Author Topic: PhD  (Read 5906 times)

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notmikerusczyk

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Re: PhD
« Reply #60 on: March 30, 2022, 10:11:08 AM »
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If you have the right kind of brain, a Phd in mathematics, physics or computer science can be your ticket into a hedge fund, with a seven figure salary soon to follow.

Unfortunately, I don't have that kind of brain, so I just lurk on Slap.
[close]

Yeah that’s true but then you’ll be a data scientist for some soulless big corp and spend 8h daily on Microsoft excel till the day you die.

My ex and few of my more educated friends are doing that but personally fuck that shit.
[close]

This made me laugh but it's the cold hard truth. I'd probably kill myself before selling my soul to wallstreet or F500 companies.

Luckily I realized it before sinking in any more time to school so I'm currently on hiatus. Buncha materials science/chemistry/chemical engineering phds spend their whole time in school until their late twenties just to end up in semiconductors as button pushers. Those guys still get laid off by MBAs too. That or they end up becoming suits.

I said fuck that noise and am just gonna live for hobbies. Kinda stinks that it took 6 years rotting in school to realize the traditional career "path" is a total ponzi scheme. It is what it is though. Work just enough to live.

I might go back if i ever get that bored though. Might fuck around and start my own company. Skateboarding and guitar are just too much fun atm though.
what did you study?


in love w/ fs shuvs

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Re: PhD
« Reply #61 on: March 30, 2022, 12:43:29 PM »
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If you have the right kind of brain, a Phd in mathematics, physics or computer science can be your ticket into a hedge fund, with a seven figure salary soon to follow.

Unfortunately, I don't have that kind of brain, so I just lurk on Slap.
[close]

Yeah that’s true but then you’ll be a data scientist for some soulless big corp and spend 8h daily on Microsoft excel till the day you die.

My ex and few of my more educated friends are doing that but personally fuck that shit.
[close]

This made me laugh but it's the cold hard truth. I'd probably kill myself before selling my soul to wallstreet or F500 companies.

Luckily I realized it before sinking in any more time to school so I'm currently on hiatus. Buncha materials science/chemistry/chemical engineering phds spend their whole time in school until their late twenties just to end up in semiconductors as button pushers. Those guys still get laid off by MBAs too. That or they end up becoming suits.

I said fuck that noise and am just gonna live for hobbies. Kinda stinks that it took 6 years rotting in school to realize the traditional career "path" is a total ponzi scheme. It is what it is though. Work just enough to live.

I might go back if i ever get that bored though. Might fuck around and start my own company. Skateboarding and guitar are just too much fun atm though.
[close]
what did you study?

Chem engineering
« Last Edit: August 10, 2023, 11:26:36 PM by in love w/ fs shuvs »

birdplops

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Re: PhD
« Reply #62 on: March 30, 2022, 05:04:35 PM »
I got my PhD in 2012, in molecular ecology- aka bucket science. I'm now way into genetics and these days am pretty much entirely into the computational side of cancer genetics.

At the level I've gotten to, mathematicians are truly cleaning up, though they occasionally still struggle with the biology. Seemingly, if you can code and count then you can do anything, which includes earning lots of money doing something boring outside of academia, if the recruiters are to be believed.

I found my PhD very stressful and so did most in my cohort. As supportive as I am with students in my institute, they too occasionally find it stressful. The key is to integrate well and treat it as a normal job- it's not the end of the world if you don't like it after giving it a good go. I've had a few fixed term contracts at different institutions and the atmosphere in a department plays a big part in how enjoyable science is.

Even beyond, I regularly hear of postdocs leaving academia for jobs in banking, teaching , etc. A BIG TIME prof is retiring early to have a go doing something artistic. It's totally natural to be less into something and change your mind.

How does skating fit into life? When the weather is good, I manage to skate once or twice a week. However, I don't fit in with my community particularly well, so it's definitely not a social thing anymore. I'm okay with that.

notmikerusczyk

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Re: PhD
« Reply #63 on: March 30, 2022, 08:40:57 PM »
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If you have the right kind of brain, a Phd in mathematics, physics or computer science can be your ticket into a hedge fund, with a seven figure salary soon to follow.

Unfortunately, I don't have that kind of brain, so I just lurk on Slap.
[close]

Yeah that’s true but then you’ll be a data scientist for some soulless big corp and spend 8h daily on Microsoft excel till the day you die.

My ex and few of my more educated friends are doing that but personally fuck that shit.
[close]

This made me laugh but it's the cold hard truth. I'd probably kill myself before selling my soul to wallstreet or F500 companies.

Luckily I realized it before sinking in any more time to school so I'm currently on hiatus. Buncha materials science/chemistry/chemical engineering phds spend their whole time in school until their late twenties just to end up in semiconductors as button pushers. Those guys still get laid off by MBAs too. That or they end up becoming suits.

I said fuck that noise and am just gonna live for hobbies. Kinda stinks that it took 6 years rotting in school to realize the traditional career "path" is a total ponzi scheme. It is what it is though. Work just enough to live.

I might go back if i ever get that bored though. Might fuck around and start my own company. Skateboarding and guitar are just too much fun atm though.
[close]
what did you study?
[close]

Chem engineering, was on route to do a mat sci PhD
ay chem gang
just wondering, what made you want a phd? my understanding is that engineering phd's are rather unnecessary, unless chem engineering is different in that regard?


in love w/ fs shuvs

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Re: PhD
« Reply #64 on: March 30, 2022, 10:15:34 PM »
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If you have the right kind of brain, a Phd in mathematics, physics or computer science can be your ticket into a hedge fund, with a seven figure salary soon to follow.

Unfortunately, I don't have that kind of brain, so I just lurk on Slap.
[close]

Yeah that’s true but then you’ll be a data scientist for some soulless big corp and spend 8h daily on Microsoft excel till the day you die.

My ex and few of my more educated friends are doing that but personally fuck that shit.
[close]

This made me laugh but it's the cold hard truth. I'd probably kill myself before selling my soul to wallstreet or F500 companies.

Luckily I realized it before sinking in any more time to school so I'm currently on hiatus. Buncha materials science/chemistry/chemical engineering phds spend their whole time in school until their late twenties just to end up in semiconductors as button pushers. Those guys still get laid off by MBAs too. That or they end up becoming suits.

I said fuck that noise and am just gonna live for hobbies. Kinda stinks that it took 6 years rotting in school to realize the traditional career "path" is a total ponzi scheme. It is what it is though. Work just enough to live.

I might go back if i ever get that bored though. Might fuck around and start my own company. Skateboarding and guitar are just too much fun atm though.
[close]
what did you study?
[close]

Chem engineering, was on route to do a mat sci PhD
[close]
ay chem gang
just wondering, what made you want a phd? my understanding is that engineering phd's are rather unnecessary, unless chem engineering is different in that regard?

Renewable energy
« Last Edit: August 10, 2023, 11:27:50 PM by in love w/ fs shuvs »

mj23

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Re: PhD
« Reply #65 on: April 07, 2022, 02:35:04 PM »
i finished a phd in library and information science two years ago and i'm currently wrapping up a 2-year research fellowship. i'll be starting a tenure-track professor job next fall.

our field is kinda in between the "hard" sciences and "softer" social sciences/humanities. people who want to get technical seem to have no trouble getting jobs in tech/startups etc, i definitely know several who have gone on to google, amazon, facebook, etc. they're all making big bucks. you dont technically need a phd to work at those companies if you have the right skills, but they all also have research teams full of phds. my friends who work in tech without phds often say that it seems like the research team kinda gets to do whatever they want and they have more freedom. i'm sure thats partly just a perception thing but it also makes sense-- phd people are known to be a free-range kinda group. the phd process is a way of proving that you can work independently and contribute mewaningful research with minimal oversight.

i also know people who stayed on the more humanistic side of things, and as many in this thread have said they are struggling thru much a more challenging job market. some are still adjuncting, which really sucks ass and is basically like being the epitome of "overqualified and underpaid." others have secured visiting professor jobs or teaching fellowships, which are not so bad but still unstable. a few have tenure track jobs, mostly at smaller schools but some at big research unis as well. some work in nonprofits, schools, administration, government, etc etc. all examples of "you dont really need a phd to do this" but totally viable ways to make a living.

when i decided to start my phd i was coming off several years of playing in punk bands and doing temp work. i basically decided to go because it was a way to get health insurance, free tuition, and a modest salary thru the job i was offered at the university in my admission package. i didnt like the jobs i was doing before, but i had always done well in school, so i went for it.

over the course of my studies i definitely saw several people drop out of their programs. i took a bit longer than many of my peers as well (7 years, with the average being closer to 5). i actually think that taking more time helped me on the job market because i got more publications under my belt and had more time to make a name for myself networking at academic conferences. the people who dropped out basically couldnt deal with the internal politics of their departments, or the fairly unstrutured environment.

you really need to be self-organized and self-motivated to succeed in a phd because the authority that oversees you is generally very diffuse. the people in charge of your teaching are different than the ones on your thesis committee, who are also different from the people running any lab or grant project you happen to work on. you could stop showing up and nobody would notice for a while. i had already been doing a ton of remote freelance work for years, so i was fine with that. i am also fortunate that for the most part i dont have a problem with people trying to exploit me or otherwise abuse me (it helped that i'm a white guy and a US citizen so they can't hold immigration/visa stuff over my head).

i hope this is helpful to at least someone considering a phd out there.

mj23

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Re: PhD
« Reply #66 on: April 07, 2022, 02:52:46 PM »
bump
to those who got their phd already or are working on it currently, how was it balancing research and skating/social life? (or was it totally impossible to balance them lmao)
sorry to double post here but i want to chime in on this-- maintaining a social life and hobbies is doable, but not always easy for grad students. it's weird and paradoxical.

on one hand our schedules are insanely flexible, but on the other hand they regularly demand more than 40 hours a week. there is a massive difference between summer/winter/spring breaks (you'll still work a bit, but probably nowhere near as much as usual), and the last few weeks of a semester when you have deadlines for publications, grading, and god knows what else all happening at once.

so on one hand there were lots of times when my friends were partying all night and i had to call it early because i knew it would fuck up my productivity and ability to think straight if i tried to keep up. there were times when i missed events or whatever because i was too busy. when i was wrapping up my program i had so much anxiety about the job market that i get prescribed anxiety meds, but i still couldnt enjoy socializing, and i would fall asleep standing up. that really sucked.

on the other hand, i used my schools generous travel funding to fly all over the world for conferences, and i always made time to stick around for an extra weekend or more. i got to kick it in some incredible places, and visit old friends who had relocated to new cities, and get at least part of it paid for. i kept playing in a band the whole time, and when we had gigs or a recording session there was nobody really to tell me i couldnt call my day early to load the van. i still look back and think i would have done more with my music if i wasn't in grad school, but a "regular" job can be a real pain in the ass for that stuff as well. i know that when i was commuting to a high rise every day i was too tired to do anything afterwards.

so i guess the short answer is "its complicated"

TheLurper

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Re: PhD
« Reply #67 on: April 07, 2022, 05:11:07 PM »
The smartest thing anyone ever told me about working at a university was this:

"Yeah, all my friends who are professors are miserable. Those at R1 schools are freaking out about publishing and those who are at teaching schools are miserable because the jobs are in horrible little towns where they get paid nothing and their partners can't find work."

America treats its academics like garbage and there is an insane amount of competition. The benefits are great (if you can get a full-time job), but the sacrifices may out weigh the rewards.

Quote from: ChuckRamone
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"That guy is double parked."
"Who cares? There are people starving to death! Besides, how does that affect you? Does it lessen the joy of parking?

mj23

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Re: PhD
« Reply #68 on: April 08, 2022, 11:01:15 AM »
The smartest thing anyone ever told me about working at a university was this:

"Yeah, all my friends who are professors are miserable. Those at R1 schools are freaking out about publishing and those who are at teaching schools are miserable because the jobs are in horrible little towns where they get paid nothing and their partners can't find work."

America treats its academics like garbage and there is an insane amount of competition. The benefits are great (if you can get a full-time job), but the sacrifices may out weigh the rewards.
absolutely true. the counterpoint is basically that those who go into academia despite all this usually have a few screws loose that makes them either compulsive about doing research or ill-suited to 'normal' jobs. if you aren't a little bit nuts the phd probably isn't for you. if you are a little bit nuts, in just the right kind of way, then getting a phd might be almost the only option for you. that's basically what i tell my students when they ask for advice.

notmikerusczyk

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Re: PhD
« Reply #69 on: April 15, 2022, 05:35:28 PM »
tbh the more i look into it and the more anecdotes i read, the more i'm thinking fuck a phd haha. thinking i'll just stick with the original plan of being a teacher


Magnolia

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Re: PhD
« Reply #70 on: April 16, 2022, 12:34:32 PM »
tbh the more i look into it and the more anecdotes i read, the more i'm thinking fuck a phd haha. thinking i'll just stick with the original plan of being a teacher
Same here, I don't think I could stomach another 4-5 years of school
what quality posts do you have under your umbrella son of a bitch

Made In China

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Re: PhD
« Reply #71 on: April 18, 2022, 05:29:26 PM »
tbh the more i look into it and the more anecdotes i read, the more i'm thinking fuck a phd haha. thinking i'll just stick with the original plan of being a teacher
Dude that's where I'm at now too. It's crazy to see my posts in the first two pages of this thread from three years ago when I was really into the idea of getting a PhD. At this point, I've pretty much decided against it.

I actually currently work at a big public university and I only work with graduate students. We track a lot of their progress and finances, and it's crazy to see how many students were struggling big time with COVID and still just aren't on track to earning their degrees. It's become pretty common for students to "master out" and leave partway through their PhD with a master's instead. It's also common for potential students to turn down their offer of admission because other universities can guarantee a full-ride for their entire career, or sometimes even because they decided against going into academia.

I don't blame any of them either, being a graduate student seems like an insane amount of work that you're not paid nearly enough for. And I've only heard bad things about the prospective job market afterwards, especially if you want to stay in academia.

fuhkin_powahfood_kid

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Re: PhD
« Reply #72 on: April 18, 2022, 06:41:12 PM »
I'm wrapping up a Master's comp exam that was intended to highlight a year long community based participatory research project that got axed due to Covid #s in the community. the entirety of the project has been designed and documented. I've read and written more pages on related topics than I can count.

although the first and most important aspect of CBPR is serving the community, and considering the demographics I'm engaged with, it's really the only important thing, I'm bummed that this got quashed. A good part of me was hoping to publish this sort of niche work and build on it, get that next degree.

At least I've got the knowledge and could run this project in my sleep. Maybe it will see light in the future or maybe I'll just do the work with the intended community, leaving research aside.

I'm ready for a break
If you plant ice, you’re gonna harvest wind

notmikerusczyk

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Re: PhD
« Reply #73 on: August 09, 2023, 04:02:02 PM »
Fuck it I'm doing it y'all.....in about three weeks I'm gonna start sending applications out. So so scary
How's everyone in here's grad programs going?


Trashcon

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Re: PhD
« Reply #74 on: August 10, 2023, 10:28:41 PM »
Fuck it I'm doing it y'all.....in about three weeks I'm gonna start sending applications out. So so scary
How's everyone in here's grad programs going?

Hell yeah. You got this. Keep us updated.

Alan

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Re: PhD
« Reply #75 on: August 11, 2023, 09:49:27 PM »
Fuck it I'm doing it y'all.....in about three weeks I'm gonna start sending applications out. So so scary
How's everyone in here's grad programs going?

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