I'm just under 30 and have ht a forkroad

1. Stay in my current job, which pays fairly well. stay on till middle-management and live to work, yet remain unfulfilled.
2. Quit the job. Embark on a PhD Full-time and get in more debt (failing to get funding like most).
3. Do the PhD part-time and take the work experience I have to gain Part-time hours in a good job.

I'm opting for option 3. I hope it will bring me a job long-term as a Lecturer/Senior Lecturer with good job satisfaction and alright pay. In the meso-term it allows me to manage existing commitments.

I don't think it's too late to find a good job, and in Academic circles being younger is subject to equal Ageism as being older. I would say, if it's what you really want - go for it. Otherwise look at teaching maybe? PGCE in a subject specific area?

======= Date Modified 25 May 2011 09:25:19 =======
Some universities take relevant life experience and working experiences into account i.e If seen NGO workers that flunked their undergrad start a PhD. Some universities require 2:1 minimum and 70%/Merit at MA. I applied to several and the only real measure seems to be: 1. Can you afford to pay (I'm not insinuating education is for sale here - no flames). 2. Is the project viable/worth doing. 3. Can that university offer relevant supervison. 4. From the proposal, is the standard of thought, reading and overall concept in fitting with a PhD standard.

Four yes answers and you're in. Less than four and it's more of a negotiation: for point 1. a 3+1 course or an additional MRes. For point 2. some feedback and a discussion on the research. For point 3. 2 x Supervisors or a suggestion of where would be better to apply. For point 4. Maybe go back to the drawing board and rewrite the whole proposal.

Good luck with the funding, it's hard to get. Have a backup plan - just in case.

======= Date Modified 25 May 2011 09:13:07 =======
I'm also doing pretty much this very same thing. The advice I was given before graduating the Masters (and having the University doors slammed shut behind me - after support not a strong-point) was - Don't cling to your methods. Methods may change as required by the research and may be entirely different from the PhD. Some people switch from cultural analysis to SPSS! I have heard horror stories of people trying to use previous works as a chapter of the finished PhD and it going very, very badly. Looking back on mine, (MA thesis) it seems quite basic now.

Sorry about below edit, whenever I post is generates two identical posts? The spellcheck is also set to US English.

======= Date Modified 25 May 2011 09:12:00 =======
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Thanks. That's kind of the answer I wanted to hear:-)

I compartmentalise fairly well, so found in both previous degrees that good time management meant I had time to see family and friends etc. I was worried at seeing some PhD's that literally have not stepped away from their PhD for a single night in a few months. I'm appraoching with a gym mentality at the Gym 3 good work outs a week are more productive than overdoing it all 7 days.

Having spoken with several PhD's (some of whom are close friends) across various disciplines I have noticed a rift between two approaches. Whilst a PhD does seem like an intensely committed project, some people appear to manage fitting a PhD into their life (like a job), managing children and families - with good time management and sensible planning. Others seem to allow the PhD to literally become their life, and withdraw from everyday life.

Does the former approach produce weaker research and the latter stronger?

======= Date Modified 24 May 2011 22:43:14 =======
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I am in the same position: I'm recently engaged with a partner at 32 and sizable existing debts that I currently pay off.

I failed to get funding (Humanities - no surprise there) - so have looked into the same issue:

Big outgoings are:
1. The course
2. Your housing
3. Existing debts
4. Any travel costs
5. Books/Materials
6. Relations

In response, from what I have looked at so far:

1. Some universities offer a discount if you pay up front (although if you drop-out/take a break you may not be able to retrieve these at some universities - always check the contract), if you have studied there before, or if you get a job working for the University (i.e stacking library shelves part-time rather than Morrison's although Retail may offer better renumeration). You may also get partial-grants from various institutions, societies etc. In any case, this is a fairly constant cost and will eat about 10% of the annual income of a part-time job.

2. The big cost. I would estimate that on average people spend around one third of their annual salary on their mortgage/rent in the UK. It all depends on the quality you expect. Being engaged, I need to live in contained house/flat. Others may opt for shared housing, there are co-operative charities that subsidise housing for postgrads in certain areas. You could even look at working as a Resident Assistant, where you get free accommodation in Student Halls for acting as a pastoral carer/mentor (although you may be stuck on campus for 2/3 days a week - you couldn't go to a different library, a local shop etc.). Financially the Resident Assistant position would be great, especially if you gain a fee discount at the same time. Other factors are house type double-glazing saves on heating bills. Who will you live with - 1 person not being a student means the everyone in that house including you will be eligible for Council tax

3. If you got up to a PhD stage with no existing debt,then well done to you! I got a student loan, credit cards, a bank loan and an overdraft. I gained a BA, MA (bank loan funded) and went travelling for 7 months. Had a great time, and have just working solidly for 3 years paying it all back. Only the bank loans are left now (oh and the Student loan). Sadly, the UK has no loan structure like the US, so debts cannot be paused for the PhD duration.

4. Travel. Will you live local to your University? In the same city? How much will travel costs to get to from the University? How often will you go (once a month or every day?). Will yo need to travel regularly to another set of resources? Will you need to travel for the research (fieldwork, interviews, soil sampling etc)

5. Subject relational - some books/journals may not be available at your library. There may be specific materials you'll need to buy (if lab based for example).You might need certain software i.e NViva or SPSS (which would then require a dedicated external hard-drive, anti-virus etc). Many PhD's buy office desks as there are shortages in several universitieshttp://www.postgraduateforum.com/images/smiley_wink.gif

6. Non-financially. Are you willing to create a distance between yourself and friends/family? Are you willing to lose track of which films are out, who is who in the charts? Why everyone else is suddenly wearing chinos and staring at your baggy jeans in disdain? Financially - are you willing to become a potential financial burden on those closest to you?

These are all the things going round my head. I've asked a few friends I lived with (2 have recently upgraded - successfully) and another in their second year and costed all my stuff out.

The financial viability is that outgoing will be around £100 p/month fees, £300 p/month rent, £270 p/month loans, £120 p/month travel, £20 p/month materials, Plus add another £200 for living (food,bills etc.) = £1010 per month.

I saved enough to pay 1 year of fees up front and may relocate closer to the university bring the fees d