Super unusual question, do any of you guys have a Doctorate?
OmegaCrab
Member Posts: 654 ★★★
I'm just asking because I recently finished my Masters and got into a Doctorate. I'm feeling a bit burnt out at my current job (and education for that matter) and as everything stands, I can only really move laterally within it (in other words, I can really only get the same job). I'm not saying the Doctorate would guarantee anything but I think it will help open up some doors. The question is, do you guys thinks its worth another 4-5 years of school and debt. Did it ultimately help you within your life? I know it's a bit of an unusual question for this forum, but weirdly enough, this just ended up being the forum I use the most.
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In all seriousness though in this day and age it's really a hit or miss as to what will help you. I can only speak on the tech industry but you need to have been studying since before you were born to meet some of these entry level job requirements I've seen around
I did, however, after grad school go to law school and rack up debt. The financial aspects of a law degree helped pay off those loans as quickly as possible, so the value proposition was clear to me.
But here is the real question you need to ask. Would you enjoy pursuing your doctorate? Would you prefer to start a career now? As I have gotten older, the only real question I ask before starting new endeavors: Does this make me happy? If you can support your lifestyle with your masters and are happy, then maybe that's good enough. You can always go back to school - no matter your age.
But a teachers permit I do hold. Does that count.
Age: 37
Degrees:
B.A: Pure Mathematics/Computer Science
M.S: Cybersecurity
I have been teaching at a high school now for about 7 years. My goal is to help students empower themselves with A.I. to help backfill the large gaps of education missing from COVID as well as to help combat the neurological effects of constant internet access and short form content like TikTok (attention deficits). The best way to go about this is by becoming a principle. Now you don't need a Doctorate to do this, but to impose a new type of curriculum, the expertise that come with this title will definitely help stream line this process. I guess for me, it is exactly like you said, I'm at a point in my life where my decisions are heavily weight on wether or not something will make me happy. My mortality is becoming increasingly clear in very visceral ways and the finality of my time is growing increasingly more valuable. Also, it took me a long time to understand that when I make a decision, its impact is not in that moment but when the decision concludes. In other words, I'm considering a Doctorate now at 37 which isn't so old but it concludes at 41~, which although still not old, its much older and a much later date to start something from the beginning (i.e. becoming a principle). So its tricky dude, I really am quit confused. My passion will always be Pure Mathematics, but the best way I can serve my community is via education and I believe querring A.I. will be similar to typing when I was a kid. A skill that you took classes on, put on resumes, got certified in, but now would look so strange to see on a resume. I don't really want to go to school anymore, but I also feel a sense of duty to these kids that are so fu**ed...Tough dude, but thank you though for the advice.
Look at the people in the jobs you’re looking to end up in. If they have PhDs they are likely to promote that in their email signature and/or social/professional web pages. That should give you some insight on if it matters now but that can also change in 5-10 years too.
With something evolving as fast as cyber security I’d be worried anything you gain from doctorate level course work would already be out dated and you’d be missing out on industry work time staying more current.
On the entry level requirement point, apply anyway. A lot of times the postings aren’t written by the hiring manager so you may get considered even if you don’t meet the posting requirements. I’ll take a less experienced person who seems competent and trainable over someone with 10 more years of experience that can’t think outside the box when they get an unexpected question.
In my opinion you must think about the doors you mean to open with a doctorate before you sprint into one. If you are feeling burned out in your current position then maybe the issue atm it's to change it. As you said a doctorate doesn't automatically guarantees a better life. Maybe a change in scenery it's what you need at this moment in your life so you could take more experience and after that consider a doctorate, because higher education with more experience it's more important to open doors
1. A job you want requires it. Not helps: requires.
2. Your job will pay for it. The strong implication is your company values it and will likely improve your upward mobility prospects if you have it. A lot of MBAs happen this way.
3. You’re willing and able to pursue that degree at a college at which the networking opportunities in your chosen career vastly outweigh the educational ones, and you plan on taking full advantage.
Other than those three, there’s one additional one that not everyone can actually benefit from. If you believe the program will give you opportunities to better yourself in ways that will make you a much stronger professional, independent of grades and tests, then it can be worth it. If your sole focus is grades, tests, and a certificate, I know of no technical program that automatically makes good people. The program has to be a means to an end, and the end shouldn’t be the degree, it should be all the learning that you used every opportunity to get along the way. And even PhDs can get there with a lot of busy work that generates a thesis only six people will ever read.
I will say that it’s odd to me your BS is in CS and your MS is in Cyber but you feel trapped laterally. In those fields, which I’m familiar with, unless you are someone looking to move upward into management (in which case the MBA is the correct path not the PhD) most upward mobility is governed by experience and performance, not advanced education degrees. PhDs in IT are generally not seen except in very highly specialized career paths. At least, it’s not something I run into often.
The problem may simply be that IT and IT adjacent jobs (risk management, data protection, etc) aren’t very deep except in very large organizations, do you move up, you often have to move out to a bigger or better firm. But I believe most companies in need of PhDs on the staff is going to be a pretty big one. Or it’s a startup in an incubator trying to make an AI toaster.
For me, I ended up deciding not to pursue a doctorate in my field due to too many student loans. So I found a job I liked and payed well and now I have a masters instead thanks to my wife granting me free tuition. It’ll all work itself out
The tech field and especially AI are moving ridiculously fast. I don't think a traditional school could keep up, let alone teach you what you want to know at an meaningful level unlike many other online resources.
That being said, I understand wanting or needed the credential. Alot of people, especially old heads, still value the couple of letters but in today's time it's been feeling like it all means jack. Especially in this field.
Your goal is interesting, good luck
Thanks though everyone who's offering me advice, I have been reading every comment. To all the MD/Nurses specifically, thank you for what you do, I know insurance can get in the way but you are all heroes to me.
A big burden reliever of this degree was getting a graduate assistant position to work while I’m in school. They cover part or all of your tuition depending on the position. This is huge for covering part of the debt I will have to pay off after. If you can get the position, DO IT. It’s tough but hey, worthwhile things in life typically are.
Couldn't possibly be more off topic... but... I'll allow it.