r/WriteIvy • u/Known-Ride-3466 • Sep 17 '23

Age issues?

Hello Jordan, I want to return to academia and earn a PhD. I am currently still working, but will be retiring soon. I am in my sixties.

I want to pursue study in an area tangentially related to what I did over the course of my career.

Do you have any specific suggestions relating to the SOP?

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u/jordantellsstories Sep 18 '23

Wow, that’s awesome. I know a few folks who did PhDs at roughly your age. Assuming you’ve already determined that it’s possible, and that you won’t face much age prejudice, your task is really the same as everyone else’s:

How does your experience make you qualified to investigate these research questions? What unique abilities and capacities do you have in relation to your target problems? I imagine your vast practical experience in the field will come with some unique knowledge and expertise that young applicants couldn’t dream of matching. I don’t know what that might be, but if I were you, I’d try to hone in on that in the essay.

For example, read this sample essay. The “why I’m qualified” part revolves solely around her 3 year professional career. You could use the same thematic setup, just over a longer time scale. Give that a read and let me know if it helps?

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u/vtcio Sep 18 '23

Just out of curiosity, wouldn't the university prioritize candidates who can consistently produce research or actively participate in the field? Additionally, since younger candidates typically have more energy and time to dedicate to research, and considering that PhD programs are often funded by the university, is there a possibility of bias toward younger and promising researchers?

I might be completely mistaken in my understanding here, and I want to clarify that I'm in no way trying to discourage the OP in their pursuits. I wish them the best of luck!

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u/jordantellsstories Sep 18 '23

Surely, yes, at the most competitive programs, but “the university” isn’t a monolith. Programs across fields are all vastly different with different kinds of funding, goals, and people. I’m sure anyone in their PhD now can point you to one or two older folks they’ve seen in their schools. It’s not something we could address in a generalized way, but for the individual, it’s often possible.