6 Bad Reasons to Do a PhD in 2026

Thinking of applying for a PhD? Here are the reasons you might want to think twice. Honest thoughts from a final-year PhD student in the UK :) 00:00 Intro 00:55 #1 The Good Student Inertia 02:03 #2 Escaping the “Real World” 02:24 #3 PhD ≠ Higher Salary/Better Career 03:17 #4 Chasing External Validation 04:00 #5 The Ivory Tower ≠ Stability 05:23 #6 Treating a PhD as a “Corporate Sabbatical” 06:36 Ending #phdadmission #academia #phd