Very few people from my science PhD program were from rich families. I can’t remember what everyone’s parents did, but it was mostly things like nurses, teacher

Very few people from my science PhD program were from rich families. I can’t remember what everyone’s parents did, but it was mostly things like nurses, teacher, civil servant, and Christmas Tree farm owner. Professors’ kids were over-represented, but it wasn’t like a pack of Rockefellers and Kennedys. Also, you’re not really “out” of the job market; you’re doing the most viable first step for landing an R&D job. I knew fewer folks in the humanities, but you might be right there: some were certainly doing this on a lark.