I’ll admit it: I’ve had some dark thoughts lurking around in my head lately, and they involve education. More of the question of: to PhD or not to PhD.

Honestly, the PhD programs that I’ve seen scare the crap outta me. From my simplistic point of view, you work in a classroom for two years then work on a project for two years, which then has to be “approved”. So what if after four years you get a “Sorry, it sucks” on the project/thesis? I’ve mentioned this fear to some of my former collegues and they tell me that it won’t happen. In fact one of them chided me over it: as a professor, none of my students should have to worry about it either. If a student is heading down a wrong path on a “long” [meaning over at least two class span] project the prof should be offering guidance to help the student along.

Meaning that the above case shouldn’t happen… in the PhD program, your advisor should be working with you throughout the two years, and it should just coast over the final review. In theory. To me, that’s a lotta theory. It still sounds like you could get a “too bad it was two years of class time” and be told that your thesis sucks just after starting it. More effective, I agree, but still: Ow.

I dunno… I also think it’s because I hate not using benefits that are offered to me. Probably spent too much time in small companies where the only offered benefit was “a paycheck that’s usually on time and probably won’t bounce.” I swear that’s how I got hooked on gym-visits: it was offered so I signed up, and it’s too much of a waste to not use that. Same thing with certification… I’ve had a voucher in hand for two months and still haven’t found time to sit for an exam. If I can’t find time for that, how in the hell can I juggle another push towards a degree?

And all of that is assuming I could get into UW with any kind of pre-filled pre-req. I’d have to imagine that my some of my existing credits would transfer for something. Then again, I can imagine a lot. I just refuse to start at the 0 level, just on principle: after two degrees in Computer Science, I have little interest in “starting over” with nothing – same thing applies to an MBA degree.

I hate it when I have thoughts lurking in my head. It’s usually an indication that my subconscious is about to shove me in a direction that I didn’t plan on going in… or that it’s already doing something that I don’t know about. I know it sounds very Beeblebrox-ian but it’s how some things happen with me.

Probably just missings being on a university campus… Stupid head.