Sean
Age is not an intractable obstacle. I and others I know started an
MS program older than you are. In our lab group, and in others of
which I
know, varied life experience is considered an asset for an incoming
graduate student.
If you are still in Corvallis, or elsewhere near a graduate program
of interest to you, one thing to do is what you started two years
ago, but more strategically.
Contact one or more faculty with whom you might like to work and
explain your situation, and take a couple of core courses, e.g.,
maybe through Extension, in the program that interests you. Prepare
meticulously for the GREs and take them again (if you have already).
I think you may be pleasantly surprised by the positive responses.
And something else I always tell prospective grad students: If you
encounter prejudice, indifference, or some other negative response,
it's unlikely to be a good program for you anyway.
HTH
On 30-Jan-13, at 1:31 PM, Sean wrote:
Having graduated with an abysmal GPA from Colorado State University
back in 2000 ( wildlife
biology 2.7), I have found it very difficult getting into graduate
school. Two winters ago I
completed two graduate level classes at Oregon State: Forest
Wildlife Management and a
graduate Statistics course. Unfortunately just a B+ on the
statistics but A on the wildlife. Of
course I have a ton of field experience going back 14 years in lots
of different taxonomic
groups. Having just turned 36 I'm at my wits end trying to move
forward. So I am soliciting
advice. Would a non-thesis program like the field naturalist
program at U. of Vermont be
worthwhile? Frankly at this point I want to get into something
permanent. I'll always engage
my naturalists interest regardless of the employment I have. If I
do something unfunded (such
as non-thesis) I would really need to have good employment
prospects coming out of it.
Sage words of wisdom are welcome! I'm completely open to any and
all advice. My ideal
situation would be a thesis based M.S. on any of the many taxa I
have experience with (birds,
butterflies, amphibians, bats, plants etc).
-Sean
Don McKenzie, Research Ecologist
Pacific Wildland Fire Sciences Lab
US Forest Service
phone: 206-732-7824
Affiliate Professor
School of Environmental and Forest Sciences
University of Washington
