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Am I Too Old to go to Grad School?

There are so many myths about grad school that many of us have heard.   There’s the one about how, you should only consider going if you’ll be at a top school otherwise, it’s not going to be worth it (This is a lie).   The...

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There are so many myths about grad school that many of us have heard.

 

There’s the one about how, you should only consider going if you’ll be at a top school otherwise, it’s not going to be worth it (This is a lie).

 

There’s also the myth about how you can only get in with a 4.0 GPA (This is another lie).

 

But the one that really gets under my skin is the myth that grad school is only for the young.

 

This particular myth gets under my skin because it couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, statistics show that the average grad school student is actually 33 years old and the number of students who are 35 years and above is on the rise each year.

 

So if you’ve been thinking about going to grad school but are a bit hesitant because you’re in your thirties or older – I’m here to tell you that now is the time to finally pursue those goals.

 

Of course, there are a few things to keep in mind if you’re trying to get into a grad school program.

 

1. Your GRE Scores Are Very Important for Grad School Applications

You’re most likely aware that having a good score on your Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is important for any graduate school application. When you’re a little older, these scores can be even more important because they indicate your ability to handle the program you’re interested in.

 

2. Get Organized & Gain A College Mindset

 

So, getting into grad school is great and all – but it’s not going to be easy. You’re going to have to reach deep within to realize your goals. One thing you’ll need to start doing is getting organized.

 

There’ll be classes to attend and research to do, on top of all the day-to-day tasks you have as an adult returning to school. So, make sure that you create a schedule that involves meal prepping, study time, assignments or researching time.

 

If you want to get organized today, be sure to download the FREE Back to School Divas Planner. You’ll get access to weekly plans, goal sheets, meal planning sheets, and much more.

 

You may also need to reach out to your significant other or close family and friends for extra help if you have small kids. Set aside specific time over the weekend to get all your studying done. Whatever the plan is, communicate your needs to your loved ones and don’t be afraid to ask for help.

 

 3. Draw From Your Life Experiences in the Classroom

I’m a firm believer in working with what you’ve got. Can you think of one thing that could give you an edge over your younger fellow peers? Your life experiences. The fact that you’ve lived, have worked, and have life experience always comes in handy when in grad school.

 

Your new college professors will enjoy engaging with someone who can draw from their real life experiences. You can add value to the class discussions. So start viewing your age as an asset you can draw from, Diva!

 

Going to grad school may have been a dream of yours when you were younger. Maybe you started to slowly let go of this dream because of that annoying perception that graduate school is only for young people.

 

Well, that’s not true. You’re never too young or too old for school. As long as you feel that your career can benefit from you furthering your studies, go for it Diva! You have nothing to lose and infinite opportunities to gain.

 

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