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In my experience people don't enter into PhDs expecting to make a lot of money. And STEM PhDs get paid, so it isn't as if we accumulate debt. Often times a PhD
by throw_away_777 10y ago
In my experience people don't enter into PhDs expecting to make a lot of money. And STEM PhDs get paid, so it isn't as if we accumulate debt. Often times a PhD is the only route to doing what you love. It isn't possible to do academic research in industry. Personally when I entered into my PhD I really liked that the research I was doing had a noble purpose.
On the other hand, a PhD is way too long. And if you stop at year 4 or so you have basically wasted 4 years. I did not appreciate how much my values would change over time and sort of got locked into trying to finish my PhD. Trying to finish a PhD when you don't have passion for the subject anymore is very stressful. This experience is disturbingly common.
Finally, the author early on implies that the job market for STEM PhDs is not good. At least in physics, this is only true in academia. I know many people who have transitioned successfully to data science, or who have gotten a post doc. Overall, the unemployment rate of physics PhDs is low.
- xapata 10y agoThere was a time when a failed postdoc was in a very depressing financial situation. Corporations didn't want to hire a PhD, because they were overqualified and likely had some anti-authoritarian streak that led them to attempt academia. STEM PhDs are more in demand these days, but some still don't know it and need encouragement (and sometimes a little help) transitioning to industry.
- throw_away_777 10y agoI agree with your sentiment, and think that postdocs are the real problem with academia currently. Besides the low pay, being a graduate student is not a bad job - you get good job security, interesting problems, good mission, and can somewhat choose your boss. A postdoc is a terrible, soul-crushing, low-pay job. At least for the physics postdocs I have seen - I have heard that in the humanities a postdoc is actually a highly sought after position.
- xapata 10y agoOne of the saddest conversations I've ever had was with a two-time assistant professor who had just been denied tenure (second chance is the last). A mutual friend had referred him to me for advice on how to transition to industry. I gave him a pep-talk and explained how to build a portfolio to show skills that matter in the workplace. I think he turned things around, but for a little while he couldn't stop thinking about the "wasted" years. PhD, postdoc(s), 3-5 years of assistantship, repeated once, ... it's a tragedy for such a smart, capable person to succeed so much and yet feel like they failed.