Reply to Pursuing PhD @ 50+

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Most of these responses are looking at it from the student's perspective.  But a PhD is a two-way street.  Taking on a new student is a big commitment for a Professor, both in terms of funding and time.  TBH, they may be reluctant to take on a student who is simply doing the work for personal reward.    [/quote]

This. They will be very reluctant to take on a student who will essentially be a dilettante.[/quote]

Does anyone know of a 50+ PhD who has gotten a tenure-line position in academia? Institutions invest a lot of money in TL faculty, no incentive to invest in an older candidate who will be retirement age if they get through the ~6 year long tenure process. It makes sense that this could be different in industry.[/quote]

I don’t know anyone in the humanities who has obtained a professorship at that age, but this is in DC. What a PP said about more pre-professional fields and less desirable locations could be true though.

I think the biggest hurdle for a 50+ person aspiring to the PhD is gaining admission in the first place. If it’s a larger program that admits self-pay students, maybe, but most programs I’m familiar with take a very small number of students who have serious depth in academic and professional qualifications and who are then funded. In exchange they are expected to TA, which is another skill not everyone has. My colleagues teaching in PhD programs are looking for the whole package. Someone who hasn’t been on the professional track usually finds it difficult if not impossible to be competitive. [/quote]

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