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I declined a PhD offer (full-ride even!) for a start-up It wasn't the money potential, but the lack of opportunities in the field. You can work for less pay if
by rachellaw 13y ago
I declined a PhD offer (full-ride even!) for a start-up
It wasn't the money potential, but the lack of opportunities in the field. You can work for less pay if you're compensated for something else in terms of opportunity cost (social status, privilege of doing what you love etc) but right now there's zero incentive and it's so bleak
A lot of my professor friends don't rely purely on salary even if they're tenured. There's other ways like speaking engagements, book royalties etc. I know some tenured professors who don't use grant system at all (especially in humanities) instead they get funding through collaborations and other sources
- cwal37 13y agoJust fyi, you would have been getting robbed if your PhD wasn't paid for.
- rachellaw 13y agoyes that's what my professor/mentor told me. It was just hard to turn this one down since the university did not usually offer scholarships (nyu)
- cwal37 13y agoWell, it's not even scholarships in the traditional sense necessarily, but the department covers tuition and you get a stipend. I'm eyeing a PhD down the road, swapping with my significant other when she finishes hers, and I would also turn down any non-stipend positions. It's really surprising to me that a wealthy university like NYU would charge PhD candidates. If you don't mind sharing, what field/topic were you considering?
- rachellaw 13y agoNah this was a traditional scholarship with research funding inclusive. It was difficult to turn down because of that NYU and other private universities (Saas-fae etc.) will charge PhD candidates because they can. They have prestige, more applicants than they can deal with and the whole snob-appeal. I was going to join their Media Studies/Computer Science department
- cwal37 13y agoAhhh, that is a tough situation. Oh, there it is, I completely forgot they are a private university. Well, best of luck with where you're at now!
- rachellaw 13y agothank you! I'm hoping this thing works out. It sounds super idealistic, but nowadays I think the only way to get real research out is to leave academia... which is why I decided to form a startup with my research partner. We aren't really into the whole get-acquired!money thing, it's more like; non-profits rarely work because people don't listen, using productizing techniques spreads ideas faster and research funding is dwindling. In the offer I was given, I was lucky to be fully funded but all the work I did would belong to NYU/Intel....