Current Events > is getting a phd worth it?

(+) Yeah! (+)

i wish there were some kind of community college level analogue, like research support technician lol

It all depends why u want one

Depends on how you define worth.

In terms of career prospects, I'd say becoming a professor and running your own lab is a longshot gamble. Probably single digit probabilties, assuming completion of PhD. And in industry there are very few jobs that really require a PhD, so the time getting one is kinda wasted.

the_pika posted...

It all depends why u want one

accomplishment, thirst for knowledge, desire to be actually well studied in a discipline, knowing how to research properly

COVxy posted...

Depends on how you define worth.

In terms of career prospects, I'd say becoming a professor and running your own lab is a longshot gamble. Probably single digit probabilties. And in industry there are very few jobs that really require a PhD, so the time getting one is kinda wasted.

At a social level I couldn't do any of those jobs... Nor do I really want to at this point. Best use I can think of is having a blog that is actually somewhat decent and worth reading.

PhD in what

Dreepapult posted...

PhD in what

in your butt

A_Good_Boy posted...

in your butt

I wouldn't recommend it

MedeaLysistrata posted...

Best use I can think of is having a blog that is actually somewhat decent and worth reading.

I would not get a PhD for a blog. Assuming this isn't a joke (which I doubt) just read a bunch of books in the subject you're interested. Watch movies. Read journal articles. Etc. Immerse yourself in it, for free.

if you enjoy the subject I don't see why it wouldn't be worth it, if your primary motivation is to make money then clearly not worth it

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

How's yours going? Almost done?

ROOTFayth posted...

if you enjoy the subject I don't see why it wouldn't be worth it, if your primary motivation is to make money then clearly not worth it

Idk, i worked 60-80 hours a week for 6 years making close to poverty level wages. All for a very very small chance of getting a job. A job that has a culture of overwork and prestige chasing. It's not just a question of whether you enjoy the subject.

COVxy posted...

Idk, i worked 60-80 hours a week for 6 years making close to poverty level wages. All for a very very small chance of getting a job. A job that has a culture of overwork and prestige chasing. It's not just a question of whether you enjoy the subject.

kinda why I said if its for the money it isnt worth it, you can do a PhD and work in a field completely unrelated to your PhD though, just ends up being one big learning experience

ROOTFayth posted...

kinda why I said if its for the money it isnt worth it, you can do a PhD and work in a field completely unrelated to your PhD though, just ends up being one big learning experience

But it's not just money, it's a large amount of time and effort. Personally, it's been hard to watch all of my high school friends move on and settle down, buy houses, start families. Is it worth delaying all other aspects of your life to "learn"? Realistically, the appeal of this career isn't learning, as you can just read. It's about being able to discover things. It's about tackling hard problems that literally nobody has any answer for, nor do they know the right way to get to an answer.

But if that dies at the end of your PhD, where you might just be starting to break into the field and maybe have one meaningful result written up (and many nonmeaningful results written up), not sure you're actually getting much from the deal.

I'm just trying to provide a realistic sense of what it's like.

COVxy posted...

But it's not just money, it's a large amount of time and effort. Personally, it's been hard to watch all of my high school friends move on and settle down, buy houses, start families. Is it worth delaying all other aspects of your life to "learn"? Realistically, the appeal of this career isn't learning, as you can just read. It's about being able to discover things. It's about tackling hard problems that literally nobody has any answer for, nor do they know the right way to get to an answer.

But if that dies at the end of your PhD, where you might just be starting to break into the field and maybe have one meaningful result written up (and many nonmeaningful results written up), not sure you're actually getting much from the deal.

I'm just trying to provide a realistic sense of what it's like.

I would agree with you if the alternative was actually living a normal life, but it's not

i guess, what i want, is to be able to give inputs and get outputs. were it only so simple.

PhDs are like doctors (medical people I mean, not someone with a PhD) and lawyers.

theyre traditional, heritage positions that once upon a time were synonymous with wealth and respect, but nowadays theyre too time consuming to get and once you do youre not even going to get that rich anyway

the_pika posted...

PhDs are like doctors (medical people I mean, not someone with a PhD) and lawyers.

theyre traditional, heritage positions that once upon a time were synonymous with wealth and respect, but nowadays theyre too time consuming to get and once you do youre not even going to get that rich anyway

do you have a phd ?

If you dont care what doctorate you get, I can suggest the following?

https://www.sea-monkeys.com/store/crustacean-college-diploma/

MedeaLysistrata posted...

do you have a phd ?

I am doctor of homeopathic medicine and energy healing from this school:

https://www.everglades-edu.info/programs/bachelor/alternative-medicine

you start with that bachelors and if you take a couple extra courses like herb distillation and muscle placement you get the PhD.

ask me anything

kidding!! No I am not a PhD. I just have some friends with PhDs or in the process of getting theirs and theyre miserable and talk a lot about it so I know their bones to pick with the system

COVxy posted...

But it's not just money, it's a large amount of time and effort. Personally, it's been hard to watch all of my high school friends move on and settle down, buy houses, start families. Is it worth delaying all other aspects of your life to "learn"? Realistically, the appeal of this career isn't learning, as you can just read. It's about being able to discover things. It's about tackling hard problems that literally nobody has any answer for, nor do they know the right way to get to an answer.

But if that dies at the end of your PhD, where you might just be starting to break into the field and maybe have one meaningful result written up (and many nonmeaningful results written up), not sure you're actually getting much from the deal.

I'm just trying to provide a realistic sense of what it's like.

I mean I don't disagree, I personally dropped out of school to pursue something that I really enjoyed and had the potential to be much more lucrative than any job really

I'm just thinking if someone REALLY enjoys the process of getting the PhD that it could be "worth" it despite ending up behind most of your peers financially, to each their own