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We all have different perspectives depending on the school, the subject, the adviser, the project, and how many years you're currently at in your PhD career. T
by physcab 18y ago
We all have different perspectives depending on the school, the subject, the adviser, the project, and how many years you're currently at in your PhD career.
To speak purely from experience, I would have to say that I had similar choices coming out of my undergrad. I went directly into a PhD program. The first two years I hated my life, and I would have agreed with you then. Now, my life has completely changed.
First of all, it takes a while to build a new community. Grad school (and just life after college) is just different. You are no longer a part of the same social groups. You also have to find a project you are passionate about. For the first two years I was working on something I hated. I made a critical decision to switch and I haven't looked back.
Second, coming back to do PhD is not easy. As more time passes from undergrad, the more bills you have to pay, the harder it is to get recommendations, and the higher expectations will be. Passing your qualifying exam may be tougher.
Third, a PhD does not rail you to anywhere. It OPENS doors. American students do not fully comprehend this fact, and as such, American PhD students are the minority in most PhD programs.
- RK 18y agoIt probably doesn't make a huge difference, but I don't think the OP is in the US.
- timr 18y ago"Third, a PhD does not rail you to anywhere. It OPENS doors. American students do not fully comprehend this fact, and as such, American PhD students are the minority in most PhD programs." American students are a minority in PhD programs because the risk/reward is traditionally awful, relative to the other options available to US citizens. The calculation is different for foreign students (particularly those from emerging economies), which is why you see more of them in graduate schools.
- mechanical_fish 18y agothe risk/reward is traditionally awful, relative to the other options available to US citizens Mind you, this is not true for every US citizen, and it could change. If you can't get a job, getting a graduate degree is a lot better than taking to drink. (Unless your graduate degree drives you to drink, which I have seen happen. Try to remember that doppelbock is not a food group!) But the original submitter is fortunate enough to have three job opportunities, at least, so that doesn't seem to apply in this case.
- physcab 18y agoWhile I agree, I also think there is more to it than that, such as how Americans value education. I would be interested in seeing how many PhD students come from affluent backgrounds. How do those statistics compare to foreign students and their backgrounds?