Hugh,

What kind of PhD program were you in?

Hello,

I'm in my 2nd semester as a PhD student studying ecology/wildlife and have been offered a good job at a starting salary that is equivalent to what I would expect with a PhD, and excellent benefits. I have not been thrilled with my department, program, or town in which the University is located. I am also slightly older than most other graduate students in this field, early 30s.

The PhD is fully funded, although it is impossible to save any money with student fees and other bills. If I stay in the PhD, I'll break even and have nothing upon graduation 4 or 5 years down the road.

I'm trying to figure out which option will have the greatest benefit to my career; 4 years in a professional setting with (much) higher pay and benefits, or spending the next 4 years working towards a credential that will allow me to be promoted to a higher level much further down the road. I have a Masters, but I think that credential comes with a promotional/pay ceiling.

I will not be able to do any kind of part time PhD. If I leave, it will be permanent and the bridge to this University and adviser will be burned, as a field season is quickly approaching and I would be putting the adviser in a tight spot. Additionally, our funding has been cut due to presidential administration change, and I've already consumed 1 semester of graduate student salary.

Any insights appreciated.

I attend a University in the USA. Funding is expected to be pulled from a grant funded by the US government, due to the upcoming change in presidential administration.

I'm a new PhD student and just finished my first semester of classes. I recently learned that I will lose approximately 60% of my PhD project grant funding. This is substantial and quite debilitating, as my project is dependent on very expensive wildlife tracking equipment. The sample size will be reduced from 100 to 30.

I am wondering if there is some way to reduce the breadth of the project and concentrate all funds on only this portion or chapter of the dissertation. Is it unheard of for one to revoke PhD status, become simply a research assistant or equivalent, and use the PhD salary from years 3 and 4 to buy the necessary equipment and accomplish the main objective of the grant? At the end of the day, I could still come away with a solid publication, and be free to move on to another project without the stigma of "quitting" a PhD.

This is all probably dependent on funding agency and the university. Would this proposition be insulting to an adviser? Has anyone heard of this kind of situation playing out?