How old is "too old" to go to grad school?

[merithyn]

This topic has come up for me recently.

The arguments I've heard for "It's never too late!" include:

• If it's something you really want, then go for it, age bedamned!
• There should be no limit to learning.
• You don't know how long you have left to work, so you may as well beef up your resume just in case

The arguments I've heard for not going past a certain age include:

• Poor return on investment when you only have a set number of years left to work
• You would be taking the space of a younger person who would be able to better put it to use
• Waste of time and money that you could be spending traveling or with your family
• If you take time off from work for grad school, it will be harder for you to get a job if you're of a "certain age"

What does the Languish Collective think?

[Valmy]

I presume a Masters right?  Well in two years you are going to be two years older anyway might as well be two years older with a Masters.  The waste of money thing really only applies if you are leaving some well paying career for it, but I got the impression you are an office drone like me.

Wait what degree was the thing with the horribly sexist programming professor from?

[Malthus]

To my mind, if it is something you really want to do, do it. I doubt a good economic argument can be made for it, but that's not really the point.

[Valmy]

To my mind, if it is something you really want to do, do it. I doubt a good economic argument can be made for it, but that's not really the point.

I don't know.  If you are working a $30,000 a year job and a two year degree gets you into a 45,000 or 50,000 one that makes good sense.

[Malthus]

To my mind, if it is something you really want to do, do it. I doubt a good economic argument can be made for it, but that's not really the point.

I don't know.  If you are working a $30,000 a year job and a two year degree gets you into a 45,000 or 50,000 one that makes good sense.

Depends on how old you are, how long you are likely to work, how much grad school costs, and how long it takes to get your degree, and the chances of increasing your earning power by that much.

Either way, though - even if it is a wash, even if you lose money on the deal - you have done something you want to do.

[garbon]

I'm with, Malt. I think there are certainly points where an economic argument will always defeat it - but I guess it depends on what you are expecting your degree to do for you / what you plan to make of the experience while earning it.

[Valmy]

Eh it is just two years and they usually put you to work as a grad student that helps out a lot with the tuition.  I am not saying it will definitely pay off just saying I think there might be a good economic reason for it, lots of people get Masters degrees in their 40s and 50s these days.  I doubt that is because middle aged people are just that much more hungry for enlightenment than they were in the past.

[garbon]

Eh it is just two years and they usually put you to work as a grad student that helps out a lot with the tuition.  I am not saying it will definitely pay off just saying I think there might be a good economic reason for it, lots of people get Masters degrees in their 40s and 50s these days.  I doubt that is because middle aged people are just that much more hungry for enlightenment than they were in the past.

On the flipside - it could smack you down with a lot of debt. For instance, I don't currently see a lot of financial upside in me returning to my alma mater for an MBA - 1) as I don't expect to enjoy it and 2) it only looks like a financially sound decision if someone else pays for it.

[Fate]

I think it depends on how much post graduate education is required. I don't think a 45 year old should be allowed to start medical school given that it'd be 4 years of med school, and then 3-9 years of residency training following that. Half of all qualified 20-something year olds who apply to medical school do not get in. A 20-something would potentially have almost twice as long of a presence in the physician workforce.

[Admiral Yi]

Doctoral program: you're too old.

Non-doctoral program: don't bother.

[crazy canuck]

I dont think age is the issue, except as age relates to the reason one wishes to do it.  For example, my father in law did is Masters degree well after retirement as a matter of personal interest.  So for him age wasnt an issue at all.

But if you are considering doing a masters degree because it will return some economic benefit to you then you need to take a serious look at whether the cost, both actual and opportunity, is worth it.  When making that calculation you should also have an honest assessment of how long it will really take you to finish the work.  There are quite a few grad students who take years to finish what could be completed in a lot less time.

[Valmy]

Eh it is just two years and they usually put you to work as a grad student that helps out a lot with the tuition.  I am not saying it will definitely pay off just saying I think there might be a good economic reason for it, lots of people get Masters degrees in their 40s and 50s these days.  I doubt that is because middle aged people are just that much more hungry for enlightenment than they were in the past.

On the flipside - it could smack you down with a lot of debt. For instance, I don't currently see a lot of financial upside in me returning to my alma mater for an MBA - 1) as I don't expect to enjoy it and 2) it only looks like a financially sound decision if someone else pays for it.

Well obviously the reality of Meri's situation needs to be considered.  I was just challenging the idea that there could not be any economic reasons to do it at an advanced age in general.

[dps]

If you want it, and it won't financially cripple you, go for it.

[Caliga]

*nuclear strike from Ide incoming*

[Iormlund]

If you take time off from work for grad school, it will be harder for you to get a job if you're of a "certain age"

I very briefly considered going back to finish engineering school when I got laid off. I decided it was too big a risk, not only because I'd be close to 40 by then, but mostly because my line of work changes quite fast and a long absence could hurt me a lot in what is by far the most attractive point of my resume: extensive work experience.