EDIT: I know several people in this community who dropped out of math grad school, and most of them were happy with the decision. I’m choosing to graduate with a PhD in a useless field because I find myself in a situation where I can get one in exchange for a few months of work. I know someone who switched to algebraic statistics, which is a surprisingly useful field that involves algebraic geometry.
I haven’t looked at this issue in detail, but I seem to recall that not getting more education was one of the more common regrets among “Terman’s geniuses”, whoever those are. Link.
I can’t speak for them, but I expect it’s something like this: One can make more money, do more good, have a more fun career, and have more freedom in where one lives by dropping out than by going into academia. And having a PhD when hunting for non-academic jobs is not worth spending several years as a grad student doing what one feels is non-valuable work for little pay.
You’d have to speak to someone who successfully dropped out to get more details; and of course even if all their judgments are correct, they may not be correct for you.
Welcome! I like your username.
EDIT: I know several people in this community who dropped out of math grad school, and most of them were happy with the decision. I’m choosing to graduate with a PhD in a useless field because I find myself in a situation where I can get one in exchange for a few months of work. I know someone who switched to algebraic statistics, which is a surprisingly useful field that involves algebraic geometry.
I haven’t looked at this issue in detail, but I seem to recall that not getting more education was one of the more common regrets among “Terman’s geniuses”, whoever those are. Link.
What is their reasoning?
I can’t speak for them, but I expect it’s something like this: One can make more money, do more good, have a more fun career, and have more freedom in where one lives by dropping out than by going into academia. And having a PhD when hunting for non-academic jobs is not worth spending several years as a grad student doing what one feels is non-valuable work for little pay.
You’d have to speak to someone who successfully dropped out to get more details; and of course even if all their judgments are correct, they may not be correct for you.
Thanks, it’s just my name and last initial.
Ah, I thought it was a math-flavored pseudonym. Also, I added an addendum to my comment above.