EE PhD without funding worth it?

[Goga]

I got into PhD at USC but no word of funding so far, I am leaving a well paying job to do PhD. If I don't get any funding this year will it be worth doing it and is it possible to get funded next year?

 

 

[tarrman]

If you do the entire PhD unfunded, it is definitely not worth it. I seriously doubt that USC wouldn't fund you at some point in the near future (worst I've ever seen is 1st year unfunded).

 

You should contact the department by April if you still haven't heard anything about funding.

[Goga]

Thanks, I was not aware of the external fellowships and missed the dates.

[ak48]

I got into PhD at USC but no word of funding so far, I am leaving a well paying job to do PhD. If I don't get any funding this year will it be worth doing it and is it possible to get funded next year?

 

If it's unfunded all the way I'd recommend against it. PhD's roughly 5 years, and especially coming off a high paying job you'll feel miserable. But like mentioned above, it's possible to get funding later.

 

have you considered applying again next year with a stronger application to get into better schools/funding situations? If you have a job you can stick with this year it's not a bad option

[Goga]

I am already 25 and waiting another year is not an option for me. I will try to contact the current grad students to understand the funding situation there.

[selecttext]

lol you are only 25? i wouldn't think in such fatalistic terms if i were you...You definitely should not undertake an unfunded PhD and if that means waiting a year, so be it.

[ak48]

You make it sound like we should start applying for senior citizenship cards at 30. I guess you may have your own "age-related" goals or something.

 

It's gonna cost you about $70,000 a year that you're missing out on stipend/tuition/health benefits that come with a funded PhD. If getting a PhD at 29 instead of 30 is that big a deal for you, go ahead and take that offer.

[jcperez]

I also got an admit to an EE PhD program with no departmental funding, but I am certain my worst case scenario there would be an unfunded 1st year.

 

I seriously doubt that you won't have any funding once you are done with most of the coursework and the preliminary exam. By then, you should already be working at the lab of one of your POIs.

 

Right now, I would recommend you to contact POIs and inquire about RAships.

Edited March 11, 2013 by jcperez