only 26 and you're already ready to give up?
31 may be older than average for some graduate programs, but it is by no means ancient.
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Phoenix84
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Post by Phoenix84 on May 13, 2011 17:33:56 GMT -5
"You're only 26 and you're already ready to give up?"
I wouldn't say I am ready to give up or want to, but I was wondering if I was fooling myself and needed a good reality check (something YM is very good at).
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Tiny
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Post by Tiny on May 13, 2011 17:42:40 GMT -5
I went back to night school to get my BS when I was 28. I took two classes at a time and typically spent about 6 hours in the classroom and then another 10 - 14 hours doing homework/projects each week. I was also working full time (which required overtime) in the same field as the BS (I get paid to think - well, mostly ![:))](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/cheesy.png) I think it took me 3 years and 1/2 years or so - I know I had some class scheduling issues so there were some quarters when I only took 1 course. I was exhausted by the time I was done. I know lots of people who have gone back to school (usually night school) to complete a BS or a Masters. Some were even older than 30 and some ::the horror:: even had kids when they started back to night school So, you've been out of school for awhile - it shouldn't be a problem - if you had good school/study habits back when you full time it will be a breeze. If you didn't have good school/study habits it will be alittle harder but you'll be fine. ADDED: I'm 47 and if I wanted to truly further my career - one of the things I could do would be to go back and get a Masters and assorted certifications. If I was motivated to this, I would, but I'm not. I wouldn't feel "old" or "out of place" if I went back to school. I work with lots of youngun' - you guys are generally amusing and fun to hang around with ![8-)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/cool.png)
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busymom
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Post by busymom on May 13, 2011 17:45:23 GMT -5
It's definitely not too late for you phenoix. Go for it! ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png)
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achelois
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Post by achelois on May 13, 2011 17:47:15 GMT -5
I STARTED college at 30 for an AD!
I finished my BSN at 39. Finished my masters at 41.
Yes I had two kids when I did it. Yes i worked fulltime I was "old". So what!
Stop already and just do it.
(I take part of that back a little. From 39 to 41, I was in anesthesia school and only worked 24 hrs a week).
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sil
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Post by sil on May 13, 2011 17:52:46 GMT -5
What's the average age of students at the grad schools you are looking at? The average age in my MBA program was 28 when I was in and my school was looking to change admittance requirements to give students with more experience higher preference. I was 25 when I graduated, and I had a heck of a time finding a company that wanted to pay an MBA-level wage to someone with only internships on her resume. In the end, it worked out but I think many grad school graduates have a hard time finding a good job if their experience isnt as impressive as their education. However, I do understand that the rules might be different for Sciences. I think you are only too old to go to grad school if you cannot pay off the loans in your remaining working life. So if you cannot pay off the student loans in 30+ years, then you shouldn't go ![;)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/wink.png)
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Phoenix84
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Post by Phoenix84 on May 13, 2011 17:53:35 GMT -5
"I went back to night school to get my BS when I was 28. I took two classes at a time and typically spent about 6 hours in the classroom and then another 10 - 14 hours doing homework/projects each week. I was also working full time (which required overtime) in the same field as the BS (I get paid to think - well, mostly ) I think it took me 3 years and 1/2 years or so - I know I had some class scheduling issues so there were some quarters when I only took 1 course. I was exhausted by the time I was done."
That's impressive to do a B.S part time in 3 and 1/2 years. Your schedule sounds similar to what mine will be. If I can manage to take courses over the summer (I'm able, but depends if Colorado State offers summer classes or not).
As for my study habbits, I may be a bit rusty on the more "obscure" parts like calculus. But I work in the field I want to get a masters in so my practical knowledge should be good, better than someone going into the program hot of the heels of a B.S.
I'm also hopeful a couple of my classes I took prevviously (radiation biology and nuclear physics) will transfer.
"I think you are only too old to go to grad school if you cannot pay off the loans in your remaining working life. So if you cannot pay off the student loans in 30+ years, then you shouldn't go"
I don't think that will be a problem. It's a state school and I think I should wait until I qualify for in state tuition. I plan on taking 1-2 classes at a time and paying as I go. Maybe I can get my employer (the government) to pay for it, but since it's not "needed" to do my job I don't know how sucessful I'll be. But there's also a program where if you commit to civil service for a certain amount of time they'll pay off your student loans. Since I plan on working for the government anyway, that shouldn't be a problem.
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Sum Dum Gai
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Post by Sum Dum Gai on May 13, 2011 18:00:57 GMT -5
You aren't ancient for a masters program. Like somebody else already said, sometimes it's better to have some experience before you get one. Coming out of school with too much degree and no experience to back it up can be a problem. You're right in the sweet spot.
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phil5185
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Post by phil5185 on May 13, 2011 18:02:41 GMT -5
After that it could take me three years to graduate, and I’d be 31. That’s ANCIENT How old will you be in 5 years if you don't go back to school?
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midjd
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Post by midjd on May 13, 2011 18:13:22 GMT -5
Good point, Phil!
Phoenix, DH is 27 and just finished his first semester of CC - he will be almost 29 when he graduates. My boss graduated law school at age 38. You are nowhere NEAR ancient. Go for it if it's what you want!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 13, 2011 18:19:20 GMT -5
I started my M.A. program when I was 28. I wasn't working full-time, but I had small children who required daycare. So I worked a couple of times a week and went to school the other days.
They weren't that much older when I started a PhD program. Most of the people in the program were my age (30s), but many of my friends were in their forties or even early fifties.
I got a second master's (MLIS) in my 50s. Yes, everyone was at least 10-15 years younger than i was. But I still made the A's (and the scholarships) because I am rather driven at times. The brain cells somehow had managed to survive. I remember that my GRE scores (780 verbal) were over 20 years old; I offered to spot the Grad School 50 points if they wouldn't make me retake it. They didn't take me up on it so I took it and "only" made a 770. (We won't discuss the drop in math, but I still came out ahead of the 50 point spot when you include logic).
My point is that you don't get suddenly dumb when you get older. You lose a little of the stuff you don't use, but my students are impressed every day at what I do remember from what they study.
Plus Phil is right (as he often is). How old will you be if you don't go?
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Martivir
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Post by Martivir on May 13, 2011 18:23:57 GMT -5
DH is currently waiting to hear back about his grad school application. Should get something by next week. But he's going to be 29 next week. I was twelve when my dad graduated with his BA in Liberal Arts and remember my mom taping flash cards up around the house while she was taking classes. That's how I learned that Differential Equations is better than a sleeping pill for me.
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Clifford
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Post by Clifford on May 13, 2011 18:38:45 GMT -5
I went to night school for my MBA while working full time. We had our first child 4 months before graduation. I can tell you that as a sightly older student, I ran circles around the kids that didn't "need" the degree like I thought I did. Go back and remember why you are there. You'll clobber the youngin's.
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msgumby
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Post by msgumby on May 13, 2011 18:48:44 GMT -5
A friend of mine in grad school started a PhD program at age 55 - after an early retirement. He got accepted to top notch universities (Stanford, MIT, U. Mich, and a few others) and got an NSF fellowship to go with it. He started grad school in his 20s, but got a great job during grad school and never finished. He always regretted not getting his PhD, so he decided to retire early (has plenty of savings) and finally get his degree. He moved cross-country (with his wife) and moved into a graduate student apartment building on campus. He will be graduating in about 1 year at around 62. I have no idea if he wants to work after finishing or just be retired, but you could be a lot older when you do this.
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Post by ty on May 13, 2011 18:51:42 GMT -5
I want to go to graduate school and get my masters degree in health physics. Since I’ve gotten my B.S (in physics) in 2007 I’ve been moving around a lot and taking new and better government jobs. While I’ve increased my salary by over 100% from when I started in 2007, I haven’t been anywhere long enough to complete my graduate school. I’ve started graduate school (been accepted and started classes) three times, but a better job offer always comes up. Anyway, I think I’ve finally gotten to a point where the promotions won’t happen as fast. I’m in an area with a good health physics program. The only problem is it’s been so long since I’ve been a student full time. I’m 26 now, but after waiting 12 months to qualify for in state tuition and then waiting until the next full semester (another 6 months) I won’t be able to start until fall of 2012. After that it could take me three years to graduate, and I’d be 31. That’s ANCIENT to be graduating from graduate school. It’s worrying me that I might be too old by then. Did you or anyone you know go back to school later in life while working full time? Should I just give up? There is nothing wrong with graduating at the age of 31. when an old person in their 80's go back just to get a high-school degree, then you should be able to go back and get one of your own. Brava to you for wanting to further your education. ![;)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/wink.png)
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Post by debtheaven on May 13, 2011 19:04:11 GMT -5
I have a few questions that are related: 1) Might your employer pay for all or part of this degree? 2) If you don't want to wait 18 months, are the "out of state costs" prohibitive, or could you afford them? It sounds like you are eager to get going and frustrated at having to wait 18 months (which I can totally understand, if I wanted to do it, I'd be impatient too at having to wait 18 months.) 3) Could you just do a couple of courses in the meantime before "stepping it up" later once the you're eligible for the cheaper tuition? Or is it forever "too late" once you start at the higher, out of state fees? (I really don't know how that works.) 4) Definitely look into transferring those credits, hopefully at least some will transfer. I think you should definitely go for it, and ideally, not wait 18 months to get started. But as my questions show, I really don't know how the in-state / out of state system works. If my memory is correct, Firebird went to the west coast planning to live with family for a year to become eligible for in-state tuition, then ended up deciding to pay out-of-state tuition to start sooner. And now she's done! Like Phil wisely says, that time will go by anyway. I'd DEFINITELY go for it, one way or another. Your Masters degree will be forever in your brain. ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png)
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Post by debtheaven on May 13, 2011 19:13:51 GMT -5
An anecdote: my divorce lawyer, who is our pediatrician's wife, graduated law school when she was about 42. She's about 58 now, I think.
She got an extra round of applause when she graduated, because she graduated in the same class, from the same school, as their daughter, who was about 23.
I won't spout any cliches about how "it's never too late", because frankly, sometimes it is LOL. But not in your case, for sure!
Find the best way to do it, juggling the time and the money parts of the equation, but definitely, go for it!
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Firebird
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Post by Firebird on May 13, 2011 19:27:12 GMT -5
2) If you don't want to wait 18 months, are the "out of state costs" prohibitive, or could you afford them? It sounds like you are eager to get going and frustrated at having to wait 18 months (which I can totally understand, if I wanted to do it, I'd be impatient too at having to wait 18 months.)
I feel your pain. Originally my plan was to move to Arizona and work for a year to establish residency, then go back to school. Pretty much the second the plane landed, I ruled out that idea. I wanted to do what I'd come there to do.
I ate the out-of-state tuition costs and finished in a year. I'm not the least bit sorry - it's given me almost an extra year here at this current job, and I was able to get my life going again that much faster.
This was undergrad, though.
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Phoenix84
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Post by Phoenix84 on May 13, 2011 20:02:43 GMT -5
"1) Might your employer pay for all or part of this degree?"
As I said in a previous post, maybe. It's not required for my current job, but it is in the same field. It's also very useful training for my professional certification. On the other hand, funding in the government will likely dry up in the next several years, and tuition reimbursements are among the first things to go. In short, I don't know, but it's possible. There's also a program where my employer will pay off my student loans in exchange for so many years of service.
"2) If you don't want to wait 18 months, are the "out of state costs" prohibitive, or could you afford them? It sounds like you are eager to get going and frustrated at having to wait 18 months (which I can totally understand, if I wanted to do it, I'd be impatient too at having to wait 18 months.)"
Tuition is $1239.00 for one course (three credits) with in state tuition, and $3170.25 for one course with out of state tution. I could start paying out of state tuition until my 12 months are up (March 2012) and then I'd become an in state student the following term (Summer or fall). So it's either pay an extra $1931.25 to start this winter, or wait and pay less to start in the fall. One thing I may research though is if they offer summer school. I WOULD qualify for summer school if they offer it, but I'd have to be accepted in the previous term, as this program doesn't accept applications for the summer semesters.
") Could you just do a couple of courses in the meantime before "stepping it up" later once the you're eligible for the cheaper tuition?"
yes, see above.
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Phoenix84
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Post by Phoenix84 on May 13, 2011 20:06:58 GMT -5
"How old will you be in 5 years if you don't go back to school?" You make a good point Phil, the time will pass wheather I'm in school or not, assuming of course I don't get hit by a bus or something. The thing that really made me feel this way was today at work. One of my duties is to administer the dosimetry program to the various research projects for my agency. To do this I see everyone's birthday, SSN, ect. We have a local university who does research in collaberation with my agency, and most of them are graduate students. They were all born 4-5 years before me. Just made me feel old and washed up for not getting my masters done ![>:(](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/angry.png) , and having to wait 18 months for in state tution just was a rubbing salt in it. I do feel better about it now though. It just seems I"m stuck either paying more to start sooner or waiting and paying less. Decisions decisions......
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Post by debtheaven on May 13, 2011 20:07:35 GMT -5
I could start paying out of state tuition until my 12 months are up (March 2012) and then I'd become an in state student the following term (Summer or fall).
Phenoix, I don't know your budget, but if I could swing it this way, that's what I would do. You're visibly eager to get started, so I would prefer to pay more, if I could afford it of course, and start sooner rather than later.
But you would need to see what would and wouldn't transfer before you sign up for any more courses, I would think.
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Post by debtheaven on May 13, 2011 20:12:54 GMT -5
I do feel better about it now though. It just seems I"m stuck either paying more to start sooner or waiting and paying less. Decisions decisions......
I'm glad you're feeling better! ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png) It always boils down to the same thing. Time is money, and money is time. Again, I don't know your finances nor your current living situation. How about taking even just one course for now, if two is a financial hardship because of the out-of-state fees? At least you'll have started, I'm guessing you will feel great satisfaction from that. ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png)
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kadee79
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Post by kadee79 on May 13, 2011 20:20:34 GMT -5
My son is over 40 and now going to school + a full time job + 2 active children who need to go to different events on weekends.
I just recently completed a Master Gardener's course that is offered by our county extension service....we got college lectures as our classes. They kept telling us we learned these things in high school biology class.....maybe, that was 50 yrs. ago! I don't think I remember it now!
But to answer your question....when you get too old to learn...you had better just lay down & die! You won't be any good to anyone any longer! Life should be a continuing education! And my old siggy line is...."If I learned something today, they day wasn't a waste!"
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Post by debtheaven on May 13, 2011 20:23:40 GMT -5
But to answer your question....when you get too old to learn...you had better just lay down & die!
This!
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lurkyloo
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Post by lurkyloo on May 13, 2011 20:39:27 GMT -5
DH started undergrad at 17 and finished his PhD a couple months shy of 31.
A friend's mother went back to law school after bearing and fully or partially raising 5 kids (I think the youngest 3 were still at home). She must've been mid-to-late 40s at least by the time she finished.
My BFF's father went back to school and finished his undergrad degree....mmm, not sure when but he was definitely over 50.
As others have noted, you're going to be 31 at some point anyway...
Finally, one new thing to consider: I'm not sure what state you're in, but CA is actively recruiting out-of-state students over in-state students because the budget is in such a mess that they need the money from the increased tuition. Dunno what it looks like in your state, but it might well be easier to get in as an out-of-state student (maybe part-time or on a reduced # of classes basis) and change your status to in-state once you qualify. I don't imagine they'd throw you out once in.
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formerexpat
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Post by formerexpat on May 13, 2011 21:44:13 GMT -5
Not sure about your industry but 26/7 would be pretty young for a masters. It likely wouldn't benefit you much in my industry.
In your 30's is much better to get your masters in my field since you've got some business knowledge to apply what you learn. Otherwise, you're an ivory tower thinking with no real experience.
I'm going to start my MBA in the next couple years, at 31 or 32. I'm SO happy that I stopped when I was 25. I was WAY too young and it wouldn't have benefited me nearly as much as it will now that I understand the business better.
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IPAfan
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Post by IPAfan on May 13, 2011 22:44:35 GMT -5
I finished my law degree about 2 years ago. DW has a liberal arts degree from undergrad. We've got three young kids, but she's thinking of going to law school now. (Even after watching me go through it.) There goes any extra income I was looking at, but I'm sure it will pan out as a long term investment.
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sesfw
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Post by sesfw on May 13, 2011 23:04:12 GMT -5
I STARTED college at age 50 and now have an AASE (Assoc of Applied Science in Electronics). I was going on 52 when I graduated and got a job to support myself.
Don't ever think you are too old. Like a prior poster said, how old will you be in five years if you don't go back to school?
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steph08
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Post by steph08 on May 14, 2011 9:23:29 GMT -5
My husband is going back for his bachelor's and he will be 33 when he graduates. So I highly doubt that 31 is super old for a graduate degree.
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