Starting a Physics PhD years after undergraduate degree?

[imogg]

I’m graduating with a Physics degree next year but for various reasons I cannot go straight to grad school and get a PhD. I probably won’t be back to school for some time (I’m projecting 10-15 years). Will it be hard to start a Physics PhD after so long? Is there ageism in academia?

Thanks

 

[SteamKing]

You will be surprised at how much of your education you will forget after 6 months if you don't keep applying it.

You don't say what you will be doing during these 10-15 years. This is a long time between bouts of school; who knows what your priorities will be that far into the future? If you acquire a family during that time, at the end of your fallow period, it will be time to plan your children's education rather than extending your own.

 

[mal4mac]

Can you do the PhD part time? Where are you from? It doesn't seem part of US culture!

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=463562

I've known lots of people in the UK do part time PhDs.

http://www.postgraduatesearch.com/phd/physics/uk/part-time/postgraduate-browse.htm