PhD's

[altlover85]

I've thought about getting a PhD for a while, but I would like to hear about your experiences so I can make a more informed choice.

If possible can you include your undergraduate GPA and the other things you did that helped you get admitted.

Also, if you thought about getting a PhD and decided not to get one, can you tell me why?

Thanks in advance everyone!

 

[hotb0d]

3.82

volunteered like a whore

kick ass recommendation letters

kick ass personal statement

kiss ass at the individual interview

etc...

 

[AlinCanada]

While Scholastic system is somewhat different up here. There is generally a School for everyone. Yes I keep thinking it is time and I keep putting it off, the cost you see. However I am committed to getting my last few years done and my on campus time over with as soon as possible.

 

[versatastic]

What program are you thinking of applying to?

I double majored in engineering and molecular biology for undergrad. Engineering killed my gpa (3.3) and I tood 5.5 years to graduate, but I got straight As in bio classes. My GRE was decent, but it didn't matter because I did 2 years of independent study in the same lab and I got published. I also TA'd the same class 6 times altogether during the regular year and summers. I don't think I did anything special, but my letters of rec were really great according to my interviewers. They say letters and getting published or at least having a lot of experience matter most when it comes to applying for PhD in the sciences.

 

[altlover85]

I'm thinking of getting a PhD in media studies with a concentration in queer studies, or vice-versa.

 

[blackbeltninja]

^^Ours are completely different.

I did my Bachelor's in life sciences (biochem/genetics) and then an Honours degree in Clinical Pharmacology (although my specialisation for dissertation was more in the straight-up microbiology projects the unit was running than one of their pharmacology ones) and from there spoke to my supervisor/mentor about extending the project the following year for a Master's with a view to upgrading to PhD which is what I did.

Most of our PhD candidates speak to the various principal investigators on each project and see if they have an interest in that area of the field, and what projects we need to complete - vague, I know; basically, our one unit looks at mechanism of drug action in the malaria parasite and we were all looking at various sub-areas in that part of the field. Mine is drug resistance reversal; another guy's was looking in to the mechanism of resistance reversal, another's was predicting how resistance might arise etc etc. So you speak to the PI and see what we're doing and what you'd like to do and then see if there is funding available for it and we have necessary supervision capacity, and you're probably in if you seem competent enough.

OP, what are you thinking about doing? In our .za context, a PhD in languages or history or something in the social sciences is kinda overkill in terms of what you can do with it, whereas a scientific/technical/medical/engineering PhD is most likely to drive you directly into academia and/or pure academic/industrial research as opposed to into management in industry. It might be different where you are, of course.

Hope this helps.

-d-

 

[versatastic]

hmmm, I don't really know anything about non-science programs, but I think blackbeltninja brings up some very good points.

Research the programs that you really want to get into and specifically get as much information possible about the professor(s) that you want to work under for the next several years. Every school/program is different so you want to find one that fits your personal goals. It's not about how lovely the campus/city is or how big/influential the department is. If you don't want to do what any of the faculty are doing, then there's no point in even applying.

Also, what are you going to use the PhD for? Whether it's for a career in academia or elsewhere, or maybe for your own personal enrichement, make sure it's something that you really want to do and you're willing to spend the next several years of your life doing it.

Perhaps a PhD might be too much of a commitment. Have you also considered a masters degree? It's obviously not as rigorous as a PhD program, but it might suit you just as well. And it wouldn't be too difficult to extend your studies for another year or two and go for the PhD from your school if you really want it.

^^Ours are completely different.

Most of our PhD candidates speak to the various principal investigators on each project and see if they have an interest in that area of the field, and what projects we need to complete - vague, I know; basically, our one unit looks at mechanism of drug action in the malaria parasite and we were all looking at various sub-areas in that part of the field. Mine is drug resistance reversal; another guy's was looking in to the mechanism of resistance reversal, another's was predicting how resistance might arise etc etc. So you speak to the PI and see what we're doing and what you'd like to do and then see if there is funding available for it and we have necessary supervision capacity, and you're probably in if you seem competent enough.

Actually, this is what it's like in the US after students are already accepted into the program. You spend the first year or two just taking classes and doing rotations in different labs, and then look for a PI to work under for the next 3-4 years. Although, there are a few programs where you basically apply to specific lab(s) and that/those PI(s) decide whether or not to accept you into the program.

 

[rareboy]

Way back when, I realized that one should get a PhD if you had something to really say about the subject that would expand the borders of knowledge.

I determined that the only way I'd have something to say is if I first 'did'.

Now I have something to say but am too busy 'doing'.

And then I'll just die one day.

 

[voyager1994]

Wanted to do PhD in economics, but struggled so much just trying to pass econometrics, failed microeconomics (more than half of the class failed anyway so that was a bit of a consolation), passed with flying colors macroeconomics and mathematical economics, but overall GPA was still not high enough to warrant success in the PhD program. So I figured PhD economics was not for me.

My point is...you'll figure out along the way.

 

[braex27]

Personally, I think with a PhD, the crucial question is whether you can commit yourself to such a large research task over an extended period of time. Australia is a bit different - I was invited to do a PhD for both my degrees - in Commerce and in Law - and invited to consider an alternative as well - a Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD). I thought about it but decided I couldn't commit myself to it, and that because of its largely academic nature in my current work, it wouldn't help to advance my career.

 

[blackbeltninja]

I'm thinking of getting a PhD in media studies with a concentration in queer studies, or vice-versa.

I'm a little lost when it comes to social sciences, I'm afraid. What exactly would you do with a PhD in media studies and/or queer studies, and/or who would require one in a prospective employee?

What I mean is, in order to drive scientific research you kinda need a PhD in a science. It is completing the PhD which gives you and hones the skills believed to be necessary to successfully "conduct" scientific research - critical thinking, seeing how you might adapt an experimental system from one model to another, troubleshooting, and above all posing and answering intelligent research questions in a concise and unambiguous way. In short, you sort-of need a PhD to be taken seriously as a researcher, and if you have a PhD then you should (theoretically) have a number of boxes checked as to your competence and ability. I'm not sure about other fields, but this is the way of scientific/engineering/medical post-docs.

So once you get yours, what are you more eligible to do that you are not as eligible for currently?

-d-

 

[teadrinker]

I started my PhD in my early 30's - I had a very bad experience with my Masters degree a decade before (hated it), and it took me a while to get up the courage for further research, and to find an interesting area and a good supervisor. I was working full time during my studies, but the PhD work was great fun, and it took me 5 years.

To do a PhD you need three things: a good and congenial topic, a good supervisor, and trust in yourself. PhDs aren't so much given for cleverness but for persistence. It's worth knowing that if you find that your supervisor doesn't suit you for some reason, you can always change supervisors (something that I make sure all my own research students know!). I made the mistake with my masters of being strongly encouraged into an area I didn't like, with a supervisor who didn't suit me (I needed much more guidance than he was prepared to give.)

If all those three things above come together, you may find that PhD study is not only not too bad, but can be great fun.

-T.

 

[Serenx55]

I'm a little lost when it comes to social sciences, I'm afraid. What exactly would you do with a PhD in media studies and/or queer studies, and/or who would require one in a prospective employee?

What I mean is, in order to drive scientific research you kinda need a PhD in a science. It is completing the PhD which gives you and hones the skills believed to be necessary to successfully "conduct" scientific research - critical thinking, seeing how you might adapt an experimental system from one model to another, troubleshooting, and above all posing and answering intelligent research questions in a concise and unambiguous way. In short, you sort-of need a PhD to be taken seriously as a researcher, and if you have a PhD then you should (theoretically) have a number of boxes checked as to your competence and ability. I'm not sure about other fields, but this is the way of scientific/engineering/medical post-docs.

So once you get yours, what are you more eligible to do that you are not as eligible for currently?

-d-

Just because they can. Now in all honesty a PhD in science isn't going to be that great at landing you a job either. If you get a PhD your either A) attempting to land a career in the teacher/research; both of which require you to do many post-docs with low pay. Or B) They want to be able to tell the people at the HS reunion, "I'm a Doctor".
Though I will say what my philosophy teacher said to use when we started the class, he said, " I will try my hardest to make sure you all become philosophy majors and after which be only able to pursue a PhD in Philosophy and after which be only able to teach the subject". Basically summed up there are people who do PhDs in subjects with absolutely no real value. The OP is one of those people.
I'll just leave off by saying that if you want a PhD you better be getting wet dreams about research endeavors, otherwise consider just getting a masters

Btw clinical psychology, forensic anthropology, archeology, and many more are part of the social science scape. They also are on average the highest paid PhD's.

 

[altlover85]

I would want to teach at a university and be a professor. I also understand how others could find my subject "useless" but I've only ever had interest in impractical subject areas. C'est la vie.

I think learning how to analyze movies and TV is something that can help enrich your life and make you think of things from a new perspective. I'm reading a book on queer film right now and it really helped me understand (to a higher degree) how different decisions made early on in the history of film affected what was represented in movies. I'm thinking of the Hays Code and how that changed movies from being as "scandalous" as they were in the 1920's. I often think that if it wasn't for the Hays Code, perhaps we would have had GLBT visibility in the movies sooner. I think this is important because I didn't even know about what gay or lesbian was until I heard about it on TV (on Ricki Lake or Jenny Jones or something like that) and didn't really see any stories about a GLBT relationship until watching A Beautiful Thing. It was through these experiences that I was able to start to understand that I wasn't alone. I'd also have to add in the internet, but that was more for porn than anything else.

Thanks everyone for your feedback, it's helping me to process things.

 

[altlover85]

Loki, thanks for your input. I think that's really why I wanted to know about other people's experiences. I've always been drawn to media studies and I loved my queer studies class and I've always thought about teaching, but don't want to teach kids. The financial aspect is a big reason why I've been hesitating, not in terms of salary, but more in terms of being able to survive while getting my PhD.

 

[tider39]

I wanted to teach so, a doctorate was pretty much required. My MA was in Latin American History. My Ph. D. was in Russian History....two very different disciplines and requiring different language and reserarch skills. My Ph. D. allowed me to teach in one of the south's best universities. The Ph. D. was difficult because I had a slave-driver for my major advisor and he insisted that I study both Russian and Hebrew as the languages of record. I had already taken four years of German and four years of Spanish. So, I guess you could say I got a heavy background in languages as well as history.

 

[pjlikesporn]

My long-time boyfriend is about six months away from completing his PhD in literary theory, and it has been an exhausting but exciting journey (for both of us). The sad part is that even after he completes the degree, the job prospects are, to be blunt, abysmal.

He has had a 4.0 since high school, has attended only top universities, has considerable college teaching experience, and (for what it's worth) is also a minority. Yet we're still probably looking at a difficult time to find a job. Much of this stems from huge cutbacks at universities. Funds for academics--particularly in the humanities--are disappearing in the wake of Bush II and the current recession. The tenure system is breaking down, and universities are largely steering toward adjunct professorships. In short it is not a pretty picture for academics or future academics.

Before he started the PhD program, one of his masters professors told him that he would make an amazing professor. She also said if he could conceive of anything professionally satisfying that did not involve obtaining a PhD, he should do that instead. I'm certainly not going to tell you not to get the degree, but be careful and informed about choosing to do it. Getting a PhD is no easy feat, but if you're interested in teaching at a university, getting a PhD is really just the beginning.

 

[Telstra]

Did Oprah got Phd or degree ?

just curious thats all.

 

[Eagle653]

I had an undergraduate 2.8 and a graduate 4.0 before entering the PhD program.

It's quite a commitment between 15-18 courses, internships, seminars, comps, and then the dissertation.

If your final career choice requires it, then get going because the sooner you start, the sooner you'll get done. If your career choice does not require it, then think about why you'd put yourself through that? If you ultimately want to do research, and/or teach at a higher ed institution, you probably don't have much choice but to do it, or you'll never get anywhere without it. If, however, you want to teach in a community college, it isn't necessarily required to get hired, tenured, and promoted.

Talk to someone who is doing your dream-job with this degree and see if they'll mentor you. They'll tell you the ropes to skip and the ropes to know and can tell you if that's the best thing for you to do in the first place, given what you want to do.

Good luck!

 

[MoltenRock III]

I've thought about getting a PhD for a while, but I would like to hear about your experiences so I can make a more informed choice.

If possible can you include your undergraduate GPA and the other things you did that helped you get admitted.

Also, if you thought about getting a PhD and decided not to get one, can you tell me why?

Thanks in advance everyone!

So you don't have your master's degree yet? Isn't that really your next step vs. going from your former days as an undergraduate to enrolling in a PhD program?

I finished my master's two or three years ago, while I was working full-time. Fortunately, my employer paid for 2/3rds of it. Once you've been out of school for awhile, committing to go from an undergrad degree to a PdD degree seems pretty arduous.