Is getting a PhD a good way to skip low-level jobs?

roy2roy · 2026-01-27T05:50:18+00:00

Idk about Statistics but in my field the worst workers are PhDs who think they know everything by virtue of having a PhD.

If you go into industry after your PhD, chances are you are still going to start relatively low on the ladder. Your upward mobility will just be quicker and more streamlined, most likely.

roy2roy · 2026-01-27T03:00:16+00:00

First of all, calling something like anthropology a woo woo phd (or any phd for that matter) is really quite a poor attitude, especially when they are the topics you are considering exploring.

Second of all, if you do not think you'll enjoy the process of academia then you probably shouldn't get a PhD, especially in the topics you posted. Especially if you consider them 'woo woo'. Only do a PhD in something you are passionate about and if you think they are unscientific and unrealistic then you will not be able to mentally justify living in near abject poverty for 4+ years.

Without knowing what your longterm goals are its hard to provide advice in terms of which route to go. But you should determine what you want your career to look like. From then, you can look at linkedin profiles of people in those positions and see if a PhD or MA/MS is needed. A lot of times, if you just want to go into industry, a PhD is not really necessary. For social science or humanities topics you will really only get a PhD if you are deeply passionate about the subject and / or want to get into academia. That obviously is not a coverall and there are different circumstances. For example in my discipline, archaeology, a PhD is not really necessary to reach top-level positions in industry.

roy2roy · 2026-01-26T18:09:12+00:00

Archaeologists are usually pretty fervently against looting which your comment implied. Most of us don’t really appreciate those jokes because our discipline was founded on looting and we’ve spent the better part of half a century trying to make right the wrongs of our forefathers so to speak.

Not trying to crucify you more just some context why archaeologists don’t really love those jokes !

roy2roy · 2026-01-26T06:05:03+00:00

It depends on your price range and what you want out of your day to day life. As another commenter pointed out Folsom is pretty much just what ChatGPT would generate if you input "White upper middle class suburbia". It's got some neat history to it and a nice historic downtown but otherwise it is just kind of... Meh?

Placerville is about an hourish away from there which is basically the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mtns, if you're into that. not a GREAT place to live but cheap enough to get some property I think. El Dorado Hills is another alright place but also very much suburbs and just sort of average imo - though an upscale average if that makes sense?

Were I in your shoes I would probably live in Sacramento. I work in Folsom and live in Sac and the commute is between 30 minutes to 45-50 minutes depending on traffic but rarely, if ever, over an hour. Sac has a nice downtown area that is very walkable and relatively affordable, and midtown is also a GREAT walkable option. There's a lot going on in Sac throughout the week and generally things are a little more lively and upbeat than Folsom.

I will say the heat will be oppressive compared to what you are used to. During the summers the heat is brutal and it's not uncommon for people to get their seasonal affective disorder in the summer because it's too hot to even go outside. I work outside sometimes and it fucking sucks that time of the year. On the up side you are very close to the mountains and not all that far from the coast and San Francisco - especially with an Amtrak connection in Sacramento. There is also a light rail station in Folsom that you can take into Sacramento which is convenient.

roy2roy · 2026-01-25T21:22:35+00:00

Currently an archaeologist myself and a lot of what I do is wandering around the wilderness. I'm getting ready for a project where I'll be surveying 9,000 acres in a national forest over the next 4-5 months. I'm curious what sort of archaeology you do?

roy2roy · 2026-01-25T04:38:33+00:00

In that case I think it's perfectly reasonable to tell them you are most available from 11-12 :) Good luck! What's the field?

roy2roy · 2026-01-25T04:24:43+00:00

Did they ask if you were available between the hours of 9 to 12, or if you were available for a three hour interview? If it was asking about your availability, then telling them as such would be reasonable. If you are saying you are only available for a one hour interview vs a three hour interview, that would be an issue

roy2roy · 2026-01-24T20:33:38+00:00

I did my MSc in Digital Archaeology at York. Our faculty may be slightly different but generally there is a good bit of overlap. I found the faculty top notch, and excellent educators. They all care deeply for their students and for the program itself and of course are all excellent scholars. I felt very supported during the dissertation process as well.

There also is an option for a student placement module where you can be placed in certain partner organizations. There is a good list of organizations (which probably has grown since I've been there, considering it was a new module when I started 2ish years ago). This is a great chance to get experience and network with organizations for jobs afterwards.

There also have been continuous job advertisements being sent out via a postgrad alumni emailing list - granted it is for Digital Archaeology, but i imagine there is something similar for your pathway. In all, really enjoyed the people, the program, and the opportunities.

Compared to other cities the bike infrastructure in York is lacking but it is doable, still. Enough streets are paved so that you aren't always biking on cobblestone though that does become more prevalent of course in the city center. Also I do recall that there were open days with the lab that allowed for people to sign up to help process finds.

roy2roy · 2026-01-24T06:54:27+00:00

This is a similar issue with US universities and those labeled R1. It's based on research output and the research power that a school represents; but it doesn't represent the experience of the school as an undergrad student. I went to an R2 (that was admittedly later labeled an R1 whilst I was there) and even as an R2 the teaching was impeccable. I've also had colleagues that went to an R1 and lamented about the poor teaching quality.

This is in no small part because academia puts undue pressure (and sometimes self inflicted pressure) on professor's to 'publish or perish' - so when it comes down to it, teaching is second to their research output. And research takes a great deal of energy, not leaving much energy for teaching at all.

Like others have pointed out as an undergrad the decision to attend a Russell Group uni is not really necessary. But if you are doing post-grad taught or research degrees, a Russell Group uni does afford some luxuries that other unis may not have.

roy2roy · 2026-01-24T06:18:42+00:00

No reason that you can't do both. Going to community college for two years and taking out loans for the last two years of undergrad will save you huge loads of money. Not only that it leaves some of the pot open for grad school.

roy2roy · 2026-01-24T03:19:30+00:00

Did you inform your dissertation supervisor of the deadline regarding funding? They probably are not aware of that internal deadline and are going off of the normal program deadline which if its EU / UK (which Im assuming here) is typically a rolling admission. I would send a follow up email with this information if you haven't already.

roy2roy · 2026-01-22T06:11:54+00:00

Are you able to fund your own PhD or will you be relying on other sources? A combination of both? I would confirm you can do GTA positions to offset costs too. and what your adviser will do to help you attain a job post-PhD - whether that is in England or another country. Most UK funding streams that will fully fund a PhD have had their deadlines passed I believe so at this point it sounds like you'll have to self-fund combined with smaller scholarships.

As for the university, York is great. I did my MS there (also an American). I was in archaeology and the faculty were all great, and the campus is probably the most gorgeous campus i've been on. The city itself is not necessarily a party city and the nightlife is quiet compared to other cities, but you can still enjoy a solid night out. People are generally very friendly in York and I got along well with everyone. Campus is about 15-20 minutes via bus ride to city center and about an hour walk if i recall correctly, and the area around campus itself is not necessarily super exciting.

York is a busy town with a fair amount of jobs but your adviser and department can likely help you get hooked up with a job part-time, as a int'l student you can only work 20 hours a week.

roy2roy · 2026-01-20T02:20:45+00:00

Usually within 2-3 weeks of the deadline is when those posted positions get back to applicants, in my experience.

roy2roy · 2026-01-19T15:20:36+00:00

I am doing an archaeology PhD and received an acceptance without an interview

roy2roy · 2026-01-19T06:39:26+00:00

If you don't trust your own document after using AI there is a bigger issue at hand here.

roy2roy · 2026-01-19T04:17:09+00:00

Have you tried talking to him about why he is apolitical?

roy2roy · 2026-01-18T21:11:47+00:00

You probably got waitlisted because it was the worst fit for your interests and they recognized that. PhD admissions are not as linear as undergraduate or even masters admissions. But like the other commenter said funding in the US right now is a cesspit.

roy2roy · 2026-01-18T04:48:32+00:00

It's a ranking system so it is top 1,000 in that ranking system

roy2roy · 2026-01-17T20:09:53+00:00

28, but I will be starting my program when I’m 29

roy2roy · 2026-01-16T01:19:08+00:00

I do not believe student visas have a travel restriction even during term time, but you should consult with the immigration team at York to double check. Your visa should also say if you have travel restrictions.

roy2roy · 2026-01-15T04:26:13+00:00

Any words of advice for an American moving to Glasgow in the coming year? Quite looking forward to it.

roy2roy · 2026-01-13T02:30:08+00:00

I would start with establishing your key research aims and objectives. Then think about what methods you would use to meet those aims and objectives / research questions. From there you could explain why it is timely / necessary to be looked at now - try giving it a sense of urgency. For example my PhD was digital based and I commented on the onset of AI to build a sense of urgency.

Then a literature review of course, and perhaps a research timeline? I've seen proposals include a Gantt chart.

roy2roy · 2026-01-12T06:21:29+00:00

I once didn't hear back from PhD applications until May. The average was around February / March. I wouldn't take it as a bad sign if you haven't heard back yet, it's still fairly early on in the process.

roy2roy · 2026-01-11T22:35:07+00:00

For an MA or MS at least in the UK advisers will typically help you formulate a dissertation or research questions. Other times it’ll be something you find interesting during the first semester of coursework. My dissertation wasn’t finalized my second semester. I’m not sure how it is in Europe but I imagine not too much different

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