- #1
CaptainHindsight
- 3
- 2
Hello All! I wanted to reach out for perspectives and advice on this "old-timer" wanting to do physics. At one point I was on that track, but quickly stumbled and lost my way for personal reasons.
Now, I'm 35 years old and want to finally pursue a lifelong goal of a PhD in physics. My age at application would be around 38. I'm in a good situation personally to pursue this goal. My wife is supportive of me, and we are in a good enough financial situation that I can do it (provided I have some sort of TA/RA-ship). The main constraint is that I'm limited to programs where her next role is located. From my point of view, possibly naïve, I think it would be better go to a larger physics program to have access to a broader array of potential advisors to improve to my odds of finding a really good fit for an advisor and topic. However, its likely that such programs in our new location would be ranked in the top 30-- on the level of UM-Twin Cities. I'm wondering how significant my age and circumstance would act against me in getting into such a program (or even if I should be looking at such programs).
I think I have enough math chops to make the cut, having a masters in math from a (USA) top 20 math program. As for the physics side, I intend to be pursuing either a masters in physics if available or taking courses (to develop recommendations) and preparing for the physics GRE. All that aside, my main concern is my age. How big of an issue is that?
My goals for the PhD are earnest but modest. I truly feel that I can't live a good life without contemplating "the nature of nature." Of course, you can kind of do this "on your own," but the PhD is, for me, to push myself to the max in that respect. After the PhD I'd ideally find work related to physics, but I'd be content working a quiet non-physics job (a realistic scenario given my current job and credentials) and spending my free time doing physics in a vibrant physics community. In terms of topics I'd skew more theoretical (foundational), but physics is so big I can't say too much more. Frankly, I'd probably be persuaded into almost any topic so long as I got along with the researcher and they had a philosophical bent to them.
Any thoughts?
Now, I'm 35 years old and want to finally pursue a lifelong goal of a PhD in physics. My age at application would be around 38. I'm in a good situation personally to pursue this goal. My wife is supportive of me, and we are in a good enough financial situation that I can do it (provided I have some sort of TA/RA-ship). The main constraint is that I'm limited to programs where her next role is located. From my point of view, possibly naïve, I think it would be better go to a larger physics program to have access to a broader array of potential advisors to improve to my odds of finding a really good fit for an advisor and topic. However, its likely that such programs in our new location would be ranked in the top 30-- on the level of UM-Twin Cities. I'm wondering how significant my age and circumstance would act against me in getting into such a program (or even if I should be looking at such programs).
I think I have enough math chops to make the cut, having a masters in math from a (USA) top 20 math program. As for the physics side, I intend to be pursuing either a masters in physics if available or taking courses (to develop recommendations) and preparing for the physics GRE. All that aside, my main concern is my age. How big of an issue is that?
My goals for the PhD are earnest but modest. I truly feel that I can't live a good life without contemplating "the nature of nature." Of course, you can kind of do this "on your own," but the PhD is, for me, to push myself to the max in that respect. After the PhD I'd ideally find work related to physics, but I'd be content working a quiet non-physics job (a realistic scenario given my current job and credentials) and spending my free time doing physics in a vibrant physics community. In terms of topics I'd skew more theoretical (foundational), but physics is so big I can't say too much more. Frankly, I'd probably be persuaded into almost any topic so long as I got along with the researcher and they had a philosophical bent to them.
Any thoughts?