What are the advantages/disadvantages of a late 20s student entering traditional astronomy programs?

It depends on many things. Since you are asking about a 'program' rather than asking about employment prospects, I will assume that you have already completed an undergraduate program in physics. If you haven't completed an undergraduate program in physics, your chances of taking the next step and entering graduate school are pretty poor. Training in a traditional program in astronomy begins in graduate school. There are so many students applying for graduate school in astronomy these days that graduate schools can be very selective about who they admit. Sadly, you already have one strike against you in that you didn't enter graduate school immediately after finishing your undergraduate program. If, furthermore, your undergraduate education was not in physics this would be a second strike against your admissions package.

I am sorry to be so brutal and frank about this. I think many people are completely unaware just how difficult a program in astronomy is. If I were contemplating a career or program in astronomy, I would be asking a lot of very hard questions about why you want such a career and what kind of lifestyle you would be willing to have to reach it. As you have probably read from some of my biographical information at this website, I have done a lot of cool things in astronomy in my career so far. Still, despite my publication records, and my hard won qualifications, I cannot say that my career at the age of 43 is especially secure. I now know many colleagues who have left astronomy altogether, and individuals I went to school with who have secured tenured positions for life. For myself, I do not see my continuance in this career lasting a whole lot more years. The advice I give to you now, however, would probably not be different from one of my friends who have 'made it' to a secure position in academe or civil service. Astronomy is an exciting and always stimulation career, but you have to work real hard to stay with it.

Good luck to you, and just make certain that you fully understand what you will be getting into if you pursue this career. After your second year in graduate school, there is nothing romantic about astronomy.


Copyright 1997 Dr. Sten Odenwald
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