Should I Go To Graduate School?

It’s not uncommon for me to work with people who have PhDs, or who are considering graduate degrees.  The time and treasure involved in grad school is substantial.  Figuring out if it will give you what you want is important, and hard.

I encountered (https://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1257/jel.20201555) about substantial mental health issues in highly-ranked economics graduate programs.  “Nineteen percent of students feel that they have opportunities to make a positive impact on their community or society, compared with 58 percent of faculty and 53 percent of the working age population.”  Ouch.

“The topics that students want to discuss openly with advisers, but cannot, are for the most part professional: nonacademic career options, preparing for the job market, and research progress top the list.”

I believe in higher education, but I’ve seen it break a lot of smart people’s hearts — faculty and students alike.

Please do your research, by talking to students, professors, and employers in the field you hope this training will open up for you.