Grades vs Education

[Fidel_Castronaut]

Though, the whole idea of having to start school at a certain age is quite ridiculous, one should start when one's ready. Age has not necessarily anything to do with it.

On average, people are ready by the age of 6... That's why primary school starts there.

In the UK it's 3/4?

I started school (Reception leading into junior school) at 3...

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Worse still the higher up, the worse it gets. People spending the best part of a decade on PHDs............ WHY !?

I know you said to ignore this part but, as a PhD student for around 4 years so far:

1. Passion
2. Money (or lack thereof)
3. Determination to attain one
4. Required to get a job in any sort of decent academic research position in most fields.

PT PhDs take a long time. No reputable University would let a FT student languish for more than maybe 5 years on getting one before cutting them loose. I mean, their funding would only be up to 4 years max anyway.