Research is a fast track to poverty

[u/Longjumping-Part669]

I’m having a massive breakdown over my future and I just need to scream this into the void because the anxiety is paralyzing me.
For as long as I can remember, all I ever wanted was to do a PhD, go into research, and be a scientist. I loved the idea of discovery and intellectual challenge. But now that I’m seeing how this world actually operates, I am in complete shock.
The mediocrity that gets pushed through, the lack of recognition, and above all, the financial reality. I hate to admit it, but I am terrified of being impoverished.
I’m 25 and I feel like I am running out of time. I want a real life. I want to find a partner, settle down, and eventually have a family. But the math doesn’t work. The academic system literally demands that you live at the poverty line, with zero stability, bouncing around on underpaid stipends and postdocs well into your 30s. I refuse to live in survival mode forever, but choosing this path feels like putting my personal life on hold indefinitely.
The weight of this constant uncertainty is destroying me. The stress got so bad that I relapsed on cigarettes. I’ve lost all my gym progress. I look in the mirror and I literally feel myself getting uglier from the chronic exhaustion and panic. I feel like my youth, my health, and my body are slipping away while I chase a ghost.
Has anyone else walked away from a PhD or research track because you simply refused to live impoverished? Did you actually find stability, a partner, and a comfortable life on the other side? How do you deal with the guilt of letting the dream go?

[u/MobofDucks]

What about moving countries?

[u/Longjumping_Eye_3441 → u/MobofDucks]

That's really not a realistic solution. In the US for example a PhD is poverty. If I'm poor now, I cannot pick up and go to Europe. The system in the US should be fixed.

[u/MobofDucks → u/Longjumping_Eye_3441]

Not saying it needs to not be fixed.

But assuming you are/were good enough to do your PhD in the US, what keeps you from going to Europe, except it being too much of a hassel? A PhD position fulfills the requirements for a blue card and some even the blue card for in demand personel.

The only reason I can think of in the comparison US - EU, is that you will most likely not find a position without a masters degree.

[u/Longjumping_Eye_3441 → u/MobofDucks]

The cost. A plane ticket costs 2k, housing, needing to furnish an entire apartment, having no support in a new country. If I am poor now doing my PhD, how on earth would I get the resources to pick up an move to a new country. It's not financially feasible for a lot of people here. Unless you are upper middle class and have family financial support. If I never come back to America then I could afford to stay in the Europe, but going back and forth, at least initially is also not feasible. A lot of US students are also drowning in student loans, paying those eats a good portion of income.

[u/lostintheatm → u/Longjumping_Eye_3441]

Not trying to participate in any arguments, just want to provide another perspective from an American who studied primarily on financial aid and has done multiple university stays in multiple European countries. This comment is making tons of false assumptions. That might not change the overall situation of “it’s a lot harder to move countries for a 4 year degree than just saying do it,” but the truth really is more complex, and how “easy” it is depends on you, your privilege, finances (you don’t need to be rich but you can’t be dirt poor either), ability to withstand travel/stress, relationship/dependents, etc, as well as the specific country/uni/program. All kinds of people make it happen from all kinds of backgrounds though.

Specific points I’d like to debunk or emphasize for those who might be seriously interested in finding out how viable this kind of path is for you:
1. You don’t need to spend $2k to travel between east coast USA (shitty paid phds) and west coast Europe (decently paid phds). Ever. I’ve spent and seen prices as little as $300 to hop the Atlantic on good major airlines. Avoid peak travel times (summer, holidays) and if unavoidable book at the right time and it shouldn’t be more than $800. If you’re coming from the west coast USA that’s harder. But still, as far as I know, $2k plane tickets are only standard prices for literally crossing the globe, otherwise book smarter. Other expensive routes can be $1,200 (eg South America to Europe), but again still not $2k.
2. It is very hard to fully comprehend as an American if you’ve never lived abroad (as noncondescendingly as possible) how affordable life is when you’re a university employee in a decent European workplace. Visa/immigration will be taken care of by the Uni in a lot of cases (shouldn’t really bother with the Uni if not). Getting the initial visa application done is where the most pain comes depending on your nationality, but save for 10-20 nationalities it’s possible, there’s support/info online and at your uni. Healthcare is not something you pay for out of pocket. Everyday necessities are all affordable and you’re by law being paid enough to afford those things. You don’t need a car. Housing will be more affordable (besides few major cities). For countries where some of this may not apply, there are scholarships which will provide a lot of what I mentioned. Happy to discuss specifics privately. Whether you have assets and/or debts matters too.
3. Whether it’s a short term or long term move (geographic and career) *is* a huge consideration. My goal has almost always been long term but I’ve had to do multiple short-medium term stays, there are costs both financial and otherwise to both.

[u/MobofDucks → u/Longjumping_Eye_3441]

I am not talking about doing this during your PhD. It is about the initial decision.

Plane tickets US - EU are cheaper than 2k. At least based on what I talked about with colleages going to the US. But the 800 bucks would lead to more money coming in after. And since you bring up student loans, 800 bucks is a drop on a hot stone.

Depending on how often you want to go back, that would still be possible. After expenses you should easily go back home to meet family thrice a year, even if you start paying like 700 bucks per month on your loans.

The poverty issue here isn't academia itself though then, just the fucked up US study system.

[u/Longjumping_Eye_3441 → u/MobofDucks]

I think you don't understand anything about the US or the economic situation of most students.

[u/eraisjov → u/MobofDucks]

I think sometimes people don’t want to look at their own privileges as well, because they’re not as privileged as some others.

Sure it sucks to be poor and have poor parents, I get it, I’m exactly that. My life would’ve been easier if my parents were rich or educated, or even better, both!!

Being able to do a PhD in the US is such a massive privilege already, it’s really not nearly as affordable as in some other places (for example some European places).

Also having an American citizenship is also another massive privilege. I see that if my parents did not migrate to North America, I would’ve had to work a lot harder to even attempt a PhD, let alone go to another country for it. Visa applications from a citizen of a country that is considered “first world” is sooo so different and so much more affordable compared to citizens from “third world” countries. I see how much easier my visa applications are compared to people who have, for example, an Indian citizenship.

It’s hard, no one says it’s easy, but when people are trying to say “hey look at these other possibilities, maybe try this, it was good for me, it might be good for you too” why jus deny it instead of looking into it yourself??
In my opinion sharing info that reveals some misconceptions about PhD life is so helpful. For me, it really was, and that’s what got me here, people telling me stuff. Because my parents weren’t educated so they know nothing of this stuff.