I'm a PhD student in the US, and the author's view of PhD students, at least among R1 institutions, is not accurate for most disciplines. In most of these progr

I'm a PhD student in the US, and the author's view of PhD students, at least among R1 institutions, is not accurate for most disciplines. In most of these programs, a student is guaranteed a salary for 5 years, given health insurance, tuition benefits, and in many cases quite a lot of freedom. The guarantee of funding doesn't mean that you won't have to work for your income. In my field, it is common for theorists to teach for much of their graduate career in order to support themselves.