the oldest phd student

How does an 89-year-old man earn a Ph.D from Brown University? 'He perseveres.'

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. — An 89-year-old Rhode Island man has achieved a goal he spent two decades working toward and nearly a lifetime thinking about — earning his Ph.D. and becoming a physicist.

Manfred Steiner recently defended his dissertation successfully at Brown University in Providence. Steiner cherishes this degree because it’s what he always wanted — and because he overcame health problems that could have derailed his studies.

“But I made it, and this was the most gratifying point in my life, to finish it,” he said Wednesday at his home in East Providence.

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As a teenager in Vienna, Steiner was inspired to become a physicist after reading about Albert Einstein and Max Planck. He admired the precision of physics.

But after World War II, his mother and uncle advised him that studying medicine would be a better choice in turbulent times. He earned his medical degree from the University of Vienna in 1955 and moved to the United States just a few weeks later, where he had a successful career studying blood and blood disorders.

Steiner studied hematology at Tufts University and biochemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before becoming a hematologist at Brown University. He became a full professor and led the hematology section of the medical school at Brown from 1985 to 1994.

Steiner helped establish a research program in hematology at the University of North Carolina, which he directed until he retired from medicine in 2000 and returned to Rhode Island.

Steiner and his wife, Sheila, who is 93, have been married since 1960. They have two children and six grandchildren. He’ll celebrate his 90th birthday this month.

Steiner found medical research satisfying, but it wasn’t quite the same as his fascination with physics.

“It was something like a wish that was never fulfilled, that always stuck in the back of my head,” he said. “I always thought, you know, once I’m finished with medicine, I really don’t want to spend my life just sitting around and maybe doing a little golfing or doing something like that. I wanted to keep active.”

At age 70, he started taking undergraduate classes at Brown, one of the Ivy League universities. He was planning to take a few courses that interested him, but by 2007, he accumulated enough credits to enroll in the Ph.D. program.

Physics Professor Brad Marston was skeptical when Steiner entered his quantum mechanics class. Marston had taught graduate students in their 40s, but never in their 70s. Then he realized how serious Steiner was about the subject and how hard he worked.

Marston became Steiner’s adviser for his dissertation.

“He has written many papers in medical science, more papers than I’ve written in physics. He already had a scientific way of thinking that younger students have to develop,” Marston said this week. “And any research problem that’s worth its salt, you’re going to run into roadblocks. If you let obstacles discourage you, you won’t get anywhere. One thing that’s really true about Manfred is he perseveres.”

Steiner defended his dissertation in September after recovering from a serious medical condition.

In his dissertation, he explores how electrons within conducting metals behave quantum mechanically and how fermions can be changed into bosons in their behavior. He is working with Marston on a paper on bosonization that they aim to publish.

Steiner now hopes to help, with their research, professors he befriended during his studies.

“I’m not looking for a paid job. I’m past that,” he said, laughing.

Guinness World Records says a 97-year-old man in Germany in 2008 was the oldest person to earn a doctorate, while news reports describe even older people pursuing such degrees.

Though he’s not the oldest, attention has been intense. Brown University featured Steiner on its website after he earned his Ph.D., and people across the country contacted him to ask for advice on pursuing their dreams later in life. Steiner told a 57-year-old aspiring mathematician, “You’re still a youngster, by all means do math.”

He said his advice is: Do what you love to do.

“Do pursue it because later in life you maybe regret it, that you didn’t do that,” he said. “You wish you could’ve followed this dream.”

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Centenarian Among The Oldest Ever To Earn A Ph.D.

At age 102, Ingeborg Rapoport finally got to defend her doctoral thesis, 77 years after she was prevented from doing so by the Nazis. NPR's Rachel Martin takes note of the milestone.

Copyright © 2015 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

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The World’s Oldest PhD Student Shares Advice

Hijanah Hernandez

• 13 Dec 2020

When faced with old age, there probably aren’t many people who’d consider a PhD being a necessity. This is particularly so in a country like Singapore, where educational achievements are deeply pinned to achieving material progression in life.

But here’s a story of the world’s oldest PhD student. He is so old that he’s lived through the world’s worst times: flying locusts, COVID-19, and before 2020, he lived through war, famine, and poverty, among other things.

The registered record-holder is a 104-year-old who just submitted his PhD thesis, after first embarking on it at the University of Manchester 77 years ago. The secrets that he attributes to his successful educational pursuits are also the same ones that many regard to be the secrets to living long lives. And to a very large extent, it’s no surprise. 

Taking a page out of his book

The exemplary 104-year-old man who submitted his PhD in October this year decided to pursue it even after having a successful lifelong career as an engineer. The man from Medellin, Colombia goes by Lucio Chiquito, and a name that many might find recognisable. Mr Chiquito is the co-founder of Colombia’s largest energy company, and is definitely not a man who needs a PhD. According to Mr Chiquito himself, he’s never once stopped working. 

The vigour-filled man had spent years on his thesis and doctoral studies trying to solve a problem that he’d faced throughout his career as an engineer. While the world crumbled and grew around Mr Chiquito during COVID-19, it was the pandemic that inspired a solution to what he’d been pondering in relation to his work on rivers and streams. 

Mr Chiquito’s nodus was about identifying how water could be most efficiently extracted from a river. He hopes that his PhD work will enable the use of hydroelectric power and irrigation products to contribute to more efficient water usage. 

It’s in purposeful action

When asked how he has lived such a long life, where he remains in good health, Mr Chiquito shared advice that was simple and brimming with heart. “I eat a lot of fruit. I shower with cold water,” he said, smoothing his fingers over a wrinkle-free face in a BBC Reel video . 

Part of his daily routine includes keeping active, and in the morning, walking and stopping by a river to pray and to reflect. When Mr Chiquito isn’t reading, he’s studying or “doing something like it”.

In the video, Mr Chiquito’s granddaughter quotes him imparting knowledge to his great-granddaughter that can only really be learnt over the course of time and wisdom. “Your dreams – you have to work for them, because they don’t come true out of thin air,” he shared. 

Mr Chiquito’s PhD is a labour of love and his life’s work, with a hefty 77 years spent on it. If anything, it goes to show that there’s plenty more to an education than climbing corporate ladders. In this instance, it is testament to how learning, at its heart, is to better the world at large.

Screw PhDs… I’m afraid I’m too old to get a degree

Another man who’s embarked on a path that’s similar to Mr Chiquito’s is Mr Giussepe Paterno, who’s the oldest person to have graduated in Italy, at the age of 96. Mr Paterno enrolled for a degree in History and Philosophy at the University of Palermo when he was 90 years old, in 2014. He graduated with first-class honours in Philosophy.

Unlike many of us, Mr Paterno had not had the privilege of pursuing an education in his youth. He was previously a railroad worker and had faced many tests in his life, from childhood poverty to war. He had received a basic childhood education and then joined the Navy to serve in World War II. After that, he weathered on in a society that was focused on rebuilding after the war, prioritising family-building and working to get by. 

“Knowledge is like a suitcase that I carry with me, it is a treasure,” Mr Paterno said. 

His desire for knowledge was never extinguished, despite the hardships he faced. According to him, he had never been tempted by the parties of his classmates, aged just above 20 – though we don’t know how much of a part his age had to play with that. 

Be strong, be brave, be persistent, and do your thing

You don’t need to be young or spry to change the world. Hell, you don’t even need a PhD. Mr Giuessepe Paterno and Mr Lucio Chiquito’s lives tell us that no moment in life is too late to reach for our goals, as long as your passion burns on. With the internet making it easier for us all to be pioneers of digital change, there are ways other than academia for younger generations to make an actionable impact, and they all serve various functions. 

As a great man called Socrates once said, “the secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new”. And it’s not the ancient Greek philosopher I’m quoting, but a character from  Way of the the Peaceful Warrior.

Join the conversations on THG’s  Facebook  and  Instagram , and get the latest updates via  Telegram .  

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November 11, 2021

Man earns Ph.D., fulfills dream of being physicist—at 89

by Jennifer McDermott

An 89-year-old Rhode Island man has achieved a goal he spent two decades working toward and nearly a lifetime thinking about—earning his Ph.D. and becoming a physicist.

Manfred Steiner recently defended his dissertation successfully at Brown University in Providence. Steiner cherishes this degree because it's what he always wanted—and because he overcame health problems that could have derailed his studies.

"But I made it, and this was the most gratifying point in my life, to finish it," he said Wednesday at his home in East Providence.

As a teenager in Vienna, Steiner was inspired to become a physicist after reading about Albert Einstein and Max Planck. He admired the precision of physics.

But after World War II, his mother and uncle advised him that studying medicine would be a better choice in turbulent times. He earned his medical degree from the University of Vienna in 1955 and moved to the United States just a few weeks later, where he had a successful career studying blood and blood disorders.

Steiner studied hematology at Tufts University and biochemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before becoming a hematologist at Brown University. He became a full professor and led the hematology section of the medical school at Brown from 1985 to 1994.

Steiner helped establish a research program in hematology at the University of North Carolina, which he directed until he retired from medicine in 2000 and returned to Rhode Island.

Steiner and his wife, Sheila, who is 93, have been married since 1960. They have two children and six grandchildren. He'll celebrate his 90th birthday this month.

Steiner found medical research satisfying, but it wasn't quite the same as his fascination with physics.

"It was something like a wish that was never fulfilled, that always stuck in the back of my head," he said. "I always thought, you know, once I'm finished with medicine, I really don't want to spend my life just sitting around and maybe doing a little golfing or doing something like that. I wanted to keep active."

At age 70, he started taking undergraduate classes at Brown, one of the Ivy League universities. He was planning to take a few courses that interested him, but by 2007, he accumulated enough credits to enroll in the Ph.D. program.

Physics Professor Brad Marston was skeptical when Steiner entered his quantum mechanics class. Marston had taught graduate students in their 40s, but never in their 70s. Then he realized how serious Steiner was about the subject and how hard he worked.

Marston became Steiner's adviser for his dissertation.

"He has written many papers in medical science, more papers than I've written in physics. He already had a scientific way of thinking that younger students have to develop," Marston said this week. "And any research problem that's worth its salt, you're going to run into roadblocks. If you let obstacles discourage you, you won't get anywhere. One thing that's really true about Manfred is he perseveres."

Steiner defended his dissertation in September after recovering from a serious medical condition.

In his dissertation, he explores how electrons within conducting metals behave quantum mechanically and how fermions can be changed into bosons in their behavior. He is working with Marston on a paper on bosonization that they aim to publish.

Steiner now hopes to help, with their research, professors he befriended during his studies.

"I'm not looking for a paid job. I'm past that," he said, laughing.

Guinness World Records says a 97-year-old man in Germany in 2008 was the oldest person to earn a doctorate, while news reports describe even older people pursuing such degrees.

Though he's not the oldest, attention has been intense. Brown University featured Steiner on its website after he earned his Ph.D., and people across the country contacted him to ask for advice on pursuing their dreams later in life. Steiner told a 57-year-old aspiring mathematician, "You're still a youngster, by all means do math."

He said his advice is: Do what you love to do.

"Do pursue it because later in life you maybe regret it, that you didn't do that," he said. "You wish you could've followed this dream."

© 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Swinburne’s oldest PhD student says you’re never too old to learn

• 85-year-old Anne Scott is one of Swinburne’s oldest students
• Mrs Scott is completing a PhD on how humans and smart machines can collaborate in the workforce
• She hopes her PhD will inspire older people to undertake further study

Born during the great depression in the early 1930s, Anne Scott grew up before modern computers and the internet were invented. In 2019, she is completing a PhD at Swinburne on the ‘Confluence of humans and smart machines: imagining a future world’ and is due to graduate in 2022.

At 85-years-old, Anne Scott is one of Swinburne’s oldest mature age students in the history of the university.

"If I did my PhD back then I would have had to use a typewriter to write a 100,000-word thesis, but I wouldn’t have even been able to do my PhD topic because computer science or artificial intelligence didn’t even exist," she says.

"Confluence means two rivers coming together to form a single river. I am researching how humans and artificial intelligence (AI) are merging and how their confluence can help solve the world’s problems."

"We think smart machines are taking over the world, and we’re all going to lose our jobs to them. I want to learn how AI has potential value in improving human life on earth, and how we can collaborate with smart machines in the workforce."

Mrs Scott’s thesis will also examine how to plan for a workforce where humans and smart machines work side-by-side with equal status as to input, autonomy and co-operation.

Studying at Swinburne has sentimental value

Mrs Scott has been studying at university, mostly part-time, since 1951. She has a Bachelor of Science (1966), a Master of Education (1980) and a Graduate Diploma in Education Administration (1999) from the University of Melbourne.

After teaching at various schools in Melbourne and Sydney, Mrs Scott moved back to her childhood suburb of Hawthorn in 2017.

"Down the road from my apartment I have such a rich resource of education – a knowledge factory. I would be remiss not to utilise it," Mrs Scott says. There is also a special reason she chose to study at Swinburne.

"I have a sentimental attachment to Swinburne. I went to school just down the road in the area, and my father taught English and Social Studies in the 1930s at the foundation institution Swinburne Technological School."

Promoting lifelong learning

Mrs Scott says she started studying a PhD at Swinburne to maintain an active brain, explore new fields of interest and learn from those younger than her.

"When I think of my brain, I think use it or lose it. Being old does not mean being irrelevant. People my age are in nursing homes, and here I am studying a PhD. I think of study and learning as anti-ageing therapy for me," Mrs Scott says.

"I want to set an example for senior and retired people that learning is lifelong and you’re never too old to study."

Mrs Scott has three children and four grandchildren and is following in her two sons’ footsteps, who both have postgraduate qualifications.

"I say to my sons – 'if you can, I can.'"

"When I told my friends and family I was going to start studying my PhD, I thought they would all say, 'tell her she’s dreaming,' but everyone has been encouraging and supportive and my family are looking forward to coming to my graduation ceremony!"

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At 88, New PhD Graduate Finds Endless Excitement in Education

For Joan Bernstein BA’08, MA’10, learning is an essential part of life. So even after she receives her doctoral degree in literature this spring and becomes the oldest-ever University of Texas at Dallas PhD graduate, Bernstein will continue to expand her education.

“I can’t even call it learning — it’s like air. It’s an inner excitement,” she said. “When I look something up or find something out, and then when I can connect that to something else, it’s so exciting.”

Bernstein, who is 88, has attended UT Dallas for more than 20 years. She earned a bachelor’s degree in literary studies and art and performance and a master’s degree in arts and humanities from UTD. She previously attended Columbia University in New York and Richland College in Dallas.

She will be among 104 students who will receive PhDs this month. UTD will honor its newest doctoral graduates, including an additional 12 who will receive audiology doctorates, May 12 during a hooding ceremony at the Edith O’Donnell Arts and Technology Building Lecture Hall .

After taking a class from Dr. Zsuzsanna Ozsváth , professor emeritus of literature and history who founded the Holocaust Studies Program at UTD, Bernstein began focusing her studies on 18th-century German writers, specifically Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Friedrich Schiller.

“Everyone looked at their works as entertainment, but they wrote it to teach human development,” she said. “This was a time of really strict censorship, when it was forbidden to educate common people.”

In addition to her love of learning, Bernstein has been passionate about social issues for a long time. Before coming to Texas, she was a charter member of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), which organized Freedom Rides and played a pivotal role in applying nonviolent resistance during the Civil Rights Movement. She also was a speaker for the League of Women Voters and joined activist groups in the Dallas area.

Through all her activities, even as a child, Bernstein was writing and demonstrating her creativity. A poem she wrote in 2004 reflected on a child’s perspective during the civil rights era that Bernstein witnessed. It is now part of the online Civil Rights Movement Archive.

2023 Spring Commencement

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Social media: Comets can tag their graduation photos with #utdgrad on Twitter and Instagram. They also can email their images to [email protected] for possible inclusion in UT Dallas’ commencement coverage.

For Bernstein, the road to earning a PhD was not easy and took more than 12 years. Her dissertation advisor, Dr. David Patterson , professor of literature and history and Hillel A. Feinberg Distinguished Chair in Holocaust Studies, said she put in the work to rewrite drafts and add more sources.

“Joan refused to give up, and she loved her subject matter,” he said. “She ended up with an excellent dissertation.”

Bernstein credited her dissertation committee, which included Patterson; Dr. Sean Cotter , professor of literature and translation studies; Dr. Thomas Riccio , professor of visual and performing arts; and Dr. Michael Wilson , associate professor of history, with helping her finish her doctoral goal. She also said her family has been extremely supportive as she continued to study and do research.

“The professors at UT Dallas are just so inspirational,” she said. “They don’t just pick up the book and read it to you. They are brilliant.”

Bernstein not only successfully defended her dissertation, but she finished with a 3.75 GPA and was invited to join national honor society Phi Kappa Phi.

Even after she is recognized at the hooding ceremony and officially receives her doctorate, Bernstein said she will stay focused on taking classes.

“What brains I have left want to be satisfied,” she said. “I’ll still be researching, and I’ll do more writing.”

Patterson said Bernstein is a great example of achieving great things at any age.

“You’re never too old to learn while achieving more and contributing more,” he said. “Regardless of your age, you have a unique insight that you can bring.”

Class of 2023 Facts and Figures

More than 5,000 students are expected to participate in the 12 school ceremonies and the doctoral hooding this spring. A total of 3,638 bachelor’s, 2,479 master’s and 116 doctoral degrees are expected to be awarded by UT Dallas.

The spring class of 2023 represents :

46 U.S. states

43 countries

78 Texas counties

Most popular degrees

Bachelor’s: computer science

Master’s: business analytics, computer science

Doctoral: electrical engineering

Ages Oldest graduate: 88

Youngest graduate: 19

Other numbers Percentage of undergraduate first-generation graduates: 18%

Percentage of international graduates (bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral): 32%

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A change of mind, heart, and soul

Robin Batteau performed last month for a packed house at Club Passim.

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The 74-year-old College graduate

Jill Radsken

Harvard Staff Writer

Robin Batteau wondered if he was up to the challenge, 50 years after family financial trouble disrupted his education

This story is part of   a series of graduate profiles ahead of Commencement ceremonies in May.

When the violinist and budding singer-songwriter Robin Batteau left Harvard in 1968, he was two semesters short of a degree.

“My father died in debt and the family was in trouble financially,” he said. “I left to get a big record deal and help out.”

The plan stalled, and Batteau returned to campus in 1970 to complete his studies. He was at the finish line, having fulfilled the requirements for his biology concentration, when family financial problems surfaced again, forcing another leave before he had the credits to graduate. He turned his back on School and for a long time didn’t look back.

Batteau spent five decades performing, recording, and writing music, including successful jingles like Chevrolet’s “Heartbeat of America.” Harvard hardly crossed his mind. Then the pandemic hit, and he had “all the time in the world” to reflect. “Unfinished business rises to the top,” he said. “I thought, ‘Why don’t I come back?’”

“I took ancient Greek language — that’s the course that kicked my brain. … It was tough, but wonderful.”

With approval from his resident dean — Batteau was part of Dudley House, now Dudley Community — he signed up for the virtual summer school class “Introduction to the Ancient Greek World” last year.

“By itself his age was not a great surprise,” said Classics lecturer Natasha Bershadsky. “But what was a delightful surprise was his attitude — I think he was happy to be in the class and he was certain that he wanted to be there. I think there were strands in the ancient Greek world that felt very close to Robin’s heart — the pervasive music-making, the emotionality, the virtuoso modulations between joy and sadness. I also felt that for Robin there was no boundary between the research and the creative possibilities, which is something I feel affinity to. He was just enjoying it all — the learning, the discussions. His assignments were always written with verve and wit. My reaction to the idea of finishing the unfinished business at 74 was a feeling that that was very life-affirming; I admire it and wish I would be able to do something similar for myself in my 70s.”

Said Batteau: “I wanted to find out if I had what it took to still be a student. I was delighted to discover I could do it, and I reupped for the whole deal. At first, I thought I could take two courses — I’m old and slow — but I ended up taking a full load.”

In the fall, he moved into an apartment near campus and signed up for four courses, including “The Ancient Greek Hero” and the seminar “Songmaking and the Idea of Lyric,” in which he studied the poetic works of Sappho and the sophist Gorgias. “Sappho was the Joni Mitchell or Carole King of her time, a goddess of song,” Batteau said. “I said, ‘Let’s see if I can make a song out of the fragments.’ I also wrote a song based on Gorgias’ ‘Encomium of Helen.’ I thought, ‘I should do more, this fills me up.’”

Batteau delighted in the challenges of being back in College after a 50-year gap, grateful for the opportunity to learn, even among classmates who could have been his great-grandchildren and with powers of retention that sometimes faltered.

“The technology helped a lot,” he said. “I didn’t grow up with a laptop in my crib. I took ancient Greek language — that’s the course that kicked my brain. Oldsters have a harder time, and I had to relearn all the words and grammar each week. It was tough, but wonderful. I wasn’t just dabbling; it was an immersion and I was in over my head. My goal was to just pass.”

He easily met his objectives, earning the credits to graduate with a degree in integrative biology. In February, he returned to Harvard Square to perform with longtime musical partner David Buskin for a packed house at Passim (“another cradle of civilization,” he says), and he’ll be back again in May to celebrate Commencement as a member of the Class of 2022.

“We’ll see where it goes from here,” Batteau said. “I have my sail up and I’m waiting for wind to take me somewhere cool.” [gz_email_signup /]

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Average age of a phd student: when is it too late, published by steve tippins on june 16, 2022 june 16, 2022.

Last Updated on: 2nd February 2024, 02:36 am

In 2020, the average age of a graduate from a PhD program in the United States was 33. However, 6% of the graduates were over 45. 

When people ask what the average age of a PhD student is, many times they’re really asking, “Am I too old to get a PhD?” The answer is almost always no. Let’s explore some different scenarios. 

When Is It Too Late to Get a PhD?

As an academic career coach, I’ve been asked by more than a few people if it’s too late for them to get a PhD. Some of these people were even in their twenties, worried that working for two years after their undergraduate degree had inexorably barred them from the halls of academia. 

Others were past middle age, looking for a career change. In either case, the answer is ultimately no, it’s not too late to get a PhD . However, there are some important things to keep in mind if this is something you’re considering.

Getting a PhD for Your Career

Let’s say you want to get a PhD to pursue a career in academia or elsewhere. You enter a PhD program at 25 or even 30, the average PhD duration takes six to eight years. That means you will finish when you are around 30 to 37. The normal retirement age to get Social Security in the United States is 67, so that’s at least 30 years ahead of you – lots of time for your career. If you look around academia, there’s a lot of people older than 67.

You have a chance for a very long career, even if you’re 42 and finish your PhD at 50. That’s still over 15 years before retirement age. These days, very few people stay at a job for 15 years. Rest assured that you have ample opportunity to have a meaningful career.

Over 50% of doctoral candidates don’t finish their dissertations.

Student Loan Debt Considerations

If you’re 61 and taking loans out, it will be a while before you pay those off. Debt is something to think about before getting a PhD. If you can get into a PhD program that pays your tuition or even provides you a stipend, you may be able to graduate with a much smaller student loan debt. That assistance could allow you to consider a PhD later in life. 

What Is the Minimum Age for Getting a PhD?

To get a PhD, you have to have graduated from undergraduate school. From there, some people can go right into a PhD program. If you graduate at the traditional age of 22, you’d be getting your PhD somewhere around age 25 at a minimum.

There are stories about people who graduate from high school at 12 and college at 16. They could theoretically get their PhD at 19 or 20. However, people like this are quite rare.

Can You Get a PhD by Age 25?

It is possible to get a PhD by age 25, particularly if you graduate from college at 21 or 22. If it takes three or four years to get a PhD, you could graduate by 25.

What Is The Best Age to Get a PhD?

The best age to get a PhD is three years ago. The second best time is now. In reality, the best age to get a PhD is whenever you are able to complete it. The earlier you finish your PhD, the more of a life and career you’ll have with it , but there is no optimal age.

Does Having a Master’s Shorten the Time it Takes to Get a PhD?

Having a Master’s can shorten the time it takes to get a PhD , depending on your discipline. If PhD programs in your discipline are structured such that they assume you have a Master’s before you enter, then yes, you’re going to finish a PhD faster. 

If you enter without a Master’s, you may have to get the Master’s first to be allowed in the PhD program. Otherwise, you may have to take some remedial coursework. If your discipline is not set up in that manner, having a Master’s may not allow you to move faster.

Final Thoughts

As society ages and with employers having problems finding eligible workers, the problem of ageism will become less severe. Getting a PhD at any age is going to be a viable option. If you are interested in a PhD and it’s something you have a burning desire to do, don’t let age stop you. 

Are you considering getting your PhD? We’re here to help. Check out our Dissertation Coaching and Academic Career Coaching services.

Steve Tippins

Steve Tippins, PhD, has thrived in academia for over thirty years. He continues to love teaching in addition to coaching recent PhD graduates as well as students writing their dissertations. Learn more about his dissertation coaching and career coaching services. Book a Free Consultation with Steve Tippins

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Australia's oldest PhD graduate is 94-year-old great-grandfather David Bottomley

A 94-year-old great-grandfather has become the oldest person in Australia to graduate with a PhD.

Key points:

• David Bottomley completed a doctor of philosophy after a 72-year career
• His Curtin University PhD focussed on the history of teaching methods
• He says the completion of this degree does not mark the end of his education

After seven years of part-time study, David Bottomley has graduated from Perth's Curtin University with a doctor of philosophy, a year ahead of schedule.

"I signed on for eight years part-time to do this particular exercise and I got through it with a year to spare, so there we are," Dr Bottomley said.

He stressed that his was not a case of returning to study as a mature-age student, but a continuation of a life's work.

"I haven't gone back to study, I just haven't stopped," he said.

"I've been in professional life about 72 years.

"My wife remarked that my age could be read two ways — either it suggested obsession or incompetence."

The Melbourne academic started his career as a science master at a school in Albury, New South Wales in 1946.

He worked in social and market research across England, Australia and Asia for 60 years before completing a masters by research degree at the University of Melbourne.

He has four children, 13 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Studies re-examined the function of classrooms

Dr Bottomley's thesis examined the teaching methods of five progressive English educators who introduced an understanding of science into the curriculum from 1816 to 1885.

"The history of teaching, in the academic world, has not been well patronised," he said.

"I took five well-known teachers during the 19th century who treated science as a subject by which students could get some understanding of the society in which they lived.

"From this I have a compilation of questions, like 'What's the function of a classroom? [and] 'Why should teaching be based on competition and not cooperation?'"

Dr Bottomley completed his doctorate via correspondence from Melbourne with guidance from his PhD supervisor, Professor David Treagust.

And while he was proficient with a computer and communicated by email, he did need some assistance with the technology.

"That was one area where I needed some help, and happily received it," he said.

"I'm still not expert in devices, which my grandchildren use without thinking."

'I have a great deal yet to work out'

Dr Bottomley said the completion of this degree did not mark the end of his education.

"Certainly not," he said.

"There's a vast lack of understanding of the basics of what's happening in society.

"It's inadequate research, inadequate knowledge of scientific principals and inadequate willingness to be out there in the field with the people who are giving their time to you to answer all your odd questions.

"That's an area where I think as researchers we might have let the side down, and I have a great deal yet to work out."

His advice to anyone seeking to take up study later in life?

"Good luck to anyone who is as crazy as I am," he said.

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What Is The Age Limit for A PhD?

• By Dr Harry Hothi
• August 17, 2020

Introduction

I have seen and personally worked with PhD candidates of all ages, some older than me, some younger. In all my time within academia, I haven’t come across any university that places a limit on the age of an individual that wants to apply for and pursue a full time doctoral degree; indeed the practice of doing so would be rightly considered a form of discrimination at most academic institutions and even against the law in some countries.

However, a quick search on Google is enough to see that the question about age limits for doing a PhD is something that is asked quite often. This leads me to believe that there are many very capable potential doctoral candidates in the world that haven’t pursued their dreams of academic research almost entirely because they believe that they’re too old to do so.

There is No Age Limit for Doing a PhD

Simply put there is no age limit for someone considering doing a PhD. Indeed, on the opposite end of the scale, even the definition of a minimum’ age at which someone can start a PhD is not really well defined.

One of the youngest PhD graduates in recent times is thought to be Kim Ung-Yong who is a South Korean professor who purportedly earned a PhD in civil engineering at the age of 15 [1]. For the vast majority however, the practical considerations of progressing through the different stages of education (i.e. high school, undergraduate degree, a Master’s degree, etc.) mean that most won’t start their PhD projects until they’re at least in their early to mid 20’s; in the UK, for example, the average age for a PhD graduate is between 26 and 27 years old [2].

Meanwhile, the oldest person to be awarded a PhD degree in the United Kingdom is thought to be 95 year old Charles Betty, who gained his doctorate from the University of Northampton in 2018 after completing his 48,000 word thesis on why elderly expats living in Spain decide to return to the UK’ [3].

What does the data say?

According to data published by the National Science Foundation (NSF), a total of 54,904 people earned PhDs at universities in the United States of America in 2016; 46% of all new doctorates were women and 31% were international candidates [4].

Looking at the age distributions available for 51,621 of these new PhD graduates in 2016, 44% (n=22,863) were aged 30 or below, 43% (n=22,038) were aged between 31 and 40 and 13% (n=6,720) were over the age of 40 when they were awarded their doctoral degree. In this same year, over 50% of PhD students in subjects related to physical sciences, earth sciences, life sciences, mathematics, computer sciences and engineering were below the age of 31, whilst less than 10% of these STEM graduates were older than 41.

Conversely, 61% of PhDs in humanities and arts and 52% in other non-engineering and science disciplines gained their doctorates between 31 and 40 years of age. Interestingly, the analysis by the NSF found that 94% of doctoral candidates aged below 31 supported their research financially through research or teaching assistantships, grants or fellowships. Only 36% of PhDs aged over 41 at graduation reported receiving similar types of financial support; approximately 50% of this age group were found to have self-funded their studies.

The reasons for fewer doctoral candidates aged over 41 receiving external funding to support their time as research students is not clear. On the face of it, the data may appear to suggest a bias towards funding younger students which unfortunately may be the case in some instances. In Germany, for example, the German Federal Training Assistance Act (BAfG) provides funding support for higher education but places a limit of 30 years for undergraduate degrees and 35 years for postgraduate students at graduate school. However, another explanation, at least in some cases, may be that non-STEM related subjects are less likely to be associated with specific project funding and NSF analysis suggests PhDs in these subjects are more often undertaken by older doctoral candidates.

What are the Advantages and Disadvantages?

No one should be discouraged from pursuing a PhD program or entering into higher education based on how old they are and indeed there are several (albeit subjective) benefits and disadvantages of doing a PhD in your younger’ or older’ years.

A perceived advantage may be that gaining a PhD in your 20’s can potentially give you more time to develop your career. Younger doctoral students could earn their PhD and enter into academic jobs before starting a family (although many people successfully carry out doctoral research whilst also looking after young children). You could even afford yourself the time and flexibility to implement a career change further down the line if you so wanted.

Conversely, entering a graduate school and becoming a PhD student in later years means that you’ll be doing so having gained a lot more life experience and for some STEM research projects in particular, having work experience in industry can be invaluable. As an older PhD candidate you’re likely to be better equipped to work independently and the relationships / connections you’ll have built over time may be a useful factor in helping you progress faster. I’ve met several older students at university who had the opportunity to undertake PhD research years ago but have no regrets in having waited and started the adventure in later years.

Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest.

It’s inevitable that the question of age limits for pursing a PhD is going to invite some controversial opinions from some people; this unfortunately may always be the case when talking about differing social and demographic factors.

There’s no doubt however that PhD programs can help career advancement or a career change regardless of age however there’s also nothing to stop you from becoming a graduate student just for the academic pursuit!

The answer here is very simple: there is no age limit for doing a PhD.

[1] http://scienceandnaturea.blogspot.com

[2] https://www.eui.eu/

[3] https://www.telegraph.co.uk/

[4] https://ncses.nsf.gov/

A science investigatory project is a science-based research project or study that is performed by school children in a classroom, exhibition or science fair.

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Oldest graduate

The oldest graduate is Shigemi Hirata (Japan, b. 1 September 1919) who received a Bachelor of Arts degree aged 96 years 200 days, when he graduated from the Kyoto University of Art and Design, in Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan, on 19 March 2016.

Mr. Hirata was enrolled in the university at the age of 85 in 2005, took 11 years to complete its Ceramic Arts Course in 2016.

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Starting a PhD… at 58 years old?

Did you know that the average age on entry to a PhD in Australia is 34 years old? Over the time I have been whispering this average age gets older and older. There are a few PhD students at ANU who enrolled in their PhD in their late sixties and early seventies. It’s never too late to pursue the PhD dream, but what’s it like for people who are older to be surrounded by younger students all the time? Catherine Racine offers her story.

Dr Catherine Racine is an independent Canadian scholar who graduated from Durham University in 2017 after living in the UK for seven years. Her thesis was titled  “Beyond Clinical Reduction: Levinas, the Ethics of Wonder and the Practice of Autoethnography in Community Mental Health Care,” and examined the moral process of the clinician and the intractable problem of dehumanization in community mental health care. She is a member of several professional research organisation and  is currently starting her own consulting practice.

I completed a Ph.D. at 63, two weeks before falling in love for the first time in a decade and frittering away two post-doc years swanning around Europe, circling the globe from Canada to Europe and returning at last to my tiny pied-a-terre in downtown Vancouver. At the tender age of 65 I am,  this week , beginning my new career as an independent scholar and you better believe I’m scared, but also excited. I forfeited a decent pension as a government employed psychotherapist to fulfill this dream and must now support myself because my little pension won’t cut it.

Like many women who dread becoming bag ladies, I agonized over the financial pros and cons of my Ph.D. dream and not a few friends echoed my fear. “Will you ever work again? Can you afford this? What about your  pension ?” But pitting my yearning of many years to undertake this work against the terror of financial insecurity finally seemed a desecration and the yearning won.

I may regret the decision to have escaped the intellectual wasteland and micromanagement of my workplace for another eight years but I doubt it.  I could have stayed and still be listening to the suffering of those who come to community mental health centres for help. I could still be witnessing  and  contributing to their dehumanization, and enduring the appalling limits of “care” that can be offered in my role. Instead, I travelled to Durham, in North East England, to examine the ethics of wonder in community mental health care. I now find I’ve rather a lot to say on the matter and the responsibility and authority to say it.

Was I crazy? Was it worth starting this project at 58 – self-funded – when the colleagues I left behind were putting in their last years of work and socking away their pensions and RRSP contributions? Hell yes. I fulfilled a major life’s dream of doing this Ph.D. and even managed a perfect pass. I reoriented my life, my perspective and claimed a clearer, stronger unapologetic voice for the work that lies ahead. How could I regret that or the Herculean effort it took that showed me who I am?

I have a big year planned of writing and publishing, public speaking and starting an online counselling business, but who knows what lies ahead. Have I  ever  earned a living doing any of those things? No, but this Ph.D. guarantees that if I can’t walk on water I can dive confidently into any deep end trusting I won’t drown. That’s money in the bank. That’s also why I’m writing to extend a wholehearted  plea  to any woman over the age of 50 who has ever nursed the dream of doing a Ph.D. sometime in her life to get cracking! Getting a Ph.D. is not a waste of time, effort or resources just because a woman is half-way or more through her life. It is not a “vanity degree” although I have heard more than one academic asshole suggest as much. This lengthy and expensive undertaking has been the most galvanizing, transformative and confirming of my entire life.

The bloody-mindedness and stamina it demands and the suffering it pretty much guarantees makes a Ph.D. as far from a thrill-seeking venture as one can get. There is nothing quick, dirty or particularly “fun” about it as the literature on Ph.D. related depression will tell you, but it gives . Completing a Ph.D. grows you up, develops your grit, gives you a thicker skin, hones your discipline, engages with your deepest passion and vastly expands your limited self-perception and understanding of the many confinements imposed by the world around you. It is a serious, mysterious undertaking and its process and gravitas are priceless at any age.

Learning to  see  how power works, how it is used and abused within the university system and even by academics engaged in work attempting to subvert the “dominant discourse,” was the most surprising gift. This was the game changer that enabled me to more than “glimpse” the underpinnings of all those limitations I had thought were self-imposed, justified or impossible to overcome but never were. The process of the PhD can give the older woman the keys to the engine room of her culture, gender, race and class, and the blueprint of the precision machinery that propagates her ongoing suppression. This means she can never again seriously doubt the gravity of her situation, her capacity to respond or her ability to see beyond to what is yet to be imagined . That’s quite a payoff.

There are many reasons why pursuing the dream of a Ph.D. at 50 or 60 or even 70 or 80—why not?—could be the greatest move a woman will ever make. Even, that is, if her chances of working in the Academy are already diminished by her age and sex, which they surely are. But, then again maybe they don’t need to be if greater numbers of older women came forward to assert their place at this high table. I am preaching to the choir, but the interests of the “mature” female student cannot be overstated given what they have to offer, and their impressive under-representation in the post-graduate student body. The university is no more immune to the scourges of ageism and sexism than the rest of our culture, regardless of how inclusive it may claim to be. University is a young person’s game and this poses a significant barrier to women like me, and possibly you, and is all the more reason to confront it and break it down.

Had I known what this adventure would cost —in every way—I would never have had the courage to jump. But having become a scholar and  seen  all that was needed to complete this beast, having travelled, made many new friends and colleagues and joined communities within and beyond the Academy, my heart fails me to think of all I would have lost had I just stayed home.

Thanks for your courage Catherine! Are you an older person enrolled in a PhD program – or perhaps you have finished and wondering what comes next? Love to hear your about your experience in the comments.

[Later Edit}

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What is the PhD student average age? Too late for your doctorate?

You may be worried about being too old to start a PhD. However, I would like to remind you that throughout my 15 years in academia, I have seen PhD students fresh from undergraduate and many mature age students who are looking for a new challenge or doing a PhD alongside their current role.

The average age of a PhD student varies depending on the field of study and individual circumstances but generally ranges from late 20s to early 30s. The average age upon graduation across multiple fields, in the US, is 31.5 years old.

This suggests that many students may start a PhD program directly after completing their undergraduate degree. However, there are many that pursue a PhD after working in their field for a few years.

I have seen that some students may take longer to complete their PhD due to personal or professional obligations. And overcoming these issues is as much of a challenge as their actual PhD.

If you like more information about the average age of a PhD student check out my YouTube video below.

In this article, we will look at the average age of PhD students and grab some data from universities.

One thing I want to say upfront, however, is do not worry about your age. There are many other things that are full more important than your age for completing a PhD. I have seen young PhD students struggle far more than mature age students.

Maturity and having things settled in your life can really help provide the stability required for finishing a PhD.

What Is The Average Age Of PhD Students?

 The average age of PhD students is quite varied, depending on the field of study.

Generally speaking however, the average age of a PhD student can range from 27 to 37 years old.

You can see in the table, below, that physical sciences and earth sciences PhD graduates are typically younger than those in other fields . This is because of the culture of going straight from your undergraduate into a PhD.

On the other hand, education PhD graduates are much older . This is because they typically have many more years of first-hand experience teaching in a high school or another educational environment. This delays the onset of their PhD admission significantly compared to other fields.

If you want to know more about age and grad school check out my other articles:

• Typical Graduate Student Age [Data for Average Age]
• Older PhDs student experiences – should you pursue a PhD later in life?
• What is the average masters students age? Should you return to graduate school?
• Balancing PhD and family life – tips for balancing a busy life

What age do most people get their PhD?

The age at which most people receive their PhD varies from person to person, but typically falls between the mid-twenties and early thirties.

The average age for a PhD recipient is approximately thirty-one and a half years old.

Of course, there are some who complete their PhD much earlier or later than this.

Many students complete their studies in their twenties, while others may spend longer due to life or work commitments.

Those who are already established in a career may only begin studying for a PhD once they reach middle age.

Although the age of most recipients is usually between twenty-five and thirty-five, it is important to remember that everyone’s journey will be different, so it’s important not to put pressure on yourself to finish within any particular timeframe.

Here is a list of fields and the average age upon graduation. That means, the age at which they start their PhD is 5 – 7  years earlier.

I graduated my PhD when I was 27 years old. This is due to a couple of reasons:

• I did a four-year undergraduate masters which accelerated my entrance to a PhD.
• I did my PhD in Australia which typically takes 3 to 4 years.
• I was classed as an international student and therefore had to finish under three years otherwise I have had to pay $20,000.

All of these reasons meant that I was very young to complete my doctorate. However, throughout my later post-Doctoral positions I encountered people from every age bracket doing a PhD.

Importantly, it is never too late to get a PhD – here’s why.

When Is It Too Late to Get a Doctorate?

In my opinion, it is never too late to get a PhD, as long as you’re willing to commit the time and effort into pursuing an academic career.

I have seen older PhD students thrive in academia because they are working towards something they really care about.

One of the most important aspects is to make sure that you are prepared for the financial burden, as getting a PhD involves taking on loans or debt in order to fund the program.

Sometimes, older students have greater financial responsibilities such as mortgages and debt. Being mindful of your decreased earning power will help make your time during your PhD much nicer.

Some other aspects of getting a doctorate in later years include:

• greater financial responsibility for family
• ageing parents requiring care
• children or other dependent people
• mortgage stress
• lifestyle expectations – going back to a student lifestyle may not be for every older PhD student.

Entering a PhD program with this in mind will help make sure that you are able to focus on your studies and minimise the distractions.

What Is The Best Age to pursue a doctoral degree?

There is no best age to pursue a doctoral degree as the best age to get a PhD depends on the individual’s circumstances.

For me, it was best for me to enter my PhD straight out of university. That is when I had the most financial security and energy and interest in pursuing a PhD.

For other people – career goals, interests, and motivation to do a PhD may happen at a later stage in their life.

Although, you can do a PhD too early.

Generally, it is recommended that students wait until they are at least 22 or 23 to pursue their PhD, as this gives them time to gain some life experience and an opportunity to develop and refine their academic skills.

Those who are pursuing a PhD later in life may find that having more years of work experience can be beneficial when it comes to finishing their studies.

There is no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to determining the best age to get a PhD; each person’s situation will be unique and you should factor that into your decision.

Is 30 plus too old for a PhD?

When it comes to deciding whether or not 30 is too old for a PhD, the answer depends on the individual.

 A PhD requires a great deal of dedication and commitment, so if you are willing to make that kind of commitment, then age should not be an issue.

Many people have entered into doctoral programs later in life and achieved success.

There are also some advantages to being a mature student;

• life experience
• Writing practise
• A better understanding of your field
• Professional experience to draw upon
• Better networks

All of which can be beneficial when completing research or writing your dissertation.

That being said, it is important to consider how much time you will need to dedicate to your studies, as well as other commitments such as work and family. If you feel like you can manage both, then 30 and above is absolutely not too old for a PhD!

Wrapping up

This article has covered everything you need to know about the average age of PhD students. It is field dependent and many PhD students are typically in their 20s to early 30s.

Even though many people get a PhD straight out of their undergraduate, there are many benefits for older people to consider becoming a PhD student.

The personal challenges may be slightly different but the underlying challenge of creating new novel research and communicating that to the world via peer-reviewed papers and theses are the same.

Dr Andrew Stapleton has a Masters and PhD in Chemistry from the UK and Australia. He has many years of research experience and has worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow and Associate at a number of Universities. Although having secured funding for his own research, he left academia to help others with his YouTube channel all about the inner workings of academia and how to make it work for you.

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Getting a PhD in Your 50s and 60s: The Ultimate Guide

There’s a significant rise in the number of mature students returning to university to complete postgraduate degrees. You plan to be one of them. But you find yourself asking if it is feasible to start getting a PhD in your 50s and 60s. 

It’s never too late getting a PhD in your 50s and 60s because there’s no age limit in the pursuit of higher education. To give you a head start on this exciting new endeavor, we present to you the ultimate guide to getting a PhD in your prime years.

It is critical to know what to expect, such as the challenges and benefits of reviving an academic existence as a mid- or late-career student, so you can plan for the years ahead. Read on to find out how.

Why You Should Pursue a PhD at a Later Stage in Life

Why would anyone in their right mind regurgitate a period of woe and misery in their golden years when they should already be relaxing? Well, many people, not just nerds, love studying. 

There’s an entire population dedicated to life-long learning. They form the bulk of those going back to school to complete degrees that were halted mid-life due to the untimely arrival of kids, financial downfall, death in the family, or other unfortunate circumstances. These mature students don’t need a reason to return to school. Their passion drives them.

For others, the purpose is economical. Those in the middle of their career embark on a PhD to change its direction, improve their prospects, upgrade their qualification set, or to accrue further knowledge. In fields like teaching and research, a doctorate is a veritable advantage.

Nina Grunfeld , founder of Life Clubs , a network that helps people achieve life changes, explains that many, particularly women, want to return to study because they’re disgruntled or have a desire to improve themselves, revive their career, or discover new passions.

“A milestone age is often a trigger,” Grunfeld adds.

“At the Open University , favored by many part-time learners, numbers of postgraduate students over the age of 45 have been increasing steadily for the past three years, with the greatest rise (32%) in students over 65.”

Others undertake a PhD to crown a significant achievement or just to prove they can do it. This writer’s friend did it to slap her diploma in the face of her wealthy future sister-in-law, who denigrated her economic status. Education, after all, is one of the world’s greatest equalizers. 

Most crave a PhD for the prestige the three letters can add to their names. If, however, you have a natural yearning for knowledge and in-depth study of a subject you’re passionate about, the heck with your age. Go for it!

Reasons Not to Get a PhD

Thoroughly assess your reasons for pursuing a PhD, because although it’s fulfilling academically, it’s also a huge financial commitment. If you’re dissatisfied with your current job, or you think it would just be fun to be a student again, neither will give you the strength to withstand the rigors of extreme study.

On the other hand, if you’re sure that gaining this qualification will fit in with your life goals, then forge ahead!

The Benefits of Pursuing a PhD

Do you want a research doctorate, or do you want to teach? Both are the standard reasons for undertaking PhD studies. Once completed, a PhD will make you an expert in your chosen field, possibly even beyond borders!

Apart from aspects previously mentioned, especially beneficial for older people is the fact that learning builds new neural connections that improve cognitive ability, memory function, and problem-solving ability. Education is also good for boosting one’s spirit. Classroom or online learning is a social endeavor that breaks isolation and fosters social connections. 

According to the American Council on Education , social connection with teachers and peers is one of the reasons mature students over 50 pursue higher learning.

There are retirement communities (some located on campus) that partner with colleges and universities to offer residents post-secondary courses. Most of these are on the East Coast, but there are a couple in California and Florida.

Political scientist Chris Blattman explains how a PhD intangibly molds an individual: “A PhD program doesn’t just teach you, it socializes you. It gradually changes what you think is interesting and important, the peer group you compare yourself to, the value you place on leisure and family over career, and the kind of life you will value when you emerge.”

How Long Does It Take to Complete a PhD Program?

Most full-time students can complete theirs in five to six years. Part-timers can take as long as eight to 10 years. Students with a master’s degree complete their PhD in four or five years.

Some programs, like the MACRM (Master of Arts in Public Policy with Certificate in Research Methods) at the University of Chicago’s Harris Public Policy , offer a combination of methods. This master’s program provides intense and applied research training plus the option of a PhD at the end.

Study Methods

Studying for a PhD here is different compared to Europe. Our students are usually in direct contact with their professors. They’re expected to do a lot of teaching and marking, which encroaches on their free time off-campus. The earlier you accept this, the better you’ll cope and adopt solutions.

According to the World Economic Forum , the USA had the most doctoral graduates in 2017: 71,000. Germany and the UK followed, with 28,000 each.

In 2016, about 14% of all doctoral recipients were over age 40, per the National Science Foundation . Educators see increasing enrollment in doctoral programs by students in their 40s and 50s.

At Cornell University , women drive the trend . “The number of new female doctoral students age 36 or older was 44% higher in 2015 than in 2009,” says Barbara Knuth , senior vice provost and dean of the graduate school.

What Are the Requirements?

Generally, a PhD applicant should have completed a relevant undergraduate degree. Ideally, he should have also secured a master’s degree (with substantial research) in a related subject. Thankfully, this is optional here. Most PhD programs in the US, unlike in the UK, don’t require a master’s degree for admission. Students can move straight to doing a PhD with an undergraduate degree.

Here’s a sample of PhD requirements from the University of California, Berkeley , a public research university regarded as one of our most prestigious. This is a list of their graduate programs and application deadlines. We chose Berkeley as an example, because it had the highest number of top-ranked doctoral programs nationwide, according to a National Research Council report .

Required documentation includes, but isn’t limited to official transcripts, course descriptions from previous institutions attended, proof of language proficiency, references, and cover letters.

How to Apply

For admission to your chosen institution, visit its website. Check its rankings, course listings, faculty, and requirements specific to your field of study. Talk to other students and professors, learn about your desired department, and uncover the social scene.

Deadlines for applications to PhD programs are usually between December and February. You’ll get an answer by April. Most institutions recommend that you apply way in advance to give both parties plenty of time for arrangements. They require international students to have a TOEFL score of around 90, but this varies depending on the institution.

In Europe, students choose their PhD subject area before they apply. Here, potential PhD students can take up to a year or two deciding on their research subject while attending classes at a graduate level. Students normally apply to more than one institution—and separately because there’s no central organization that processes applications.

Students in Europe are expected to apply with existing knowledge of the subject via a master’s degree. They begin PhD studies right away. Here, universities accept that students don’t have an in-depth understanding of their subject and permit them to decide later.

Tips to Get a (Slight) Advantage

Get the best quality general research pre-training possible. Apply to as many top schools as you can. Visit all the institutions that accepted you. Narrow down your choices according to fit and quality.

Applying to many places is crucial because the admissions process is competitive and random. Whittling 100 promising candidates down to 30 is subjective. Even outstanding candidates might not be admitted.

Institutions are more likely to admit you if you demonstrate a good fit with their faculty. That’s why you have to research the faculty and their work, and explain how you fit in. Mention in your cover letter the staff members you see as complementary to your research. Note that deciding committees in politics programs take cover letters more seriously than their counterparts in economics.

Strive to gain entry into one of the top 10 schools in your field because it gives you a better chance at an academic job. This is true in economics, the most hierarchical field in social science.

Which University Should You Attend?

Rankings shouldn’t be the main deciding factor, but they’re an excellent indicator of educational expertise. To choose the best from the 4,000 nationwide, see this list of our best universities in 2020 and how they feature in worldwide rankings. The top five are Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, California Institute of Technology, Harvard University, and Princeton.

How to Choose the Right Institution

Consider these factors.

Your field of study, their programs, specialties, facilities, and faculty rating. Your choice depends on your preferred career and the course credit you’ve accumulated. 

If you’re certain about your field of interest and feel confident it will sustain you for the entire program, you’ll have a greater chance of getting accepted.

Researching their specialties will tell you if they’re appropriate for your area of study. See what areas they’ve worked in, their study focus, what they’ve published, and how well their work has been received. Also, investigate the quality of their student-faculty, as a postgrad study is collaborative and intense. You need to have the right people in your group.

What is the university best known for? Choose one renowned in the field you’re interested in to ensure you have the appropriate experts on hand to help you. Evaluate the kinds of research projects done in the university.

Choosing a venue depends on your circumstances. Staying near your home allows you to work part-time while studying. Most PhDs require only occasional visits to the university, so you may opt to take the course far from home, then travel when necessary. Alternatively, you could move closer to your university for greater immersion into the social scene and a closer connection to the student community.

If you choose to study away from home, contact your chosen university’s accommodation office first. Many university towns have student accommodation in place, but spots tend to go quickly, so apply early. Next, research on- and off-campus accommodation. Check online local listings and bulletin boards for private rentals.

Social Life

Check out student life on social media. What organizations do they have? Are they the sort you would want to join?

Staff/Student Ratio

The more staff available to each student, the better.

Choose From These Categories of Institutions

• Public Universities (aka state colleges)—open to anyone who qualifies. They’re funded by state governments. Being larger, they can accommodate many students and offer a wide variety of degree programs. Some offer scholarships.
• Private Non-Profit Colleges —their tuition is much higher than that of state universities or community colleges, but they don’t profit from it. As they’re smaller, they offer specific courses and specialized degrees. They receive funds only from tuition fees and donations.
• Private For-Profit Colleges —similar to non-profits in course study and general cost, but they’re set up as a business. This affects the type of degree programs offered.
• Liberal Arts Colleges —offer one expansive area of study rather than specific degree tracks. As they’re smaller, instructors give you more attention. Though most focus on undergraduate education, some offer good postgraduate degree programs too. Campus culture is quite different from that of a traditional university.
• Online Postgraduate Colleges —perfect for those juggling jobs and family as it offers flexibility in assignment completion. Most coursework and classroom discussions are held online, but you may have to go to a physical classroom part of the time, especially as you get closer to graduation. An online degree is as valuable as one you physically attend.

Ask Your Intended University These Questions

• What are my chances of finding a job after graduation? See the career prospects below.
• How flexible is your program? This depends on the subject area. The Humanities and the Arts offer a greater degree of flexibility than science-oriented ones. North American institutions offer slightly less flexibility than their European counterparts. See whether you can pick and choose components, or if the whole program is indelibly fixed from beginning to end.
• What research resources are available? Decent computer networks and an equipped library are not enough. Serious research requires office-based administration support, reprographic services, and essentials of a proper business center. Disregard any institution that lacks support.
• How versatile is your department? Some departments prefer one research method. Others favor newer ones, non-traditional teaching styles, or a radical approach. Extensive departments offer a wider spectrum of methods and potential areas of study. You may thrive better with a broader tradition of research methodologies or value the security of knowing what is expected of you.
• What are your non-academic amenities? Also, check out other facilities, like leisure programs, for maintaining a work/life balance. Small universities in remote towns offer lesser cultural or social options.

How to Get Into a Top Institution

Entry into the top 10 or 15 schools is extremely competitive. Focus on getting exceptional recommendations, experience, grades, and GRE scores. Most departments appoint a small committee of four to six faculty members for admissions. The committee changes every year, so results are hard to predict.

Work on research projects with professors. Try before you commit. Become a research assistant (RA) in your department or secure RA jobs with professors in top departments in your area. This will help with references and your statement.

How to Fund Your Studies

The cost of traditional programs can vary between $20,000 to $60,000 per year. Shorter programs are cheaper. If a PhD is going to drown you in debt, think twice. Attend an institution with full funding if you can. This is often a barter deal: free tuition in exchange for research and teaching.

Another reason for applying in advance is to give plenty of time to arrange funding. Deadlines for application for funding can be as early as December for studies beginning in the fall. Many students can get part or full funding through scholarships, fellowships, bursaries, loans, and government assistance. Help is also available for parents, such as childcare subsidies, single-parent grants, bursaries, and free school meals for children.

Some PhD students will receive a university stipend with an assistantship position, but this varies between institutions and between departments within institutions. This is an example from Cornell University . Many government schemes like The Fulbright Program offer scholarships.

You can also obtain bursaries from abroad. An example is the Postgrad Solutions Study Bursaries in the UK, open to all nationalities. In Canada, senior citizens can have their tuition waived for one undergraduate and graduate degree.

What to Do After Admission

Once you’ve secured funding and accommodation, these are the next steps:

Find a Supervisor

Write your research proposal if you’re self-proposing your PhD. Then find an institution and a supervising academic to support you during your research. Choose those with whom you’ll work well. To achieve this, you must network and meet people in your field of research.

Apply for an Assistantship

Doctorate assistantships are advertised on university websites and wherever academic jobs are advertised. Applications for these are very competitive, so apply for several.

Clarify Duties in Your Department

While researching and writing, many PhD students take on additional responsibilities, such as helping professors and lecturers with their classes or marking and evaluating undergraduate work. These extra tasks may be paid or not.

Prepare for Your Dissertation Early

A dissertation is a means to contribute new knowledge, theories, or practices to your field. Introduce an entirely new concept, develop it, and defend its worth. Your dissertation should be around 70,000 to 100,000 words.

Your subject area will determine if you have to write your dissertation while attending classes or do so after research completion. Regardless, preps always help at crunch time.

You are expected to defend your dissertation with a public presentation. Afterward, you will have a private session with the dissertation committee to evaluate if you’ve earned your doctorate. This is why it’s important to have a positive relationship with faculty, peers, and supervisors.

Career Prospects 

What type of job can you expect after graduation?

Traditionally, graduate school hones students to become future scholars and live an intellectual life, produce innovative research, and become professors at four-year institutions. Fulfilling research careers are plentiful, but there are other ways PhD recipients can use their degrees to benefit society. For instance, they can pursue alternative academic careers in K-12 administration or the nonprofit sector.

The top 10 to 20 schools staff the top 100 to 200 universities. So PhDs outside the top 30 schools are unlikely to lead to careers in research universities, though this varies by discipline. Graduates of lower-ranked programs can work for the government or at teaching universities, international institutions, and think tanks. Job satisfaction rates are usually high.

If you aim to teach in a business department in a community college or a four-year school, an MBA may be enough. You need a doctorate, however, for a full-time job at a four-year teaching-focused school. Community colleges may hire you full-time with just a master’s, but you’ll be competing against those with doctorates.

Jobs should properly compensate you for the time spent completing your PhD. Ask your targeted institutions what the employment rate is for their graduates and their links to prospective employers. Institutions with strong ties to private companies offer more chances of future employment.

Ultimately, it boils down to your chosen subject matter. Some PhD courses like law will definitely enhance your career. Non-vocational fields like Greek mythology, however, are less likely to improve your future earning capacity or alter your career trajectory. Intellectually, of course, the reward is priceless.

Advantages of Being an Older Student

The obvious one is that your decision to return to university is likely the result of planning over several years, not a rushed, uneducated hack at the dartboard. This gives you ample time to choose your field of study.

Your work experience, professionalism, people skills, and ability to manage multiple commitments will prove invaluable throughout your studies. Course tutors also treat older students differently than their younger, undergraduate counterparts—in a good way.

Keeping Up With the Young Ones

Despite there being no age barriers in a PhD entry, age makes a difference somewhat on campus. The gap in the life experience of a young adult and a mature student is vast. The ramifications for the latter have to do with social life, interactions during class discussions and group projects, and how older students are treated by professors and non-academic staff.

For an Equal Footing…

Join organizations, societies, and sports clubs. These aren’t exclusive to undergraduate students. Not all activities are drunken, drug-crazed meet-ups. Being a part of a campus association could benefit your career development in the way of learning a unique skill or developing a new interest.

Maintaining a Balance

Many mature students return to school juggling study with family and work commitments. This makes prioritizing studies challenging. Some, especially working moms, feel guilty about not giving everyone equal attention. So they study part-time or employ creative means to manage their time.

Avenues of Support

As a mature student, you may wonder how you’ll cope with the demands of scholastic life as you’ve been out of academia for many years and can’t remember the last time you wrote an essay.

Fear not. Most universities run workshops on topics like researching, essay writing, referencing, and library use—usually at the start of the academic year. Approach your university for help with matters off-limits to family and friends. Ask your tutor for advice. Your cohort group is also a source of support and shared experiences.

The Value of Networking 

Although a PhD elevates academic achievement, it doesn’t guarantee employment in your field. Networking adds value to your career and provides growth opportunities. Relationships ease career transitions needed to pursue better opportunities. Give back by sharing your connections and expertise.

Ageism and Sexism in Academia

US universities may not be perfect, but education-related discrimination is minimal compared to many countries. Be thankful for this, and take advantage of the privilege. To illustrate what women PhD applicants have to deal with in other countries, in China , you cannot apply for a PhD after age 40.

In the Philippines, admissions departments ask invasive questions and request antiquated requirements, such as copies of marriage certificates. These are requested from both foreign and local applicants but ONLY WOMEN. You may think this requirement is from a patriarchal provincial college, but it’s an item from actual requirement lists from two of the country’s Ivy League universities, which are supposed to be progressive.

The pursuit of a PhD is a life-changer. We trust the pathways we presented will help you make the right choice based on your needs and preferred course of study. Good luck with your aspirations in higher education, which will hopefully lead to your dream career. The fulfillment will surely be unparalleled. 

A Scottish student in her 50s encapsulates the postgraduate sentiment impeccably: “There is value to being an older PhD student, and there is value to universities having us. There just needs to be more of us.”

• PhD Studies: Three Reasons Why It’s Never Too Late to Get a PhD
• The New York Times: Taking On the PhD Later in Life
• The Independent: Real late starter—age is no obstacle if you’re motivated
• World Economic Forum: Which countries have the most doctoral graduates?
• The World University Rankings: Best Universities in the United States 2020
• The World University Rankings: World University Rankings 2020
• Berkeley Graduate Division: Graduate Programs & Deadlines to Apply
• Berkeley News: National Research Council ranks UC Berkeley’s PhD programs among nation’s best
• Thesis Rush: Can You Get A PhD Without Masters? Let’s Find Out!
• Senior Living Blog: University-Based Retirement Communities
• Inside Higher Ed: Receiving Your Doctorate to Work at a Community College?
• Quora: What is the lowest accepted GPA for Harvard admission?
• How to apply for a Postgrad Solutions Study Bursary
• Save the Student: 10 ways American unis are different from UK unis
• Postgrad: PhD in UK
• Postgrad: PhD in USA
• Postgrad: Graduate School USA
• Postgrad: How To Get A PhD
• Postgrad: Studying for a PhD—the basics
• Postgrad: 5 Steps to Getting Ready for Postgrad Study in the USA
• Postgrad: Common PhD Myths
• Postgrad: What? Where? Why? When? How? Is A Phd Right For Me?
• Postgrad: 5 Things To Ask When Looking For A Phd
• Postgrad: What Are the Different Types of Postgraduate University in the US?
• Postgrad: PhD Studentships

Hey there, my name is Anja, I’ve seen and supported my mom’s incredible transformation in her fifties. Seeing how my mom “awakened” and took full control over her life really impressed me. I got inspired and started dreaming about how we could inspire more people, especially women, to open up and create a second life for themselves. That’s how the idea of aginggreatly.com came to life…

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The best ideas in the world

10 Oldest People to Earn a Degree

The 10 (plus one) college graduates spotlighted here prove that you’re never too old to stop learning. One by one, they all are extraordinary people, thirsting for knowledge and refusing to spend this segment of their lives in quiet reflections of the past. So, a tip of the cap to every one of them, an inspiration to us all.

11. Willadene Zedan, 85

She left high school in 1943. Then, took a little break. Oh, and after a few (ha) years, received her bachelor’s degree from Marian University in Wisconsin on May 18, 2013.

“I was preparing myself for a new career,” the great-grandmother said of her degree. Now she is doctor’s assistant. Zedan, who lives in Fond du Lac, Wisc., took her first class at Marian University several years after her husband died in 1998. After realizing that she “loved the college atmosphere,” she gradually started taking up to four classes a semester, according to the Fond du Lac Reporter. Eventually, she declared her major in theology, which due to her strong spiritual faith, seemed like a “natural fit.”

10. Anne Martindell, 87

In June of 2002, the New Jersey Legislature honored Princeton resident Anne Martindell for graduating from Smith College at the age of 87. Martindell is also the only Smith graduate to have simultaneously received undergraduate and honorary degrees.

After graduating, she wrote a memoir called Never Too Late. Martindell’s interesting life story includes entering Smith as a first-year student, class of 1936, then dropping out a year later at the behest of her father, who didn’t approve of educated women. A long and varied career in politics followed, in which she served as a New Jersey state senator, the director of the office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance, and as United States ambassador to New Zealand and Western Samoa. Martindell also raised four children. In 1999, at age 84, Martindell re-entered Smith as an Ada Comstock Scholar and completed her degree in American studies.

9. Charlie Ball, 89

Charlie Ball started college in 1941, but his education was abruptly cut short when he enlisted to serve in WWII. But Charlie never forgot about how close he came to graduation. Almost a quarter-century later, 89-year-old Ball graduated from Arkansas Tech as the school’s oldest alumni.

“I joined the old Army Air Corps, and they sent me for pilot’s training down in Texas,” recalled Ball, in a 2012 interview. When the war ended, Charlie picked up a few classes here and there, and went to work with his father, but as the years went on and he became a grandpa, he knew he wanted to set an example. So, Ball worked with Tech to compile his transcripts. Ball’s personality made him easily the most popular student around. Everyone knew who he was, and they were all inspired by his story and that he never gave up.

8. Mary Fasano, 89

In 1997 Mary Fasano made news by becoming the oldest person ever to earn a Harvard degree when she graduated from 1997: the extension school at the age of 89.

Fasano worked as forelady at a sewing factory in Warren, R.I., where she met her husband, Arcangelo. After their first child was born, the couple moved to Braintree, Mass. Four more children were born after several years and the family started Fasano’s Diner, which they ran for 12 years. After a lifetime of working, the Fasanos sold the diner, and the family’s catering business was taken over by her children. Fasano retired, and decided to go back to school. She started by enrolling in Braintree High School in 1977, earning her high school diploma in 1979, at the age of 71.

She enrolled in the Harvard Extension School in 1979 after receiving encouragement from a friend who worked for the College. In 1993, after 14 years of studying art, Shakespeare, Italian, and many other subjects, Fasano received an associate’s degree from the Extension School and was awarded the Santo Joseph Aurelio Prize, an award “that recognizes academic achievement and character for undergraduate degree recipients over 50 years of age.”

7. (tie) Bertie Gladwin, 90

Gladwin became one of Britain’s oldest recorded graduates after he received his Masters degree in Intelligence History from Buckingham University. He embarked on his degree in Intelligence History and Bletchley Park Studies at the age of 89 together with his wife, who was then aged 77. “I feel very satisfied to think that I’ve done an MA at my age,” he said at the time. “When you’re 90, you sit around and not a lot happens, so it’s important to carry on learning and to broaden your horizons.”

Gladwin has been clocking up degrees for years. At the age of 60, he decided to undertake a BA in Psychology. By the time he was 70 he had also completed a BSc in Molecular Biology. “They’re fascinating subjects,” he says. “I did them just because I was interested in them and wanted to know more about them.”



6. (tie) Wally Taibleson, 90

Taibleson first attended college in 1993, at the age of 70. Since then, he’s gone on to earn a bachelor’s and three master’s degrees, the latest of which came just last year, at age 90. The oldest graduate in the history of the 23-campus California State University system, Taibleson is “a living, breathing rebuttal to anyone who thinks they can’t go back to school or achieve their goals,” says his son Jim.

Prior to his graduation ceremony, Taibleson told reporters he was proud to be earning his master’s degree in education. The 90-year-old grad said he lives by this quote: “As long as you’re learning, you’re not old.”

5. Cliff Dadson, 93

Dadson is inspiring in so many ways, having served in the Royal Air Force during World War Two and working as an electrical engineer. He was flown around the world to speak because of incredible level of expertise in his particular field. He earned a college degree at age 93, a BA Open Degree in Arts from Open University, and became the oldest college graduate in Britain, beating out our #6, Bertie Gladwin. On his educational experience at the university, Dadson said “I spoke to many graduates from many different nations and backgrounds, all of whom were so much younger than I, but it made me feel young at heart.”

4. Allan Stewart, 97

Stewart, a retired dentist, received his fourth degree, a Masters of Clinical Science from Southern Cross University in New South Wales. He credits “time management” for achieving so much in the scholastic realm. But Dr. Allan Stewart is no stranger to academia. Born in 1915, Stewart completed a degree in dentistry in 1936, but decided to return to school in his golden years to keep his mind sharp. He received that fourth degree in 2012.

3. (tie) Twila Boston, 98

Boston graduated from Utah State University with a bachelors in American Studies at 98-years-old. It was expected of us in our family to get an education,” says Twila Boston, but she never did get around to graduating. So, at age 98, she hunkered down and finally completed her degree in American Studies at Utah State University. Boston is the oldest person to graduate from Utah State University, and, as such, she has a bit of advice for all of us: “Go out in whatever you want, in whatever you want to do the rest of your life.”

2. (tie) Nola Ochs, 98

Probably the most famous (and adorable) golden grad around, with a 3.7 g.p.a. no less, 95-year-old Nola Ochs took home a degree in general studies with an emphasis in history from Fort Hays State University in 2007, graduating alongside her granddaughter Alexandra. Eventually, Ochs went on to earn her master’s degree at age 98, making her the oldest recipient of a master’s degree in history (as of this writing).

1. Leo Plass, 99

Plass dropped out of college in 1932 when he was just 20. Then, at 99 years old, the Oregon resident finished what he started by receiving an Associates degree from Eastern Oregon University.

Plass set a world record in doing so. Just a few credits shy of a degree, Leo Plass quit school in 1932 to pursue a career in the logging industry. According to Plass, the pay was too good to pass up, but he never did forget his academic aspirations. Finally, in 2011, 99-year-old Plass earned his associates degree from East Oregon University.

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7 Oldest Medical Students in the World

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the average age of students entering medical school is about 24 years old . However, it is possible to attend and graduate medical school when you’re older. In fact, older applicants are often very attractive medical school candidates due to their extensive life experience.

Almost all of the people on this list had very long and successful careers in other fields before deciding to fulfill lifelong dreams of becoming a doctor. Everyone on this list proves that it’s never too late to start over again and go after the things you want in life.

7. Heidi Meyer

Oldest Age While Attending School: 37 years old in 2008 Country of Origin:  San Diego, California, USA School:  University Of California, San Diego School Of Medicine Year Graduated:  2008

Heidi Meyer was featured in the same CNN story about older medical students as another doctor on this list, Michael Moore. Meyer said that although she had always wanted to go into medicine, she chose to pursue musical theater instead. When Meyer decided to leave her Broadway career, it raised some eyebrows, but she said, “I wasn’t going to grow and be the person I wanted to be.”

Meyer graduated from San Diego School of Medicine at the University of California in 2008 at 37 years old. At the time of the CNN story, Meyer was 40 years old and finishing up her residency at the University of Arizona in Tucson. Meyers is now a family physician.

6. Shasta Theodore

Oldest Age While Attending School: 42 in 2017 (last news from that year) Country of Origin:  Houston, Texas School:  McGovern Medical School at UTHealth in Houston, Texas Year Graduated:  Unknown – most likely still attending school

Shasta Theodore already had a bachelor’s degree in sociology and history as well as a Ph.D. in deomgraphy before she decided she wanted to become a medical doctor. Theodore says that she started thinking about becoming a nurse after her first year of graduate school. During the summer, Theodore went to Ghana and worked on a health project and realized that she wanted to help people by providing health care.

Theodore wanted to jump right into medicine, but was advised to focus on and finish her Ph.D. first. However, Theodore then worked in South Africa as the director of a health promotion project for adolescents and was determined to pursue this new path. In 2017, at 42 years old, Theodore was in her second year of medical school at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth in Houston, Texas.

5. Nathan Goldfein

Oldest Age While Attending School: 40s Country of Origin:  Alamogordo, New Mexico School:  University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson, Arizona Year Graduated:  2005

Although Nathan Goldfein started his second career as a doctor later in life, he worked hard and is now the senior vice president of hospital medicine at Envision Physician Services   and director of the hospital medicine program at Gerald Champion Regional medical Center in Alamogordo, N.M. Before working in medicine, Goldfein worked in manufacturing and has a degree in mechanical engineering and manufacturing. Goldfein worked on projects designing missiles, satellites and air brakes, and has earned 10 patents during his previous career.

Despite such an impressive career history, Goldfein decided to start down a completely different path. According to Goldfein, two life-changing experiences led him to decide to become a doctor. Goldfein was on a flight where a passenger having a heart attack needed help, which made Goldfein feel helpless. He also had always regretted not trying out for the NFL when he had the opportunity. Goldfein said he didn’t want to have any more regrets later in life and went to medical school when he was 40 years old .

4. Joyce Haynes Busch

Oldest Age While Attending School: 46 years old in 2016 Country of Origin:  Texas, USA School:  Ross University School of Medicine in Dominica Year Graduated:  2016

Joyce Haynes Busch started her blog, A 40 Year Old Medical Student, in 2008 when she was in her late 30s and decided she wanted to go to medical school. In her very first blog post, Busch said that she hoped to enter medical school at 40 and her dream actually came true when she was 41 years old. In 2011, Busch was accepted into the Ross University School of Medicine in Dominica (RUSM).

After five years, Busch graduated from medical school in 2016 and began her residency in Family Medicine at the University of Arkansas Southwest in Texarkana, Texas. Busch was inspired to pursue her original career dream when her husband of less than two years suddenly died after battling prostate cancer.

3. Michael Moore

Oldest Age While Attending School: 50 years old in 2013 Country of Origin:  McChord, Washington, USA School:  Pacific Northwest University of Health and Sciences Year Graduated:  2013

Before becoming a doctor in 2013, Michael Moore had years of experience as a Primary Care, Emergency Medicine, Surgical, and Critical Care Physician Assistant in both military and civilian hospitals. When Moore’s story was covered by CNN in 2011, he was 48 years old and an Army major . Moore graduated from Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences in Washington in 2013 at age 50 .

Moore said that he studied for his medical admissions test in Iraq between missions. Moore took a big risk that paid off and he is now a doctor of osteopathic medicine. After graduating, Moore did his residency at Madigan Army Medical Center also in Washington.

2. Genevie Kocourek

Oldest Age While Attending School: 53 years old in 2008 Country of Origin:  Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA School:  University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison Year Graduated:  2008

Genevie Kocourek had always wanted to get into medicine but did not pursue her dream for financial reasons. Kocourek ended up working in Information Technology (IT) and when she was nearly in her 50s decided she wanted to make a career change . Initially, Kocourek thought of becoming a nurse, but her husband suggested that she should apply to medical school instead.

Kocourek attended the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison and graduated in 2008 at 53. Kocourek thought about quitting while she was doing her third-year rotations, but stuck it out with help from family and friends. In 2011, Kocourek opened her own holistic medical practice.

1. Atomic Leow

Oldest Age While Attending School: 66 years old in 2015 Country of Origin:  Singapore School:  University GT Popa of Medicine and Pharmacy in Iasi, Romania Year Graduated:  2015

Atomic Leow was 66 years old when he graduated in 2015 as a Doctor of Medicine from University GT Popa of Medicine and Pharmacy in Iasi, Romania. Leow, who is originally from Singapore, is the oldest known medical student in the world.

Before deciding to become a doctor so late in life, Leow was one of Singapore’s foremost hydroponic research scientists and educators.

Leow also holds a few different degrees from La Trobe University in Australia, including a Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Honours) and a Diploma in Education. He also became a Doctor of Philosophy (Toxicology) while studying at La Trobe. While attending medical school, Leow faced many challenges, including dealing with several health scares. Despite all of his hardships, Leow graduated in the top 10 per cent of his class.

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20 Oldest Recorded College Graduates

Find your degree.

By Jennifer W. Eisenberg

Events in life must follow a pattern, mustn’t they, or what’s a pattern for? For instance, certain things should be done by the young–like playing with abandon, learning social skills, getting an education–and other things are to be done by those who are older–like entering the workforce, starting a family, traveling far from home. When things are done out of order, however, the results can surprise us. The stories below contain very surprising characters. You’ll encounter men and women who achieved long-held dreams of gaining an education, and they all overcame tough obstacles. The 21 people who are showcased here managed to succeed. By doing so, they offer hope to the rest of us. viral bait w images if possible

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Bryan Lowe, 102

The world’s second-oldest university, Cambridge, has awarded a master’s degree to a 102-year-old former student, a whopping 85 years after he began his studies. Lots of things got in the way, such as the student’s service in Britain’s Royal Navy in WWII and his moves to other continents. Mostly though, the student just “never got around to it.” In the end, the reasons didn’t matter. When Bryan Lowe contacted Cambridge in 2016 to see about receiving his MA that he’d begun in 1931, the university was very happy to comply. Now armed with his degree, Lowe is not looking for advancement in his career, but he is glad that he will finally be able to cast a vote in Cambridge’s University Senate elections.  

Doreetha Daniels, 99

A vow–to earn her college diploma before she turned 100–was fulfilled when Doreetha Daniels received her associates degree in social work from College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, California, in 2015. At the age of 90, Daniels admitted to becoming bored with her life. Looking around, she saw that her grandchildren were going back to college for advanced degrees so she set her sights on a long-deferred dream. By taking two classes at a time and always sitting in the front, Daniels met the challenge. She even conquered her fear of technology, so much so that playing computer games became a favorite activity.

Nola Ochs, 98

Kansas native Nola Ochs truly understood the meaning of the word “stick-to-it-iveness.” Seventy-seven years after first enrolling in college in 1930, Ochs graduated. She had lived on a farm and had been a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, but she never stopped yearning to finish college. At the age of 98, Ochs earned her diploma, and Guinness World Record holder named her as the oldest college graduate at the time. Princess Cruises hired her as guest lecturer on one of their cruises to the Caribbean. Not done with college yet, Ochs also earned her MA and went on to become a graduate teaching assistant.

Twila Boston, 98

In 2012 when Twila Boston graduated from Utah State University, there were more than 3300 other graduates, but she stood out. For one thing, she used a cane to walk across the stage. Second, she was 98 years old. She was, in fact, the oldest graduate ever at USU. All through her life as a wife, mother, and nurse, she had known that only a few college credits kept her from earning the degree. In the auditorium as she finally received her diploma for a BA in American Studies were family members who had traveled thousands of miles to celebrate with her

Amy Craton, 94

Not every college student can claim that the college president traveled thousands of miles to throw a surprise party for graduation, but Amy Craton of Hawaii can make that boast. At the age of 94 when she earned a BA in Creative Writing and English from Southern New Hampshire University, the president of SNHU showed up with Craton’s family and friends, festive trimmings, and other SNHU-based alumni to celebrate. Because Craton was hard of hearing and confined to a wheelchair, online courses were ideal, and she maintained a 4.0 GPA. The diploma was 54 years in the making, and Craton has plans to earn her master’s.

Phyllis Turner, 94

Like many older college students, Phyllis Mary Turner left school reluctantly at a young age to help with younger brothers and sisters. Her father had just left the family. When Turner returned to school almost sixty years later, she studied anthropology. A research paper she wrote dealt with the anthropological history of her native Australia before Europeans settled there. The cane she used for walking did not slow her progress in her classes, for she earned honors in undergraduate studies and went on to earn her master’s degree in medical science from Adelaide University, becoming at 94 the world’s oldest postgraduate to receive a degree. 

Joyce Lowenstein, 93

A journey that takes one from Miami to New York, then to Wisconsin, Europe, South America, and eventually to Georgia may seem like a long and winding road, but to Joyce Lowenstein the road was a very happy one. For the Miami native, whose family had moved to New York, her next destination was college in Wisconsin where she lived in a frat house because all the young men were off fighting in WWII. Lowenstein left college to marry, and she became an antique dealer, which explained the buying trips abroad. At Georgia State University, she enrolled in art history, using GSU-62’s tuition waivers for seniors. The next move for the 93-year-old college graduate? Classes to become certified as an art appraiser. And everyone who knows her believes she’ll succeed.

Elisabeth Kirby, 93

Elisabeth Kirkby was a trail-blazer, famous in Australia long before she became the country’s oldest college graduate at the age of 93. In WWII she served in the British army. In Malaya, she wrote, produced, and directed for radio and the arts. Moving to Australia, she entered the burgeoning world of television and starred in the country’s long-running soap, Number 96 as Lucy Sutcliffe, as well as taking roles in theater and film. In 1981, she was elected to Australia’s legislative council and was state leader of the Australian Democrats in NSW for 17 years. Only after her political career did Kirkby earn her college degrees: an arts degree in 2006 and her doctorate in 2014.

Cliff Dadson, 93

At the age of 93, Cliff Dadson became Britain’s oldest living college graduate. At 94, he did something that was arguably more daring. He went sky-diving to raise funds for his favorite charity, Action for Kids , which supports those dealing with abuse or neglect and which he has been involved with for more than 30 years. Dadson got used to planes during WWII as an RAF pilot, but skydiving is quite another sort of venture, especially in one’s tenth decade and demonstrates more than the usual dedication to one’s chosen charity. His BA degree in Arts was from Open University.

Leo Plass, 90

For Leo Plass, choosing between $80 a month as a teacher and $150 as a logger was a no-brainer. In the Great Depression, a better paycheck was hard to pass up, so Plass left college. If he’d known he needed only three hours to complete his teaching degree, however, he admitted he might have made a different choice. Many years later–79, to be exact–Plass’s nephew, recognizing his uncle’s rich life history, contacted Eastern Oregon University about the unfinished degree. The college allowed Plass to substitute life experience and his career in carpentry for class credits and awarded him a degree when he was 99 years old.

Bob Dwyer, 90

One doesn’t think of a retirement home as a college residence hall, but in 90-year-old Bob Dwyer’s case the independent living facility on Chicago’s North Side served as his dorm. Each day he joined his fellow students at Northeastern Illinois University and completed the college degree he had originally begun seventy years earlier. A stint in the army, a career in manufacturing, a happy marriage, nine children, twenty-two grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, a few volunteer trips to Spain and Vietnam to teach youngsters–all these filled his life. Dwyer’s diploma from NIU in 2019 was the proverbial cherry atop his many other accomplishments.

Bertie Gladwin, 90

Leaving school at 14 doesn’t mean you don’t get to have a cool job. As a young man, Bertie Gladwin of the United Kingdom didn’t finish secondary education or go to university, but he found lifelong, satisfying work with MI6, British Intelligence. As an electronic engineer, he installed alternative communications systems in British embassies. In his sixties, Gladwin earned two undergraduate degrees, and when he contemplated earning a master’s degree, the field of military intelligence was a natural choice. Taking classes alongside his wife, he wrote his dissertation, a 10,000 word essay, on the role of the special operations executive in WWII. 

Charlie Ball, 89

To the Class of 2012 Arkansas Tech graduates marching alongside Charlie Ball, the bombing of Pearl Harbor was just an event in history books. For Ball, the bombing 71 years before was the reason he had left that school in his freshman year. He served in WWII as a fighter pilot. Afterward he had a family and a business career, taking college courses here and there in his spare time. A TV commercial about Arkansas Tech’s accelerated degree program sparked his interest, and the 89-year-old Ball learned he already had enough credit hours for a Bachelor’s of Professional Studies in Public Relations, becoming the oldest person to graduate from the school.

Mary Fasano, 89

On the day she graduated from college, Mary Fasano used the proverb, “Knowledge is power,” in a speech. The three simple words may have been the guiding force of her life. As a seventh grader, she’d left school to work in a cotton mill, but the pull of an education drew her to return to high school and earn her degree at the age of 71. Then, while simultaneously helping to run her family’s restaurant and catering business, she took one course per semester for seventeen years and managed to complete her college degree at Harvard University, becoming the school’s oldest graduate when she was 89.

Horace Sheffield, 88

Online courses–and a friend from church serving as his tutor–helped Horace Sheffield earn his college degree 60 years after he left school. As a young man he’d accumulated 115 credit hours, but the needs of his family forced him to take a different path. Many years later he learned that seniors could take college courses for free, so he enrolled in Shorter University in Rome, Georgia, working toward a BS in Christian Studies. At the age of 88, Sheffield walked across the stage to receive his diploma. Beside him was his friend and tutor. Sheffield’s only cost was a $200 graduation fee.  

Anne Martindell, 87

When Anne Martindell entered Smith College as a young woman, her life plan of becoming a lawyer didn’t appeal to her father. Soon after, her parents pulled her out of school. Like many women of her generation, she settled into married life. Eventually she served as a state senator and was appointed ambassador to New Zealand and Western Samoa, but thoughts of a college education stayed with her. Smith College’s Ada Comstock Scholar program brought her back, with its focus on older students. Seventy years after entering as a freshman, Martindell graduated at 87 with a degree in American Studies.  

Wally Taibleson, 90

Once Wally Taibleson returned to college in his early seventies, it seemed as if he couldn’t get enough of it. The proof may be in the degrees he racked up: graduation from Cal State University San Marcos in 2002 with a BA in history and MAs in history, literature and writing, and education. The death of his wife caused him to consider dropping out, but a professor persuaded him to continue. Four degrees later, Taibleson was glad he persevered. Grateful to CSUSM, he set up a scholarship fund for high school students and helped establish an endowment for the history department.

Willadene Zedan, 85

Willadene Zedan loved working with Girl Scouts. At the age of 88, she spent four days in the woods of Wisconsin teaching a troop how to survive with not much more than a sleeping bag. Zedan was accustomed to sacrifice and had learned many life skills to pass along. As a teenager, for instance, she had put her college dreams on hold and returned home to help with the family after her mother died. Then at the age of 85, she went back to college to get her degree in theology, becoming the oldest graduate in the history of Marian University. A few days after graduation, she was ready to head out to her new job: assisting a local physician as he made house calls on elderly patients. 

Hazel Soares, 94

At the time Hazel Soares graduated from high school, in the midst of the Great Depression, a college education seemed out of reach. She went on to have a family and be a nurse and an event planner, but she kept dreaming about a college diploma. After retirement, Soares returned to school and earned an associates degree at the age of 85. In 2010, when she was 94, she graduated from Mills College in Oakland, California, with a BA in Art History and was thought to be the second oldest college graduate in the world. With this accomplishment under her belt, Soares began to focus on fulfilling her next dream: becoming a docent in a San Francisco Bay area museum. 

Donzella Washington, 80

As a high school graduate in 1957, Donzella Washington was interested in social work and considered college, but severe stuttering and lack of confidence held her back. After a full life with a family of her own and helping to rear 32 foster children, Washington entered community college at 65. Speech classes helped correct her stuttering and gave her the confidence to go further. First came an associate’s degree. Then at 80, she earned a degree in social work at Alabama A&M –with a 4.0 GPA! But Washington wouldn’t rest on her laurels. She was exploring a master’s program. 

Adolfo Gonzalez, 58

Adolfo isn’t the oldest, but his story is so inspiring we felt it worthy to include as the 21st entry on our list.

To earn his bachelor’s degree at the age of 58, Mexico native Adolfo Gonzalez endured more trials than the usual college student. What sort of trials, one might ask?

For starters, Gonzalez left his home village at the age of 8 to live hours away where he worked and attended school. He dropped out of school at 12 so he could work and send money to his family, because contemplating his mother’s poverty devastated him. At 18, he tried school again but had to drop out when his father died. He worked in the tomato and the celery fields. He paid a human smuggler $20 to lead him north to California where he could earn more for his family. Taking classes when he could, it took him a decade to earn his GED. A counselor advised that he was too old to enter college, and his English wasn’t good enough, anyway. 

A lesser man might have given up, but Gonzalez endured over all his trials. At California State University, Monterey Bay, he found welcoming staff and faculty. His long-ago promise to buy his mother a home became a reality. In 2017, he graduated from Hartnell College with a degree in Spanish, ahead of schedule and with honors. In 2019, he graduated from California State University, Monterey Bay. His next goal became earning a master’s in education and giving back by teaching.

Another trial that hasn’t been covered is perhaps the biggest one of all: Along with English, Gonzalez also had to learn Spanish. The Zapoteco he’d spoken in his native state of Oaxaca is an endangered language. He is now teaching Zapoteco to his grandchildren.

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Who were the ‘outsiders’ at Columbia University’s Hamilton Hall?

When James Carlson was arrested inside Columbia University’s Hamilton Hall , he was already under investigation for snatching an Israeli flag out of a man’s hand near campus and setting it on fire. 

That wasn’t the first time Carlson, who has no affiliation with Columbia, had run afoul of the law. He was arrested in San Francisco in 2005 during a violent protest organized by an anarchist group, according to a senior law enforcement official.  

The 40-year-old animal rights lawyer is among the group of “professional outsiders” cast by the New York City police department and mayor as having a significant role in the takeover of Hamilton Hall. 

Large, drawn-out protests like the one at Columbia have a tendency to attract people with a diffuse set of ideologies and motivations, experts say. Roughly 30% of those arrested at Hamilton Hall on Tuesday had no affiliation with the school , according to university officials.

But while there is no doubt that the occupation of the building amounted to a dramatic escalation in tactics, it remains unclear how large an influence outsiders like Carlson have had on the overall student protest movement at Columbia and nearby colleges, which began more than two weeks ago. 

Some of the student protesters think the narrative pushed by city and university officials — of dangerous outsiders co-opting the demonstrations — is fueled by ulterior motives. 

“I really struggle a lot with the whole narrative of outside agitators because I see it as a means through which to justify violence,” Soph Askanse, a junior at the neighboring Barnard College,  said in an interview. “And to claim that because individuals are not students, they are thus deserving of police brutality.”

Rory Wilson, 22, a Columbia senior who did not participate in the protests, offered a different take. 

After midnight on Tuesday, Wilson and a friend placed themselves outside a Hamilton Hall door for several minutes to prevent the protesters from barricading it shut. Video footage released by the city showed a 63-year-old activist named Lisa Fithian at the center of the action, directing the protesters on how to barricade the doors and referring to Wilson and his friend as “assholes.”

“She was right in the middle of it, instructing them how to better set up the barricades,” said Wilson, who has Jewish heritage but is not a practicing Jew. “Given that the barricades were a pretty central part of the plan of how to take over Hamilton, I’d expect that she would have been pretty central in the logistics planning.”

Fithian, who has not responded to requests for comment, was not among those arrested on Tuesday.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Columbia University President Minouche Shafik called out the prevalence of outsiders after the protesters seized Hamilton Hall. The police swarmed the building late Tuesday and made a wave of other arrests at Columbia and the nearby City College of New York.

A total of 46 people have been charged with trespassing in connection with the building’s occupation, according to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. 

At least 13 of them had no affiliation with the university, a Columbia spokesperson said. The rest included at least 14 Columbia undergraduates, nine graduate students and two employees. Six others were students from affiliated schools, the university spokesman said. 

“The numbers shared by the NYPD about arrests made on April 30 reflect the expectations we had regarding the occupation of Hamilton Hall,” said Ben Chang, Columbia’s vice president of communications. 

“A significant portion of those who broke the law and occupied Hamilton Hall were outsiders. While 14 were Columbia undergraduate students, the majority were a mix of adults, including graduate students, two employees, and outsiders unaffiliated with Columbia University.”

NBC News matched the names in court records with names and affiliations from the Columbia email directory and found roughly the same percentage of people with no ties to the university.

At least eight of those arrested inside Hamilton Hall were above the age of 30, NBC News found, and the two employees appear to be junior researchers working in Columbia University labs. 

Overall, of the 112 people arrested at Columbia on Tuesday, 32 had no affiliation with the school, or 29%, according to the mayor’s office and the New York Police Department. Out of the 170 people arrested at the City College of New York, 102 people had no ties to the school, or 60%.  

Allie Wong, a Ph.D. student at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, was among a group of protesters who formed a human chain in front of Hamilton Hall. She said a police officer roughed her up when they broke up the crowd, striking her with an unknown object that caused a golf ball-sized welt on her head.

The New York Fire Department said three people suffered minor injuries during the arrests. Two were taken to the hospital and one was treated at the scene.  

Wong, who was charged with trespassing, would not comment on the role of outsiders in the protests. But she said the description of them as “outside agitators” was “baseless and incorrect.”

Wilson, the student with Jewish family members who tried to stop the barricading of Hamilton Hall, said he understood the rationale for the pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus but believes that the building occupation was not productive.

“I totally understand why they would be extraordinarily sad and angry about the loss of life in Gaza,” Wilson said of the broader protest movement. 

He added that he believes a college campus is a place where the conflict should be analyzed and debated, and people’s voices should be heard. “That was not happening with the mob tactics, the smashing of university property and intimidating students,” he said. 

The outsiders

Carlson, who also goes by Cody Carlson and Cody Tarlson, was the oldest of the protesters arrested inside Hamilton Hall. Neither he nor his lawyer returned requests for comment.

Carlson has been a frequent presence at protests around the city since the start of Israel’s offensive in Gaza following Hamas’ Oct. 7 assault, according to the NYPD official. 

He is accused of taking part in a chaotic incident near the Columbia campus during a protest on April 20. As a 22-year-old man carrying an Israeli flag was walking around the demonstration, Carlson yanked the flag out of his hands and took off, police said. 

As the victim gave chase, some other members of the crowd threw rocks at the man, police said. Carlson was captured on video setting the flag on fire with a lighter, according to a criminal complaint.  

He has pleaded not guilty to charges of arson and criminal mischief, according to court records. The Manhattan District Attorney is investigating the incident as a possible hate crime, a spokesperson said. 

A graduate of Brooklyn Law School, he worked as a litigation fellow with the Humane Society of the U.S. from 2014 to 2016, a spokeswoman said. Carlson has also worked as an undercover investigator who recorded animal abuse at places like dairy farms and slaughterhouses, according to a 2015 New York Times story. 

‘‘Learn to walk the walk and talk the talk,’’ Carlson told the paper. 

Years earlier, he was arrested at a demonstration in San Francisco where a police officer was struck in the head by an unknown object and suffered skull fractures while confronting protesters. The rally had been organized by a group called Anarchist Action, which opposed the Group of Eight summit held in Scotland the previous week, according to local news clips.

Carlson, who was then 21, was charged with rioting, resisting arrest and wearing a mask. The case was dropped two years later after he completed a pretrial diversion program, according to a San Francisco court clerk. 

The group of outsiders arrested on Tuesday at the City College of New York included a 32-year-old man who has an extensive history of protest-related arrests dating back to 2012 in California, according to a senior law enforcement official.

The man, Rudy Ralph Martinez, has a criminal record in the New York area that includes charges of disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and obstruction, the official said. The disposition of the cases was not known. 

Martinez’s lawyer did not respond to a request for comment.

Another man with no university ties who was arrested on Tuesday at City College has had “numerous protest-related arrests,” the official said. The man, Jacob Isaac Gabriel, was part of a group that disrupted the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade last year, the official said. It was not clear whether he was convicted. 

Gabriel’s lawyer did not respond to a request for comment. 

Brian Higgins, a former Bergen County police chief and lecturer at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said large protests often serve as a magnet for a certain kind of person.  

“The larger number are going to be those people who are well meaning,” Higgins said. “They have a cause — whether it’s the George Floyd murder or Palestine and Israel. But there are those who use those well meaning people for other purposes.”

“It’s not always nefarious,” he added. “But there are people who make a living off of protests.”

CORRECTION (May 6, 2024, 1:36 p.m. ET) : A previous version of this article misstated where Allie Wong is studying for her Ph.d. She is a student at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, not the philosophy department.

Rich Schapiro is a reporter for the NBC News Investigative Unit.

Tom Winter is a New York-based correspondent covering crime, courts, terrorism and financial fraud on the East Coast for the NBC News Investigative Unit.

Natasha Bracken is a freelance reporter for NBC News.

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81-year-old veteran earns master’s degree in aviation from Liberty

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May 10, 2024 : By Ted Allen - Office of Communications & Public Engagement

At 81, Nicholas Schillen, a U.S. Air Force veteran who completed his M.S. in Aeronautics through Liberty University Online Programs in December, is the oldest graduate among the 29,000-plus students in the Class of 2024.

He and his wife drove from their home near Miami to Lynchburg, Va., so he could see the university for the first time, attend Liberty’s Military Graduate Recognition Ceremony on Thursday morning, and walk the stage at Thursday afternoon’s School of Aeronautics degree presentation ceremony.

In the early 1960s, Schillen studied marine biology at colleges in Texas and Indiana before following an alternate flight plan.

“I had to make a career decision,” he said. “Do I go into the air or into the water? My dad said, ‘No more school for you. Get a job.’ So I went into the Air Force.”

Schillen, who was born in Venezuela, and his wife, Maria, who was born in Chile, both grew up in Havana, Cuba. They met while serving in the U.S. Air Force on the same base at the Panama Canal.

Schillen’s military career stretched from 1963-87, and he rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Starting as a radar navigator and bombardier in B-52s during the Cold War, he received his pilot’s wings and flew special operations missions aboard C-47 Skytrains in Vietnam in the late 1960s before working with the Defense Intelligence Agency and being assigned as an aviation military advisor to several posts in Central America.

“That was kind of interesting and pretty rewarding, working on operations in Panama, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Guatemala,” Schillen said. “Invariably, I was involved in assignments with other U.S. service members in special forces and Navy SEALS, as well as host country military units. I was in the Air Force side of those activities.”

In civilian life, he started as an instructor at Eastern Air Lines and subsequently taught in the Air Force Junior ROTC program for 10 years before starting his own flight school and serving as a chief pilot for NS Aviation Training, Inc., from 2000-18. A year later, he became the chief instructor for Atlantis Aviation Flight Academy, an FAA-approved Part 141 flight school that trained international students in Pembroke Pines, Fla., from 2019-21.

Schillen’s specialties include commercial certification and instrument-rated single and multiengine flight instruction. He also specializes in preparing commercial pilots to become flight instructors. To promote his instructional expertise, Schillen launched MN Aviation Consultants, Inc ., in 2018. As its owner and CEO, he provides one-on-one flight instruction to recreational pilots and those seeking professional certification. Additionally, he has provided consulting services in quality control and standardization of training procedures to several South Florida flight schools.

Schillen said he heard about Liberty through associations in his flight school and felt an immediate connection due to Liberty’s nationally recognized military friendliness.

“I felt welcome, you know?” he said.

Pursuing his master’s degree gave Schillen a whole new perspective on general aviation and the flight training industry in particular.

“If you do something in your skill and your area of expertise after a while, you think you know it all, at least I did, but that’s not true,” he said. “I broadened my view of aviation. I’ve been a very hands-on, operational type of pilot, and I wasn’t familiar with many of the topics covered, aviation law, for example. Of course, I’m a history buff, so that aspect of the courses was of great interest to me.”

It had been more than 50 years since he had enrolled in college coursework, and Schillen quickly discovered that the road to a master’s degree wasn’t going to be easy.

“Well, if anybody thinks it’s going to be a cakewalk, I tell them, ‘Don’t even try it,’” Schillen said. “It’s work, and you’ve got to put in the time and effort. If you follow the process, the way Liberty does it, and you dedicate your mind to it, it will pay off.”

He said the process was extremely rewarding.

“People ask me, ‘Why would you get a master’s at this point in your career?’” Schillen said. “Completing it was a big measure of honor in and of itself. I graduated with distinction, which I never thought I could or would. But I just did my best. If I made a mistake, the instructor let me know. Their feedback was always excellent, and so were their words of encouragement.”

For his capstone project, he designed a course to teach pilots who want to become FAA-certified flight instructors. Schillen’s professor was Jim Molloy, a former dean of the School of Aeronautics, and a fellow Air Force veteran now serving with Samaritan’s Air in North Africa.

“He had also served in the Defense Intelligence Agency and had done a lot of the same work that I used to do when I was in the military, so we had something in common,” Schillen said. “I felt that there was a degree of familiarity. I struggled with the research, and he kept pushing me.”

Schillen, who said he has always lived by the Golden Rule, especially with regards to the way he has operated his flight school, said the main benefit he received from his online studies through Liberty was the strengthening of his faith.

“I’ve always been spiritual,” said Schillen, who was baptized into the Catholic faith but has been influenced by friends who were Protestant believers throughout his military and civilian career. “I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God, but I never took my faith too seriously until I started taking master’s level courses. The concept of writing a paper about aviation leaders in military history or flight safety through a biblical lens was new to me. So that approach was very significant to me. It made me more knowledgeable and gave me the confidence to speak and to train from a spiritual perspective.”

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This student will graduate from a North Jersey college — at 95 years old

NEWTON — Like many older students, Bernard Cutler's journey to becoming a college graduate did not follow a linear path.

He joined the Army, entered the workforce and started a family before returning to continue his education. But while other students might take a few years in between their high school and college graduations, Cutler's gap was a bit longer — 79 years, to be exact.

Cutler, 95, will become the oldest graduate in the history of Sussex County Community College when he walks across the stage to accept his diploma at the school's commencement on Wednesday. The ceremony will conclude his pursuit of an associate's degree in technical studies more than a decade after he took his first courses at the college in Newton.

"Talk about a study in stick-to-itiveness and not giving up — because he easily could have," said Kathi Gallichio, a former counselor at Sussex who worked closely with Cutler during his college years.

'I want my friend Bernie back'

Cutler, known as "Bernie" to his friends, was born on July 20, 1928, on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, but has lived in Wantage for the past 16 years. He served in World War II after graduating from high school in 1945 and later owned an electronics firm before retiring nearly two decades ago at age 77.

Cutler's journey with SCCC began at a sad point in his life, after his wife of 60 years, Estelle, died in 2011. He was "in a funk" for the next nine months, he said, struggling to find the strength to move forward after her death.

"I had a friend of mine, God bless her, who said to me, 'I want my friend Bernie back,'" Cutler said. He recalled telling her he wanted to grieve in his own way, to which she responded, "You ain't grieving anymore."

"I got quite angry and threw her out of the house with her husband," Cutler said. "I pouted for a couple of days, and then I knew she was right."

Cutler, who was in his mid-80s at the time with two bad hips and hearing problems, knew he would be unable to get a regular job. He wanted to take night classes for seniors but couldn't find any such programs available locally.

His "last resort," as he put it, was to call SCCC, which also did not have any senior-specific programs. But he was invited to check out the regular college classes to see if anything interested him.

As it turned out, there were two courses that caught his attention. One featured music from Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, a composer from the 1500s whose songs Cutler had sung in high school. The other was a class on playwrights that included works from the Greek tragedy genre to the 19th century.

Cutler enjoyed both classes, so he chose a few more. He eventually enrolled as a graduate student under the advice of Gallichio, and in 2017, he joined the college's international honor society, Phi Theta Kappa.

Other students' reaction

Cutler admitted that he was initially unsure how his fellow students, nearly all of whom were young enough to be his grandchildren, would respond to his presence in the classroom.

"That was one of my biggest hang-ups coming here," he said. "I was afraid that this old man, to fit in with these 18-year-olds, was going to have a rough time."

But after his first few classes, he realized he had nothing to worry about. The others treated him as just another college student, albeit one with many more life experiences that they were eager to hear about.

"These kids couldn't be better for me," Cutler said. "They respected me, and in some cases they even asked me more than they asked the instructor."

Cutler's daughter, Janis Cutler Gear, shared his concerns about how he would do in the classroom, not only with the other students but also by physically getting to his classes. But she soon noticed a change in his mood and was happy her father was still willing to learn and "do something with himself."

"I was just so glad to see him engaged and involved," Cutler Gear said. "He's so funny and smart, and the kids loved him. It was a huge relief because he wasn't suffering as much without my mother."

Cutler's courses

Cutler usually enrolled in two classes per semester and was on campus anywhere from two to four times per week. Gallichio was a constant presence helping to determine his schedule and work through any potential struggles.

"I literally had a Bernie file," she said, noting that she did not go to such lengths for most of the students at SCCC.

Cutler's classes ranged from language courses like French and Italian to math, science and computer lessons. He completed assignments and wrote papers like any other student, but due to his difficulty typing, he used speech recognition software called Dragon NaturallySpeaking to dictate his words onto the page.

He became good friends outside of class with several SCCC faculty members, including anthropology professor Anthony Balzano, with whom he took four courses during his tenure. He bonded with Gallichio over their shared love of golf, and he was always happy to talk to other students and impart wisdom or learn from them.

'Every day is a gift'

Gallichio, who is now retired and living in Delaware, said she had tears in her eyes when she found out Cutler will be graduating this month. She attributed his accomplishment to his unwavering determination and an ongoing desire to keep learning.

"When you get to that age, every day is a gift," Gallichio said, "and man, he's not wasting it."

When asked what he will think about after graduating, Cutler replied, "I'll cry that I can't do it again." But don't expect him to go anywhere; he plans to continue taking courses at the college next semester, and for as long as his thirst for knowledge remains.

"I think, no matter what age," he said, "learning is a marvelous thing to do."

RIT graduate pursues Ph.D. across time zones

Nastaran Nagshineh, center, defended her Ph.D. thesis at RIT in April. Faculty from RIT’s Rochester and Dubai campuses served on her thesis committee and include, from left to right, Kathleen Lamkin-Kennard, Steven Weinstein, Nathaniel Barlow, and David Kofke (a professor at the University at Buffalo). Mohamed Samaha participated remotely and appears on the video screen behind the group and alongside Nagshineh’s picture.

Nastaran Nagshineh is one of the first Ph.D. candidates to bridge RIT’s Rochester and Dubai campuses. Her accomplishment creates a path for future students at the university’s international campuses.

Nagshineh completed her Ph.D. in mathematical modeling while working full time as a mathematics lecturer at RIT Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, teaching as many as five classes a semester. She described her Ph.D. journey as “an exercise in perseverance” due to competing demands and long days. Rochester is eight hours behind Dubai, and the time difference meant many late-night classes and meetings.

“I saw this collaboration as an opportunity, rather than as a challenge, because my primary adviser, Dr. Steven Weinstein (RIT professor of chemical engineering), and my co-adviser, Dr. Mohamed Samaha (RIT Dubai associate professor of mechanical engineering), both have the same area of research interest,” she said. “They both worked toward my success.”

Nagshineh is one of 67 RIT Ph.D. students who defended their thesis this academic year and who will earn their doctorate. RIT awarded 63 Ph.D. degrees in 2023.

In 2020-2021, RIT’s Graduate School met and surpassed the university’s goal of conferring 50 Ph.D. degrees during an academic year. That number will continue to grow as students cycle through the seven new Ph.D. programs that RIT has added since 2017, said Diane Slusarski , dean of RIT’s Graduate School.

Meeting these goals puts RIT on a path toward achieving an “R1,” or research-intensive designation, from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Learning. RIT is currently ranked as an R2 institution . Many factors go into changing a university’s status, including research investment and maintaining a three-year average of 70 Ph.D. degrees awarded per year, according to Slusarski.

“We have met the goals of the strategic plan, and now we look forward to contributing to the research innovation in the future,” Slusarski said. “We want to help the new programs thrive and win national research awards.”

RIT’s emphasis on high-level research is seen in Nagshineh’s Ph.D. work. She applies mathematical modeling to the field of fluid dynamics. Her research has been published in top-tier journals and has gained notice, said Weinstein, her thesis adviser.

Weinstein describes Nagshineh’s accomplishments as “a testament to a fantastic work ethic and commitment” and is inspirational to younger students at Rochester and Dubai.

“The collaboration between RIT Dubai/Rochester has continued,” he said. “Another paper was submitted a few weeks ago with Mohamed Samaha and Nate Barlow (RIT associate professor in the School of Mathematics and Statistics) as co-authors, as well as Cade Reinberger, a younger Ph.D. student in my research group.”

Mathematical modeling is one of RIT’s newer Ph.D. degree programs, and Nagshineh is among its earliest graduates. The program has doubled in size since it began accepting students in 2017, Slusarski said. This past fall, the mathematical modeling program had 35 students, with two graduating this year.

Altogether, RIT has 13 Ph.D. degree programs currently enrolling 438 students, with computing and information sciences accounting for the largest with 117 students. RIT’s other Ph.D. programs include astrophysical sciences and technology , biomedical and chemical engineering , business administration , color science , electrical and computer engineering, imaging science , mechanical and industrial engineering , microsystems engineering , and sustainability .

New programs in cognitive science and physics will launch in the fall.

The growth in RIT graduate education—with more than 3,000 master’s and doctoral students—reflects a demographic change in the student population, Slusarski said. “We have a higher percentage of women in the graduate programs than we have for RIT undergraduate programs.”

RIT’s graduate programs enroll 42 percent women, according to Christie Leone , assistant dean for the Graduate School.

Nagshineh, who also holds an MS in electrical engineering from RIT Dubai, welcomes her role as a mentor to other women students on both campuses.

“As a young woman in an Arabic country, the power of women is often underestimated and undervalued, and I hope to serve as a role model to female students, especially those that question their path,” Nagshineh said.

She plans to continue in her career as a professor and a researcher. “I would like to pursue a research program where I can advise my own students and teach them more deeply.”

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