There is also the fact that there are much fewer academic post-doc jobs compared to PhD position. This is probably different in different fields, but my math friend says this is defiantly the case in math. Sure the more successful are more likely to get the next job, but it is more about relative success compared to your competition, than absolute success. I don’t know if the bar to keep going happens to be reasonable in absolute terms.
The way I view a PhD is that it is an entry level research job. If you want to have a research career, you start with an entry level research job, more or less similar to other career path.
I wonder, if you want to do maths research, and don’t do a PhD, what is the alternative? The best thing about a PhD is that you get paid to do research, which is very uncommon every where else, unless you do something very applied.
Do you know of any reasonable alternatives to working in academia for less applied research? Or maybe this is what you mean by gate-keeping, that academia has monopolised funding?
Yeah, I meat “allocating” rather than “gatekeeping.”
I started this project because people complain so much about the PhD system. It makes me think that for the right person, it’s an attractive way to start a research career, but too many PhD students go in treating it like a credential. A way to make more money and impress themselves or other people. A professional degree that guarantees a good job. The only way to contribute to human progress or be a leader.
A PhD is an opportunity to do focused, original research. People should only choose that path if that’s what they really want. It’s underpaid, risky, stressful, and takes a loooong time.
There is also the fact that there are much fewer academic post-doc jobs compared to PhD position. This is probably different in different fields, but my math friend says this is defiantly the case in math. Sure the more successful are more likely to get the next job, but it is more about relative success compared to your competition, than absolute success. I don’t know if the bar to keep going happens to be reasonable in absolute terms.
The way I view a PhD is that it is an entry level research job. If you want to have a research career, you start with an entry level research job, more or less similar to other career path.
I wonder, if you want to do maths research, and don’t do a PhD, what is the alternative? The best thing about a PhD is that you get paid to do research, which is very uncommon every where else, unless you do something very applied.
Do you know of any reasonable alternatives to working in academia for less applied research? Or maybe this is what you mean by gate-keeping, that academia has monopolised funding?
Yeah, I meat “allocating” rather than “gatekeeping.”
I started this project because people complain so much about the PhD system. It makes me think that for the right person, it’s an attractive way to start a research career, but too many PhD students go in treating it like a credential. A way to make more money and impress themselves or other people. A professional degree that guarantees a good job. The only way to contribute to human progress or be a leader.
A PhD is an opportunity to do focused, original research. People should only choose that path if that’s what they really want. It’s underpaid, risky, stressful, and takes a loooong time.
I completely agree. Doing a PhD for credentials is not a good strategy. Doing a PhD for money makes no sense what so ever.