Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Pros and Cons of Getting a PhD



There are myriad reasons why many choose to pursue a doctoral degree. It could be for the pleasure of reading and researching. It could be for career advancement. Or better still, to further ones education. But what exactly are the advantages and disadvantages of acquiring a PhD?

For starters, it helps in securing a lucrative employment. A doctoral degree, irrespective of its field, gives your resume an edge. It makes it stand out remarkably thus insurmountably enhancing your employability chances. This is the most palpable advantage associated with a doctoral degree.

Enhances earnings and opens career opportunities. These are advantages that arguably propel one to fierce job markets. With a doctoral degree, careers that require a great deal of research and which are intellectually and financially rewarding, are quite easy to secure.

And that is not all. Getting a PhD bolsters a weak undergraduate performance. It also provides you with a greater specialization in your area of study. But that notwithstanding, there are drawbacks; cons that are associated with acquiring a PhD. And nothing could take the top spot, on the list, than the cost of financing the degree.

The cost of funding a doctoral degree is not only off-putting but expensive. Suffice it to say, studying for a PhD will literally cost you an arm. The fees are expensive and not many can exclusively afford to meet the exorbitant costs that come with the degree programme.

Time taken to undertake the course is another general disadvantage. Getting a PhD title, before your name, does not come easy. It takes a lot of time. One must therefore be fully committed to the course – without entirely doing different things on the sideline. Four to five years of education, without doing anything else, can seem pleasurable but not always.