As a grad student, let me explain why I don't think I'm getting ripped off. 1) I have (at least) weekly meetings with advisors who can charge >$250/hr as a con

As a grad student, let me explain why I don't think I'm getting ripped off. 1) I have (at least) weekly meetings with advisors who can charge >$250/hr as a consultant. They are brilliant, and our conversations are enlightening, and they actually care about the outcomes of their students. This might be out of the ordinary, but I've never felt exploited by my advisors. In CS, advisors are very aware that their students are giving up significant salaries to do a PhD. 2) I get paid enough to live, not incredibly well, but I make a median salary in the area, and at this point in my life I'm more than willing to share a 2br 2ba apt. 3) I'm encouraged to do internships which do pay extremely well, and on top of my living wage at school, mean I live really well. 4) I want a job that requires a PhD. Sure I could drop out, take my masters in AI, brand myself as a data-scientist and get a job doing some ML programming at a hedge fund making 300k base with 1MM bonus, but working at a research lab, or at a tier 2 institute as a faculty member seems like a much better life in the long run.