I'm a mature student doing a PhD in chemistry and I have to say that most PhD students I have met are naive, stuck-up, utterly clueless about their research and spent most of their time trying to look important. Most of them have simply stood on an escalator since they left school and don't know anything about the real world. These are our future scientists!! What does everyone else think??

Most people (scientists or not) try to look important, that's part of our society, no? Everone matures in time, so don't bee too depressed- when you were 22 you were also naive and cluless (well, I was).

I think you would do better to worry about what you're doing and less about everyone else, possibly addressing the issue as to why you've become bitter. Different people have different ways of doing things. If you don't like it, fine, don't hang around these people and become even more isolated than I imagine you've become. Or possibly get off your high horse and start living a little.

People here do their PhD when they are very young (compared with germany, where you start with 26), so some lack knowleges that I think they should have, like how to make up a solution with the correct molarity and pH- but they also catch up fast.

Also, a lot happens inbetween the first and last year of their PhD. Most people (that I know)only really get into their subject in the last year. Then again we have a canadian postdoc starting here this year and because the PhD there takes 5 years he has a lot of experience- at least I am very impressed up to now.

Isnt 1 of the things about doing a phd is to try and get yourself known in your field of research. Its all about networking - the knowledge will come in due course.

bob you are totally right. I feel you

Is Bob feeling left out of all the other stuff the young PhD students are doing??? and is this the reason for his anger? Is this a case of the fox calling the grapes which it couldn't reach sour???? Like in one of Aesop's tales.

All I am saying is that Bob may feel left out of all the fun????? the others are having?

Most academics i know are stuck up - so they're just practicing for the future.

Hmm, missing out on all the fun? What fun? My PhD geeks/colleagues don't have 1/10th the personality of my non-academic friends and spend most of their time gossipping. And on the subject of bitterness and isolation,...I have a funny feeling the person who wrote this is a classic case of the PhD MORON.

Woha- lets not start speculating who's a moron and who's not had enough fun lately....

Bob's blatantly posted a comment like that just to get a reaction- more like immature student!

Dear Bob,
you are not far from the right...nevertheless I can say that after 2 years of work experience in a biotechnology company, I am planning to do a PhD. This is because in the real world of work, it could be difficult to improve your expertise...in addition most of the company like to hire people who already know what to do. So in the real world there are not opportunity to learn new thing and go haed, where could you improve your knowledge?

Bob you are totally right - you are naive, stuck up and utterly clueless like all those other PhD students