Within every university there is a population that is often underrepresented in student affairs, far more likely to be at risk of mental illness than the general population and receive much less financial assistance to attain their education. The maltreated group being referenced is none other than graduate school students.
The graduate student population is one of the most tormented groups in academia, but so few actually realize the struggles that this group faces. A recent study reported by Nature revealed disturbing statistics about the graduate student population. The study showed that 39 percent of “graduate students scored in the moderate to severe depression range.” In contrast, only around six percent of the general population was measured to be in this area.
When evaluating the life of the average graduate student, it becomes abundantly clear why their mental health suffers at dramatically faster rates. Graduate students have some of the poorest work-life balances because of the demanding nature of graduate school. The phenomenon is amplified among STEM graduate students. At the University of California, Berkeley, nearly half of science and engineering Ph.D. students reported being depressed in 2015.
The antiquated pay structure for graduate students also contributes to their poor standard of living. At many institutions, the stipend which graduate students receive is lower than what the actual cost of living is for attending that institution. An article released in the Duke Chronicle reveals the $1,888 disparity between what grad students make and the estimated cost of living in Durham.
Here in Raleigh, the situation does not appear to be any better. The Student Services Center estimated that the annual expenses for full-time graduate students is $29,410 if they are residents of North Carolina. The average wage for graduate student workers employed by the university is $12. For students who work 40 hours a week this come out to be about $24,960 in a 52-week year.
NC State offers graduate students stipends as well through assistantships. Assistantships are essentially university-sponsored jobs given to graduate students that often provide a stipend, medical insurance and some form of a tuition benefit. These may come in the form of research assistantships or teaching assistantships. While assistantships are a step in the right direction, most of them do not pay well. For example, a teaching assistantship in the chemistry department will only bring $23,000 to a student.
Because of the lack of funding opportunities, many graduate students must worry about accruing massive levels of debt to further their education. According to U.S. News, around 25 percent of graduate students borrow $100,000 for their education.
Furthermore, the weight of the expectations put on graduate students further drives the strain on mental health faced by these students. Doctorate programs are perhaps the worst for the health of a student. Only about half of doctoral students finish their doctorate degree. An article in the Atlantic explained that the “culture of critique rather than support” warps graduate school into the abrasive environment that it is.
The role of principal investigators (PI) in graduate schools contribute to the mental health degradation of students as well. PIs are often thought to be research group leaders. They provide a degree of mentorship to graduate students assisting them in their research, but also holding them accountable to the program’s expectations. Sadly, this is often not the case in many graduate students’ stories.
The study in Nature highlighted the importance of PIs and the effects of not having a good PI. Of the students who scored in the medium-severe depression range, 50 percent of them disagreed that their PI had provided them with “real mentorship.” Forty-eight percent of students with anxiety and 47 percent with depression also disagreed that their PI positively impacted their emotional or mental well-being. These statistics illuminate the fact that many PIs are not just neglecting their role as a mentor, but are also actively damaging the mental health of students.
Graduate students are taking the initiative to change the current system. Many graduate student bodies are creating unions to improve their quality of living as they seek their education. But to wholly improve on the lives of these students, universities will need to change the culture of their graduate schools. A start would be to give graduate students the opportunity to pay off their expensive tuitions through university employment opportunities.
