Correlation between School Reputation and Age

In summary, the conversation is discussing the presence of older graduate students at prestigious institutions. The group agrees that there are not many graduate schools anywhere that have a high proportion of older students, with most graduate students being in their early 20s. It is suggested that this may be due to various factors such as the length of time it takes to complete undergraduate and graduate studies, the importance of recommendation letters in the application process, and the preferences of older students for certain types of research projects. However, this is all speculation without any solid data to support it.
  • #1
tenparsecs
42
0
I've been looking at some of the more prestigious graduate programs in physics and I've noticed in photographs that all of the grad students look very young. On the Princeton website, I couldn't spot one that looked over 25.

Is it fair to say that more prestigious institutions tend to avoid older students in their grad programs?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
There aren't a lot of graduate schools *anywhere* that are filled with students in their 40's, or even 30's. The vast majority of graduate students are in their early 20's.

EDIT: Well, they *start* in their early 20's... :-)
 
  • #3
TMFKAN64 said:
There aren't a lot of graduate schools *anywhere* that are filled with students in their 40's, or even 30's.

But we're not talking about "filled"... we're talking about the presence of a few.
 
  • #4
Well normally, a person completes his Bachelor in like 4 years in America/Canada? Then grad school is like another 4 years?

Assuming the person enters first-year undergrad at 18, he would have graduated at like 26 par say?
 
  • #5
gretun said:
Well normally, a person completes his Bachelor in like 4 years in America/Canada? Then grad school is like another 4 years?

Assuming the person enters first-year undergrad at 18, he would have graduated at like 26 par say?

Sure, a lot of students follow that path. But that's not related to my topic.
 
  • #6
tenparsecs said:
Sure, a lot of students follow that path. But that's not related to my topic.

You said couldn't spot one over 26, and given that, most people that follow that path graduate at around 25. So didn't it answered part of your question? As for your other question about age rejection, I think that is totally false.

That's almost like saying "because you are a woman, you cannot get into grad school".
 
  • #7
gretun said:
You said couldn't spot one over 26, and given that, most people that follow that path graduate at around 25. So didn't it answered part of your question? As for your other question about age rejection, I think that is totally false.

That's almost like saying "because you are a woman, you cannot get into grad school".

I said I couldn't spot one over 25 at Princeton. I can spot a few in their 30's and later at other less reputable schools. My question was simply, "Do more selective schools tend to avoid older individuals more so than less selective schools?"
 
  • #8
tenparsecs said:
I said I couldn't spot one over 25 at Princeton. I can spot a few in their 30's and later at other less reputable schools. My question was simply, "Do more selective schools tend to avoid older individuals more so than less selective schools?"

The 'good' schools that I have experience with certainly wouldn't avoid older individuals. It's about the best candidate for the research project. Post-graduate work is of finite time, so I don't see why universities would necessarily benefit from choosing younger students. In some areas that I have a bit of experience with, being older and having a bit of work experience is actually an advantage.

That all said, it might be something that just depends on the type of research you're looking at. It's possible that certain things 'appeal' less to older individuals. People that might have completed their undergraduate years ago might not feel comfortable enough with particular research projects from lack of practice or what-have-you. Fields that cross-over with engineering I feel lend themselves to recruiting more experienced individuals.
 
  • #9
How can you tell from a photograph if someone is over or under twenty five?

Or could it be that older graduate students have more important things to do than posing for photographs (like finishing a thesis for example)?

I don't think there's much point in debating this unless someone has some solid data.
 
  • #10
If and when I start graduate school, I'll be in my late twenties.
 
  • #11
My hypothesis would be that older students applying to graduate programs will tend to have weaker letters of recommendation, since their professors will not remember them as well. Or, letters will come from their boss, or something like that. In either case, this will put them at a disadvantage in the application process. Since letters of recommendation are extremely important in the application process, this would probably make it very difficult for older students to be accepted to 'top' schools.
 
  • #12
Or, it could be that older students are less brainwashed into thinking "highly ranked" schools are much better...?

I agree that we are speculating on a question with no real data.
 
  • #13
Sankaku said:
I agree that we are speculating on a question with no real data.

Nothing wrong with that as long as you're honest about your lack of data.
 
  • #14
tenparsecs said:
Nothing wrong with that as long as you're honest about your lack of data.

And there's nothing wrong with speculation. Data corroborates inductive reasoning and intuition or it doesn't.
 
  • #15
Shackleford said:
And there's nothing wrong with speculation. Data corroborates inductive reasoning and intuition or it doesn't.

Yeah, that's what I said..."there's nothing wrong with speculation"
 
  • #16
tenparsecs said:
Yeah, that's what I said..."there's nothing wrong with speculation"

In my rapid reading, I thought you were saying it's okay to have a lack of data.
 
  • #17
Just to throw more ideas out there, these older students could be making more practical decisions, have family responsibilities, or less geographical flexibility. Or maybe older students prefer to attend places where they will find a higher proportion of older students.
 
  • #18
tenparsecs said:
Yeah, that's what I said..."there's nothing wrong with speculation"

Except that here we are speculating about the data, and speculating about an explanation for this "data". This seems to me overly speculative.

What data do we have? - one set of pictures at one universities, and one person's opinion of student's ages based on this. Does it make sense to come up with elaborate theories complete with suggestions and innuendo about discrimination based on this?
 
  • #19
Vanadium 50 said:
Except that here we are speculating about the data, and speculating about an explanation for this "data". This seems to me overly speculative.

What data do we have? - one set of pictures at one universities, and one person's opinion of student's ages based on this. Does it make sense to come up with elaborate theories complete with suggestions and innuendo about discrimination based on this?

Yes.
 
  • #20
Mathnomalous said:
Just to throw more ideas out there, these older students could be making more practical decisions, have family responsibilities, or less geographical flexibility. Or maybe older students prefer to attend places where they will find a higher proportion of older students.

A very good point.
 
  • #21
tenparsecs said:
Yes.

Please see the PF Rules on Overly Speculative Posts. I admit, usually this is applied in a different situation, but this is clearly speculation piled on speculation. If someone would like to start a new thread based on facts, that would be appropriate.
 

1. What is the correlation between school reputation and age?

The correlation between school reputation and age refers to the relationship between the perceived quality or prestige of a school and the age of its students. This can be measured through various factors such as academic rankings, student performance, and alumni success.

2. Is there a direct relationship between school reputation and age?

While there may be a general trend of older students attending more reputable schools, there is not always a direct relationship. Factors such as location, socio-economic status, and personal preferences can also play a role in a student's choice of school.

3. Can age affect a school's reputation?

Yes, age can affect a school's reputation in various ways. For example, a school with a long history and tradition may be perceived as more reputable, while a newer school may still be establishing itself. Additionally, the age range of students at a school can also impact its reputation.

4. How does school reputation impact students of different ages?

School reputation can impact students of different ages in different ways. Older students may be more influenced by a school's reputation when making decisions about higher education, while younger students may be more influenced by their family's perceptions or a school's reputation in their local community.

5. Can a school's reputation improve or decline with age?

Yes, a school's reputation can change with age. It can improve through consistent academic success, strong alumni networks, and positive public perception. On the other hand, a school's reputation can decline if it faces financial or academic challenges, negative media attention, or a decrease in the quality of education.

Similar threads

  • STEM Academic Advising
Replies
22
Views
1K
Replies
8
Views
1K
  • STEM Academic Advising
Replies
3
Views
804
  • STEM Academic Advising
Replies
7
Views
936
Replies
8
Views
1K
  • STEM Academic Advising
Replies
4
Views
666
Replies
15
Views
1K
Replies
23
Views
630
  • STEM Academic Advising
Replies
15
Views
2K
  • STEM Academic Advising
Replies
4
Views
2K
Back
Top