Pill Pod 28 - Don't Go to Grad School
Added 2021-01-29 08:05:38 +0000 UTCWe get asked this question frequently, and the answer is NO, DON'T GO (or maybe do it). This episode is required listening before making a life-altering decision that you can quite easily change at any time.
We are posting this here because as we said in the episode, we want your feedback, whether your experience is/was similar, different, whether we disenchanted the fantasy or encouraged it, and whether you think online platforms are poised to disrupt the academic status quo. Cheers!
Comments
Erik is totally right in saying that an undergrad is absolutely nothing special today and gl trying to find a decent job with it. I'm actually going to do an(other) undergrad course and a masters is a requirement to actually get a license to practice and hence actually let you monetise the education you're getting. Buuut over here a year of masters is like 400euro if you're a local and you can apply for all sorts of grants and cash-back schemes if you and your course are eligible for it. The problem is that in STEM courses, you tend to need to apply for funding for the lab supplies or statistical tools you can't do without. Matt's list monologue is great. I'm definitely in the first group and I like to think a little of the scholar one as well lol. Also really feeling Victor's disdain of working soul-leeching office jobs and 'most people who think they're an autodidact are not autodidacts.' If that was the case you wouldn't have so many Gregs having surface level takes on Nietzsche and thinking that he's talking about them in particular. That falling standards thing that Matt was talking about, basically. Pills is also right af about the geriatrics: like, fuck off, let someone else who can teach better and actually needs the job take it. I say this as an undergrad and as someone who worked in university administration. Erik hit me right in the soul with that 'not be asked to define what the rest of your life is going to be at 19 because you don't know anything about yourself yet' Jesus Christ, Y E S. One of the worst aspects of the education system as a whole by far is being forced to chose a career path at a time in your life where all you care about is getting laid and getting fucked up.
anacidcommie
2021-05-15 09:23:04 +0000 UTCA comment on Victor's claim that without funding a PhD is not worth pursuing: An alternative would be to first enter the labour force, save some dinero, then apply as a self funded student in their 30s or 40s. It's a double win because 1) as snot nosed 20 year old what does one have to offer academia anyway and 2) one can avoid TA/RA obligations and thus slavery.
Wayne Ha
2021-03-22 11:48:28 +0000 UTC
