3/22    The economy is good and I'm tempted to go to a startup for lotsa
        options. Is there any good reason why anyone should consider grad
        school?                                                 -junior
        \_ No. - Paolo
        \_ By the time you get out, the .com bubble will burst.
        \_ Ph.D allows you to do research/professor/teach
                \_ but they don't give you options (and the pay sux)
           \_ you can teach w/o a phd.  Look at mconst.  you can do
              research w/o a phd/university setting. Look at McKusick.
        \_ Recommend trying startup.  If you make it rich, and you like
                grad school, go to grad school after you vest.
                \_ ah, the get rich fast, buy a Ph.D philosophy
                   \_ Nooo, it's more like the "get rich, then get a PhD
                      without living hand-to-mouth like the stereotypical
                      grad student".  And learn how to format your motd posts,
                      dink.
        \_ Unless you *really* like being in school.  Like it really gets
           you off better than sex (if you know what that feeling is or can
           imagine it maybe), then go to grad school.  Otherwise go get a job
           and pay taxes and become an immediately productive member of
           society.
           \_ get sex in school
              \_ easy with undergrads if you are a Ph.D student
                 \_ it's easy now if you just talk to women.  Ya know,
                    not thru aol chat. - paolo
        \_ If you enjoy learning, grad school can be a great experience.
           When I graduated I worked at a startup for 1.5 years.  I loved
           the work and getting paid a decent salary was nice, but it's a
           lot different than the student life.  Anyway, after 1.5 years I
           left the startup and went to grad school at MIT.  Being away
           for a little made it a harder to go back but after making
           the initial adjustment I loved grad school.  You really learn
           a lot.  Do you remember how when you were a senior in high school
           you thought you knew it all and then you went to
           college and learned lots of amazing things?  Going to grad school
           is a similiar experience.  Also, depending on your field you
           can make some decent money consulting part-time and in the
           summer.  I'm in my second year at MIT and I currently have
           a consulting contract at $60/hour.  You probably won't
           become a millionaire, but you can live comfortably.  My advice
           is go to grad school if you love science, math, computers or
           whatever you study.  You'll live comfortably in grad school and
           still be able to get a good job when you graduate.  Working can
           also be a wonderful expereience, but its a lot less likely that
           you'll eventually go to grad school if you don't do it when you're
           young.  Email me if you have other questions. -emin
           \_ There's the difference between working people and students.  The
              student, trained by many years of schooling and still living it
              to the moment, babbles out a 10-12 page essay when a working man
              who doesn't have time for bullshit gets down to it and says very
              simply to only go if you love being a student.  Emin, thanks for
              playing the example of the student mindset.
              \_ Well, I was hoping to provide some background and reasons
                 behind the advice.  In adition I also said that you don't
                 have to live as a pauper since you can do consulting on
                 the side.  I think my response contains additional useful
                 information as well as an invitation to further discussion
                 via email.  I'll pass on the obvious flame about your post
                 providing an example of how the "working man" doesn't take
                 the time to evaluate the facts properly since I don't think
                 your post represents the average "working man".   -emin