Why You Should Get Your PhD

Are you a student who's passionate about a specific field of study? Are you excited to conduct research in this field, further develop your expertise, and innovate? If so, you might be inclined to pursue a PhD!

PhD stands for "Doctor of Philosophy" and is the highest academic degree you can earn. A PhD is earned across a wide array of disciplines. PhD programs last six years on average – but depending on the program, this number could be lower or much higher. 

Some students begin their PhD program right after their undergraduate studies, while others opt to get their Master's degree first. People return to school for their PhD after working full-time for several years. We'll explain various considerations you should make before pursuing a PhD.

PhD vs Bachelor’s Degree 

Earning your bachelor’s degree is similar to earning your high school diploma in that you’re learning and mastering principles already discovered. When you calculate the surface area of a sphere, you’re mastering an already tried and true calculation. 

In a PhD program, however, you get to work on a project that contributes to innovation and knowledge discovery in an area of study.  It often means working at the forefront of research. PhD programs also offer opportunities to teach and mentor early-stage scientists – such as high school students, college students, and post-bacs (students who’ve earned their undergraduate degree and are now in a program to prepare for graduate school.

 It can be rewarding and is an excellent experience for those interested in becoming a professor or teacher. 

How much will it cost? 

If you go to a public high school, you can graduate without debt. Depending on where you attend college, if you go to community college first, and your financial situation (along with various other factors), you may or may not accumulate debt while earning your bachelor's degree. 

PhD candidates can obtain funding from scholarships, fellowships, research assistantships, or teaching assistantships. According to an article in degreechoices.com, “Most PhD students receive a tuition waiver and funding for living expenses, regardless of financial need.” It’s a modest salary that will at least cover living expenses, so you won’t go into debt while earning your degree. Once you’re out, you’ll have ample work opportunities. 

Job Security 

If there’s one thing that provides a sense of peace in turbulent times, it’s job security. According to the 2023 data analysis by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there’s a positive correlation between higher education and employment in the U.S. The data has been consistent for many years: “Even if your career path seems hazy, the data are clear: More education leads to better prospects for earnings and employment… earnings increase and unemployment decreases as educational attainment rises.” Not only is there job security, but now, more than ever before, we are in need of scientists. 

There’s a need 

The U.S. is a world leader in technological and scientific development, investing in training future researchers to maintain a scientific edge. President Biden’s 2022 CHIPS and Science Act allocated $13 billion to semiconductor chip research in the United States, while private companies contributed $40 billion. This funding translates into opportunities for you.

Stay competitive for training or job positions in the future by excelling academically to understand the science lessons taught in school. Request a tutoring session 24/7 if you're struggling with your lessons, and one of our coaches can help you iron it out!

Networking

Attending conferences, luncheons, and retreats with provide you with a healthy network of individuals in different stages of their PhD journey.  As an aspiring M.D./Ph.D., socializing with other researchers has been one of the highlights of my experience. 

Conducting research through reading the literature or experiments requires a degree of solitude. Coming out of that shell to collaborate and share ideas with others is highly rewarding. In addition, some of the most fascinating people I’ve met have been researchers. 

Purpose 

Learning gives you purpose. People can take your job, your clothes, or your money, but they can’t take your knowledge. That will always be with you. I encourage you to continue studying and making conceptual connections between what you’re learning in school to your daily life because this encodes it into your long-term memory. 

Downsides 

The traditional model for earning your PhD, unchanged since the 1800s, relies on a master-apprentice relationship with their supervisor, resulting in knowledge being passed down linearly within individual disciplines rather than horizontally with multiple mentors. In corporate, managers are trained to monitor employee progress and set yearly and quarterly goals, providing incentives to retain their employees. 

In research, there isn’t the same incentive because the goal is project completion rather than employee retention. Leaving a project unfinished means starting anew, unlike leaving a company where you can take transferable skills while the company loses out. 

There’s a current movement for postbacs, predocs, postdocs, and graduate students in government and academia to unionize. This would set a precedent to change the current structure of obtaining a PhD into something more suitable for modern times.

Big Picture 

We need more scientists to address the world's problems. In high school, I thought the information I was learning was beyond human capability. As I grew up, I realized that the scientists making discoveries were just people – and I could be one of them. This realization gave me a sense of responsibility to understand existing discoveries and contribute to refining and developing new theories. 

No longer was I passive. I was engaging with the world and validating it for myself. I became a participant rather than a recipient of the world, and this is possible for you too. Your outlooks and insights are important for diverse analysis of the world and finding solutions to the problems we face.

Start Now 

Here are some opportunities for you to demonstrate your research interest: 

College & Career AdviceErica Leskocareer, college admissions, student tips