On September 14 2010 12:41 AppleTart wrote: But who cares, all of us are working together to push the boundaries farther. The only field where I am sorta even remotely meh about is PHD in History....
We need historians to explain the mistakes of the past. Then we can repeat them!
So a PhD is like a soring pimple on your face wanting to break out. Duly noted. :p
Anyways, with that said, I am doing pretty well with my BA in Economics (yes, they are actually useful in this time, but I've been hired for jobs only on a seasonal basis, on a steady stream of gigs, but stable either way). I find that some acquaintances of mine are pursuing/pursued PhDs because they can't get enough of the nourishing environment that graduate schools can provide. I very nearly decided to take graduate school myself, but I really wanted to take on the world for what it is as soon as possible. And because I was offered a job before I even graduated.
chem engg grad here, but don't think I have the passion nor smarts to pursue anything post grad in this field. (right now I'm looking at the possibility of switching to... iPhone programming haha)
Grad school is awesome, seriously. Every educational environment is awesome, and the higher up the more awesome. For many people, high school is the best time of their life because they don't get more education and their jobs suck. Undergrad is way better, but grad school (or sometimes professional school) is unmatched. You get a more enriching environment than undergrads, with smaller classes than high school, it's great.
On September 14 2010 10:59 Aberu wrote: Just looks another teacher trying to justify to themselves all of those years they spent getting a PhD. It's an interesting illustration, but it also runs off of this presumption that those with PhD's simply know more than those without PhD's. There are computer programmers I know that have far more knowledge having worked in the field for 30 years than these new young "whipper-snappers" could gain with a PhD in Comp Sci (if anyone even goes for that).
wow dude, you completely missed the point of this.
if anything, this guy was illustrating the LACK of significance of a PhD.
I'm going to start applying to Grad Schools this fall for my PhD. I'm going straight from BS (well BA/BS cause my school wanted to make up a bigger degree or something.) PhD in either CS or CIS (I for information)
My motivation is that I'm not done learning yet, or more so that I'm not done learning in a colligate atmosphere. A masters doesn't really interest me except in the sense that if I need a break after this year I'll go that route.
I sort of associate all master's degrees as professional degrees, and I'm not really interested in going into the industry.
On September 14 2010 12:41 AppleTart wrote: But who cares, all of us are working together to push the boundaries farther. The only field where I am sorta even remotely meh about is PHD in History....
We need historians to explain the mistakes of the past. Then we can repeat them!
Haha, history doesn't repeat itself, but similar things do happen. I'm simply exercising my mind, doing lots of reading and writing, learning how to be ridiculously persuasive whether or not the facts support my thesis, and on the side I'm interpreting the past. Yes indeed, I am one of the "used-car salesman of academia", a historian.
As they say the higher your education the more you know about less. Im currently working towards this goal myself in Bio Anthropology. Its really a time sink but damn it is really cool and interesting. Seriously a lot of dedication though and I salute anyone who can maintain a normal social life for any extended period of time heh. PhD comics is awesome because its true (though not quite for me as im in the social sciences so its a different atmosphere at times).