- #1
Eleknar
- 46
- 0
I'm 27 years old and I recently quit my job to go back to school for physics. I just finished up my first semester and I'm about to start the Summer semester (I'm technically a sophomore though, even though I'm just starting, because I do have transfer credits). I have to do a few different math courses before I can begin my first physics course and so I will be taking Physics I during the Spring 2014 semester. My physics advisor and I have estimated that I should pretty easily be prepared to graduate with my B.S. in 2017 or late 2016. Assuming I graduate in 2017 I will be 31 or 32 years old when I obtain my B.S. First question: Will I be "too old" for most grad schools to consider admission? Now let's say that I do get into grad school, no problem, and it takes me 5 years to complete my Ph.D. Upon completion of the Ph.D. program I will be 36 or 37 years old. This is my primary concern. While, in my own mind, at that age I still have at least a good 30 years of working life ahead of me, which I think is pretty good, my concern is that there may be some sort of age bias in the physics community that might prevent me from obtaining employment. I'm afraid that potential employers in the field of physics might think that I am too old to seriously contribute anything to science and, therefore, refuse employment, or that they'd simply prefer to hire "the younger guys/gals." Is this an irrational fear or is there reason for concern? In all honesty, even if all I get out of this is an education in a field that I truly enjoy, I'll be happy. But I really hope to be able to work in the field after graduation.