Am I Too Old to Get a Ph.D.?

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Earning a Ph.D. demands a lot of time and effort. If you’re thinking about going back to school to earn your doctorate degree, you should consider just how much of your life it will take. Can you go back to school later and earn a Ph.D.?

Am I too old to get a Ph.D.? No. You’re never too old to learn and earn a degree. A Ph.D. can take anywhere from six to twelve years to earn, depending on your area of study and if you need to earn a bachelor’s degree. You might decide you’re too old to begin even if you’re still young.

This article will explain how to get a Ph.D. It will also discuss all the reasons you should and shouldn’t earn a Ph.D., and how old is too old to start the process of earning one.

How to Get a PhD

Earning a doctorate degree can take as little as six years and as long as 12 years. How long it will take depends on your area of study and whether you’re a full-time or part-time student. Here are the steps you need to take to earn this degree.

Earn a bachelor’s degree. This will take about four years.
Take entrance exams for graduate school. This will include the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) and possibly some other exams, depending on your state and school.
Apply to graduate school for either a master’s degree or Ph.D. You might not need a master’s degree to begin pursuing your Ph.D. This will depend on your university’s requirements and what you’re studying. Ph.D. applications often require undergraduate and graduate transcripts, GRE/GMAT scores, CV or resume, statement of purpose, and letters of recommendation.
Complete Ph.D. coursework. Your first few years will feel like undergraduate studies but with more complex topics. A master’s degree might allow you to skip this coursework.
Choose your dissertation topic and start researching. This is what a majority of your Ph.D. work is going toward.
Defend and publish your dissertation. You will have to defend your research and findings to a board of professors. You must do this to earn your degree. You’ll be awarded your Ph.D. after successfully defending your dissertation.

Why Should I Earn a Ph.D.?

What are your reasons for possibly pursuing a doctorate degree?

Here are some reasons why you should.

You Love Your Subject

If you know exactly what you want to study and you love the topic, a Ph.D. is probably for you. You will spend many hours learning about your chosen subject and researching for your dissertation. Many Ph.D. students teach university courses part-time, so when you aren’t researching, you’ll most likely be teaching about that subject.

A Ph.D. program can take up to ten years, which is ten years of devotion to one subject. If you can see yourself happily doing this, then you should probably do it.

You Want a Top-Level Job

A doctorate degree is the highest degree you can achieve. If you have one, that means you’re the professional in the subject, so you’ll be qualified for positions at the top.

A top-level position could mean many things: a great salary, respect from co-workers, or a direct impact on decisions that are made within the company or the entire industry. You’ll have some authority in your position because very few people earn a Ph.D.

You Enjoy Education

Only those who enjoy spending their time researching and learning will be able to complete their Ph.D. program. If you enjoyed school as a kid, enjoyed your university classes, and even enjoyed obtaining a master’s degree, then the process of earning a Ph.D. will be no different.

You Want to Improve Yourself

You might think this isn’t a valid reason, but it is. Earning a Ph.D. is a very personal endeavor; it doesn’t enrich anyone’s life but yours. If you want to become a better researcher, problem-solver, or critical thinker, earn a Ph.D.

After countless hours of researching, you’ll learn how to solve problems in new ways, become a master in your field, and you might even improve basic skills like communicating and focusing, both of which are important in any career.

Why Should I Not Earn a Ph.D.?

A quick search online will reveal that many people advocate against earning a Ph.D., especially if you’re going to be an older student. There are many valid concerns about choosing to pursue it later in life that should be considered.

It Takes More Time Than You Think

The biggest cautionary tale online is how long it takes to earn the degree. If a student goes straight from high school to university, then pursues their doctorate degree, they won’t get that degree until they’re in their thirties. Everyone else their age will most likely be established in a career with a steady paycheck, and might even be moving their way up in the company.

As an older student, consider your timeline. Do you need to earn a bachelor’s degree? After being awarded a Ph.D., how many working years will you have left? By the time you earn your degree, your friends and co-workers might already be considering retiring.

Your field might require a longer time studying, too. Studies show that students in the humanities and social sciences often require more than ten years to complete their degree.

It’s Expensive and Hard to Find Jobs

Many Ph.D. students must go into debt to earn their degrees. On top of that worry, many students struggle financially while earning their degree, and sometimes even afterward when they’re looking for a steady teaching job. Some Ph.D. graduates have to receive food stamps because of debt and unstable work.

Another downside is that colleges don’t tenure professors like they used to. They would rather have part-time professors that don’t receive health benefits or retirement plans. Finding a job can be challenging because colleges only want part-time professors, and jobs outside of colleges are next to nonexistent in some fields like the humanities and sciences.

It’s Time Away From Family

If you have children or grandchildren, a spouse or partner, or parents that require care, earning a Ph.D. will be difficult. You will have to spend many hours studying and researching. Plus, you will probably also have a teaching job to keep up with, as well.

Am I Too Old?

Now that you have looked at what you have to do to earn the degree and all the reasons you should or shouldn’t, you have to ask the question: am I too old?

No, you’re not too old. Universities won’t turn you down because of your age.

The answer is up to you, though, because it’s a personal question that will vary from person to person. Do you still have the energy to put in the work? Do you have the time to spend ten years studying, and time to work enough to see decent pay afterward, so all the hard work will be worth it? You can be in your thirties and decide you’re too old while someone in their fifties decides it’s worth the effort.

Conclusion

Obtaining a Ph.D. is a long and difficult journey. You need to know what you want to study from the beginning and be certain that you will see it to the end. If you love to learn and want to dedicate your life to a certain subject, then earning a doctorate degree might be the right choice for you.