9 ms·

(Note: by "helps" I assume you mean to suggest that grad school should restore the humility that the workforce fails to inspire in programmers. If that's incorr

by rcoder 18y ago

(Note: by "helps" I assume you mean to suggest that grad school should restore the humility that the workforce fails to inspire in programmers. If that's incorrect, then we are in fact 100% in agreement.) Only if you're in the right graduate program. There are a lot of MS (and even some PhD) students in CS departments who are just looking to increase their base salary. Furthermore, I've found that taking grad-school classes part-time is kind of an unfair advantage vs. being a full-time student. While I have time to really explore the material for the one or two classes I'm taking at once, while the full-time students are carrying a heavier course load, and TA'ing or teaching at least one more class, even if they're not working on their thesis or dissertation.

arebop 18y ago
Right: by "helps" I meant to suggest that grad school restores the humility lost by immersion in a lackluster workforce. Anyway, it certainly had that effect on me. I guess I was in the right graduate program, because I think nearly all of my fellow students were there primarily for the intellectual stimulation and learning. I haven't heard anyone talking about increased earning power, and I certainly didn't expect to earn more with my degree. Sometimes I thought it would probably be easier to be a full-time student, because they don't have to commute to work or schedule around meetings and other work obligations (including the occasional death march). I believe that it's hard work being a PhD student, but I'm not so sure the full time MSCS students have it any harder than the part-timers who have to balance a corporate job.
- rcoder 18y ago
  I guess that I just assumed that almost everyone in a MSCS program will have to work at least part-time, since (as a general rule) very few stipends are handed out to Masters students. PhD students, on the other hand, are at least able to focus mostly on their chosen area of research after the first couple of years. Personally, I'd love to get the chance to go back to school full-time, but there's the slight issue of never having earned my bachelor's degree to get through first. It doesn't seem to have had a negative effect on my performance in the grad school classes I've taken so far, but I don't think many institutions are interested in offering full graduate admission to undergrad drop-outs.
gaius 18y ago
Having seen what some friends had to go through to get theirs, a slightly higher salary in a few years is really not worth the anguish of a PhD. I don't think my MSc has made the slightest difference to my salary.
- sofal 18y ago
  I'm curious. Did you get your MSc mainly for a salary increase? I'm about to start grad school and it has been made quite clear to me that if I'm doing this for money I might as well drop the whole thing right now.

by rcoder 18y ago

arebop 18y ago

Right: by "helps" I meant to suggest that grad school restores the humility lost by immersion in a lackluster workforce. Anyway, it certainly had that effect on me. I guess I was in the right graduate program, because I think nearly all of my fellow students were there primarily for the intellectual stimulation and learning. I haven't heard anyone talking about increased earning power, and I certainly didn't expect to earn more with my degree. Sometimes I thought it would probably be easier to be a full-time student, because they don't have to commute to work or schedule around meetings and other work obligations (including the occasional death march). I believe that it's hard work being a PhD student, but I'm not so sure the full time MSCS students have it any harder than the part-timers who have to balance a corporate job.

rcoder 18y ago
I guess that I just assumed that almost everyone in a MSCS program will have to work at least part-time, since (as a general rule) very few stipends are handed out to Masters students. PhD students, on the other hand, are at least able to focus mostly on their chosen area of research after the first couple of years. Personally, I'd love to get the chance to go back to school full-time, but there's the slight issue of never having earned my bachelor's degree to get through first. It doesn't seem to have had a negative effect on my performance in the grad school classes I've taken so far, but I don't think many institutions are interested in offering full graduate admission to undergrad drop-outs.

gaius 18y ago

Having seen what some friends had to go through to get theirs, a slightly higher salary in a few years is really not worth the anguish of a PhD. I don't think my MSc has made the slightest difference to my salary.

sofal 18y ago
I'm curious. Did you get your MSc mainly for a salary increase? I'm about to start grad school and it has been made quite clear to me that if I'm doing this for money I might as well drop the whole thing right now.