Getting through a Ph.D. Program
Who am I to answer this question? It's not like I'm even remotely close to having a Ph.D., but still, I've done a lot of thinking on this topic over the past two years (which is hopefully a sensible thing to have done). What exactly does it take to get through a Ph.D. program? I'm not talking about things like intelligence or innate creativity or anything like that. I'm talking more about one's general (and current) attitude towards everything. I am able to condense it into two main "prerequisites" that seem essential:
1) You have to find your niche in the field. You have to truly enjoy (or somehow convince yourself that you truly enjoy) what you have chosen to study. This is somewhat obvious, but worth pointing out nonetheless.
2) You have to not mind being tied down for several (i.e. 5 to 7) years. This one is the kicker. In my experience, there are two different types of students who seem to have this trait. Type 1's are those who don't care about anything besides their work. These types are very common, in my experience. Type 2's are those who have entirely fulfilling personal lives. This is a broad concept, but it is common among those who have stable families or loved-ones nearby. Also included in this characterization are those who are more free-spirited--people who excel at living life one day or one week at a time.
These two attributes are essential to the Ph.D. student. Contrary to what some want others to believe, intelligence and creativity are not the most important factors. Most crucially, the student must simply be a highly motivated individual. To me, these two conditions are necessary components of possessing such motivation.
In self-reflection, the prospective Ph.D. student must ask himself or herself, "Am I at a point in my life where I know (with certainty) that I have both of these traits? Is this what I truly want to be doing, right now?"
1) You have to find your niche in the field. You have to truly enjoy (or somehow convince yourself that you truly enjoy) what you have chosen to study. This is somewhat obvious, but worth pointing out nonetheless.
2) You have to not mind being tied down for several (i.e. 5 to 7) years. This one is the kicker. In my experience, there are two different types of students who seem to have this trait. Type 1's are those who don't care about anything besides their work. These types are very common, in my experience. Type 2's are those who have entirely fulfilling personal lives. This is a broad concept, but it is common among those who have stable families or loved-ones nearby. Also included in this characterization are those who are more free-spirited--people who excel at living life one day or one week at a time.
These two attributes are essential to the Ph.D. student. Contrary to what some want others to believe, intelligence and creativity are not the most important factors. Most crucially, the student must simply be a highly motivated individual. To me, these two conditions are necessary components of possessing such motivation.
In self-reflection, the prospective Ph.D. student must ask himself or herself, "Am I at a point in my life where I know (with certainty) that I have both of these traits? Is this what I truly want to be doing, right now?"
posted by Mike at 8:18 PM
9 Comments:
I think its also good to come into grad school not being afraid to quit.
If you're not one of the two types that Mike mentions, you could easily end up doing something you're not interested for far too long, just because you don't want to be a quitter, or just because you're afraid of what happens next.
Also, for those who are commitment-averse, its great being in grad school: you can quit any time you want and there's pretty much no commitment! WHOOT!
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I think it's even more than "truly enjoying". It's having a genuine passion for the information and commitment to change the current state of knowledge about that area of interest for future students/generations.
I think it's even more than "truly enjoying". It's having a genuine passion for the information and commitment to change the current state of knowledge about that area of interest for future students/generations.
I agree with you in the sense that what you describe would ideally be true. But in terms of successfully completing a Ph.D, it's more important to simply enjoy what you're studying. I think you're describing what it takes to become a successful researcher.
I think you're forgetting a very important component, which is to find an advisor you're compatible with. Grad school can be hell if you have the wrong advisor.
With a few exceptions, almost no one will care about your thesis work in 10 years, let alone 50, so if your sole goal is to change the state of knowledge in the field, you're probably going to be extremely disappointed with your results at the end of 5 years.
To put it another way, there's a certain minimum level of interest you need in your research (you do have to work on it for 5 years after all), but you'll never get through it if you hate your daily life because you're working for a prick.
There are other reasons for obtaining a Ph.D.:
1) the prestige factor
2) if you don't know what you want to do yet, why not?
3) it's better than working for most of the lame brains/nincompoops out there who will be your boss.
4) your kid won't keep asking you why you never got one-like you have been asking a certain family member for as long as that person can remember.
5)your brother is well on his (very slow) way of getting one and do you want him to outdo you for the first time in your life?
5)your brother is well on his (very slow) way of getting one and do you want him to outdo you for the first time in your life?
That is a very bad reason to get a Ph.D. One should never spent five years of one's life doing something for some imaginary sibling rivalry.
I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume that you are joking with respect to all 5 of those. If not, then you have got to be kidding me...so please tell me you are.
Yes, I was joking. How serious you (and Jonathan)are! I may not have a Ph.D. but at least I have a sense of humor-remember I wrote the Letterman post!!!
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