Just wondering, what did everyone do before starting their phd?
(i.e jobs, masters', undergrad, travelling..?)
I came straight from undergrad. I now think this was a bad move for me - maybe I should have got a job and gained experience. Ah, hindsight is a wonderful thing!

I worked in industry for 2 years after my UG degree before I decided to do a Masters and then PhD.

I did a BSc, then an MSc then straight to PhD. I have worked in industry, but only for three month stints between courses/semesters

Undergrad and then straight onto do a PhD. What is the point of wasting a year in an MSc if you have the background and knowhow to do a PhD??

because perhaps someone that does an MSc may not have the required know how to do a PhD, or that someone that does an MSc did so to get a specialised job, but then stayed on to do a PhD.

Don't be so naive and stupid

I did my MSc because I had no plans to do a PhD, but wanted a specialised job in that particular field.

Some people are just so narrow minded

I am doing Master's because in my country BSc is a new thing and it is not really considered as higher education... And BSc of course here is not enough to be able to do PhD.

Although in the UK I would probably get away with going for PhD without MSc, but in most other countries one need a qualification essential to start a PhD in home country (BSc for most of you and MSc for me).

On top of that I am not allowed to work in the lab before gaining a BSc (kind of licence) which means no lab experience at all when I finished undregrad.

To get back to the topic. I don't know if I will be doing PhD but so far it's BSc and MSc and hoping to go straight to PhD. Never had any breaks or gap years and I envy people who are brave enough to take such break and do something fun (visit Australia or volounteer in Afrika or something just as amazing)

I did a BA then a taught MPhil then straight on to PhD.

A long story:)) I had BA and two master degrees, as well as 12 years work experience (I have been working since I was 15) when I applied for a PhD. But I did not got money. So, I had a gap year and just when I had decided that I dont want PhD anymore, I got scholarship:)) Could not stand that temptation:)

Gosh STU - So personal... 'Naive and Stupid?', 'Narrow-Minded'? Such strong words, perhaps I hit a nerve somewhere.

If you read my post AGAIN... You will see that I said "What is the point of wasting a year in an MSc IF YOU HAVE THE BACKGROUND AND KNOW-HOW to do a PhD". I did not say doing an MSc is wasted altogether. IF you are going to do a PhD which bears relation to what you did in your undergrad, and if it is not a requirement to do an MSc, THEN you would be WASTING time doing an MSc.

Of course I realise that some PhDs require an MSc and some doctoral candidates want a PhD in something different from their basic background. It is just common-sense!

No doubt you will comeback with some clever oneliner again, but I think I might just ignore it since it might just be the hormones. What you gonna do? Hit me?

ha ha ha!

no, i'm gonna just shag your mum again

I think Stu was trying to imply [a bit clumsilyand rather rudely] that you came across as rather self-important. You did.

Self-Important? In what way?

In a way that went along the lines of "haha, I didn't waste any of my precious time, I went straight into my PhD". I for one found it really condescending.

I understand what you mean but you have to remember that a LOT of people dont even realise they want to do a PhD until later on in life. I only decided last year for example after I had done the Master's course.