3 ms·

This is a huge bet and it's going to further increase their student debt. If it doesn't pay off, they'll be much worse off than just moving back home with their

This is a huge bet and it's going to further increase their student debt. If it doesn't pay off, they'll be much worse off than just moving back home with their parents and trying to say, start a business or freelance.

altdataseller 3y ago
Better option: learn it on your own. Pick up a side project, take a course, make mistakes and within a year you’ll have enough skills to be dangerous
codethief 3y ago
> it's going to further increase their student debt Never accept a PhD position that you need to pay for (beyond opportunity costs). A PhD position should pay you.
jyunwai 3y ago
The soundness of the advice depends on the person's specific situation. I've known a person who benefitted from a Master's as the degree gave the person access to certain internships, which helped the person break into a specific field that would've been difficult to enter otherwise. Another person who earned a Master's found it easier to get a work visa working in a foreign country with a better market for that person's field. However, each of these people had a specific goal in mind with getting their Master's. The person who asked advice could also find it helpful to only consider a Master's if they also have a specific outcome in mind, served directly by pursuing the degree.
- charlie0 3y ago
  Agreed. Getting a Master's should be part of a well defined plan, not a "I don't what else to do and the economy is bad so I should stay in school for a few more years to pass the time" deal.
tekla 3y ago
If you pay for a masters or pHD you have done something incredibly wrong.
- sodality2 3y ago
  Is this really always true? Even with short one year masters programs? I’ve been told this bit of advice quite a few times. My university offers a one year CS masters and I’ve considered it but there’s zero opportunity for an assistantship for the one year programs (as far as I know) so I’d be paying or hoping to find a company to sponsor it/get grant money to cover it.

altdataseller 3y ago

Better option: learn it on your own. Pick up a side project, take a course, make mistakes and within a year you’ll have enough skills to be dangerous

codethief 3y ago

> it's going to further increase their student debt Never accept a PhD position that you need to pay for (beyond opportunity costs). A PhD position should pay you.

jyunwai 3y ago

The soundness of the advice depends on the person's specific situation. I've known a person who benefitted from a Master's as the degree gave the person access to certain internships, which helped the person break into a specific field that would've been difficult to enter otherwise. Another person who earned a Master's found it easier to get a work visa working in a foreign country with a better market for that person's field. However, each of these people had a specific goal in mind with getting their Master's. The person who asked advice could also find it helpful to only consider a Master's if they also have a specific outcome in mind, served directly by pursuing the degree.

charlie0 3y ago
Agreed. Getting a Master's should be part of a well defined plan, not a "I don't what else to do and the economy is bad so I should stay in school for a few more years to pass the time" deal.

tekla 3y ago

If you pay for a masters or pHD you have done something incredibly wrong.

sodality2 3y ago
Is this really always true? Even with short one year masters programs? I’ve been told this bit of advice quite a few times. My university offers a one year CS masters and I’ve considered it but there’s zero opportunity for an assistantship for the one year programs (as far as I know) so I’d be paying or hoping to find a company to sponsor it/get grant money to cover it.