Steve Tippins Ph.D.Helping doctoral students get their dissertation accepted, succeed in their careers, & change the world | Academic Career Advisor | Dissertation Chair & Founder, Beyond PhD Coaching | 35 + years of experience.

What if Your PhD Costs You 6 Years?

28 Mar 2026 · 1 min

Watch on YouTube

0:45

In this concise advisory video, the speaker outlines the hidden opportunity costs of committing to a six‑year PhD program. He explains that six years devoted to a doctorate can delay personal milestones such as marriage, having children, and travel ambitions (e.g., climbing Kilimanjaro). He also highlights professional drawbacks, including missed promotion opportunities, a pause or slowdown in career progression, and the risk of losing timely job prospects. The video concludes with a call‑to‑action, inviting viewers to comment the word “help” to receive a link to a free dissertation‑help community.

Chapters

First, let's look at time. If we are taking 6 years, that's 6 years of your life where you aren't doing other things. You're working on a doctorate. That 6-year time period could mean that some milestones in your life get delayed. Getting married, having kids, traveling and climbing Kilimanjaro. Many things may get to be delayed if you're in a doctoral program. There can also be lost or delayed opportunities. For example, you might miss out on promotion opportunities at work. Sometimes if you're going to school full-time or even part-time, it can pause your career, or the slowing down can allow you to miss on opportunities. Drop the word help in the comments, and I'll send you the link to our free dissertation help community.