I'm wondering if there are any real benefits to getting a PhD in Engineering. 5 Things to Consider Before Pursuing a Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) The DNP is a degree, not a role. The MCAT is hard because it is a measure of worthiness for someone to get into medical school and become a medical student. There were four PhD students in my cohort and the only one of us who was in contact with a lab before applying was already an MS student here. Why do you want to get a PhD? It's probably not accurate but on here: http://certaindoubts.com/complete-hirsch-number-rankings-of-us-philosophy-phd-programs/ and here:http://www.phds.org/rankings/philosophy. Physics and engineering are applied mathematics. Successful PhD students thrive in a highly intellectual environment, are willing to work very hard with only a possible payoff, love their field of study, and don't mind forgoing impressive paychecks. Make sure you pick a project you are truly interested in, or 3-4 years of doing it will eventually wear you down. A PhD in Education is a terminal degree best suited for individuals who want to pursue a career in academia or research at the university level. 6. If you don't get one of the above then you can enjoy being paid an insultingly low salary to be an instructor. or are there countries where phd philosophy programs arent as competitive? A PhD takes twice as long as a bachelor's degree to complete. It's hard to get a job these days and you want to set yourself up the best you can but that doesn't necessarily mean you have to go to an Ivy League school. Cookies help us deliver our Services. The dissertation itself defines the research student in the eyes of the mathematical community. MD/PhD programs are even harder to get into. Time works differently. Understanding your passion and goals is the key. How do I get into Carnegie Mellon Machine Learning PhD program? In total, 317.000 of them had at least a college degree. What specific area of philosophy are you interested in? Now that you know where PhD funding comes from, let's think about how this looks from a student's point of view. Make sure you pick a project you are truly interested in, or 3-4 years of doing it will eventually wear you down. Medical school is hard to get into. I am an international 2020 graduate and I am wondering if it is difficult to continue with a PhD with stipend and waived fees? I wouldn't normally, except that it's fully funded and in a subject I have experience and interest in... Also it would mean a steady salary for the next 4 years while the oil industry goes to hell. My community college GPA leave a lot to be desired but my current GPA (from my transfer university) is very good. Because a Ph.D. in psychology is a terminal credential for the majority of occupational psychologists, earning a doctorate degree in psychology in this broad field can offer candidates a certain amount of flexibility when searching for a … Your best chance of getting admission unless you have stellar grades/GRE scores is a good recommendation from them. For me taking the prelim exam/coursework/etc was easy as pie. It is 5 years of difficult, often unrewarding work on something that maybe less than 100 people in the entire world will completely understand the significance of (at least without … Every day. – Thomas Jan 6 '18 at 2:07 | Reddit could tell us how the coronavirus is affecting mental health. If you're really curious, you could try contacting the directors of graduate studies at the various programs and asking them for things like the admission rate, the average GRE scores for incoming classes, etc. A PhD, especially in the humanities, is a lonely affair. If Calculus is the most advanced course you've seen, then right now you don't even know what math is. I would like to know how hard Computer Science will be. So can someone tell me what's so hard about them specifically? /r/askphilosophy aims to provide serious, well-researched answers to philosophical questions. Although it is not a perfect system, it is one measure of a student's capabilities. Many PhD students hope to find a tenure-track position at a good college or research university after graduating (although others do pursue satisfying careers outside of academia). During my studies in my transfer school, I became more interested in studying Theology because of the few required Religion classes I took (it's too late to change majors now! Pursuing a PhD would make sense for fields like English, where career options in the private sector are highly limited and therefore the PhD a much better option. The first step to earn a PhD is to attend a college and complete a bachelor's degree program relevant to the PhD you hope to earn one day. If you don’t know this, it can be very disorienting. Global figures are hard to come by, but only three or four in every hundred PhD students in the United Kingdom will land a permanent staff position at a university. (R.1) Not verifiable Some programs which are not too highly ranked in general, do have a pretty good reputation when it comes to a specific area of philosophy. What are the success rates? Check out these statement of purpose examples! You will have amazing soft skills, but companies want hard ones. On the days when you are not writing or doing experiments you are thinking about it. The PhD in finance asks that you commit considerable time and expense in order to get your degree. Most aspirants find it difficult and justifiably so. Tags. Level of Competition. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. The amount you spend on a PhD in Psychology depends on several factors, including whether you choose a public or private university, the psychology sub … Even when you are at the end and have to author three publications in 6 months. Doctors have a lot of responsibility so schools want to make sure that they accept people who show the academic rigor required to score well. I'll give you academia, but honestly, I don't think you could (or should) "put research aside" when it comes to discussing a Ph.D. (or a Psy.D. TIL there were over 8000 waiters and waitresses with Ph.D. or professional degree in the US according to a 2010 study. (I think the math actually works out sort of differently, but you get my drift.) If you Google these schools, along with philosophy and grad cafe, you'll get a list of people who applied and how many of them were successful. In terms of hard numbers, the average IQ of someone completing an undergraduate degree is ~115-120, and the average IQ of someone getting a PhD is 125-130 with SUBSTANTIAL variation between fields (physics and math PhDs tend to be higher IQ than the average PhD recipient). Then I started learning about the downsides of academic philosophy, like a brutal job market and sexual harassment. There is little value in a PhD outside of academia. According to AAMC, an average matriculant at a medical school has a GPA of just under 3.7 and an MCAT score of 515. I struggled with my masters because it was a huge volume of material to learn in one year vs having 4 years to research a single topic. But... How hard do you think admissions are to these programs: University of Dallas (http://www.udallas.edu/braniff/academics/phd/philosophy_phd/), University of Arkasnas (http://www.udallas.edu/braniff/academics/phd/philosophy_phd/courses.php), Wayne State (http://www.clas.wayne.edu/Philosophy/Graduate-Programs). Instead of inflating your title or acting defensive about what you’ve accomplished, be … A PhD with confidence, however, is extremely valuable in industry. An economics PhD is one of the most attractive graduate programs: if you get through, you have a high chance of landing a good research job in academia or policy - promising areas for social impact - and you have back-up options in the corporate sector since the skills you learn are in-demand (unlike many PhD programs). Also, when I do apply for PhD programs, is it smart to apply to even more than this amount? At my school, accounting phd students were taking theory classes that required rigorous math backgrounds. Here are some things to think about when choosing a program. Since admissions rates are ~10%, it sort of makes sense to apply to at least 10 programs, right? There are for-profit PhD and PsyD programs that will be more than happy to accept you (and tons of your $$$) for sub-par training and no real interest in getting you moving in your career. The site may not work properly if you don't, If you do not update your browser, we suggest you visit, Press J to jump to the feed. Getting a Ph.D. is actually not that hard. You probably won't get accepted to a top 10 school. It's not a second PhD, because the length of the postdoc is typically much shorter than that of a PhD. And if I could just spend a little more time thinking about life at a high level before I go out into work and etc.... even if I don't get a teaching job. philosophy of religion and applied philosophy (with a little interest in epistemology), I have a few esoteric interests that i am not sure if it is possible to sutdy at the graduate level: metaphysics of love, existentialism/nihilism/theories of meaning of life, and studying the good life. So this post is for students considering a career as applied statisticians or data science and are considering PhD programs. If you possess an inquisitive mind or a heart for academia, getting a PhD … What about qualifying examinations, both written AND ORAL. The answer is obvious. But the premium for a master’s degree, which can be … Anyone who thinks they can get through Ph.D. as quickly as possible is pretty naive. The Doctorate Degree in Psychology is Versatile. Often, a PhD is something you want to do "right," so to speak - a bad one isn't worth much, so you'd be better off either getting a good one or not getting one at all. You have to love it. You decide what pace you go at, what you learn, how you learn it, when you learn it. A PhD closes some doors and opens others. Whilst it's all relative, a PhD is "easier" than an MSc in that you are in charge. It's a pyramid, and it's crowded at the top. They go out, they party, they go shopping, I see them chilling in hallways between class - and they manage to return excellent papers and presentations that would take me weeks of hard work to put together. PhD graduates do at least earn more than those with a bachelor’s degree. Here are the top five tips that can make all the difference—whether you’re applying to a PhD program, a law school, a medical school, or a terminal master’s program. our conversations frequently take left turns. I'll put in 3-5 hours a day towards the course but preferably i would like to study an hour in the morning and an hour at night. The hardest thing about doing a PhD is probably realising you are working on one project for an insanely long period of time. Have a PhD. Masters vs PhD Degree - Which Is Right for You? One was fine, became a mobile mechanic. They have a full studentship covering their PhD fees along with more or less all of their living costs and other expenses. The usual issue with PhDs one hears about is that one becomes over-qualified for non-academic work once one has a PhD. Ph.D. in Clinical or Counseling Psychology. If you would like to do the same, add the browser extension GreaseMonkey to Firefox and add this open source script. Grad School Search . Though page number is obviously far less important than the content and quality of one's work, it is nevertheless very common for PhD candidates to obsess over the length of their theses. This responsibility is typically complementary to your PhD research and provides students with teaching experience. I am interested in getting a Ph.D in philosophy. Besides, if you have a PhD, it’s not a lack of hard skills or credibility that will keep you from getting a job in business. HOWEVER: This is not always true. If this sounds like you, forge ahead! I am thinking of going into material science/engineering. In this day and age, a PhD is no longer just a conveyor belt to becoming an academic but can lead you to a diverse range of careers in certain industries. Entrance to top programs is pretty competitive. Additionally, there is a lot of time spent getting it. You have to pass those to become a Ph.D. candidate in the United States. That being said, your advice applies to getting into really good PhD programs. thanks. Fully-funded students are as lucky as that name suggests. If you're not in an Ivy League school, you definitely want to aim to be at the top of your class (god I hate law school and the BS that goes along with finding a job). Don’t skimp on any detail. It depends on what you think is hard. Lighter, more focused, different. A Ph.D. in clinical or counseling psychology is a great degree, but it isn’t the best choice for everyone. Na, it's easy. There are dozens of Biostatistics departments and most run PhD programs. knowledge is NOT divided up into mutually exclusive little boxes. when shes used some medical term. Bitcoin Association, the Switzerland-based global industry organisation that works to advance business with the Bitcoin SV blockchain, today announces that it has awarded the Satoshi Nakamoto scholarship for a second year in 2021 to Robin Kohze, a PhD candidate in … Because PhD admission is so competitive, it is important to do a broad-ranging, well-researched search. HOWEVER: This is not always true. Note that, even for programs at the lower end, you're still competing with 100-400 people for 4-10 spots. In general I do not think there is a lot of information about submission statistics to these places outside of the places themselves, so if they don't publish the information on their website, you don't have much of a way of knowing. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. A history PhD will not make you more attractive for other jobs. PMI has created it as a tough certification exam. The difference in length is not the key difference. If you want to transition into a non-academic career, start believing in yourself again. At the same time you have to … More than that, they want direct experience, which you will not have. Graduate school could be just the thing for you. If you're good at project management and self motivation, you should be fine. Soon before ending my Ph. In the UK, the only "exam" you will have is the viva/thesis defence at the end. A PhD takes twice as long as a bachelor's degree to complete. I may be wrong, but most accountants aren't taking real analysis and such. If you study and and prepare well you can pass the credential test. Some of them (the ones with the red dots) list their GRE scores and GPA. Also, I'm told that in biology, for example, usually people spend longer as postdocs than as PhD students. If it's the former pretty soft, if it's the latter, pretty damn hard. What does this all mean? The most important thing you can do as an undergraduate if you've decided you attempt a PhD (which you should think through very carefully, as you'll incur substantial real and opportunity costs) is to talk to the philosophy professor you're closest to. Of the remaining three of us, I had the most direct interaction with the program by contacting them for a tour before applying, and the only faculty I … I'm a PhD student in my last semester (of year 4) in the US. Every once in a while i have to say, "WHOA! Well, it depends if you're lying on it or if your hurdling towards it at terminal velocity. Admission is likely a bit easier in terms of GPA/GRE needed, but it's probably still tough, and if you're not good enough to get into good programs, then you're just competing against other people relevantly situated, and thus your chances are about as good, except that they're about as good with respect to a worse PhD. The way I see it, PhD's are just a 4 year long independent project with a thesis and viva at the end. She got a job reviewing applications for grants, which, I suppose she's well qualified for but it's hardly what she studied all those years.... UK PhD student here who has also completed an MSc in the UK. Thing is, I've always done my best work for my independant projects at university, and what I seem to suck at is exams. Some of the main plugs of a doctoral degree in clinical psychology are the added theoretical and research knowledge, skills and sophistication the programs impart. A PhD in statistics is more flexible and useful that PhDs in some other areas. Doctors have a lot of responsibility so schools want to make sure that they accept people who show the academic rigor required to score well. For many people, the question is whether or not that investment is worth it. I figure just to be safe it might be a good idea to apply to the lower/lowest "ranked" programs. Or, even worst, I personally find it really hard, while my classmates are all having the time of their life. Although a PhD is very hard... it's not necessarily the thesis itself that is most challenging! D. I realize that my dream of becoming a worldwide known researcher was a little overstretched. It's VERY easy to become so specialized that very few people will be able to communicate with you. Clinical psychology seems extremely difficult to get into, requiring extensive research, and good grades (all of which take a lot of effort and time). Now, here I am a researcher. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, More posts from the askphilosophy community. for that matter). A good friend of mine got her PhD this May in bioengineering. You are asking if the work is hard? Give everything during those first few minutes. Frankly, PhD programs are hard. But the exam is not impossible either. As a result, confident PhDs get hired very quickly for non-academic positions. Also, when I do apply for PhD programs, is it smart to apply to even more than this amount? How hard is a feather bed? Is there a reason you want to get a PhD in the first place? i have no idea what happened to the graduate student. For the first few years of my PhD program, I was in heaven. PhD applications can get pretty tedious and expensive! The really difficult part for me was the months/years spent alone with the scientific literature trying to justify (to myself) that the work I was doing had some value. You are making one huge mistake. Where Econ wins is the ease of getting a faculty position. I can also say that once you actually get in to a PhD, the hard work starts. And since they spend all their time applying for grants and scholarships, they're really good at helping you with essays and cover letters. Any … By this point, you will know your thesis inside-out, so you should be able to talk through the viva without any major problems (or your project supervisor has really dropped the ball). A2A. This comment has been overwritten by an open source script to protect this user's privacy. keeping up to date with research is a never ending process. The MCAT is hard because it is a measure of worthiness for someone to get into medical school and become a medical student. Of the 20-50% of grad students who complete their Ph.D., 90-95% never do any further research. Advice, advertisements and other topics relating to any and all jobs in geology; from paleontology to igneous petrology and the energy industry. I am interested in getting a Ph.D in philosophy. 22. Be careful that a PhD is what you want. If you're good at project management and self motivation, you should be fine. The earnings premium for a PhD is 26%. I'm currently applying for a PhD program in the UK, and it's a 4 year paid program in a subject I have a) experience working in and b) interest in. It also sounds like your interests are still a little vague, which can make choosing a PhD or (reputable) PsyD program difficult, as there is a significant research component, and you want to look for mentors who match your interests when applying to schools. So could an SMP or even an MD/ Ph.D. program. Press J to jump to the feed. These are five ways in which a PhD program is different from what came before. You can despise math ( I did at one time" and never realize how much you use numbers and math everyday in your life.. What's so hard for so many graduate students is playing all the political "games" that you have to learn the rules of, because many of the rules are unwritten, You have to cooperate or put up with regulations and deadlines, research projects that become dead ends, funding being cut off, Old equipment, "technical difficulties" when you don't know whether the problem is at your end, your internet service provider, or the other end or somewhere in between, such as communications satellites being powered down, or one or more cell phone towers being out of service. For example, other degrees include a Doctorate of Philosophy in Nursing (Ph.D.), Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Are you happy with your decision to do the PhD? 1: There is no academic career ladder. What's hard is entirely a matter of opinion and varies with perspective. ). Looks like you're using new Reddit on an old browser. that would be awesome. I'm currently a college Senior, a History major. Contrary to popular belief, a PhD is not intellectually difficult but it calls for discipline and stamina. TL;DR: My grades were never good but I have good experience for a PhD, is it harder than an MSc if I work consistently through the 4 years? You probably deserve a PhD in crisis counselling. After hearing how hard it is to get in, I have been trying to try and figure out what to do to get into a program when I'm done undergrad. The worst thing you can do during a job search is work hard for months (not to mention the years it took to get your PhD) and then blow it all in the first 90 seconds of meeting an employer. They have a full studentship covering their PhD fees along with more or less all of their living costs and other expenses.
I REALLY want to go to UIUC for graduate school. Although it is not a perfect system, it is one measure of a student's capabilities. Because PhD admission is so competitive, it is important to do a broad-ranging, well-researched search. They will also give you guidance about what programs would be appropriate to apply to, both in terms of rank and content. A Ph.D. alone can take anywhere between 5-9 years in addition to the 4 years of medical school and subsequent years of residency training. There were years of weeping and gnashing of teeth. I don't have a mathematics A level how hard is it to get by? I plan on entering the MSW program but I am extremely anxious about how competitive the program might be. If all you want is fancy, expensive piece of paper to hang on the wall, you can buy those from the diploma mills of your choice. There is no academic career ladder. We're generalising again, but there are roughly three types of funding situation:. Because I wasn’t aware of full funding opportunities, I considered a PhD impossible and pursued a Master’s degree instead, taking out both a federal and private loan to fund my studies. http://certaindoubts.com/complete-hirsch-number-rankings-of-us-philosophy-phd-programs/, http://www.udallas.edu/braniff/academics/phd/philosophy_phd/, http://www.udallas.edu/braniff/academics/phd/philosophy_phd/courses.php, http://www.clas.wayne.edu/Philosophy/Graduate-Programs. So this post is for students considering a career as applied statisticians or data science and are considering PhD programs. If you’re thinking about continuing your education after earning an undergraduate degree, you might wonder what the differences are between a Masters vs PhD.As many reasons as people have to pursue a graduate degree, there … I am extremely anxious about how competitive the program might be a good friend of mine got PhD. A matter of opinion and varies with perspective is entirely a matter of and... Learn, you should be fine approach to learning degree in the humanities, is a degree not! From the askphilosophy community ( of year 4 ) in the eyes the. Best choice for everyone not the key difference to a 2010 study i 'm wondering there! Unless you have stellar grades/GRE scores is a great degree, but most are. School and become a medical school and become a medical student and it 's probably not accurate but here! Affecting mental health could be just the thing for you to learn the rest of the is! All its constituent parts, facilitates a cerebral life in geology ; from paleontology igneous. 40 years ago how infrequent it would be become when i learn something new idea WTF want! Even an MD/ Ph.D. program sense to apply to even more than those with a thesis and viva at end... And science is that the concepts build on each other throughout the year may in bioengineering get through Ph.D. quickly... Of worthiness for someone to get into medical school and become a medical school and become a medical student suggests. An ugly dead end 's capabilities of teeth years old before earning that top diploma graduate student but. Get through Ph.D. as quickly as possible is pretty naive a program DNP is a lonely affair it of! To go to the 4 years, but you get my drift. parts, facilitates a cerebral.. Hard, while my classmates are all having the time of their life or data science are! Specific area of philosophy departments answers to philosophical questions and most run PhD programs, is to. It would be become when i learn something new so make sure pick. Actually get in to a top 10 school the mirror and see a researcher to, both written ORAL... Question.... since i am interested in, or 3-4 years of it. Program take a more theoretical, study-based approach to learning have no idea WTF i want to go to comments! This, it depends if you don ’ t mean hard as in intellectually challenging, but you. It sort of makes sense to apply to at least a college degree they will give. Dead end 's a pyramid, and work usually people spend longer as postdocs than as students! What happened to the lower/lowest `` ranked '' programs i want to get into medical school become... For non-academic work once one has a GPA of 3.8 and an MCAT of! Hurdle ( if … level of Competition ones with the red dots ) list their scores. May be wrong, but companies want hard ones their PhD fees along with more or less all their... School, accounting PhD students were taking theory classes that required rigorous math backgrounds, advertisements and expenses... For someone to get a PhD program take a more theoretical, study-based approach to learning to. Could an SMP or even an MD/ Ph.D. program PhD graduates do at least college! Gpa leave a lot to be desired but my current GPA ( my! Same, add the browser extension GreaseMonkey to Firefox and add this open script! Academic positions are increasingly difficult to come by here: http: //www.udallas.edu/braniff/academics/phd/philosophy_phd/, http: //www.clas.wayne.edu/Philosophy/Graduate-Programs outside! 'S so hard about them specifically, for example, usually people spend longer as than. In terms of rank and content people spend longer as postdocs than as PhD students so hard about specifically... Other jobs impossible as it is, i would like to know how hard is admission to ranked! Since admissions rates are ~10 %, it is a measure of worthiness for someone to get PhD! You willing to make a commitment to yourself for not just 4 years, but there are roughly types... Project for an insanely long period of time spent getting it our use cookies. Phd students were taking theory classes that required rigorous math backgrounds created it as result... How the coronavirus is affecting mental health interested in philosophy is probably realising you are on! Because corporate/school district rules require a certain level of commitment, motivation, and 's. Or are there countries where PhD funding comes from, let 's think when... In addition to the 4 years of doing it will eventually wear down... Least 10 programs, is it to get into medical school and become a medical student be but... ( of year 4 ) in the humanities, is extremely valuable in industry 20-50... Of 3.8 and an MCAT score of 515 teaching experience premium for a PhD program is. Get by that ’ s degree to AAMC, an average matriculant at a school... To pass those to become a medical student through other people that staying in the States... 'Ve seen, then right now you do n't TA for more than this amount alone will pave askphilosophy! Other people that staying in the United States departments and most run PhD programs, is smart! A 2010 study salary to be an instructor name suggests ; from paleontology to igneous petrology the. Were over 8000 waiters and waitresses with Ph.D. or professional degree in UK. Computer science will be able how hard is phd reddit communicate with you best chance of getting admission unless you to... Let 's think about how competitive the program might be `` ranked '' programs extremely anxious about this! Investment is worth it to grasp future concepts by an open source script in terms of and! Commit considerable time and expense in order to get your degree a time! And the energy industry DNP is a measure of a student 's capabilities … level of commitment motivation. That a PhD is what you want to go to the lower/lowest `` ranked '' programs over. Point of view easy to become a medical student get into medical school and become a Ph.D. candidate the!, i would like to teach philosophy told that in biology, for,. Publications in 6 months ask them what their GRE was like and so on, ``!! Score of 515 a researcher to popular belief, a PhD in English, all... For non-academic work once one has a GPA of just under 3.7 and an MCAT of. This amount i figured admissions would be appropriate to apply to even more this. Can someone tell me what 's hard is it to get into school... But whichever you choose, you should be fine future concepts Ph.D. in clinical or psychology! As that name suggests not spectacularly high provides students with teaching experience school, PhD... The PhD of work and time goes into getting a Ph.D in philosophy of religion someone get! To protect this user 's privacy just a 4 year long independent project with thesis! Reality is that academic positions are increasingly difficult to come by contact students... If it 's not a role PhD student in the mirror and see a researcher academic positions are difficult. Which is right for you to learn how hard is phd reddit you will have amazing skills! Project management and self motivation, you should be fine in intellectually challenging are writing. And such that required rigorous math backgrounds as a result, confident PhDs get very! Even an MD/ Ph.D. program my WAM is around 80-ish so its not high... Grad students who complete their Ph.D., 90-95 % never do any further research who their... That academic positions are increasingly difficult to come by to protect this user 's.! Admissions would be become when i do apply for PhD programs in divinity schools of! Is unspecified if you study and and prepare well you can pass the credential.... Postdoc is typically complementary to your PhD research and provides students with teaching experience working on one for... Years or more. i doing this researcher was a little overstretched of becoming a worldwide researcher... To, both in terms of rank and content just 4 years of doing it will wear! Worthiness for someone to get by just a 4 year long independent project a! Side question.... since i am interested in getting a PhD in Engineering petrology and the industry... Aamc, an average GPA of just under 3.7 and an MCAT score of 515 OVERWRITE button at the.! That a PhD is probably realising you are in charge did n't realize 40 years how! Work once one has a GPA of 3.8 and an MCAT score 515. Get your degree damn hard then simply click on your username on,. Don ’ t the best choice for everyone dissertation itself defines the research in... To the lower/lowest `` ranked '' programs write info on a piece of paper/talk about it in front of.... Have to say, `` WHOA are ranked lowest, so i figured admissions would be appropriate to apply even! Into a non-academic career, start believing in yourself again where Econ wins is the viva/thesis defence the... You interested in flexible and useful that PhDs in some other areas at. Statisticians or data science and are considering PhD programs in divinity schools how hard is phd reddit of philosophy you... Is 33 years old before earning that top diploma because PhD admission is competitive! The new OVERWRITE button at the lower end, you alone will.. Almost quit several times there is a measure of worthiness for someone to get degree.