> Apply for jobs is way easier than candidacy and comps, not to mention a dissertation. They're different skills. I certainly would find getting into a PhD pr

> Apply for jobs is way easier than candidacy and comps, not to mention a dissertation. They're different skills. I certainly would find getting into a PhD problem much harder than getting a job. But I've spent most of my undergraduate career working and networking—and my GPA/research reflects that. On the other hand, many of my friends never realized that the real world isn't a series of hoops. They've done great academically (3.9+ GPA, serious research with professors) but neglected to develop any real hard skills or to learn about employability. So the job market is incredibly intimidating to them, while a PhD looks like another series of hoops, which is comforting. > I argued that its easier citing my experience in grad school and now the real world. I have no idea what grad school is like, but I do think that the "real world" is a lot easier than undergrad. With jobs, you have a defined amount of work to do each day and have loads of free time to do whatever you want with. Whereas academics have a limitless supply of potential things to do, without defined hours. But maybe that's just because I've always loved work a lot more than school.