Here's a very good quote from Deniel Lemire's blog:
There is only one reason to get a Ph.D. — because the career path you want to pursue requires it. Do not do it because you think it will make you feel important, because it will do the opposite. Do not do it because “there are a lot of things you could do with it”, because there are plenty of things you can do without it. Do not do it because you think it will be an intellectual adventure, because you’d do much better with a library card.
Friday, April 3, 2009
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Haha...you have mentioned many things that I have thought to myself wnen considering a PhD. But when it comes down to it I find that I really don't have a huge passion to commit 4 years (I'm from the UK) to a particular subject.
ReplyDeleteI'm an English pharmacology grad student and just stumbled across your blogs. It's been really interesting so far...Thanks.
I enrolled into a PhD for all the reasons you have mentioned above and 3 months down the road am so miserable. I would rather be out volunteering in Haiti because I know I will be changing a life than doing research for publication but will not impact a life ...may be bring some thing to the academic world but I don't care about that. I could change many lives in a year volunteering than 4 yr s dedicated to misery.
ReplyDeleteThanx for this blog am on my way out of the PhD.
To everyone who is reading this and thinking to do or not to do a PhD. Ask yourself this question. If the 2012 the end of the world will happen, who do you think are going to be rescued first? This is your answer.
ReplyDeletethank God..now it's 2014
DeleteI did learn quite a bit in my Ph.D program in my field. None of what I learned that I think is good research is applied in reality. I didn't feel discouraged until after my comps. so I am all but dissertation. There was really no support after that. It didn't help that I had personal problems at that time. What I have really learned is that I can make a difference without it. What schooling I did do in my Ph.D. did apply toward a raise so I guess it wasn't all bad. I also have more creative ideas now than I ever had before. Several of the posts mention arrogance and the necessity of suffering. I agree that neither of those are really necessary for people to learn. In fact, it impacts learning negatively.
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