Doctoral degrees: The disposable academic (2010)
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Doctoral degrees: The disposable academic (2010)
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Re: Doctoral degrees: The disposable academic (2010)
#22 year-old story. Previous discussions:
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2019665 [886 days old]
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5503996 [46 days old]
Re: Doctoral degrees: The disposable academic (2010)
#3We need to open up the knowledge guild so that people don't have to get a PHD to participate in new research. Open Access to scientific journals is a good first step.
Re: Doctoral degrees: The disposable academic (2010)
#4Well of course! PhD's are in the unfortunate position to be overqualified for 90% of the positions they would apply to, and too much of an education to leverage for a higher salary. Industry experience is what makes the R&D rooms at BigCo's tick, and academia doesn't pay that well.
Even a masters in CS is overkill these days. Most employers are looking for entry level code monkeys in order to underpay, or industry hardened, bitter individuals to act as leads and seniors (assuming they didn't promote from within).
I have the opportunity to get my masters in CS for free, but I'm not sure if the time spent is really worth it. I could either have another expensive piece of paper, or add more code to my github account for future employment... Whenever I decide to switch jobs.
Re: Doctoral degrees: The disposable academic (2010)
#5That's not what PHds are for.
After a certain level of education we are not training the individual to optimise their income - we select those who will be paid and supported to do research to invent the next generation.
We need to grow grad students and professors of every science so that one of them will have the breakthrough that keeps humankind on an upward trajectory
Ps It's two years old to you, it's brand new to me ;-)
Re: Doctoral degrees: The disposable academic (2010)
#62 year-old story. Previous discussions: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2019665 [886 days old] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5503996 [46 days old]
True, but I think this deserves reconsideration considering the recent debate about H1-B visas -- especially since the fact that there are (relatively) few US-born PhD's is one of the major justifications for increasing the number of visas awarded.
Re: Doctoral degrees: The disposable academic (2010)
#7I'm currently working on my PHD in Computer Science. All the doctoral students I know have a very firm understanding that their degree is not the most profitable idea. If we wanted money then we would not be trying to be scientists. We pursue it because we love it and because we a curious.
Re: Doctoral degrees: The disposable academic (2010)
#8It takes a certain poverty of mind to quantify the value of an education in terms of earnings.
I don't earn a huge amount, but I have a fantastic job, I live in a wonderful place about 5 minutes from my office and doing my Ph.D. was the best thing that I ever did.
I agree that you don't need one, and many people with one that I have met and employed are fairly hopeless (in comparison to razor sharp and super talented B.Sc. folk) but babe, if it floats your boat go for it.
Don't listen to the haters!
Re: Doctoral degrees: The disposable academic (2010)
#9Well of course! PhD's are in the unfortunate position to be overqualified for 90% of the positions they would apply to, and too much of an education to leverage for a higher salary. Industry experience is what makes the R&D rooms at BigCo's tick, and academia doesn't pay that well. Even a masters in CS is overkill these days. Most employers are looking for entry level code monkeys in order to underpay, or industry ha…
Depends on the job - if your job gives you thinking and researching time then it's probably possible to do a masters from coursera and books
If you are back to back sprints (it's a marathon but if we ring the bell on every lap we will get there faster) then you need a masters to put the time aside
Re: Doctoral degrees: The disposable academic (2010)
#10I finished my maths PhD last year. The concept that PhD grads earn less than people who opted out of academia earlier makes a lot of sense to me.
PhDs grads aren't financially driven - they are mathematically driven - to the extent of thinking about problems all day. Everyone I knew used to keep a notebook and pen by the bed because waking up in the night with an idea was so common. With this much passion, the desire to leave academia for a well-paid industry job is low.