More and more frequently I'm having conversations with wildly underprepared students who think pursuing a PhD is like picking up a new hobby and anyone can do it at any time with little or no preparation. I don't know where that's coming from...
Jul 19, 2025 13:35Honestly, every conversation I have with another academic in my field treats it that way. "You want a full-time position? Just get that doctorate. Doesn't really matter where, they just need to see the paper. See if you can do it online"
Honestly, I think it's sort of an institutional self-fulfilling prophecy. Most of the teaching I have to do doesn't require that type of academic pursuit, but universities will still require professors to have that terminal degree. As a result, I think it loses its meaning in departments like mine
