Class of 2025 college grads

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of DS’s friends are either in good jobs in manhattan or DC, make plenty to live off, or they are a year in or about to start med law or grad. Gap years for those that took them were prestigious research/paid positions. They got jobs from on campus recruiting or offers after junior internship. One was alumni network in april after nih position fell through.

Not joking or exaggerating every single grad med and law is an ivy or Stanford or uchicago or Northwestern. Every single one. All but one are doing something different than parents and over half were on need based aid.

That’s what an elite undergrad does, but it is also because these kids are seriously talented.
None were recruited athletes. Coed friend group. All sorts of majors. Met through a casual music band/club/group for fun.

Ours graduated from an elite school (some would say the most recognizable elite school) and this is not the case. Some have elite PhD placements but the stipends/qol isn’t exactly enviable. One has a job at a major non profit from dad, another is in Investment Banking (you can guess what dad does), one os working in VC, and my son and two of his CS friends are underemployed living together.

Those who want elite phd are not worried about the stipend, which by the way is 55k at elite phD schools, has very little taxes taken out, and the school covers insurance and tuition and fees. Elite schools often have extra funds for travel/first summer and almost always have affordable efficiency apartments near campus for grad students. If you cannot live off of 55k with free health insurance and minimal tax, you suck at budgeting.
Grads of these elite phD are the most likely group to get tenure at top places, which of course pay more--220-320k range--or launch into industry for similar high dollars. Just because you do not consider these good outcomes does not make it so. People would give a limb to get into that career track, and your kid's big name undergrad likely helped a lot.

55K to live in Boston, Palo Alto, New York, Princeton….thats not good pay. Harvard grad students are on strike right now for poor pay and there’s students making $29k-30k. Also “minimal tax” doesn’t mean much when your take home pay is so small. Most students going into elite phds could find a job making $80-160k out of college. That’s a poor ROI and lifestyle decision for a tenure track position that is nowhere near guaranteed. This may be the worse take I’ve seen on DCUM

+1, DS makes $110k in Boston and 30k would send him in a spiral. Even 50k is pretty awful. One bedroom apartment is around $3,000-3500/month on average. That is your take home pay after tax…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of DS’s friends are either in good jobs in manhattan or DC, make plenty to live off, or they are a year in or about to start med law or grad. Gap years for those that took them were prestigious research/paid positions. They got jobs from on campus recruiting or offers after junior internship. One was alumni network in april after nih position fell through.

Not joking or exaggerating every single grad med and law is an ivy or Stanford or uchicago or Northwestern. Every single one. All but one are doing something different than parents and over half were on need based aid.

That’s what an elite undergrad does, but it is also because these kids are seriously talented.
None were recruited athletes. Coed friend group. All sorts of majors. Met through a casual music band/club/group for fun.

Ours graduated from an elite school (some would say the most recognizable elite school) and this is not the case. Some have elite PhD placements but the stipends/qol isn’t exactly enviable. One has a job at a major non profit from dad, another is in Investment Banking (you can guess what dad does), one os working in VC, and my son and two of his CS friends are underemployed living together.

Those who want elite phd are not worried about the stipend, which by the way is 55k at elite phD schools, has very little taxes taken out, and the school covers insurance and tuition and fees. Elite schools often have extra funds for travel/first summer and almost always have affordable efficiency apartments near campus for grad students. If you cannot live off of 55k with free health insurance and minimal tax, you suck at budgeting.
Grads of these elite phD are the most likely group to get tenure at top places, which of course pay more--220-320k range--or launch into industry for similar high dollars. Just because you do not consider these good outcomes does not make it so. People would give a limb to get into that career track, and your kid's big name undergrad likely helped a lot.

You’re day dreaming for most majors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of DS’s friends are either in good jobs in manhattan or DC, make plenty to live off, or they are a year in or about to start med law or grad. Gap years for those that took them were prestigious research/paid positions. They got jobs from on campus recruiting or offers after junior internship. One was alumni network in april after nih position fell through.

Not joking or exaggerating every single grad med and law is an ivy or Stanford or uchicago or Northwestern. Every single one. All but one are doing something different than parents and over half were on need based aid.

That’s what an elite undergrad does, but it is also because these kids are seriously talented.
None were recruited athletes. Coed friend group. All sorts of majors. Met through a casual music band/club/group for fun.

Ours graduated from an elite school (some would say the most recognizable elite school) and this is not the case. Some have elite PhD placements but the stipends/qol isn’t exactly enviable. One has a job at a major non profit from dad, another is in Investment Banking (you can guess what dad does), one os working in VC, and my son and two of his CS friends are underemployed living together.

Those who want elite phd are not worried about the stipend, which by the way is 55k at elite phD schools, has very little taxes taken out, and the school covers insurance and tuition and fees. Elite schools often have extra funds for travel/first summer and almost always have affordable efficiency apartments near campus for grad students. If you cannot live off of 55k with free health insurance and minimal tax, you suck at budgeting.
Grads of these elite phD are the most likely group to get tenure at top places, which of course pay more--220-320k range--or launch into industry for similar high dollars. Just because you do not consider these good outcomes does not make it so. People would give a limb to get into that career track, and your kid's big name undergrad likely helped a lot.

55K to live in Boston, Palo Alto, New York, Princeton….thats not good pay. Harvard grad students are on strike right now for poor pay and there’s students making $29k-30k. Also “minimal tax” doesn’t mean much when your take home pay is so small. Most students going into elite phds could find a job making $80-160k out of college. That’s a poor ROI and lifestyle decision for a tenure track position that is nowhere near guaranteed. This may be the worse take I’ve seen on DCUM

Just as many do not calculate ROI and pick Bama for free over an ivy at 90k per year, many do not calculate ROI for phD or med school. Phd , most are 40 not 55k, for 5-6 yr if that leads to a job one loves for 300k or 150k so what? Same with med school debt then residency at 75k for 4-6 yrs, then 200-500k. If that is the career they want it is certainly not ending up poor. Many professors and doctors have autonomy and ability to control their schedule, plan a family. Others do it to control their research. Many see that as a better life than 110-160 right out of college that is only a 2-3yr contract with no easy way to move up and a significant ceiling. Making more early can be short sighted. Advanced degrees open very specific doors that stay closed for the rest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of DS’s friends are either in good jobs in manhattan or DC, make plenty to live off, or they are a year in or about to start med law or grad. Gap years for those that took them were prestigious research/paid positions. They got jobs from on campus recruiting or offers after junior internship. One was alumni network in april after nih position fell through.

Not joking or exaggerating every single grad med and law is an ivy or Stanford or uchicago or Northwestern. Every single one. All but one are doing something different than parents and over half were on need based aid.

That’s what an elite undergrad does, but it is also because these kids are seriously talented.
None were recruited athletes. Coed friend group. All sorts of majors. Met through a casual music band/club/group for fun.

Ours graduated from an elite school (some would say the most recognizable elite school) and this is not the case. Some have elite PhD placements but the stipends/qol isn’t exactly enviable. One has a job at a major non profit from dad, another is in Investment Banking (you can guess what dad does), one os working in VC, and my son and two of his CS friends are underemployed living together.

Those who want elite phd are not worried about the stipend, which by the way is 55k at elite phD schools, has very little taxes taken out, and the school covers insurance and tuition and fees. Elite schools often have extra funds for travel/first summer and almost always have affordable efficiency apartments near campus for grad students. If you cannot live off of 55k with free health insurance and minimal tax, you suck at budgeting.
Grads of these elite phD are the most likely group to get tenure at top places, which of course pay more--220-320k range--or launch into industry for similar high dollars. Just because you do not consider these good outcomes does not make it so. People would give a limb to get into that career track, and your kid's big name undergrad likely helped a lot.

You’re day dreaming for most majors.

Its not about most. Its about the possibilities that are very real after an elite phD. PP kid was discussing elite phD spots and mocking them, which reads as considering their CS kid is underemployed. Do you know what is not underemployed? CS phD. The demand in that sector is only going up for that level.
250-350 is the typical salary range for tenured professors at elite schools in several fields not only CS, and is a common post-phD salary in industry. Top tenure jobs go to elite phd grads as do top industry jobs that require phD. DCUM stay home mommy crews and IB-frat dads are some of the most clueless as to what the research and computing sector of our economy looks like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of DS’s friends are either in good jobs in manhattan or DC, make plenty to live off, or they are a year in or about to start med law or grad. Gap years for those that took them were prestigious research/paid positions. They got jobs from on campus recruiting or offers after junior internship. One was alumni network in april after nih position fell through.

Not joking or exaggerating every single grad med and law is an ivy or Stanford or uchicago or Northwestern. Every single one. All but one are doing something different than parents and over half were on need based aid.

That’s what an elite undergrad does, but it is also because these kids are seriously talented.
None were recruited athletes. Coed friend group. All sorts of majors. Met through a casual music band/club/group for fun.

Ours graduated from an elite school (some would say the most recognizable elite school) and this is not the case. Some have elite PhD placements but the stipends/qol isn’t exactly enviable. One has a job at a major non profit from dad, another is in Investment Banking (you can guess what dad does), one os working in VC, and my son and two of his CS friends are underemployed living together.

Those who want elite phd are not worried about the stipend, which by the way is 55k at elite phD schools, has very little taxes taken out, and the school covers insurance and tuition and fees. Elite schools often have extra funds for travel/first summer and almost always have affordable efficiency apartments near campus for grad students. If you cannot live off of 55k with free health insurance and minimal tax, you suck at budgeting.
Grads of these elite phD are the most likely group to get tenure at top places, which of course pay more--220-320k range--or launch into industry for similar high dollars. Just because you do not consider these good outcomes does not make it so. People would give a limb to get into that career track, and your kid's big name undergrad likely helped a lot.

55K to live in Boston, Palo Alto, New York, Princeton….thats not good pay. Harvard grad students are on strike right now for poor pay and there’s students making $29k-30k. Also “minimal tax” doesn’t mean much when your take home pay is so small. Most students going into elite phds could find a job making $80-160k out of college. That’s a poor ROI and lifestyle decision for a tenure track position that is nowhere near guaranteed. This may be the worse take I’ve seen on DCUM

+1, DS makes $110k in Boston and 30k would send him in a spiral. Even 50k is pretty awful. One bedroom apartment is around $3,000-3500/month on average. That is your take home pay after tax…

Grad student subsidized housing is 1400-1600 a month. PhD contract is 4200 a month. It is plenty

[Anonymous]

^MIT, Harvard

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of DS’s friends are either in good jobs in manhattan or DC, make plenty to live off, or they are a year in or about to start med law or grad. Gap years for those that took them were prestigious research/paid positions. They got jobs from on campus recruiting or offers after junior internship. One was alumni network in april after nih position fell through.

Not joking or exaggerating every single grad med and law is an ivy or Stanford or uchicago or Northwestern. Every single one. All but one are doing something different than parents and over half were on need based aid.

That’s what an elite undergrad does, but it is also because these kids are seriously talented.
None were recruited athletes. Coed friend group. All sorts of majors. Met through a casual music band/club/group for fun.

Ours graduated from an elite school (some would say the most recognizable elite school) and this is not the case. Some have elite PhD placements but the stipends/qol isn’t exactly enviable. One has a job at a major non profit from dad, another is in Investment Banking (you can guess what dad does), one os working in VC, and my son and two of his CS friends are underemployed living together.

Those who want elite phd are not worried about the stipend, which by the way is 55k at elite phD schools, has very little taxes taken out, and the school covers insurance and tuition and fees. Elite schools often have extra funds for travel/first summer and almost always have affordable efficiency apartments near campus for grad students. If you cannot live off of 55k with free health insurance and minimal tax, you suck at budgeting.
Grads of these elite phD are the most likely group to get tenure at top places, which of course pay more--220-320k range--or launch into industry for similar high dollars. Just because you do not consider these good outcomes does not make it so. People would give a limb to get into that career track, and your kid's big name undergrad likely helped a lot.

55K to live in Boston, Palo Alto, New York, Princeton….thats not good pay. Harvard grad students are on strike right now for poor pay and there’s students making $29k-30k. Also “minimal tax” doesn’t mean much when your take home pay is so small. Most students going into elite phds could find a job making $80-160k out of college. That’s a poor ROI and lifestyle decision for a tenure track position that is nowhere near guaranteed. This may be the worse take I’ve seen on DCUM

Just as many do not calculate ROI and pick Bama for free over an ivy at 90k per year, many do not calculate ROI for phD or med school. Phd , most are 40 not 55k, for 5-6 yr if that leads to a job one loves for 300k or 150k so what? Same with med school debt then residency at 75k for 4-6 yrs, then 200-500k. If that is the career they want it is certainly not ending up poor. Many professors and doctors have autonomy and ability to control their schedule, plan a family. Others do it to control their research. Many see that as a better life than 110-160 right out of college that is only a 2-3yr contract with no easy way to move up and a significant ceiling. Making more early can be short sighted. Advanced degrees open very specific doors that stay closed for the rest.

PhDs don’t lead to $300,000/year. What kind of bullshit are you spreading? Especially if you stay in academia- you’re making maybe 100,000-150k. Even the top colleges barely break 300 unless you’re part of the top 1% of faculty (reminder that average faculty are already in the top 1% of their field). Never seen such dishonesty on dcum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of DS’s friends are either in good jobs in manhattan or DC, make plenty to live off, or they are a year in or about to start med law or grad. Gap years for those that took them were prestigious research/paid positions. They got jobs from on campus recruiting or offers after junior internship. One was alumni network in april after nih position fell through.

Not joking or exaggerating every single grad med and law is an ivy or Stanford or uchicago or Northwestern. Every single one. All but one are doing something different than parents and over half were on need based aid.

That’s what an elite undergrad does, but it is also because these kids are seriously talented.
None were recruited athletes. Coed friend group. All sorts of majors. Met through a casual music band/club/group for fun.

Ours graduated from an elite school (some would say the most recognizable elite school) and this is not the case. Some have elite PhD placements but the stipends/qol isn’t exactly enviable. One has a job at a major non profit from dad, another is in Investment Banking (you can guess what dad does), one os working in VC, and my son and two of his CS friends are underemployed living together.

Those who want elite phd are not worried about the stipend, which by the way is 55k at elite phD schools, has very little taxes taken out, and the school covers insurance and tuition and fees. Elite schools often have extra funds for travel/first summer and almost always have affordable efficiency apartments near campus for grad students. If you cannot live off of 55k with free health insurance and minimal tax, you suck at budgeting.
Grads of these elite phD are the most likely group to get tenure at top places, which of course pay more--220-320k range--or launch into industry for similar high dollars. Just because you do not consider these good outcomes does not make it so. People would give a limb to get into that career track, and your kid's big name undergrad likely helped a lot.

55K to live in Boston, Palo Alto, New York, Princeton….thats not good pay. Harvard grad students are on strike right now for poor pay and there’s students making $29k-30k. Also “minimal tax” doesn’t mean much when your take home pay is so small. Most students going into elite phds could find a job making $80-160k out of college. That’s a poor ROI and lifestyle decision for a tenure track position that is nowhere near guaranteed. This may be the worse take I’ve seen on DCUM

+1, DS makes $110k in Boston and 30k would send him in a spiral. Even 50k is pretty awful. One bedroom apartment is around $3,000-3500/month on average. That is your take home pay after tax…

Grad student subsidized housing is 1400-1600 a month. PhD contract is 4200 a month. It is plenty

Which is why the Harvard grad student union is on strike and people are complaining about having to be on food stamps to survive? Obviously, grad students at Harvard must just be larping and pretending to be too poor for food for funsies!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of DS’s friends are either in good jobs in manhattan or DC, make plenty to live off, or they are a year in or about to start med law or grad. Gap years for those that took them were prestigious research/paid positions. They got jobs from on campus recruiting or offers after junior internship. One was alumni network in april after nih position fell through.

Not joking or exaggerating every single grad med and law is an ivy or Stanford or uchicago or Northwestern. Every single one. All but one are doing something different than parents and over half were on need based aid.

That’s what an elite undergrad does, but it is also because these kids are seriously talented.
None were recruited athletes. Coed friend group. All sorts of majors. Met through a casual music band/club/group for fun.

Ours graduated from an elite school (some would say the most recognizable elite school) and this is not the case. Some have elite PhD placements but the stipends/qol isn’t exactly enviable. One has a job at a major non profit from dad, another is in Investment Banking (you can guess what dad does), one os working in VC, and my son and two of his CS friends are underemployed living together.

Those who want elite phd are not worried about the stipend, which by the way is 55k at elite phD schools, has very little taxes taken out, and the school covers insurance and tuition and fees. Elite schools often have extra funds for travel/first summer and almost always have affordable efficiency apartments near campus for grad students. If you cannot live off of 55k with free health insurance and minimal tax, you suck at budgeting.
Grads of these elite phD are the most likely group to get tenure at top places, which of course pay more--220-320k range--or launch into industry for similar high dollars. Just because you do not consider these good outcomes does not make it so. People would give a limb to get into that career track, and your kid's big name undergrad likely helped a lot.

You’re day dreaming for most majors.

Its not about most. Its about the possibilities that are very real after an elite phD. PP kid was discussing elite phD spots and mocking them, which reads as considering their CS kid is underemployed. Do you know what is not underemployed? CS phD. The demand in that sector is only going up for that level.
250-350 is the typical salary range for tenured professors at elite schools in several fields not only CS, and is a common post-phD salary in industry. Top tenure jobs go to elite phd grads as do top industry jobs that require phD. DCUM stay home mommy crews and IB-frat dads are some of the most clueless as to what the research and computing sector of our economy looks like.

What a waste of a degree. Opportunity cost is just not in a CS PhD. You could make the same amount with career progression that takes the time of the PhD. You’d make $700k+ in the time needed to get to tenure. CS assistant/associate professor roles are not competitive with industry pay at all. You sound grossly misinformed.

[Anonymous]

Stanford isn’t paying $300,000 for a professor unless you’re full professor rank and even then, thats only if you’re in the top percentile of pay for the role: https://facultypositions.stanford.edu/jobs/comparative-politics-open-rank-faculty-position-in-political-science-stanford-university-california-united-states

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stanford isn’t paying $300,000 for a professor unless you’re full professor rank and even then, thats only if you’re in the top percentile of pay for the role: https://facultypositions.stanford.edu/jobs/comparative-politics-open-rank-faculty-position-in-political-science-stanford-university-california-united-states

+1 even if you were to get into a top phd program, most are nowhere near getting professorships at the best R1s. Most go to mid R1 institutions and top SLAC if that’s their calling. Places like Harvard and Princeton are infamous for how bad their tenure procedures are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of DS’s friends are either in good jobs in manhattan or DC, make plenty to live off, or they are a year in or about to start med law or grad. Gap years for those that took them were prestigious research/paid positions. They got jobs from on campus recruiting or offers after junior internship. One was alumni network in april after nih position fell through.

Not joking or exaggerating every single grad med and law is an ivy or Stanford or uchicago or Northwestern. Every single one. All but one are doing something different than parents and over half were on need based aid.

That’s what an elite undergrad does, but it is also because these kids are seriously talented.
None were recruited athletes. Coed friend group. All sorts of majors. Met through a casual music band/club/group for fun.

Ours graduated from an elite school (some would say the most recognizable elite school) and this is not the case. Some have elite PhD placements but the stipends/qol isn’t exactly enviable. One has a job at a major non profit from dad, another is in Investment Banking (you can guess what dad does), one os working in VC, and my son and two of his CS friends are underemployed living together.

Those who want elite phd are not worried about the stipend, which by the way is 55k at elite phD schools, has very little taxes taken out, and the school covers insurance and tuition and fees. Elite schools often have extra funds for travel/first summer and almost always have affordable efficiency apartments near campus for grad students. If you cannot live off of 55k with free health insurance and minimal tax, you suck at budgeting.
Grads of these elite phD are the most likely group to get tenure at top places, which of course pay more--220-320k range--or launch into industry for similar high dollars. Just because you do not consider these good outcomes does not make it so. People would give a limb to get into that career track, and your kid's big name undergrad likely helped a lot.

55K to live in Boston, Palo Alto, New York, Princeton….thats not good pay. Harvard grad students are on strike right now for poor pay and there’s students making $29k-30k. Also “minimal tax” doesn’t mean much when your take home pay is so small. Most students going into elite phds could find a job making $80-160k out of college. That’s a poor ROI and lifestyle decision for a tenure track position that is nowhere near guaranteed. This may be the worse take I’ve seen on DCUM

+1, DS makes $110k in Boston and 30k would send him in a spiral. Even 50k is pretty awful. One bedroom apartment is around $3,000-3500/month on average. That is your take home pay after tax…

Grad student subsidized housing is 1400-1600 a month. PhD contract is 4200 a month. It is plenty

Do you have a source for this? I just checked and all the grad housing is above $1600/month. When you factor in taxes, the pay is about $3,600/month.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of DS’s friends are either in good jobs in manhattan or DC, make plenty to live off, or they are a year in or about to start med law or grad. Gap years for those that took them were prestigious research/paid positions. They got jobs from on campus recruiting or offers after junior internship. One was alumni network in april after nih position fell through.

Not joking or exaggerating every single grad med and law is an ivy or Stanford or uchicago or Northwestern. Every single one. All but one are doing something different than parents and over half were on need based aid.

That’s what an elite undergrad does, but it is also because these kids are seriously talented.
None were recruited athletes. Coed friend group. All sorts of majors. Met through a casual music band/club/group for fun.

Ours graduated from an elite school (some would say the most recognizable elite school) and this is not the case. Some have elite PhD placements but the stipends/qol isn’t exactly enviable. One has a job at a major non profit from dad, another is in Investment Banking (you can guess what dad does), one os working in VC, and my son and two of his CS friends are underemployed living together.

Those who want elite phd are not worried about the stipend, which by the way is 55k at elite phD schools, has very little taxes taken out, and the school covers insurance and tuition and fees. Elite schools often have extra funds for travel/first summer and almost always have affordable efficiency apartments near campus for grad students. If you cannot live off of 55k with free health insurance and minimal tax, you suck at budgeting.
Grads of these elite phD are the most likely group to get tenure at top places, which of course pay more--220-320k range--or launch into industry for similar high dollars. Just because you do not consider these good outcomes does not make it so. People would give a limb to get into that career track, and your kid's big name undergrad likely helped a lot.

Harvard’s graduate student workers went on strike Tuesday morning, demanding higher pay, greater protections for non-citizen employees and an improved grievance process for workplace harassment.

The union wants a minimum salary of $55,000 for workers. Currently, research assistants make just over $40,000, while teaching fellows earn $26,300. The union also wants the minimum wage for hourly workers to go up from $21 an hour to $25 an hour.

This was posted a few weeks ago, so I can’t imagine salaries suddenly shot up.
https://www.wbur.org/news/2026/04/21/harvard-graduate-student-union-strike

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of DS’s friends are either in good jobs in manhattan or DC, make plenty to live off, or they are a year in or about to start med law or grad. Gap years for those that took them were prestigious research/paid positions. They got jobs from on campus recruiting or offers after junior internship. One was alumni network in april after nih position fell through.

Not joking or exaggerating every single grad med and law is an ivy or Stanford or uchicago or Northwestern. Every single one. All but one are doing something different than parents and over half were on need based aid.

That’s what an elite undergrad does, but it is also because these kids are seriously talented.
None were recruited athletes. Coed friend group. All sorts of majors. Met through a casual music band/club/group for fun.

Ours graduated from an elite school (some would say the most recognizable elite school) and this is not the case. Some have elite PhD placements but the stipends/qol isn’t exactly enviable. One has a job at a major non profit from dad, another is in Investment Banking (you can guess what dad does), one os working in VC, and my son and two of his CS friends are underemployed living together.

Those who want elite phd are not worried about the stipend, which by the way is 55k at elite phD schools, has very little taxes taken out, and the school covers insurance and tuition and fees. Elite schools often have extra funds for travel/first summer and almost always have affordable efficiency apartments near campus for grad students. If you cannot live off of 55k with free health insurance and minimal tax, you suck at budgeting.
Grads of these elite phD are the most likely group to get tenure at top places, which of course pay more--220-320k range--or launch into industry for similar high dollars. Just because you do not consider these good outcomes does not make it so. People would give a limb to get into that career track, and your kid's big name undergrad likely helped a lot.

You’re day dreaming for most majors.

Its not about most. Its about the possibilities that are very real after an elite phD. PP kid was discussing elite phD spots and mocking them, which reads as considering their CS kid is underemployed. Do you know what is not underemployed? CS phD. The demand in that sector is only going up for that level.
250-350 is the typical salary range for tenured professors at elite schools in several fields not only CS, and is a common post-phD salary in industry. Top tenure jobs go to elite phd grads as do top industry jobs that require phD. DCUM stay home mommy crews and IB-frat dads are some of the most clueless as to what the research and computing sector of our economy looks like.

Finance and accounting professors, yes. English and sociology professors? Not a chance regardless if their phds are elite.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of DS’s friends are either in good jobs in manhattan or DC, make plenty to live off, or they are a year in or about to start med law or grad. Gap years for those that took them were prestigious research/paid positions. They got jobs from on campus recruiting or offers after junior internship. One was alumni network in april after nih position fell through.

Not joking or exaggerating every single grad med and law is an ivy or Stanford or uchicago or Northwestern. Every single one. All but one are doing something different than parents and over half were on need based aid.

That’s what an elite undergrad does, but it is also because these kids are seriously talented.
None were recruited athletes. Coed friend group. All sorts of majors. Met through a casual music band/club/group for fun.

Ours graduated from an elite school (some would say the most recognizable elite school) and this is not the case. Some have elite PhD placements but the stipends/qol isn’t exactly enviable. One has a job at a major non profit from dad, another is in Investment Banking (you can guess what dad does), one os working in VC, and my son and two of his CS friends are underemployed living together.

Those who want elite phd are not worried about the stipend, which by the way is 55k at elite phD schools, has very little taxes taken out, and the school covers insurance and tuition and fees. Elite schools often have extra funds for travel/first summer and almost always have affordable efficiency apartments near campus for grad students. If you cannot live off of 55k with free health insurance and minimal tax, you suck at budgeting.
Grads of these elite phD are the most likely group to get tenure at top places, which of course pay more--220-320k range--or launch into industry for similar high dollars. Just because you do not consider these good outcomes does not make it so. People would give a limb to get into that career track, and your kid's big name undergrad likely helped a lot.

You’re day dreaming for most majors.

Its not about most. Its about the possibilities that are very real after an elite phD. PP kid was discussing elite phD spots and mocking them, which reads as considering their CS kid is underemployed. Do you know what is not underemployed? CS phD. The demand in that sector is only going up for that level.
250-350 is the typical salary range for tenured professors at elite schools in several fields not only CS, and is a common post-phD salary in industry. Top tenure jobs go to elite phd grads as do top industry jobs that require phD. DCUM stay home mommy crews and IB-frat dads are some of the most clueless as to what the research and computing sector of our economy looks like.

Finance and accounting professors, yes. English and sociology professors? Not a chance regardless if their phds are elite.

And, of course, for those fields, it only pays that much because they’d never get faculty otherwise, when industry is paying multiples of that. We know a tenured English professor making $78k. She attended Swarthmore, went to Oxford, and then got a PhD at Berkeley. The idea that getting a top PhD position will net you a good position and salary is a farce.