<p>I can attest to UCLAri statements. Opportunity cost is very high for PhD programs (especially for engineering students who could be potentially making a lot more in industry). The average stipend for PhD is roughly 20-30k minus tuition costs, which is ok, but if you are from anywhere on the west coast, you will be feeling borderline poverty. Even for entry-level chemsitry graduates, the average national income is probably in the mid 30ks. Sakky, please don’t understate doctoral programs as just fun and games. The sacrifice is pretty deep and the majority of those geeks are here not just for picnics.</p>
<p>Some of the things stated sounds pretty ridiculous. There is a difference between “having” a university gym and going to the gym (the gym cost is actually added to your tuition fees for most schools if you look carefully). And although your own independent research may be more flexible, you still have deadlines to meet, experiments/simulations to run, papers to publish, and presentations to give as well as coursework and qualification exams. From what I see in my own engineering department, I can see that most graduate students put more time into their work than most full-time employees in industry. Weekends and holidays are appreciated because they give time for catching up on work. There are no “after hours” in graduate school. You work until your project is done.</p>
<p>Haha…as far as university healthcare… I don’t even know where to begin… </p>
<p>Anyways, acceptance is low because, universities select those who they think can complete innovative research under such rigors.</p>