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/sci/ - Science & Math

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12147257 No.12147257 [Reply] [Original]

Am I dumb for wanting to get a PhD?

My current job pays well but I hate it and I'm depressed everyday. I'll off myself if I work here for more than a year. I miss doing research and am thinking of getting a phd in atmospheric science w something related to machine learning, or do neuro-linguistic programming (nlp). Only thing is that I've heard so much bad shit about grad school that IDK if this is the best path brehs. Thoughts?

>> No.12147303

>>12147257
>Am I dumb for wanting to get a Ph.D.?

Not necessarily. The drawbacks for getting a Ph.D. are almost too many to count but just to be brief they include
>The complete sterilization of your economic potential for 4-8 years
>Minimum wage (i.e. postdocs) now the standards for 4-8 years too
>Tenure track careers not even guaranteed so you may again spend 4-8 years not even working towards a career but just working so you can live and feed yourself
>Current academic environment plagued with an oversized administrative staff whose entire job is figuring out ways to pay you less so that they can pay themselves more.

But I believe the past is there for people who would not under any circumstances do anything else. I've battled with this myself and every time I ask myself the question
>Would I kill myself if my job was not to research all day?
And the answer is no. I'm not super happy at my current job but it is a good start and I mostly enjoy my day to day. Beyond that, I could also be a data scientist, actuary, or quant with similar levels of my happiness. But you should ask yourself that same question and see how you come out the other side.

>> No.12147309
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12147309

>>12147257
I wish I had a depressing job that pays well.

>> No.12147328

>>12147303
well I don't necessarily want to go into academia, I'd be fine in industry as long as I can do research that benefits the world. Also, I need a masters at the minimum to be a data scientist anyway, so to do that I'd need to go to grad school.

>>12147309
No you don't man, the money is OK but the work is so unfulfilling and nonproductive towards the good of society that I dread going to work every single fucking day. I can't take it anymore, I'm legit at the point of tears.

>> No.12147345

>>12147328
>I'd be fine in industry as long as I can do research that benefits the world
Define benefit the world. And what are you doing now? Torturing orphans for a living?

> Also, I need a masters at the minimum to be a data scientist anyway, so to do that I'd need to go to grad school.
1 year out of the workforce for near immediate employment in a growing industry is a much easier pill to swallow than 12+ years of economic uncertainty.

But I get it, I'm struggling with a similar dilemma. I am almost certain I want that master's degree but right now working is just so comfy that I could just do it eternally. But we have to think long-term.

>> No.12147350

>>12147345
writing patents for large corporations that aren't ethical

I'm thinking of doing a masters - > phd thing, get the masters funded then drop out if phd life isn't for me after securing the bag.

>> No.12147354

>>12147350
>writing patents for large corporations that aren't ethical
Jesus Christ torturing orphans would be an improvement for you.

Godspeed anon. Get that master's degree.

>> No.12147367

>>12147354
Yeah, now you see why lol, I could easily just do this and make 6 figures in a few years, but... I can't I just can't do this shit anymore