So I am about to FINALLY graduate from undergrad (yay!) and have been applying to graduate school. My degree is in Cyber Engineering and I would like to try and focus on that but am also happy to branch out if it will allow me to use my degree. I got into a few colleges but had to defer due to many things. I plan on possibly applying to 5-8 more maximum to enhance my choices. One major reason for defying was the conferral date was too close to start date. Another was my friend recently died.
I am narrowed down to NYU Tandon (Cybersecurity with a nice scholarship), Tufts (Computer Science with 10% scholarship) or The University of Tennessee at Knoxville (Fully funded PhD and research assistant+includes healthcare so yay to not teaching lol). I also got into University of San Diego, Boston University, and some international schools as well. USD had Cyber Engineering as a masters (no scholarship but way cheaper than most). NYU Tandon is of course competitive and the great scholarship helps plus it relates to my field. They also are allowing me to do online which is great (I hate NY lol plus I could work also is possible). Tufts I also really liked but felt like 10% isn’t enough to be called a scholarship. Both programs will let me to do online so I can work and study which is great.
However, UTK is a very good program and is free! The program is about 4.5 Years but my only concern is the length (I am in my late 20’s and so I am kind of behind and my age hurts me). The thing is that I really would like to get married and have kids while I still can. There is a stipend (low pay but much higher than other department) and it’s faster than some people I know who took 5-11 years for a PhD). My concern is this might limit me in regards to finding somebody and having kids soon because of the lower pay and I am not allowed to work (of course internships when you can do help). I deferred to start next year since I am dealing with some stuff (stress from school plus my friend died the beginning of spring semester and I was too busy to grieve properly and I feel like it’s catching up) which caused a lot of stress for the spring. NYU is obviously more prestigious and has great connections but UTK is free and has a better stipend compared to most of the PHD programs I saw. I’m not sure if the UTK name will hurt me or to what degree. I am wondering what y’all think is the best option, what you would pick, and if you have gotten a PhD (was it worth it or not? ). Thank you!
Please don’t make your PhD decision based on your marital status. Many PhD (and MD, and DVM, and Law School, etc) students marry and have kids while in college.
Might this question be better in the graduate school section of this forum?
Would UT allow you to take a Master’s degree if you enroll and then later decide that you don’t want to finish a Ph.D.?
Also, I don’t know whether potential employers would look at all of the online work that you did – if you went to NYU or Tufts – and hold that against you, as opposed to spending your time at a bricks-and-mortar institution.
If you have other goals in your life – marriage +/- kids, for example – then you will probably not allow yourself to take 5-11 years to get your Ph.D.; you are going to get it done! And, as @thumper1 states, don’t make a Ph.D. decision based on those other considerations alone. Take the best deal, and let your life unfold.
Hi! I technically am not required to get a PhD in my field but it’s one of those things that I’d get it just because. I don’t plan on teaching but afterwords I would like to work in industry. I would want to work still in tech. I already have research experience from working as a research assistant during undergrad. Though I’d to still be at least still in the cyber field. I think I’d like to be a network architect, CISO, or Cyber Engineer. Though I could do data engineering or data architecture if I chose that route. Ultimately I would like to stick to cyber industry if possible.
Hi! That’s kind of hard given my age and already I have that working against me in the dating pool lol. My concern also is the limited income at the time but the PhD program does seem like a very good opportunity. I only know about 3 married while doing so but they got married before the PhD. Also, it’s been moved to graduate student
Hello! Yes! To my knowledge the masters would be incorporated since it’s 4.5 years and we still have to take courses. So courses first then the rest is research. So the people who I know got PhD’s at other schools were able to get the masters at least if they didn’t finish (most did finish). So I would think yes I could at least get the masters after finishing the courses.
I don’t think employers would care much about online masters from Tufts or NYU either especially since they’re well known universities. So I’m not really worried about that as much. I also would plan to work while I did my masters so at least I’d have the experience part.
No way! Even 4.5 years is pushing it tbh. I’d like to finish in 3 years if possible. I refuse to spend 5-11 years on such. As far as the marriage thing as I told them kind of hard given my age and already I have that working against me in the dating pool lol. However, I was fortunate enough to even get funding let alone a fully funded PhD with health insurance. I just wish I could do only research and no courses lol.
