Why do you even want to go to grad school anyway?

[margarets]

From what I remember, I didn't mention anything about my future career other than that I wanted to work in R&D. I spent 80% of the essay talking about my research and teaching experience. I only had positive feedback from the professors who read it for me. I was told to emphasize my research experience... I mean people can talk all they want about making the world a better place, but the cold hard truth (for chemical engineers anyway) is that one way or another, people end up doing process design, or something completely unrelated to their PhD thesis. It seems the real exciting stuff only happen at research universities and national labs. Outside, in the private sector, it's all about the bottomline... and not getting sued. Ridiculous...

 

 

It is ridiculous.  Your thing sounds way better.  I hope you get to do it.

[Larri]

First of all.. the worst reason ever I guess. Because I want to prove people wrong. I want to be on the same level as my dad, who always says "Shuh, my promotor was a nobel prize winner. Come and talk to me when you have YOUR Phd from Cambridge."  Also, my high school physics teacher always told me to go into the social sciences or humanities, as I was too dumb and too female (!) to do mathematics or physics beyond high school level. 

Well, now I am starting my MSc in Climate Change/ Environmental Science at a highly ranked university and am on the right track towards a Phd - including Math and Physics.

 

Second, I have a passion for ice and snow and I want to be useful - a Phd is my way of combining this. Nothing makes me happier than to be in the Alps or in Iceland. The process of climate change and the feedback cycles of 'climate change - glacial/permafrost melt - sea level rise' (Major issue here, I live 3 m. below sea level ) is so fascinating to me. 

I want to make a contribution to the quality of life of the next generation(s). Through research on glacial melt and climate change I might actually be useful. Also, my jobs for the past years have always been teaching, and I am good at it. At some point in life, I want to inspire students the way some of my professors inspired me to work hard and consciously consider my choices. 

[DreamerFa13]

Many reasons... but the biggest one for me personally is... I would always regret not doing it, its a personal quest.

This is my reason as well! I would hate to live with the regret of at least not trying!