OK, so

[Cornell Fiji]

Dean.,

Am I correct in assuming that the PhD program is free and they give you a stipend for doing research work?

If so then I think that it is certaintly worthwhile to give it a shot for a year and see if you enjoy it and if it gives you a sense of purpose. You really have nothing to lose as you will be able to meet brilliant people who will stimulate you and if you would like to be part of a start up that ever needs vc funding saying that "I got a PhD in economics from U Chicago" will absolutely open doors for you.

If you suffer from depression, the poker pro lifestyle will not be good for you as I am sure you have seen. This program will give you opportunities to do other things that might give you a greater sense of self worth.

I think that this program will expand your options and opportunities in life with little downside. Go for it!


Edit: What do you mean by "I was offered placement..." did you apply to a bunch of PhD programs or are you just so cool that people go out of their way to invite you to join one of the most exclusive and elite econ programs in the world?

[PartyGirlUK]

Program would be tuition fee thruout, stipend from year 3 on.

[The DaveR]

Defer for a year. Tell SL that you don't want to commit unless you're sure, and you want to work and travel to help decide.

Or move to Atlanta and crap on everyone through the intartubes.

[NozeCandy]

I would do this and at least test the water. With a program that good, completely passing it up might become a huge regret later.

[entertainme]

[ QUOTE ]
Program would be tuition fee thruout, stipend from year 3 on.

[/ QUOTE ]

Give the Phd a shot.

[PartyGirlUK]

Im not sure I can defer......

[AlexSem]

You have a history of depression and you've made a few hundred K playing poker? Wow... I don't have a history of depression and poker depresses the [censored] out of me at times.

As for your post: I don't think there's much doubt in what you're going to do but then as with any big decision in life, one needs reassurance. You're going to go do that PhD [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Good luck


p.s. what stakes do you play?

[The DaveR]

[ QUOTE ]
Im not sure I can defer......

[/ QUOTE ]

You know their biggest name faculty member personally. Ask.

Be genuine.

[almostbusto]

zomg take this shameless brag post to BBV.

OP is:

1. likely a genius or at least very intelligent. (based on his prior posts, acceptance to chicago, and his own comparisons to sklansky and anacardo)

2. he was accepted to chicago's econ program. (calling it one of the top 5 econ departments in the world is an understatement based on what little i know of the program.)

3. he is/was very successful in poker. (based on prior posts and his allusions in the OP)

4. he has a lot of options about what to do with the rest of his life. (obv)

i mean come on, he is one supermodel girlfriend away from living the dream.

EDIT:

this post is personally a little upsetting to me because i am graduating from a noname university with a degree in econ and i am sure i would never have a chance at a place like chicago. furthermore, i tried my hand at poker and despite being profitable, i am not about to hit six figures ANY time soon. Also, i am a pretty smart guy (valedictorian in high school kind of smart) but at the same time, i'm no where near smart enough to be considered something special.

so if Dean has it bad then i must be really hurting since we both have pursued the same things in life seemingly, and i haven't be anyway near as successful.


i am also 23 year old too.

[gumpzilla]

Those saying give the Ph.D a shot for a year: the first year of Ph.D. programs frequently bears zero resemblance to the rest of it. In most places and programs, the first year is just a buttload of classes, a continuation of school as you have known it before. Shortly after that, the real focus becomes research. I haven't been to a class in almost two years, for example. It's a pretty different beast altogether, and it can take a long while to figure out if it's what you really want.

EDIT: The other thing is, it's important to have a good idea about what your employment opportunities are at the other end once you have the Ph.D, and whether or not this is a material improvement. I'm not well informed on the subject of economics, but I'd imagine that about the only thing having the Ph.D will allow you to do that you couldn't before is be a professor. And while that's fun and all, it's HARD to become a professor at the kind of institution that you'd like to be a professor at. I read a great quote that was something along the lines of "brilliant undergrads who decide to try and become professors on the basis of their Nobel laureate faculty are making a decision no more sound than the teenage girl who sees Britney Spears and decides to become a musician."

It's hard to hear this stuff - I wish I'd paid more attention to it.