Do older male professors hate older female students who attend college?

Question

Just had coffee with my Mom. She went back to college in her 50s now-she says the older male professors hate older women students who go back to college. She said one professor told her she would never get a job, even after she finishes her PhD because she is too old to be a professor and departments will view her as not being able to provide “longevity” in a college teaching career.

Do older male professors hate older female students who attend college?

Answer 1

I think it's very unfair to generalize, here. We cannot say that "all" older male professors resent their older female students, even if there may be a small percentage who do.

In a case like that, the only potential reason that comes to mind is that they may feel slightly threatened by a student who has a lot of life experience that she brings to the class - experience that may "outshine" the prof. Also, *some* male profs may simply be sexist, which is downright wrong. (I doubt this is the norm, though.)

But even this explanation doesn't make much sense to me because, in my experience, profs really enjoy their older students - male AND female students. The reason for this is that older students bring maturity and fresh perspectives to the discussion material. Also, mature students -- again, male AND female -- tend to be there because they're disgruntled with the lack of options without an education, and because they really WANT to be there: Profs are starved for that kind of thing.

Also, in my Lit. class last term, I made friends with an older woman. She was the only student in our class who received an "A+". She said our prof even gave her a recommendation letter for grad school -- BUT, he DID warn her of the same sorts of things the prof warned your mom about.

The way I understand it, grad school is fiercely competitive for EVERYONE. And even younger MALE Ph.D's aren't guaranteed jobs afterwards. This is what my profs have been telling ME - and these are things EVERY student considering grad school should think about.

But if this is something your mom really wants, then more power to her! Nobody should have to give up their dream. Still, it helps to know what the realities are.

Answer 2

What nonsense.

I have had lots of older women students and they have all done well. Everyone I know has been very supportive of them.

Of course, she cant expect to have people chasing after her with jobs. It sounds like the prof was just trying to tip her off to some of the realities of the college job market. Once a new Faculty member is hired, it takes five or six years before they know the ropes. So, if she is within ten years or so of retirement age, she is going to have a hard time convincing schools that she is a better hire than young candidates who have longer careers ahead of them.

This is age discrimination, in a sense, but it is the reality of the marketplace. Schools protecting their investment by putting the years of training and support into a candidate who will repay them better.

Answer 3

yes