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On February 14 2015 01:29 Djzapz wrote:Show nested quote +On February 13 2015 12:00 Stratos_speAr wrote:
"You don't get a PhD because you really want one. If you try that, you will fail. You get a PhD because you absolutely cannot do anything else". I'm getting a PhD because I kinda want one, and I could go work now with my M.A... am I fucked?
From everything I've experienced and everything any professor has ever told me, you get a Ph.D. because you can't do anything else; i.e. you are so dedicated to one particular subject that you just have to do it and you aren't happy doing anything else. Any dedication that is less than that results in an absolutely miserable experience trying to go through your coursework + dissertation, and pretty sub-par work even if you are able to somehow finish it.
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On February 26 2015 12:32 Stratos_speAr wrote:Show nested quote +On February 14 2015 01:29 Djzapz wrote:On February 13 2015 12:00 Stratos_speAr wrote:
"You don't get a PhD because you really want one. If you try that, you will fail. You get a PhD because you absolutely cannot do anything else". I'm getting a PhD because I kinda want one, and I could go work now with my M.A... am I fucked? From everything I've experienced and everything any professor has ever told me, you get a Ph.D. because you can't do anything else; i.e. you are so dedicated to one particular subject that you just have to do it and you aren't happy doing anything else. Any dedication that is less than that results in an absolutely miserable experience trying to go through your coursework + dissertation, and pretty sub-par work even if you are able to somehow finish it.
Then you better mourn me after my imminent demise you monster 
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On February 26 2015 12:32 Stratos_speAr wrote:Show nested quote +On February 14 2015 01:29 Djzapz wrote:On February 13 2015 12:00 Stratos_speAr wrote:
"You don't get a PhD because you really want one. If you try that, you will fail. You get a PhD because you absolutely cannot do anything else". I'm getting a PhD because I kinda want one, and I could go work now with my M.A... am I fucked? From everything I've experienced and everything any professor has ever told me, you get a Ph.D. because you can't do anything else; i.e. you are so dedicated to one particular subject that you just have to do it and you aren't happy doing anything else. Any dedication that is less than that results in an absolutely miserable experience trying to go through your coursework + dissertation, and pretty sub-par work even if you are able to somehow finish it.
This is really spot on. You must love your subject when you are doing PhD. Persistence and dedications are key to be successful in academia. At this level everyone is smart enough to do it, but not everyone is persistent or dedicated enough.
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Dont really have to be ALL that smart to do a phd, tbh
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On February 26 2015 12:32 Stratos_speAr wrote:Show nested quote +On February 14 2015 01:29 Djzapz wrote:On February 13 2015 12:00 Stratos_speAr wrote:
"You don't get a PhD because you really want one. If you try that, you will fail. You get a PhD because you absolutely cannot do anything else". I'm getting a PhD because I kinda want one, and I could go work now with my M.A... am I fucked? From everything I've experienced and everything any professor has ever told me, you get a Ph.D. because you can't do anything else; i.e. you are so dedicated to one particular subject that you just have to do it and you aren't happy doing anything else. Any dedication that is less than that results in an absolutely miserable experience trying to go through your coursework + dissertation, and pretty sub-par work even if you are able to somehow finish it.
Total nonsense and unnecessarily restrictive. You should want to do a PhD more than you want to work a proper job, that's all. Fanatic devotion is just as unhealthy
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Today I received a letter by mail from the Catholic university of America... got my hopes up, only to have them crushed few seconds later.
My mental sanity is going down the drain, 3/3 rejections so far.
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On February 28 2015 14:48 n.DieJokes wrote:Show nested quote +On February 26 2015 12:32 Stratos_speAr wrote:On February 14 2015 01:29 Djzapz wrote:On February 13 2015 12:00 Stratos_speAr wrote:
"You don't get a PhD because you really want one. If you try that, you will fail. You get a PhD because you absolutely cannot do anything else". I'm getting a PhD because I kinda want one, and I could go work now with my M.A... am I fucked? From everything I've experienced and everything any professor has ever told me, you get a Ph.D. because you can't do anything else; i.e. you are so dedicated to one particular subject that you just have to do it and you aren't happy doing anything else. Any dedication that is less than that results in an absolutely miserable experience trying to go through your coursework + dissertation, and pretty sub-par work even if you are able to somehow finish it. Total nonsense and unnecessarily restrictive. You should want to do a PhD more than you want to work a proper job, that's all. Fanatic devotion is just as unhealthy
I hope you're right  .
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Good luck, SoSexy! I'm rooting for ya, buddy. A PhD would be cool, I'm serious. My brother is working on his master's degree from TKK in Finland right now & is at a software company, so I know the feeling - advanced college education is great, and it is MUCH easier to do business while also attending University. All of the nice infrastructure is there, and you are surrounded by college-educated people. I was recruited to college & accepted first very early, before many of the other students - actually they took me out for a steak dinner like I was a top football prospect like Reggie Bush or something... pretty cool! I hope you've been trying to impress the schools you hope to be accepted at. At my brother's program there was 20-30 students admitted for his year, so try to perform with your 'best face in front.'
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Got another rejection. At this point I have 4/8 rejections. During this weekend my mind is split in 2:
- On one side, terrible depression. Thoughts like 'I won't get in anywhere', 'I suck' etc are crowding my mind and I feel really, really bad. Having no real plan B makes me wondera about everything in a bad way...
- On the other side however, a part of me is refusing to give up. I spent some time looking for other universities on the web and I sent a couple e-mails to some professors of smaller departments. A more intimate way of doing things - you write them, if they give you your approval you start the official application but it's way easier than being a no name at Notre-Dame, for example. I will look for more.
Kinda strange, uh? This fight between giving up and not backing down...
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Another update.
At this point, the American dream is over  some people here know how much I love the States but universities were harsh. Stanford had 230 applicants for 7 spots... In theory there is still Riverside but I think they already sent out their acceptances and I am not included.
In the midst of this turmoil, there is a light of hope. I made contact with a professor in the UK who was excited about my proposal and told me to apply at his university. Let's hope this goes well. I basically have only this and Cambridge (presumed rejection),
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EPT
