Better to quit grad school or spend extra year to get MS? | Hacker News Reader

Better to quit grad school or spend extra year to get MS?

5 pointsprincipia14 comments

I was enrolled in a Physics Phd program but took a leave of absence from the program and have been approved to re-enter the grad program starting in the Fall 2014 semester (I could've tried transferring to other grad programs, but they wouldn't accept me until Fall 2015 and I would have to pay out-of-state tuition for them. However, I'm still funded for this program).

I would say I still have interest in Physics, but definitely don't want a phd. I just want to get into industry asap. I want to look for work as an engineer, statistician, data analyst or something like that afterwards. But I've been advised to return to the program since MS degrees look good and if I dropped out without the MS, I would have a fairly large gap in my resume (and I have already have plenty of gaps in it)

Because this program usually awards phD's and not MS's, I'm not quite sure what to do and how to plan out my coursework. I spoke to a couple of student reps in the program and they suggested I email the director of the program or just email many labs since it may be difficult to find placement as I just want to get the MS. Also, I may have to work as a volunteer and TA for the first semester instead of working as an RA.

What I'm most concerned about is that the director may find it suspicious and have the other professors subject me to additional scrutiny for re-entering the program only to plan to leave with an MS instead of the PhD.

Am I over-worrying about this? Or should I tell the professors I'm emailing directly that I plan to just pursue an MS instead of the PhD, or just bring it up later?

I would strongly advise that you complete the full Phd program if you possess the aptitude to do so... If you really want to work in industry as a physicist, a Phd will serve you very well. It's good to remember that completion of the Phd or MS shows stamina more than it shows knowledge - and employers look for the proof of stamina during resume review. So not completing the program shows lack of follow through. If you do not plan on completing the program, I would strongly advise you to get 'going' on something else that shows you have the stamina and work ethic that employers look for in new hire employees or contractors.

As a side note, I have a BSEE. Although, I did things a bit backward. I started a family first, and then discovered that a salary without a degree is much lower than with one regardless of the skills you may possess. It was a huge struggle to complete the degree later in life, even though it really wasn't much later... and completing a MS program was out of the question - even though I certainly possess the ability.

Your ultimate value in the market will be your personal brand, represented in your work experience, skill-set, and to a minor extent-- academic credentials.

If you have funding to complete the MS, get it done now. As for managing myopic professors, remember you're the economic buyer in this relationship. Your calculus is based on launching your career soon as possible.

I'm trying to make the same decision you are. The thinking goes that yes, at least a MS is something for the two years you will have spent there and you can demand a higher salary with a MS over a BS.

W.r.t. being suspicious, who cares? Tell them outright your plans, and if they have any sense of decency, they will support you anyway.

I had this day I was laying down under a dogwood tree and planning to tell my PhD adviser I was going to quit.

The next day he told me I had funding for just one year so I had to get my PhD in one year. I thought about it, a year didn't seem so long, so I toughed it out.

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