>>12914349I took one year out and graduated aged 21, by then it was already too late,
I couldn't get into another program or proper graduate job either
I took a few years out and taught overseas, then managed to get into a masters program, after that I couldn't get a phd program because too old.
Maybe if I was female i'd have been able to get one at 27, as I knew a 25 year old who managed to get one with three masters, but they have quotas and in stem its 50-200 men per place and 3-5 women applying per female place.
i'd say if you don't have a phd by 24-26 its over for you
I managed to get a faculty position at a private university but very low ranked/ tier etc too, so I am going to fund my own research and am building my own lab.
There were a few older people in my masters, like 40-50 and they are completely fucked, they cannot even find employment and are going from degree to degree, I think one guy has 4 masters now and even a highschool won't hire him because of his age.
90-97% of faculty have no gap CV's in the west, so they did undergrad by 20, masters, 21, phd 23-24, postdoc, 25, 26/26 readers/lecturer, professor in mid 30s etc
if you stop for any reason its basically failure because everyone else who gets in had to do it in time/no breaks and wasn't allowed to retake
