Hey everyone, I'm looking for advice.



I'm currently an Electrical Engineering undergrad student at a Texas A&M university. Right now I'm only part-time student, full time worker, but that's about to change. My fiance said she would pick up the bills for awhile so I could finish my degree... My UNDERGRAD degree... I eventually want to get my doctorate (in either engineering or physics), but I don't want her to have to support me for the length of time it takes to finish a doctorate (isn't it like 7 years??). I've read stuff online about stipends and fellowships/internships/assistantships that help, but how much do they help? I mean, I don't want to stick her with all the bills while I take a trip through academia. I really want a doctorate, and I'm good at this stuff! I feel like I would be a waste if I didn't pursue it as far as possible, but if I've got to go 7 years without income, I don't think I can do it... Stories and advice if you have it! Thank You!

Hi TcAllen 247,
I've just started an a PhD in engineering in Europe and I have funding for 3 years of about 1200 euro per month. I hope to be finished in 3-4 years. If you intend to do the doctorate part-time than I'm sure you could be looking at 7 years but most full-time students complete in 3-5 years, as far as I know. Good luck with the decision. EV

Hey,

I self-funded my part-time MA by working full-time and am now just putting a proposal together and funding app for my PhD. I think if it's something you know you're good at, and something you are passionate about then go for it - there are several funding options out there (I'm afraid your subject is not my subject so I can't give you any specific advice!)... but I totally empathise with the 'what a waste if I don't do this' thought :) Good luck

ps, have you spoken to your current tutors about this? They should be more than willing to talk it through with you...

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I think it is wrong to regard an undergrad degree as a 'waste' if it is not 'converted' into a postgrad degree. A waste might be if you did an undergrad or a postgrad degree and did not pursue that as your career.

A waste even if it was for the pure enjoyment of learning, discovery and self-improvement?

Guys I'm not saying it's a waste to get an undergrad degree, I'm saying that I feel like I am blessed with the ability/opportunity to get a grad degree and I shouldn't waste it. Sorry, I should have clarified.

Hi TcAllen...I don't think anyone is saying that you thought it was a waste to get an undergrad degree, it's clear to me anyway that you meant you would just be wasting your talent and ambition by not persuing it! However, I agree with walminskipeasucker that its not a waste deciding not to comtinue in your degree career pathway, simply the process of doing the degree itself is a major life lesson and that certainly is worth it. But I digress! TcAllen, if you want to do a PhD then you should definately speak with your tutors about it, find out what the opportunities are for you at home or decide if you are prepared to travel to another institution to study. Discuss pragmatically what the potential job market will be like, I know it's pretty tough now, do your tutors have any idea what way it's going for the future? When you have enough information, discuss it with your fiancee. She might be all for you doing it, in which case great! If you get a stipend it's usually enough to live on, not very extravagently but it will keep you fed and watered usually. However, if you are planning to get married and start a family off the same stipend, then that's a different matter. Think about what you want together and whether or not a PhD is important enough to you to make sacrifices. Good luck!! (up)

Hi, i'm a phd student in the U.S. It takes 5 years for masters/phd (2 for masters, 3 for phd) if you do everything on time. If you are accepted the university will almost surely hire you as a teaching assistant or research assistant. I'm a TA, and I have a tuition waiver and stipend of $1600/month. You'd probably get something similar, but maybe less money while you are a masters student.

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Thanks everyone for your replies!! From what I've researched, most TA's and RA's + other stipends float you around the 25k-35k a year range... I could do that, that's actually not half bad.... I spoke with her about it and she's for it, we even started looking at potential schools together where I could finish up, and she could still teach. I'm excited! :-)