She spent 3.5 years getting a master's (mastered out of a PhD program since there were issues with her adviser), then she started a PhD with another prof. Now she is almost 32 with a net worth of nothing, is serving tables on the side in order to pay rent, and will be 35 by the time she's done with her PhD. Geezus Christ. Can you say "opportunity cost"? What a waste. These types have some serious ego problems.
I concur.
Perhaps she's happy and content and fulfilled.
what a sucka wrote:
She spent 3.5 years getting a master's (mastered out of a PhD program since there were issues with her adviser), then she started a PhD with another prof. Now she is almost 32 with a net worth of nothing, is serving tables on the side in order to pay rent, and will be 35 by the time she's done with her PhD. Geezus Christ. Can you say "opportunity cost"? What a waste. These types have some serious ego problems.
Those are the "highly educated" folks that vote Liberal. That's why Hillary won the $50K and under income by a significant margin.
She sounds lucky to have a friend like you.
Heh! Heh! He said...uh Beavis....yeah! yeaH!
MASTERED!!
UH! UH! HEH HEH!
She makes enough money to support herself, and she's doing something she enjoys. She'll have a PhD at 35. Who are you do decide what opportunity is better? How is this worse than, say, someone who's racing full time in the hope of making the olympics?
Well if she's a 7 out of 10 or higher then she will be OK to marry quickly.
But if she is a 6 or below then she will be making videos like this on Ted Talks:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBdmpag02m4
MGTOW BABY!
Waiting tables "on the side" implies that she has other more substantial employment. What is wrong with having a side job to support a better lifestyle than you'd otherwise be able to afford? I have regularly held various types of weekend/evening gigs throughout my professional career. Sometimes it's nice to earn a few extra bucks doing something low pressure.
It depends on her field of study. If she ends up making 50k with her PhD, it's a total waste of time and money. If she ends up making 200k+, I'd say it was worth it.
She's doing a sort of menial job to support herself while she's going to school? That's pretty common. And this is a problem for you because...uh...?
My relative did the same thing and is now a tenured professor at an Ivy League school
Because You Know wrote:
Perhaps she's happy and content and fulfilled.
^This
People who measure success solely by power, financial worth and social status are incredibly superficial. If someone is happy and fulfilled doing what he/she is doing...and not doing harm or being a burden to anyone else...then who cares.
Lots of people drive for Uber or Lyft on the side to make extra cash.
Sounds like her biggest problem so far is a friend who has contempt for her life choices.
what a sucka wrote:
She spent 3.5 years getting a master's (mastered out of a PhD program since there were issues with her adviser), then she started a PhD with another prof. Now she is almost 32 with a net worth of nothing, is serving tables on the side in order to pay rent, and will be 35 by the time she's done with her PhD. Geezus Christ. Can you say "opportunity cost"? What a waste. These types have some serious ego problems.
Who are you to judge? I wouldn't want you as a friend.
My friend who's an internal medicine resident is pretty poor, too. What a stupid career choice. I can't imagine anyone selecting a career where they aren't raking in cash during their training.
you might be the waste... i have a phd. didn't make a dime until i was 29. Now, I make well into 7 figures a year. Opportunity cost - yeah right. Most people in their 20s are just getting by and I have made up for everything I 'missed' out in terms of income multiple times over. your friend might too. Plus school isn't necessarily a bad way to spend a few years. I don't know why people always assume that it is.
what a sucka wrote:
She spent 3.5 years getting a master's (mastered out of a PhD program since there were issues with her adviser), then she started a PhD with another prof. Now she is almost 32 with a net worth of nothing, is serving tables on the side in order to pay rent, and will be 35 by the time she's done with her PhD. Geezus Christ. Can you say "opportunity cost"? What a waste. These types have some serious ego problems.
Because You Know wrote:
Perhaps she's happy and content and fulfilled.
why would the OP care about her net worth? If she's happy and doing her PhD program and working a side job then that's cool. People work side jobs in PhD because rent's gotta get paid.
PhD in what?
Some people love to learn and don't care if that leads to a career or not.
Question is "Why do you care?"
dass wrote:
you might be the waste... i have a phd. didn't make a dime until i was 29. Now, I make well into 7 figures a year. Opportunity cost - yeah right. Most people in their 20s are just getting by and I have made up for everything I 'missed' out in terms of income multiple times over. your friend might too. Plus school isn't necessarily a bad way to spend a few years. I don't know why people always assume that it is.
What field was your PHD? Most - no, make that ALL - of the PHD candidates I've known worked at the University albeit for paltry wages but certainly not waiting tables. They didn't have the time to waste waiting tables. Of course, they were/are all studying physics or engineering or biology. Probably a wise investment.