A little over 2 years ago, I switched from a comfortable (albeit boring and quite monotonous) banking job as a risk manager to go back to school for Astronomy and Physics, with the ultimate goal of attaining the Phd. I've been successful in my course work at a large tier 1 state school with a fairly intense physics program, and will have the equivalent of a dual BS degree in astronomy and physics by next May, at which time I will also be 43 years of age. As tough as the adjustment has been (both academically and financially), I actually enjoy the material much more than I thought I would. Though my professors all encourage me to continue on as I had originally planned, I am worried that I won't be able to find suitable work as a freshly minted Phd in about 5 or 6 years, when I will be nearly 50 years old. What do you think- would it be wiser to abort now and work with what I have, or would the Phd track still be reasonable?
I'm interested in programs at U. Washington,
U. Michigan, U. Wisconsin (Madison), U. Minnesota,
and U. Massachusettes (Amherst)
no- no loans whatsoever! "financial adjustment" means that I've lived on graduate stipends for what I've done so far, and would be doing the same thing as a Phd student- I will NOT be going into debt. Either I get support, or I don't do it.