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PhD Programs in northern Kunming?

ASatiricalBloke (103 posts) • +3

"I can't afford to do a phd with no job waiting for me" --Maybe this is why you don't have a PhD.

"what motivations do people have for getting Phds if not to get a good job?" -- Get a PhD and you'll find out instead of talking out of your rear end.

nnoble (889 posts) • 0

Much talk about money using lose terms like 'rich', 'poor', 'filthy rich'. I don't suppose you'd refer to yourself as rich but you probably are: www.gapminder.org/[...]
Robin Hood was my hero but I realise his modus operandi was flawed. He should have studied more. Believing you can eradicate poverty by making rich people poorer is a leap of faith worth studying.

kurtosis (86 posts) • +1

"I can't afford to do a phd with no job waiting for me ... for my personal situation, i would consider it unethical. I don't have the luxury of wasting all that time. If you can afford it, lucky you. Studying is more fun than the real world."

So why not do the PhD beside working? I also don't wanna do grunt work at a university institute, so I kept my day job and do the PhD on the side. Sure it means getting up at 5 am every day and often working weekends - but it's inspiring enough an experience to go for it.

dolphin (509 posts) • 0

@satirical, I don't think I am talking out of my rear. there are plenty of other people out there who agree with me. one guy even took the time to blog about it.

If you still think it's worth it for YOU, then go for it. I don't know about your personal situation and I don't care about you anyway.

100 Reasons Not to Go To Grad School

100rsns.blogspot.ca/[...]

ASatiricalBloke (103 posts) • +1

Just because you don't know of any other reasons doesn't mean they don't exist. You cite some random guy with a blog to justify your belief and yet despite all the reasons given, tens of thousands of people are still pursing their PhD....so the fact stands, there's got to be more reasons for getting a PhD other than the financial rewards.

When you make a statement about something you know very little of, you are indeed talking out of your fluke.

It's cute, though, that you think ALL PhD students entered the program believing they will become filthy rich with the job that's waiting for them once they graduate only to be crushed by the realities halfway through their thesis.

Dazzer (2813 posts) • +1

if there are 100 reasons not to, then there are 1000s

of reasons why people still do it. the 100 reasons not to need thought when deciding if you can carry the cost, not just money but time, family, stress, social life, loss of other opportunities. but balance with the manifold benefits during and after your study

kurtosis (86 posts) • +1

"100 Reasons Not to Go To Grad School"

Well for me the decision was simple enough. I enjoy informed discussions about topics I am interested in. And that's what research is all about.
So I thought - why not challenge myself by arguing with the best and trying to get close to the truth?

Financially, I still hope that the efforts I put into getting a PhD won't be a total write-off. But I frankly don't think that I'll ever break even financially compared to spending the time invested at work.

However: I wouldn't want to drag myself out of bed so early to spend a little more time at the office. So it boils down for me to either spending money at pubs in the evenings vs. going to bed early and pursuing a PhD.
At least my liver has a clear preference here.

So in the end, it's a decision that depends on many idiosyncratic factors and I don't think there is a one-size-fits-all answer.

GoK Moderator (5096 posts) • 0

@kurtosis, you make it almost sound like marriage and family ;-0
Sometimes it is more about what we put into something, than what we take out of it.

dolphin (509 posts) • 0

@satirical, i never mentioned anything about "filthy rich". someone else brought that into the conversation and i think it's out of place in this discussion. kurtosis made a more sensible response. he doesn't think he will break even ... but still thinks he has valid reasons for pursuing it. then that's fine. he has income from another source. it's a personal choice. the main thing is that he is aware. and i think many people probably aren't and end up getting frustrated. so that's why I asked the OP what the job prospects are. simply to encourage OP to think it through carefully.

ASatiricalBloke (103 posts) • 0

A PhD program is not something someone wakes up one day and decides to pursue as if one is buying something from a late night infomercial. I dare say the majority of those in PhD programs had a pretty good idea what they are getting into before they signed on.

Your assumption that you know so much more than the OP about his situation that you felt you need to encourage him to "think it through carefully" is quite arrogant.

Man A: Excuse me, do you know where is the nearest McDonald's?

Man B: Do you realize how unhealthy eating McDonald food is? You really need to consider your dietary habits if you wish to live a long and healthy life.

Man A: What has this got to do with my question?

Man B: Nothing, I simply want to encourage you to think it through carefully about your food choice and longevity.

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