A pointless rant, but something that has been bothering me for a while -

A lot of the advice given to prospective undergrad/grad students comes from a place of extreme privilege

1/?

Low GPA? Pay out-of-pocket to retake classes.

No research experience? Take on an unpaid position.

Can’t do well on the SAT/GRE? Pay for tutoring, buy prep books, and retake.

Don’t get in anywhere the first time around? Take a year out and reapply.

2/?

Seeing the pattern here?

Academia assumes privilege, and if you have A SINGLE setback at any point during your education then you have to pay money to dig yourself out

Privileged students can afford to BUY a second chance. Underprivileged rely on charity or take risky debt

3/?

But taking time out to work and save money harms people too. You need new letters from professors, and adcoms want to see recent proof of academic excellence.

So what are poor applicants supposed to do?

They lose. That’s what they do.

4/?

I enjoy doing research. I love it. But it’s a privileged sport. It’s a luxury that many cannot afford to pursue, even with diversity initiatives.

This game is rigged and I can’t, in good faith, sell it to someone struggling financially right now

5/?

Industry options need to be on equal footing to purely academic ones, not treated like they’re dirty/lesser. Those jobs can be far more stable, well-paid, and fulfilling.

Some academics need to get off their high horses and stop pressuring students into academia

6/6

ANOTHER THING:

people who say "you shouldn& #39;t be so negative"

You can& #39;t just pretend this problem of cost doesn& #39;t exist. The students are going to find out either way.

They deserve to know so they can plan around it.

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🚫" title="No entry sign" aria-label="Emoji: No entry sign"> ignorant positivity isn& #39;t helpful https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🚫" title="No entry sign" aria-label="Emoji: No entry sign">