LOL. I think it depends. I like to define grad school the following way:Riggerjack wrote:Paul has written several times of how grad school is an ideal life, if it weren't for the dissertation.
Year 1) Confusion/Clueless.
Year 2) Desperation/Despair.
Year 3) Hope/Potential.
Year 4) Productivity.
I've known talented individuals, as judged by their ability to get perfect grades in undergrad, who didn't make it through the second year because they lacked "frustration tolerance". Year four is definitely the best year!(*) of grad school. Year five (to nine )is post doc at which point you're getting into sales, that is, selling some proposition that's only really interesting to five other people in the world. I failed at that because due to the Peter Principle.
(*) This is why the best approach is to get your PhD and then leave for industry. See Disciplined Minds.