Why do people drop out of PhD programs?

[tgt]

Anyone ever been or know someone who dropped out of a Phd? If so what was the reason.

 

[mhill]

i myself has been given several advices as a Ph D. student

the question is that yes , you can be dropped if your teacher or thesis director believes you are not suitable for the grant, every 6 months they send a revision about your work and if the comittee does not agree you can lose your grant... be careful :) do not take it too seriously but work hard.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Lots of people drop out, probably for the same reasons they stop doing anything - for example, realizing this isn't some thing they want to do for the rest of their lives.

 

[eri]

Most of the people I know dropped out of their PhD program (physics in particular) over circumstances regarding the qualifying exams - either they didn't want to take them or they didn't manage to pass them. I've only known one to drop out because they didn't have the ability to do the research (as opposed to the math/physics).

 

[Choppy]

Unfortunately communications skills (studying in a non-native language) has been the biggest reason I've seen for dropping out.

Other reasons:
- they get fairly decent job offers in the outside world doing something else they like
- not getting along with a supervisor
- personal/family issues that make studying less of a priority
- lack of personal initiative

 

[handsomecat]

I've known someone who dropped out because of a lack of motivation, and discovering something else which he really wanted to do.

I also know someone who would drop out if he could. Unfortunately, he faces severe financial penalties if he does so. The university gives a scholarship for PhD students and places a bond on them, saying that they must finish the course.

 

[f95toli]

A lot of people drop out and for many different reasons. I think the most common reason is that the person in question simply realizes that he/she does not enjoy doing academic research it and then there really isn't much point in continuing.
After all, the only "practical" reason to get a PhD is if you think you might want to continue in academia (then you NEED a PhD), if you realize you would prefer to work in industry you are likely to be better off getting a "real" job instead.

 

[jhicks]

My uncle quit his PhD when his wife got pregnant. Your mid/late 20's are the time when a lot of people want to start families.