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Is 32 too old to do a Masters?

I will be 32 next year and just wanted opinions on whether or not I have left it too late. I would love to get my phd eventually but I just wish that I had done these things earlier on in my life and wonder if I am too old to be going down this road. Honest opinions would be appreciated please. :smile:

Reply 1

jayad

4

late in what respect? from a social stand point or an academic one (i.e, its been years since you were last in education)? i don't think any age is late. there is never a deadline for learning and i have heard of people much older than 32 studying, and not even for a PhD but for their first degrees! if it's what you want to do, definitely go for it. age will not hold you back in any way. gd luck.

Reply 2

daniel_williams

15

its never too late to continue with your education, i know someone that took their masters at the age of 53 then went on to compete a PhD, 32 is no age, and seriously you won't be that far off in age from people doing their masters.

Reply 3

username36063

11

32 not at all. a friend of mine didnt go to college to do an HNC til then, she now has a phd.

Academia has no age limits. The only thing is cost i.e. can you afford to give up your job esp with (what looks like) a family. Also are you able to get back in the uni saddle, if the answer to both is YES, then you can do amasters. No worries

Reply 4

Tomber

13

There is a septuagenarian undergraduate student in our archaeology department at the moment. 32 is not too old, the only thing you need to bear in mind as flexiblefish said is your family commitments. If you can manage there, then you're laughing :smile:

Reply 5

username36063

11

Tomber

There is a septuagenarian undergraduate student in our archaeology department at the moment.

Thats not archeology, thats memory! cheat

I wonder if he plans to pay back his student loan?

Reply 6

Tomber

13

flexiblefish

Thats not archeology, thats memory! cheat

I wonder if he plans to pay back his student loan?

Haha, good point. I guess it is one way to avoid paying it back :p:

Reply 7

lifeispie

6

It's never too late, and if you don't do it you'll probably regret not doing for the rest of your life.

Reply 8

username36063

11

Tomber

Haha, good point. I guess it is one way to avoid paying it back :p:

He may not be elligible for student loan, if the govt supported him in a degree previously, he may be paying full fees, no loan.

Reply 9

The Boosh

17

i always find it wierd that people ask if its too old to do postgraduate study on the grounds that most of my postgraduate peers are many years older than me. perhaps it's my field - most people are experienced practioners and now have come to the end of their career and fancy a change, hence they do an msc/phd.

Reply 10

Bismarck

13

tbain

I will be 32 next year and just wanted opinions on whether or not I have left it too late. I would love to get my phd eventually but I just wish that I had done these things earlier on in my life and wonder if I am too old to be going down this road. Honest opinions would be appreciated please. :smile:

The average age for most Masters program I've seen have been in the 27-30 range. So you'd only be slightly older than that.

Reply 11

engkiat

3

I'm 22, and the youngest in my MA program here. The oldest student is 43. I believe experience does help at the Masters level, and family responsibilities aside, I dare say mature students do not lag in terms of energy. :smile:

All the best to you.

Reply 12

Eubacterium

13

tbain

I will be 32 next year and just wanted opinions on whether or not I have left it too late. I would love to get my phd eventually but I just wish that I had done these things earlier on in my life and wonder if I am too old to be going down this road. Honest opinions would be appreciated please. :smile:

No. You're never too old.

Reply 13

Phoenix Wright

8

Never too old. There's some guy whose pushing 70 in one of my classes. Mind you, he doesn't come clubbing with us in Leicester Square but he's doing just fine in the program and no one treats him any differently.

Reply 14

arod

5

I know someone in medicine at Edinburgh who is in his mid 30s...
Age is not a limiting factor...

Reply 15

Eternal Student

6

Quick answer is "no". I started my last one when I was 43. It was aimed at senior public sector managers, so admittedly, that skewed the intake pretty seriously towards what we will euphemistically call "the more mature student", but nonetheless. I don't think that despite our advanced years our physical decrepitude and senility prevented us from a) learning and b) enjoying it.

And now, age 46 (today) I'm doing a PhD. And I have a full time job. And children. And a life. 32 is young!

Reply 16

GraveMentor

If you are doing the Masters on a part-time basis, I suspect someone in their 30s might be the norm rather than the exception.

Reply 17

username36063

11

Eternal Student

Quick answer is "no". I started my last one when I was 43. It was aimed at senior public sector managers, so admittedly, that skewed the intake pretty seriously towards what we will euphemistically call "the more mature student", but nonetheless. I don't think that despite our advanced years our physical decrepitude and senility prevented us from a) learning and b) enjoying it.

And now, age 46 (today) I'm doing a PhD. And I have a full time job. And children. And a life. 32 is young!

I have a new God, not sure about this working lark that people bang on about.

Reply 18

Tomber

13

Eternal Student

Quick answer is "no". I started my last one when I was 43. It was aimed at senior public sector managers, so admittedly, that skewed the intake pretty seriously towards what we will euphemistically call "the more mature student", but nonetheless. I don't think that despite our advanced years our physical decrepitude and senility prevented us from a) learning and b) enjoying it.

And now, age 46 (today) I'm doing a PhD. And I have a full time job. And children. And a life. 32 is young!

Heh, I'm looking at next year, studying an MA in English Local History. I think it's safe to say I'll be the youngest on that by about 40 years :p:

Reply 19

~ Purple Rose ~

19

It's not too late at all. I started mine when I was 21, but was the youngest person on the course, the majority were in their late 20s at least. In fact, my supervisor at my first placement didn't do hers until she was 50.

Is 32 too old to do a Masters?

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