Hello Current PhD Students!

I am quite keen to do a PhD (in Bioinformatics).. I am currently hunting for a position. I have always felt that if soooo many people have completed PhDs, so can I.. I am however very curious to find out if all of the PhD students eventually manage to get their degree??? I just wanted to get a realistic view of what to expect.. If you are aware of the true state of affairs (especially in Science fields) can you please let me know?? Do people actually drop out of PhD??? If so, how often does this happen?? I am not really a Genius nor am I exceptionally hardworking.. So I just want to make sure I am prepared enough, before diving into a PhD! Would be great if any of you could help!

What's up with the board today? All this depression and failure speak. Honestly.

About 9 out of 10 quit or fail. You might be one of them if you are worried about that before you even started

I have no idea about statistics on this. It has taken me a long time to realise that doing a PhD is much more about tenacity than intelligence. Perhaps that is just me though!

I do think you need to be hard working (and in my case stubborn!) It certainly can be done and I know of lots of people who have successfully completed a PhD.

So much negativity today, you are so right.

Thanks for the replies.. Whoaaa!!!!!!! You scared me Otto!! 90% dont make it.. well Sylvester I didnt really mean to make my post sound so depressing.. I love the idea of getting a PhD and am really eager to start.. but I wanted to get a realistic view of WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.. I just hope I can be 1 of the 10 people who actually survive!

that figure was a joke. Probably 50% don't make it.

Hi swapzz,
I think you should concentrate more on the positive side of things e.g the immense benefit of doing a phd and your prospects afterwards not to forget your contribution to knowledge. I admit, a phd is not an easy endeavour but the rough times you will have to go through should not deter you or rather, make you paranoid about how many people actually fail their phd.

I would say, embrace the challenge and look forward to coming out in the end, successfully.

It's okay Swapzz, I'm only teasing. 9 out of 10 sounds a bit high. All my friends who started PhDs got through them but I do accept that alot don't. As has been mentioned a PhD is more perspiration than inspiration. If your motivated there's no reason why you can't board the rollercoaster that is a PhD and make it to the end.

I have had the most insightlful 10 minutes by just reading stuff on this forum!! Hell it would be a PhD if it was childs play.. I think I must rise up to the challenge! And I shall definitely be a frequent post-er once I actually start a PhD!!

I'm in science. I can only speak for my department as far as statistics go - three people out of eleven who started at the same time as me dropped out, one after about a month and the other two after a year and a half. We're in year four now and four have completed, the other four are very close.
So, yes, I think the majority of people complete, but that doesn't mean it's easy, it just means they're not prepared to come away from four years of their life with nothing to show for it (that's me speaking)

hello sue

What you mean by "it just means they're not prepared to come away from four years of their life with nothing to show for it (that's me speaking)"?

Do you mean some people don't quit just because quitting would feel like wasting 4 years of their life for nothing? So they continue not because they like it but because quitting is a worst perspective?

Well yes. When it comes to the final weeks of writing up at the end, you'll hate your PhD with a passion. Having come that far you grit your teeth and dig in for the final push. As long as you know this is coming and are ready for it, you'll find your way through it.

yep, exactly. I mean that's how I feel most days, although I'm not so much worried about failure to get a PhD, more failure to achieve something (a paper, or even just a thesis that wasn't up to standard - at least I'd have COMPLETED something). I'm really tempted to have these Idlewild lyrics at the front of my thesis (although they don't quite fit - I don't feel 'secure') "when you're secure do you feel much safer? when days never change and it's three years later, it's like your life hasn't changed, and it's three years late, how does it feel to be three years late, and watching your youth drift away?" etc

Sue, you are a poet. That's a very interesting thing to say.

Well, they're not my words, Idlewild are quite poetic. I don't want to go on about it but that whole song (you held the world in your arms) sums up my PhD.