Grad School or Job: Which is More Stressful?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the comparative stress levels of attending graduate school versus working in a STEM industry job. Participants explore personal experiences and considerations regarding the implications of each path, including financial aspects, work-life balance, and long-term career prospects.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions the field of study and the willingness to live like a student for an extended period, suggesting that working while pursuing a master's degree can lead to significant stress due to long hours.
  • Another participant reflects on the challenges of balancing life responsibilities with the demands of graduate school, indicating that personal commitments can complicate the pursuit of a PhD.
  • A participant expresses a preference for working over studying, noting that employment provides financial benefits and a different kind of fulfillment compared to academic work.
  • One participant argues that graduate school is more stressful due to its competitive nature and time demands, contrasting this with their current work experience, which allows for more manageable hours and benefits.
  • Another participant emphasizes the importance of graduate education for better job prospects, particularly for those with a physics background.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying opinions on the stress levels associated with graduate school versus industry work, with no clear consensus on which is definitively more stressful. Some participants highlight the financial advantages of working, while others stress the importance of graduate education for future opportunities.

Contextual Notes

Participants' experiences and perspectives are influenced by their specific fields and personal circumstances, which may not be universally applicable. The discussion reflects a range of assumptions about the nature of work and academic life in STEM fields.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals considering graduate school versus entering the workforce in STEM fields, particularly those weighing the stress and benefits of each option.

cragar
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Im trying to figure out if I want to go to grad school or to try and find a job. Which is more stressful grad school or working in industry in a stem field. obviously it will be very hard to find a job in stem. would it be better to work in industry and gain experience or go to grad school?
 
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What is the field in question?
Are you willing to live like a student for another year (or more depends on the field and masters vs phd)?

My experience as a young EE who took a job out of undergrad. Most of us are getting our masters degrees while working full time. Its stressful and can easily lead to 60 hour weeks (i hit 100 hours once :/ ). that being said having the money is great, and I can do whatever I want with my free time. A small part of me wishes I just went straight to grad school, but nothing beats having the money now and i'll have my degree in two years anyways.
 
I took a year off after finishing my MS, and I realized very quickly that, if I was ever going to get a PhD, I had better get back to it right away. Out of school, you begin to acquire a life (a wife, a car, a family, a boat, a hobby, etc), all things that are incompatible with graduate school.
 
I feel like I tired of working on problem sets and going to lectures, and maybe working at a job could be better, like I go to work and I do my work their.
but i could limit my job offers if i don't go to grad school, what kind of mind set should someone have if they want to go to grad school.
 
cragar said:
Im trying to figure out if I want to go to grad school or to try and find a job. Which is more stressful grad school or working in industry in a stem field. obviously it will be very hard to find a job in stem. would it be better to work in industry and gain experience or go to grad school?
Both are almost the same to me. But working as I didn't realize when I was young helps me earn a lot more money than studying does :D.
 
I think going to grad school was more stressful than working in industry. Grad school was more competitive and was more time consuming than working in industry.

Now that I am out of school I work less than 60 hours a week, sometimes only 50. I have weekends off and have health insurance.

But if your undergrad degree is physics I would strongly recommend you do go to grad school for better employment prospects.
 

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