My five years at UC Davis was a tremendous success. It really was. Everything that could’ve went right went well. I got the fellowships I wanted, I am a published author in my field’s flagship journal, and I secured a strong postdoctoral position. It’s a relief because I entered graduate school in a very precarious state. I had lost a bit of faith in the US education system after my experience in medicine and I wasn’t sure I could do what I originally knew I was capable of.
The students and faculty at UC Davis were all top notch. Davis is a school that prides itself on its diverse student body and faculty. It is a public school, so it sort of has to. Aside from being a bit older, I didn’t feel that I stood out in any way. I think most importantly, the faculty here were all very impressive and worthy of intellectual esteem. I know that graduate student abuse is a thing and a problem, but I was lucky enough to have not experienced that during my time in Davis, though, unfortunately, I can’t say that I have never experienced it.
I will say that I started graduate school at the age of 31, which is a bit on the older side. Though people will tell you that age is not important, I think it’s a bit more nuanced than that. Even though I had a really strong friend group while at Davis, I felt that there was still a bit of distance between me and them largely because of my age and place in life. Therefore, I would say, that, if you’re an older student, age is not important once you’ve finished the degree and have moved on to the next stage, but that being older can be a source of discomfort or isolation whilst attaining the degree. Something to think about if you’re a person who’s looking to return to school.
The Ivory Tower 
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