3 ms·
OP may have been referring to individuals who are independently wealthy or financially guaranteed by parents/relatives. Families may only be inclined towards ge
by lumost 4y ago
OP may have been referring to individuals who are independently wealthy or financially guaranteed by parents/relatives. Families may only be inclined towards generosity when someone is at least notionally working to better themselves.
Given a lack of career path through the PhD program, these programs are likely to attract individuals who don't need a career in the future.
- oefrha 4y agoHave you been in a PhD program yourself? It could be my field, but there are way more idealists than financially secure people. I was one, and my family was not wealthy. To be fair, I went to a highly prestigious private institution where funding was guaranteed, and while pay was shit, it was enough for a single person to live reasonably comfortably (forget saving, of course). Some public schools I got offers from like Berkeley couldn’t even guarantee funding.
- michaelt 4y agoDuring my PhD (many years ago, so these figures are outdated) I was paid a stipend of £16k to teach undergraduate students who, upon graduation, were going to jobs paying £40k. None of my PhD student peers had billionaire parents - but they almost all had parents who were reasonably well off. None of us had to rely on handouts from our parents, and none of us had loads of disposable income - but we all had a safety net. The undergraduates who grew up in poverty and went to university to improve their lot in life? The £40k job offer represents financial security. It was rare that they'd forego that.