Anonymous wrote:I was two years into my PhD program before I realized politics, not academics, determines who gets a PhD. So I completely changed my approach, spent less time on research and more an schmoozing, and graduated. My much smarter colleagues are still ABD.

I now interview PhDs for jobs in the Commerce Dept. and always ask them what was their most important quality that allowed them to attain a PhD. They usually answer "commitment" or "intelligence" at first but, within a couple of minutes, admit that 'playing the game' mattered more than anything. Sad but true. Glad this is anonymous.

Yes!!! This is true! Also true about getting jobs---you could be the smartest one in the room, but if you don't have drinks with the right people or get invited to their houses, you won't be put forward for a job. You may apply for that job, but be backed for it.

I have a science phd from an elite university and there are too many stories to write. The posters who say sexual exploits are so commonplace they are normal are correct. Profs having sex with their graduate students and even profs propositioning undergrads. No one does anything about it in the name of academic freedom. And endowed chairs?? Please- they are the absolute worst and I'm talking about Ivy League schools. Usually male profs to female students but I know of an egregious example of a female professor having an affair with a male undergrad at a SLAC. I got through it by being assertive when approached by committee members for sexual relationships. I also chose a strong female advisor who could guide me and had my back.

There are some profs who also steal students work and present it as their own.

Before you go to work with someone, ask lots and lots of questions about ethics when you meet the other grad students. Stay away if you get weird responses. One of my friends made it through to the end of her phd in science and the very famous prof refused to sign off. They'd had a great relationship for five years- but he had never graduated a female student and in the end couldn't do it. She'd been warned all along. School intervened and gave it to her but that situation makes it very hard to get a univ job. You need your advisor yo be 100% behind you.

In addition, I will strongly my girls but also boys when they head to college. Sexual harassment is real and you have to assertively deal with profs who cross lines.

I left academia after a successful dissertation and greT publications. Couldn't take the lack of integrity.

I was two years into my PhD program before I realized politics, not academics, determines who gets a PhD. So I completely changed my approach, spent less time on research and more an schmoozing, and graduated. My much smarter colleagues are still ABD.

I now interview PhDs for jobs in the Commerce Dept. and always ask them what was their most important quality that allowed them to attain a PhD. They usually answer "commitment" or "intelligence" at first but, within a couple of minutes, admit that 'playing the game' mattered more than anything. Sad but true. Glad this is anonymous.

I don't know if this counts, but I had a professor tell our classes repeatedly that the only diversity that counts is intellectual diversity, but he gave bad grades to any student who challenged him.

Currently in PhD program and it sucks. I want to keep this thread so I can read it when having a bad dissertation writing day.

My daughters economic's professor told her in class one day, "don't frown like that, you will get wrinkles and no one will want to marry you" he also " miscalculated" her final grade and give her a B instead of the A she had earned. She brought a female professor with her and confronted him in his office. He recalculated her grade and said he would change it, but then burst into tears, explaining that he was going through a tough time with his wife."

Someone in my family got a Masters Degree by sleeping with her Professor. The scary thing is she's dumb as a rock and teaching school.

I know a pediatric dentist that smokes weed daily. He went through Dental school fried.

A friend of ours from back in the day was a crack addict. He now teaches STEM classes in an elite high school.