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SigmundFraud
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Joined: June 16th, 2012, 11:41 am

PhD not worth the time says Economist

October 24th, 2012, 7:57 am

http://www.economist.com/node/17723223? ... 723223What do you make of that - is a PhD worth it? Or does a Masters in Financial Engineering give you all you need for a future as a quant?Answer on a postcard please.
 
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Hansi
Posts: 41
Joined: January 25th, 2010, 11:47 am

PhD not worth the time says Economist

October 24th, 2012, 8:35 am

You do a PhD if you are passionate about studying the research topic. Period.There was a discussion on the article back when it was published: http://www.wilmott.com/messageview.cfm? ... adid=81246
 
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SigmundFraud
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Joined: June 16th, 2012, 11:41 am

PhD not worth the time says Economist

October 24th, 2012, 9:26 am

Missed that - sorry.
 
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ppauper
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Joined: November 15th, 2001, 1:29 pm

PhD not worth the time says Economist

October 24th, 2012, 9:37 am

not quant specific, but my PhD advisor used to say the same thing, if you work in industry, a lot of the time, the experience you gain working with a masters degree more than offsets the higfher qualification of a PhD.I have aquaintances who work for Maple in Canada, and one with a PhD is being supervised by one who dropped out ABD (all but dissertation) from the same PhD program, because he's been there longer
 
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Cuchulainn
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Location: 20, 000

PhD not worth the time says Economist

October 24th, 2012, 6:42 pm

Last edited by Cuchulainn on October 23rd, 2012, 10:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
 
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Fermion
Posts: 2
Joined: November 14th, 2002, 8:50 pm

PhD not worth the time says Economist

October 24th, 2012, 11:37 pm

IMHO, a PhD shows that you are more likely to be capable of original innovative work. (At least it used to.) Not many jobs require that. But a job that does is likely to be better filled by a PhD.
 
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almostcutmyhair
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Joined: April 18th, 2009, 8:22 pm

PhD not worth the time says Economist

October 25th, 2012, 6:28 am

So what? PhD is worth it.
Last edited by almostcutmyhair on October 24th, 2012, 10:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
 
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willsmith
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Joined: January 14th, 2008, 11:59 pm

PhD not worth the time says Economist

October 25th, 2012, 7:35 pm

I just did a PhD and every day I had time to have breakfast then go for a swim with my young son. Try doing that in an IB.In terms of expected $ payoff there's more chance that it's positive if you do the PhD early-career.But if you do the PhD mid-career - like me - you will enjoy it more (chance of scenery) and perhaps have more to bring as well.
Last edited by willsmith on October 24th, 2012, 10:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
 
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ChicagoGuy
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PhD not worth the time says Economist

October 26th, 2012, 3:43 am

QuoteOriginally posted by: SigmundFraudhttp://www.economist.com/node/17723223?story_id=17723223What do you make of that - is a PhD worth it? Or does a Masters in Financial Engineering give you all you need for a future as a quant?Answer on a postcard please.Just look at the quant you aspire to be like, and see if that person has a PhD. That should help answer your question. You can browse in Linkedin.
 
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katastrofa
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Location: Alpha Centauri

PhD not worth the time says Economist

October 26th, 2012, 8:11 am

Reading The Economist is not worth the time.
 
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hamster
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Joined: October 12th, 2008, 3:51 pm

PhD not worth the time says Economist

October 28th, 2012, 5:10 pm

i think you ask the wrong question to get enlightened. As long as you are not able to find (or understand why it is important to find) "good" questions you should never go for PhD. Any. If your only interest is to figure out the economic payoff of an PhD, you should just buy the academic title from a shady provider.
 
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alpher

PhD not worth the time says Economist

November 7th, 2012, 9:49 pm

QuoteOriginally posted by: SigmundFraudhttp://www.economist.com/node/17723223?story_id=17723223What do you make of that - is a PhD worth it? Or does a Masters in Financial Engineering give you all you need for a future as a quant?Answer on a postcard please.your answer on a postcard: