Pros
Resources for research, collaboration environment, most people are lovely
Kontras
As a PhD student you work more than full time hours but are marked as “20 hours/week,” and you don’t have access to HR when you have harassment and discrimination complaints against your seniors and bosses, or need workplace accommodations. There’s just a dense network of “support” offices that are accountable to the university administration but not to you. The university treats you like an undergrad student, while your bosses deny you educational and professional development opportunities in the name of “spending more time in the lab.” If you do what you’re told, you emerge as a highly trained technician with poor job prospects, trauma, and none of the project management, coaching, strategy and leadership skills you need to advance your field. If you want a real education you have to openly rebel.