Article about doing a PhD by prominent mathematician or computer scientist

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I vaguely remember reading an article(as an online pdf - possibly via twitter) on why one should/should not do a PhD; what doing a PhD entails. It was well structured and specifically mentioned that a PhD isn't for everyone. I also remember it was written by a prominent computer scientist(or a mathematician). Can anyone provide suggestions/hints about what article it might've been?

phd graduate-school

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asked 2 hours ago

Akay

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up vote
3
down vote

favorite

I vaguely remember reading an article(as an online pdf - possibly via twitter) on why one should/should not do a PhD; what doing a PhD entails. It was well structured and specifically mentioned that a PhD isn't for everyone. I also remember it was written by a prominent computer scientist(or a mathematician). Can anyone provide suggestions/hints about what article it might've been?

phd graduate-school

share|improve this question

asked 2 hours ago

Akay

1162

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Akay is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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add a comment | 

up vote
3
down vote

favorite

up vote
3
down vote

favorite

I vaguely remember reading an article(as an online pdf - possibly via twitter) on why one should/should not do a PhD; what doing a PhD entails. It was well structured and specifically mentioned that a PhD isn't for everyone. I also remember it was written by a prominent computer scientist(or a mathematician). Can anyone provide suggestions/hints about what article it might've been?

phd graduate-school

share|improve this question

asked 2 hours ago

Akay

1162

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Akay is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

I vaguely remember reading an article(as an online pdf - possibly via twitter) on why one should/should not do a PhD; what doing a PhD entails. It was well structured and specifically mentioned that a PhD isn't for everyone. I also remember it was written by a prominent computer scientist(or a mathematician). Can anyone provide suggestions/hints about what article it might've been?

phd graduate-school

phd graduate-school

share|improve this question

asked 2 hours ago

Akay

1162

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Akay is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

share|improve this question

asked 2 hours ago

Akay

1162

New contributor

Akay is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

share|improve this question

share|improve this question

asked 2 hours ago

Akay

1162

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Akay is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

asked 2 hours ago

Akay

1162

asked 2 hours ago

Akay

1162

1162

New contributor

Akay is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

New contributor

Akay is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

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Check out our Code of Conduct.

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2 Answers
2

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up vote
3
down vote

Here are some sources I have found that speak to the topic of not getting a PhD.

Perhaps this document is the one you are looking for? Both the authors are mathematicians with PhDs. I would not say they are necessarily prominent, but they are established.

http://www.maths.manchester.ac.uk/media/eps/schoolofmathematics/study/guide_2011.pdf

---

This is a short article reposted by a professor at Stanford University.

https://tomprof.stanford.edu/posting/545

---

Here are three other online articles about the topic.

https://medium.economist.com/why-doing-a-phd-is-often-a-waste-of-time-349206f9addb

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/aug/15/should-do-phd-you-asked-autocomplete-questions

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/12-reasons-not-to-get-a-phd/

---

I will add my own brief commentary here. Obtaining a PhD has never hurt me financially. I have a well paying full-time job that requires a PhD. (Now should the job require a PhD is a different story). There are many, many, many jobs in my field (statistics) that prefer a PhD. I have never regretted obtaining a PhD.

share|improve this answer

answered 1 hour ago

Vladhagen

6,28512551

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Generally speaking, though, people who earn doctorates do it because they love knowledge more than money.
  – Buffy
  51 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @Buffy Which is amusing, since usually the 'success' metric for claims of "PhDs are a waste of time" center around money.
  – Vladhagen
  45 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Exactly so. Like you, I did fine. My house is nice and I eat well. No big box of krugerrand, though,
  – Buffy
  37 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  I always tell my students that they should go into New York law if they want to make tons of money with a quick graduate degree. I'd then also mention that I have Fridays off while they work 90 hours a week.
  – Vladhagen
  15 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

up vote
2
down vote

Perhaps Teach undergraduates that doing a PhD will require them to embrace failure. The author is a molecular biologist, not a mathematician.

share|improve this answer

answered 58 mins ago

Kapil

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2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

active

oldest

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active

oldest

votes

up vote
3
down vote

Here are some sources I have found that speak to the topic of not getting a PhD.

Perhaps this document is the one you are looking for? Both the authors are mathematicians with PhDs. I would not say they are necessarily prominent, but they are established.

http://www.maths.manchester.ac.uk/media/eps/schoolofmathematics/study/guide_2011.pdf

---

This is a short article reposted by a professor at Stanford University.

https://tomprof.stanford.edu/posting/545

---

Here are three other online articles about the topic.

https://medium.economist.com/why-doing-a-phd-is-often-a-waste-of-time-349206f9addb

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/aug/15/should-do-phd-you-asked-autocomplete-questions

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/12-reasons-not-to-get-a-phd/

---

I will add my own brief commentary here. Obtaining a PhD has never hurt me financially. I have a well paying full-time job that requires a PhD. (Now should the job require a PhD is a different story). There are many, many, many jobs in my field (statistics) that prefer a PhD. I have never regretted obtaining a PhD.

share|improve this answer

answered 1 hour ago

Vladhagen

6,28512551

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Generally speaking, though, people who earn doctorates do it because they love knowledge more than money.
  – Buffy
  51 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @Buffy Which is amusing, since usually the 'success' metric for claims of "PhDs are a waste of time" center around money.
  – Vladhagen
  45 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Exactly so. Like you, I did fine. My house is nice and I eat well. No big box of krugerrand, though,
  – Buffy
  37 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  I always tell my students that they should go into New York law if they want to make tons of money with a quick graduate degree. I'd then also mention that I have Fridays off while they work 90 hours a week.
  – Vladhagen
  15 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

up vote
3
down vote

Here are some sources I have found that speak to the topic of not getting a PhD.

Perhaps this document is the one you are looking for? Both the authors are mathematicians with PhDs. I would not say they are necessarily prominent, but they are established.

http://www.maths.manchester.ac.uk/media/eps/schoolofmathematics/study/guide_2011.pdf

---

This is a short article reposted by a professor at Stanford University.

https://tomprof.stanford.edu/posting/545

---

Here are three other online articles about the topic.

https://medium.economist.com/why-doing-a-phd-is-often-a-waste-of-time-349206f9addb

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/aug/15/should-do-phd-you-asked-autocomplete-questions

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/12-reasons-not-to-get-a-phd/

---

I will add my own brief commentary here. Obtaining a PhD has never hurt me financially. I have a well paying full-time job that requires a PhD. (Now should the job require a PhD is a different story). There are many, many, many jobs in my field (statistics) that prefer a PhD. I have never regretted obtaining a PhD.

share|improve this answer

answered 1 hour ago

Vladhagen

6,28512551

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Generally speaking, though, people who earn doctorates do it because they love knowledge more than money.
  – Buffy
  51 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @Buffy Which is amusing, since usually the 'success' metric for claims of "PhDs are a waste of time" center around money.
  – Vladhagen
  45 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Exactly so. Like you, I did fine. My house is nice and I eat well. No big box of krugerrand, though,
  – Buffy
  37 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  I always tell my students that they should go into New York law if they want to make tons of money with a quick graduate degree. I'd then also mention that I have Fridays off while they work 90 hours a week.
  – Vladhagen
  15 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

up vote
3
down vote

up vote
3
down vote

Here are some sources I have found that speak to the topic of not getting a PhD.

Perhaps this document is the one you are looking for? Both the authors are mathematicians with PhDs. I would not say they are necessarily prominent, but they are established.

http://www.maths.manchester.ac.uk/media/eps/schoolofmathematics/study/guide_2011.pdf

---

This is a short article reposted by a professor at Stanford University.

https://tomprof.stanford.edu/posting/545

---

Here are three other online articles about the topic.

https://medium.economist.com/why-doing-a-phd-is-often-a-waste-of-time-349206f9addb

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/aug/15/should-do-phd-you-asked-autocomplete-questions

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/12-reasons-not-to-get-a-phd/

---

I will add my own brief commentary here. Obtaining a PhD has never hurt me financially. I have a well paying full-time job that requires a PhD. (Now should the job require a PhD is a different story). There are many, many, many jobs in my field (statistics) that prefer a PhD. I have never regretted obtaining a PhD.

share|improve this answer

answered 1 hour ago

Vladhagen

6,28512551

Here are some sources I have found that speak to the topic of not getting a PhD.

Perhaps this document is the one you are looking for? Both the authors are mathematicians with PhDs. I would not say they are necessarily prominent, but they are established.

http://www.maths.manchester.ac.uk/media/eps/schoolofmathematics/study/guide_2011.pdf

---

This is a short article reposted by a professor at Stanford University.

https://tomprof.stanford.edu/posting/545

---

Here are three other online articles about the topic.

https://medium.economist.com/why-doing-a-phd-is-often-a-waste-of-time-349206f9addb

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/aug/15/should-do-phd-you-asked-autocomplete-questions

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/12-reasons-not-to-get-a-phd/

---

I will add my own brief commentary here. Obtaining a PhD has never hurt me financially. I have a well paying full-time job that requires a PhD. (Now should the job require a PhD is a different story). There are many, many, many jobs in my field (statistics) that prefer a PhD. I have never regretted obtaining a PhD.

share|improve this answer

answered 1 hour ago

Vladhagen

6,28512551

share|improve this answer

share|improve this answer

answered 1 hour ago

Vladhagen

6,28512551

answered 1 hour ago

Vladhagen

6,28512551

answered 1 hour ago

Vladhagen

6,28512551

6,28512551

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Generally speaking, though, people who earn doctorates do it because they love knowledge more than money.
  – Buffy
  51 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @Buffy Which is amusing, since usually the 'success' metric for claims of "PhDs are a waste of time" center around money.
  – Vladhagen
  45 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Exactly so. Like you, I did fine. My house is nice and I eat well. No big box of krugerrand, though,
  – Buffy
  37 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  I always tell my students that they should go into New York law if they want to make tons of money with a quick graduate degree. I'd then also mention that I have Fridays off while they work 90 hours a week.
  – Vladhagen
  15 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Generally speaking, though, people who earn doctorates do it because they love knowledge more than money.
  – Buffy
  51 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @Buffy Which is amusing, since usually the 'success' metric for claims of "PhDs are a waste of time" center around money.
  – Vladhagen
  45 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Exactly so. Like you, I did fine. My house is nice and I eat well. No big box of krugerrand, though,
  – Buffy
  37 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  I always tell my students that they should go into New York law if they want to make tons of money with a quick graduate degree. I'd then also mention that I have Fridays off while they work 90 hours a week.
  – Vladhagen
  15 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

Generally speaking, though, people who earn doctorates do it because they love knowledge more than money.
– Buffy
51 mins ago

Generally speaking, though, people who earn doctorates do it because they love knowledge more than money.
– Buffy
51 mins ago

@Buffy Which is amusing, since usually the 'success' metric for claims of "PhDs are a waste of time" center around money.
– Vladhagen
45 mins ago

@Buffy Which is amusing, since usually the 'success' metric for claims of "PhDs are a waste of time" center around money.
– Vladhagen
45 mins ago

Exactly so. Like you, I did fine. My house is nice and I eat well. No big box of krugerrand, though,
– Buffy
37 mins ago

Exactly so. Like you, I did fine. My house is nice and I eat well. No big box of krugerrand, though,
– Buffy
37 mins ago

I always tell my students that they should go into New York law if they want to make tons of money with a quick graduate degree. I'd then also mention that I have Fridays off while they work 90 hours a week.
– Vladhagen
15 mins ago

I always tell my students that they should go into New York law if they want to make tons of money with a quick graduate degree. I'd then also mention that I have Fridays off while they work 90 hours a week.
– Vladhagen
15 mins ago

add a comment | 

up vote
2
down vote

Perhaps Teach undergraduates that doing a PhD will require them to embrace failure. The author is a molecular biologist, not a mathematician.

share|improve this answer

answered 58 mins ago

Kapil

1212

New contributor

Kapil is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

add a comment | 

up vote
2
down vote

Perhaps Teach undergraduates that doing a PhD will require them to embrace failure. The author is a molecular biologist, not a mathematician.

share|improve this answer

answered 58 mins ago

Kapil

1212

New contributor

Kapil is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

add a comment | 

up vote
2
down vote

up vote
2
down vote

Perhaps Teach undergraduates that doing a PhD will require them to embrace failure. The author is a molecular biologist, not a mathematician.

share|improve this answer

answered 58 mins ago

Kapil

1212

New contributor

Kapil is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

Perhaps Teach undergraduates that doing a PhD will require them to embrace failure. The author is a molecular biologist, not a mathematician.

share|improve this answer

answered 58 mins ago

Kapil

1212

New contributor

Kapil is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

share|improve this answer

share|improve this answer

answered 58 mins ago

Kapil

1212

New contributor

Kapil is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

answered 58 mins ago

Kapil

1212

answered 58 mins ago

Kapil

1212

1212

New contributor

Kapil is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

New contributor

Kapil is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

Kapil is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

add a comment | 

add a comment | 

Akay is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.

 

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