Great post! I especially agree that for most independent researchers, applying to PHDs before you necessarily want one would be a helpful option to have as a backstop for if your near term career plans don’t work out—and people should apply early because there’s such a long lag time between application and starting.
I think it’s also worth emphasising that if you have a non-standard work history (or are a bit junior), but might want to work in the United States, pursuing higher education in the US is one of the easiest ways to secure long-term work authorisation (And if someone funds your PhD, is radically cheaper than almost every alternative)
Great post! I especially agree that for most independent researchers, applying to PHDs before you necessarily want one would be a helpful option to have as a backstop for if your near term career plans don’t work out—and people should apply early because there’s such a long lag time between application and starting.
I think it’s also worth emphasising that if you have a non-standard work history (or are a bit junior), but might want to work in the United States, pursuing higher education in the US is one of the easiest ways to secure long-term work authorisation (And if someone funds your PhD, is radically cheaper than almost every alternative)