[oc24]

I grew up in Long Island...it is a VERY boring place to live...I'm very happy I'm out in Socal now.

[Squawks]

Yeah - imagine with a PhD in marketing (or whatever you wanted) - you can easily move up to become an Executive Director of some marketing firm (or run your own) or something equivalently fancy. I'm not saying a PhD is necessary in your career, as it isn't...but it indubitably helps.

I got a B.S. and in all honesty, I think it is worth crap. Why else do you hear about a ton of college grads who are unhappy with their careers even after getting a BS/BA? So that's why I gotta go for the gold - the PhD!

You're 22 - 4 years for your BA, 4-6 years for your PhD - you'll *only* be 30-32 as Dr. Antonella!

A small investment/sacrifice for the rest of your life, your life career, and even down to your future, familial generations.

[BellasBmw]

Originally Posted by Squawks

Yeah - imagine with a PhD in marketing (or whatever you wanted) - you can easily move up to become an Executive Director of some marketing firm (or run your own) or something equivalently fancy. I'm not saying a PhD is necessary in your career, as it isn't...but it indubitably helps.

I got a B.S. and in all honesty, I think it is worth crap. Why else do you hear about a ton of college grads who are unhappy with their careers even after getting a BS/BA? So that's why I gotta go for the gold - the PhD!

You're 22 - 4 years for your BA, 4-6 years for your PhD - you'll *only* be 30-32 as Dr. Antonella!

A small investment/sacrifice for the rest of your life, your life career, and even down to your future, familial generations.

OK.. i will try my best. And hopefully no guy gets me distracted haha

[Squawks]

While you're getting your BA you can really boost up your GPA too for a PhD.

Just don't get distracted by the horny guys who will be flocking your direction. Get your priorities straight - do you want booty or do you want grades? Of course, you can get both at the same time but that just takes more effort, hahah.

[BellasBmw]

Originally Posted by Squawks

While you're getting your BA you can really boost up your GPA too for a PhD.

Just don't get distracted by the horny guys who will be flocking your direction. Get your priorities straight - do you want booty or do you want grades? Of course, you can get both at the same time but that just takes more effort, hahah.

Its ok, im good at multi-tasking

[Squawks]

Originally Posted by BellasBmw

Its ok, im good at multi-tasking

Hahahah! Well, just don't let the professor know what the stains are on your homework. Just jibin'!

[Phat Ham]

The problem with going straight from your BA/BS to grad school is you can pigeonhole yourself into field you're not really interested in. The higher you go with your degree the more specialized a field you study. A lot of kids go to grad school straight from undergrad because they don't really know what they want to do, and end up getting a degree in something they have no interest in doing. Law school is a good example. Some kids go straight to law school without having a clue what lawyers do. They do it for the prestige or the money, but end up hating their jobs once they graduate.

Not trying to scare you. Just keep your grades up to leave yourself with more options.

[Squawks]

Yup, agreed - I worked for two years after my BS so I'm not in the lost when I decided for a PhD in the same field/area. I've seen a bunch of MDs who do business instead. What a waste.

Interesting that you brought that up, Phat Ham - you considered a PhD/MD/JD yourself...or did you just see kids crash and burn?

[deutschmann59]

Originally Posted by BellasBmw

HAHAHAH that pic is so bad. I know girls like that

My old girlfriend was like that...of course, with a girl like that, she didn't have just one exclusive boyfriend...

That's why she's not my girlfriend anymore.

But usually the most outgoing are the ones I'm attracted to. It's too bad because I'm probably missing out on some really nice girls. It's just that nice and shy girls are usually just way too boring.

[Squawks]

What a nice tangent for this thread, sharp! But gotta love the outgoing girls!

[BellasBmw]

Originally Posted by sharp1183

My old girlfriend was like that...of course, with a girl like that, she didn't have just one exclusive boyfriend...

That's why she's not my girlfriend anymore.

But usually the most outgoing are the ones I'm attracted to. It's too bad because I'm probably missing out on some really nice girls. It's just that nice and shy girls are usually just way too boring.

Yea my x best friend was one of those girls. Little did i know, everywhere i went with her, guys thought i was the same way (her rep was busted).

Everything in life has to be balanced. I am very outgoing, yet, im not extreme where i everything i do is for attention. Shy girls are not just boring, but they come off as really snobby too.

[Phat Ham]

Originally Posted by Squawks

Yup, agreed - I worked for two years after my BS so I'm not in the lost when I decided for a PhD in the same field/area. I've seen a bunch of MDs who do business instead. What a waste.

Interesting that you brought that up, Phat Ham - you considered a PhD/MD/JD yourself...or did you just see kids crash and burn?

When I was a 4th year in college I was pretty set on going straight to grad school and getting my MS. The closer I got to graduating the less I wanted to stay in school. I realized I really didn't have much of an idea of what I wanted to do so I took one of my job offers instead. I told myself I'd go back to school but right now it doesn't really look like I will.

[yu]

I had a 3.6 GPA coming out of high school and didn't get accepted to Virginia Tech or James Madison University. I'm now at community college (saving my parents a lot of money) and maybe going to work at a nuclear plant possibly or transfer to a four year university. Good luck with your decision.

[nabutes]

Originally Posted by Squawks

Yup, agreed - I worked for two years after my BS so I'm not in the lost when I decided for a PhD in the same field/area. I've seen a bunch of MDs who do business instead. What a waste.

Interesting that you brought that up, Phat Ham - you considered a PhD/MD/JD yourself...or did you just see kids crash and burn?

Funny you mention that... I graduated last year with a B.S. in Supply Chain Management, and now I'm in medschool. This is so I can continue to do business as a doctor....

[nabutes]

Originally Posted by Squawks

Yeah - imagine with a PhD in marketing (or whatever you wanted) - you can easily move up to become an Executive Director of some marketing firm (or run your own) or something equivalently fancy. I'm not saying a PhD is necessary in your career, as it isn't...but it indubitably helps.

I got a B.S. and in all honesty, I think it is worth crap. Why else do you hear about a ton of college grads who are unhappy with their careers even after getting a BS/BA? So that's why I gotta go for the gold - the PhD!

You're 22 - 4 years for your BA, 4-6 years for your PhD - you'll *only* be 30-32 as Dr. Antonella!

A small investment/sacrifice for the rest of your life, your life career, and even down to your future, familial generations.

Forgot to add, in business, a PhD means VERY little. Unless of course, you want to be a professor for the rest of your life.

I'd recommend an MBA, but honestly, right now, try not to think about any of this graduate crap. Enjoy your program!!!


BTW, are you going to bring your bimmer down to Jersey???

[Squawks]

Originally Posted by nabutes

Funny you mention that... I graduated last year with a B.S. in Supply Chain Management, and now I'm in medschool. This is so I can continue to do business as a doctor....

Why not get an MBA instead? I'm not sure if you meant 'business' as in the financial domain but hey, wouldn't an MBA suffice? Sure would save you 4-6 years.

EDIT: Didn't mean to offend aspiring doctors who wish to do business with my comment. I just believe it's analogous to obtaining a law degree for a career in basket-weaving.

[leosong11]

Originally Posted by BellasBmw

Im studying Marketing/Public Relations

Why the east coast? Well, its a change of scenary, a chance to get away from home and really experience life on my own. I love cali, and it will always be my home. But i dont want to look back on life and regret not leaving my comfort zone. So, i decided if im going to move, i might as well go big. And i love the lifestyle and attitude of east coasters..

Yea i def liked monmouth. I can see myself there.

Cool attitude!
Hofstra is cool. There is a Jamaican place nearby with the best jerk chicken ever! Also there is a pretty nice shopping mall (Roosevelt Field Mall) like 2 exits away. I love the exit going into Hofstra from the highway. It is a long, curvy stretch of road and most of the time there are no other cars or cops for that matter.

[CnoteMD]

In my experience, PhD's are mainly useful for someone interested in academics. From a practical standpoint, there is very little to be gained by having a PhD.

In most fields, you would be better off with a masters degree and experience. The exceptions are professional degrees such as and MD, JD which are required for any significant work in the field.

Another piece of advice. Always go to the best school possible, especially if you are interested in graduate education. It's not that you won't be able to go to grad school coming from a smaller college. But it will be harder to get your foot into the door. As you move upwards into graduate education, things become more and more specialized and acceptance is almost equally based on who you know as well as what you know. The more prestigious schools will increase your chances as your professors are more likely to know people at the graduate schools of your choice.

[Squawks]

Originally Posted by CnoteMD

In my experience, PhD's are mainly useful for someone interested in academics. From a practical standpoint, there is very little to be gained by having a PhD.

That's what I thought too until I started to work at Pfizer, outside of the academic domain. My boss (and all of his bosses) all had PhDs. From the field of life sciences, pharmacology, clinical research, to marine biology, a PhD is pretty much required with cases of exceptions.

Of course, it's not so big in other fields like engineering among other fields such as business and IT. Like I mentioned already, you can get anywhere if you persevere.

It did not surprise me too much, however, when I found out that the directors of the marketing branches and the human resources branch at Pfizer both hold PhDs.

[CnoteMD]

Originally Posted by Squawks

That's what I thought too until I started to work at Pfizer, outside of the academic domain. My boss (and all of his bosses) all had PhDs. From the field of life sciences, pharmacology, clinical research, to marine biology, a PhD is pretty much required with cases of exceptions.

Of course, it's not so big in other fields like engineering among other fields such as business and IT. Like I mentioned already, you can get anywhere if you persevere.

It did not surprise me too much, however, when I found out that the directors of the marketing branches and the human resources branch at Pfizer both hold PhDs.

You're correct, the sciences pretty much requires a PhD (i.e. Chemistry, Physics, Biology, etc). Otherwise, you end up "cleaning test tubes".

It's funny you mention Pfizer as I run into a lot of thier reps at work. Most of the reps have bachelor degrees and make more than the PhD's that actually create the products that they sell. In fact, some of those same reps make more than the physicians to whom they are marketing.

[Squawks]

Hahah! But are you sure these reps do nothing more than merely market/sell products? What you speak of is indeed true, though and I think it goes beyond the field of sciences. The management folks almost always make more than the R&D folks

I'm a fan of that joke - "how do we cut costs while increasing productivity at the same time? Lay off the management and use some of the money for R&D!"

[Explorer3253]

no takers on pace! huh