Main Reasons NOT to Get a PhD

Doing a Ph.D. is not a walk in the park and it's not even about education equity. You might jump into it right now and regret it for the rest of your life. It would be a good idea to conduct a thorough cost-benefit analysis and weigh the pros and cons beforehand to prevent such a situation. Of course, it takes some time but it surely will pay off because you’ll make the right choice in the end. Here are a few factors you need to consider before finalizing an option:

Decide on Your Goals Before You Get Your Feet Wet

The first question you should ask yourself before choosing to pursue a doctorate degree is the reason behind it. What makes you want to achieve your goal? If you fail to come up with a concrete answer, you should devise a plan B. Leaping without reflecting on the decision might end up being a waste of your time and resources.

There can be various reasons for going after it. The most common ones are:

• To be a part of academia;
• To work in research;
• To realize your intellectual potential.
• To gain an edge in the job market;
• To delve deeper into a specific topic/project;
• To make a contribution towards your field.

There are definitely many people who consider these reasons enough. But what if we say that you don’t need to pursue a Ph.D. degree to achieve these goals? What if there are ways that are easier? That won’t take you plenty of time and money? Let us show you another side of the coin.

It Isn’t the Only Option to Go Into Academia

Well, if one of your goals is to become a part of academia, ask yourself: why do you need it? Do you need a specific community of smart people? You might be shocked by the fact that the academic world is no more or less tainted than any other community. If you really need these acquaintances, it would be much faster to invite your professor for coffee or to write a witty comment on Facebook. You don’t have to sacrifice your life, pore over textbooks, conduct research, and publish articles when the only thing you receive is a strong professional network of PhD candidates.

It Doesn’t Guarantee You a Successful Career Start

Do you know that young people without higher education earn billions these days? The world has changed. Though there are still some professions that require a Bachelor's or Master’s degree, the Ph.D. is mostly overrated.

Employes don’t look at your diplomas, they look at your knowledge, full-time work experience, practical skills, soft skills. When you’re stuck in the university laboratories with a lot of work, you're isolated from the real world. It not only doesn’t contribute to your professional development, but it leaves you one step behind. While your peers have four years of real challenges, you need to work much more to catch up with them on the career ladder.

It is Not That Easy as You Can Imagine

Some students decide to do a Ph.D. because they are smart, get good grades, and consider this direction to be the logical continuation of their path. You might think that you can realize your intellectual potential, but what is on the other side of the scale?

Sounds not that inspiring, right? You may be the smartest person in the world, but intelligence has nothing to do with the physical and mental health that PhD graduates have to sacrifice.

It Doesn’t Provide You With an Opportunity to Earn For Living

We have mentioned that it takes you about 8 years to purchase a Ph.D. Do you have a financial plan for this time? Ph.D. students earn $15,000-$30,000 a year depending on their educational institution, the field of research, and location. Besides, if it is not a fellowship award, and you get a salary from a teaching assistant position, you need to pay taxes as well. It means you’ll have $1250-$2500 before taxes per month until you’re a 33-year-old. And, you remember, Ph.D. doesn’t guarantee you a successful career. Do you consider this money to be enough for your needs?

If not, you have to find a part-time job, and it means you can’t be absolutely focused on your research projects.

It Doesn’t Guarantee You a Decent Salary in Academia

If you decide to continue your academic career, you have a chance to get a decent position if you are in good standing with your supervisor and have outstanding academic achievements. But let’s be honest: other students around you are no less smart, and it is especially difficult to stand out among them. You still have a lot of competition and no guarantees. You can look for different offers and bargain when you’re in the commercial sector, but in academia, you’re limited by a number of educational institutions, their research goals, and budgets.

A Ph.D. is Expensive

High funding requirements for Phd holders can be ranked as one of the top reasons people are reluctant to enroll in it. The students can essentially be categorized into three groups. Firstly there are the ones who are self-funded. Managing the high fees at a young age is very difficult as is. Most students end up taking student loans. It adds to their psychological pressure along with the financial one. You will belong paying the debt back even after this higher education.

The other group is who gets departmentally funded, and the third is externally financed students. The scam occurs when the external funders have to pay the complete fee in addition to the indirect costs of tuition fees. Things can become tricky when there is a cap on these tuition fees. The first year, as well as the second years, are usually more expensive than the rest. Most students drop off in the first couple of years as retaining in this constant pressure becomes unbearable.

An Ultimate List of Signs That Ph.D. is Not Really Your Thing

What Can Be The Convincing Reasons to Do Ph.D.?

Though there are arguments against purchasing a Ph.D. diploma, many students all over the world make this decision. According to statistics, about 85-100,000 students earn a doctoral degree in the United States years. Of course, it can’t be said that they are stupid and didn’t understand all the drawbacks. We don’t speak about ignoring academia at all, we speak about the necessity of the honest answer: what do you really want to do?

So, How to Make a Right Decision if You’re in Doubt?

Now, when you have enough reasons for and against the graduate program, you should understand that the final choice can’t be made at once. You should make the decision that will define your life for the next 8 years, or even more. There are several steps you can take before you sign up (or don’t sign up) for the doctoral program.

Seek Out Information

It shouldn’t be the choice of your parents or your professors. Don’t wait until they lay out a plan for your life. Try to find as much information as possible about the specific graduate school, its programs, and opportunities for students and postdocs. There may be different conditions depending on these factors, and you need to consider them all. It would be also a good idea to get in touch with alumni who are graduated from the Ph.D. program you’re interested in. Most educational institutions have pages for alumni on their websites, Facebook groups, etc. If you start this journey, you’ll already have some useful contacts.

Make Sure You Have Enough Money to Continue Your Education

Since it is impossible to ignore the financial aspect, it would be a wise choice to think about it in advance. Look for grad schools with good funding, that provide you with medical insurance and other kinds of financial support. If you’re still purchasing a Bachelor’s degree, you have enough time to save money, try yourself in some career positions, and even find a company that is ok with your part-time employment. It would be also a good idea to look for some stipends that will cover your expenses.

Listen to Your Heart

Sometimes it is really difficult to decide what we want because we live in a time of informational noise. If all people around you are Ph.D. graduates (or regret they are not), it is impossible to imagine that you would have other aspirations. And vise versa, when most Instagram posts tell you that you can start an amazing business career right now, the academic job after long years of education doesn’t look so attractive.

We don’t offer you to flip a coin to make a decision. But try to dig a little deeper to understand your real goals and values. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? In 20 years? What are you ready to sacrifice for this sake? You’ll surely find the right answers!