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Ask HN: Will getting a PhD lead to a more interesting life?

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Re: Ask HN: Will getting a PhD lead to a more interesting life?

#151

Post by appkate »

fightme wrote: post #101

CS PhD from Stanford in dynamic program analysis. Lost all my friends. Ghosted by companies for jobs directly related to my research. Everyone I knew who went directly into industry is doing way better than me. My salary has only tracked inflation. I sorely regret the decision and consider it to have fundamentally ruined my life beyond repair.

There are always people better than you in this world no matter you've a PhD or not but you can always find a niche market and grow your expertise there.

Your friends maybe waiting for your call. Be proactive.

Re: Ask HN: Will getting a PhD lead to a more interesting life?

#152

Post by throwawayphd »

My PhD contract ends today. I'll defend by the end of the year. I'm leaving academia.

I'm happy to have "tried" a PhD. I didn't know whether I wanted to do research. During my PhD, I advised several interns on a software project I started as a student during an internship. I could teach, which I liked to do.

But it was exhausting. It was hard to even start working these days. It didn't work out, because I didn't get to grips with my subject, and didn't enjoy my advisors.

My father is a researcher and sees research and writing paper as I game. He enjoys doing it. If you don't particularly like doing research and don't plan to become a researcher, it's a big no. Don't do a PhD.

Also don't start a PhD at a place you know you don't like. What kept me enjoying life is my friends, my family, enjoying the place where I live and the club I'm part of.

> It seems very lonely, and I don't find much enjoyment from, say, sitting in my office reading papers all day

It's not quite like that. There is paper reading, and there is sitting at a desk, behind a computer, writing. But a PhD is also about learning and having interesting discussion with your advisors and your colleagues (I didn't especially experience that but I now former and current PhD students who do/did). It's also solving problems and modeling things using a sheet of paper or a big whiteboard. It's also implementing proof of concepts.

My experience as a PhD student was not so great, but loneliness was not part of this. I had an active social life and loved these years as a PhD student just for that. Being alone during the day in such a life is a feature at times, but if you have a nice team, you may enjoy coffee breaks and meals with your colleagues, who may become your friends. You are not really alone. There are nice people around you you can enjoy and have interesting conversations with every day.

If you do a PhD, don't stay alone. You will most likely need support from your friends and your family. Either by just doing something else with them, or by talking about your difficulties.

Re: Ask HN: Will getting a PhD lead to a more interesting life?

#153

Post by cossatot »

Geology PhD here, caveat emptor:

If you don't find research compelling, then don't go for a PhD. It's not worth it on any front--you'll be broke, stressed and miserable for years and then quite possibly quit with little to show for it.

I think the concerns about a typical software engineering job not being interesting or allowing for intellectual growth or exploration are also overblown. Programming is pretty special in that there are a lot of different ways to do things, and the barrier to entry is incredibly low. If you're bored you can spend what work time you can get away with, and what personal time you have, and explore side channels or new approaches to optimizing parts of what you're already working on.

Interactive theorem proving is indeed cool, but it's not the only thing out there, and if working on it comes with a certain lifestyle that you find untenable, then don't feel bad about passing on it. There are lots of cool things to do, and plenty of other trains to be one of the first aboard--just keep a look out while you're doing whatever you end up doing.

Furthermore you can always go back and get a PhD unless other circumstances (i.e. kids and the need for a higher income) get in the way.

That being said, I got a PhD and it definitely made my life more interesting, but I'm a committed research scientist and would rather do nothing else, so there weren't a lot of other options for me.

Re: Ask HN: Will getting a PhD lead to a more interesting life?

#154

Post by vbtemp »

pizza234 wrote: post #107
fightme wrote: post #101

CS PhD from Stanford in dynamic program analysis. Lost all my friends. Ghosted by companies for jobs directly related to my research. Everyone I knew who went directly into industry is doing way better than me. My salary has only tracked inflation. I sorely regret the decision and consider it to have fundamentally ruined my life beyond repair.

Could you elaborate why you assume that your knowledge and skills can't be recycled in another (engineering) area?

Not the OP, but often times people coming out of PhDs don't have applicable engineering skills that are used to deliver actual products to actual people. Getting results to put into a publication and delivering a product that people rely on are two skillsets that have very little to do with one another.

Re: Ask HN: Will getting a PhD lead to a more interesting life?

#155

Post by cryptozeus »

Good question but its a non starter. Do not look to college, people and phd to live a interesting life. It seems you have few options to explore so why not start exploring them before making a decision.

- look at job boards and see if you find interesting work, apply and see if you get in. You can always return to get your phd if that is not interesting.

- search on linkedin with people who are working in interesting jobs and have phd. Email them and talk about your question, people are normally eager to help.

I noticed that right now some of the AI and ML jobs do require PHD but it’s limited and by the time you finish it may become mainstream. Look into those options.

At the end you make your life interesting by figuring out yourself and not depending on job market or friends.

Last thing based on your words it looks like you enjoy people and want to leave student life then just get into one of the tech company as a researcher where you will get all of that.

Who knows may be that is not what you wanted after all, but atleast you will know.

Re: Ask HN: Will getting a PhD lead to a more interesting life?

#156

Post by robotresearcher »

> I don't particularly love studying. > I'm absolutely sick of living like a student > It seems very lonely

Then don't do it.

> I don't have industry experience

No one starts out with industry experience. Get started.

Choose your company position carefully for interesting scope. Change jobs if you make a mistake.

Meta advice: choice is stressful and you sound stressed. Take a minute to reflect on the strength of your position and long term outlook. Looking pretty good! Now, take a breath, and tackle your choice problem as if you were helping a close friend with it.

Re: Ask HN: Will getting a PhD lead to a more interesting life?

#157

Post by klyrs »

PyroLagus wrote: post #79
mrlala wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well if it has no value to industry, chances are it has no real value to history/humankind other than "oh that's kind of interesting"

Value isn't always apparent immediately. Quantum theory seemed largely useless, but now it's useful in computing.

> ... but now it's useful in computing.

I do hope you're not referring to the google leak. That result is merely unreproducible with classical computers. It isn't currently useful for anything except PR.

Re: Ask HN: Will getting a PhD lead to a more interesting life?

#159

Post by crispyambulance »

There are plenty of PHD's who lead thoroughly uninteresting lives, there are plenty that have exciting and meaningful lives.

Your degree isn't what makes your life interesting or not, nor is your job title, nor is your job, nor is how much you get paid.

The premise of the question is wrong, IMHO.

If you're "not sure" about the PHD, take some time off and work for a couple years in something challenging and then decide if the PHD is right for you. You'll still be sharp enough to resume the studies and you'll have more experience from which you can base your decision.

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