Reasons 42 and 43.

As my General Exam looms on the distressingly not-so-distant horizon, this book seemed perfect for me based on the title alone. I learned on the news tonight that the average salary for an RN is $66,000 a year.  What WAS I thinking?

1400 WSTC 1350 WNLK, Fairfield County, CT.  Interview starts at 27:05 and ends at 33:06.

I asked Adam Ruben, a Ph.D.-holding molecular biologist and author of Surviving Your Stupid, Stupid Decision to go to Grad School, whether grad school was a good idea if the alternative was waitressing. “I know people who have gotten graduate degrees and then end up waitressing,” he told me, only this time with 5-figures of loans. “Even the degree doesn’t save you all the time.”

I haven’t read it, but based on the nasty, funny, extremely non-PC table of contents, I’d like to.

Three-part radio interview.

[Part 1.]

[Part 2.]

[Part 3.]

There’s a certain amount of humility that comes with being 30 years old and a graduate student. The stipend is paltry, the housing less than prime. And the prestige? Well, it’s hard to impress most folks on an income of less than $25,000.

After finishing his PhD in molecular biology, Adam Ruben wrote a book titled, Surviving Your Stupid Stupid Decision to go to Grad School.   His goal in writing the book is to warn students considering applying for their MA or PhD, as well as to be a form of a support for those who have already embarked on what he implies is a long, incredibly challenging and frustrating, journey.

Proving once again that CTYers excel in bringing together seemingly disparate interests, Adam Ruben combines his experience as a science graduate student and his passion for standup comedy in his first book, Surviving Your Stupid, Stupid Decision to Go to Grad School.

[Listen to the podcast.]

If you are thinking about going to grad school, this book is an excellent read:  it covers a lot of things you should consider if you are going to spend the next year or couple of years doing graduate work.

Now that summer is here, it’s a great time for a little grad school friendly reading and Surviving Your Stupid, Stupid Decision To Go To Grad School by Adam Ruben (PhD!) is an entertaining look at the world of higher education. Best of all, it’s easy to read in small chunks so your chances of finishing it before your dissertation are good.

Adam Ruben ’01, a molecular biology major who developed a standup comedy act while earning his Ph.D. at Johns Hopkins, was back on campus May 6 to promote his new book, Surviving Your Stupid, Stupid Decision to Go to Grad School.

Read the book “Surviving Your STUPID STUPID Decision to go to Grad School” by Adam Ruben. lols will ensue.