Thread by @DrCraigMc

1/ Can you afford to be a marine scientist? A thread on the costs and inaccessibility in science.

2/ Could you afford to go to that "right" school on the "right side of town", the private school, the speciality school, or the magnet school?

3/ "There are clear advantages to attending a top-tier high school as is evidenced in a study of college admissions data..."

4/ "...in Harvard’s Class of 2017, 6% of admitted students came from only 10 high schools. 11% of high schools with students admitted to Harvard sent 36% of students, while 74% of schools sent only one student." chicagotribune.com/topic/sports/c…

5/ For Christmas, your birthday, or because, did you get your own computer?

6/ "In every country, students reporting “rare” or “no use” of computers at home score lower than their counterparts who report frequent use…gains in educational performance are correlated with the frequency of computer use at home." oecd.org/education/scho…

7/ Could you afford for to participate in all those afterschool STEM activities with their fees and expenses?

8/ "Afterschool programs can have an impact on academic achievement. Improved test scores are reported in evaluations of The After-School Corporation (TASC) programs in New York City and in Foundations, Inc. elementary school programs..."

9/ "...A more recent longitudinal study showed significant gains in math test scores for elementary and middle-school students who participated in high-quality afterschool programs." sedl.org/pubs/sedl-lett…

10/n "Those who are admitted to UC are likely to participate in more precollege activities. The study also shows that there is a positive correlation between student precollege participation in these activities and their college experience, academic and civic engagement…"

11/n “...The results also reveal that the participation in extracurricular activities and volunteer and community services is a significant predictor on first-year GPA and persistence…"

12/n "The more activities students participate in, the higher their first-year GPA is and the more likely they persist with their current college programs.” cshe.berkeley.edu/publications/e…

13/n "However, we found that a substantial portion of students, particularly those in lower-income groups, are not fully engaged in a well-rounded school experience that includes activities — and too often, it’s because of cost.” healthblog.uofmhealth.org/childrens-heal…

14/n Could you afford to go that cool summer camp?

15/n "Steven Infanti, associate vice president for admissions at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, said a STEM camp experience is something that makes him take a closer look at a student’s application…"

16/n "“When I look at an applicant who has a 2.5 [GPA], which would be kind of a borderline admit for us, but I see on his application, I participate in this camp…that shows a lot of initiative and someone who has a passion,” he said.” cnbc.com/2014/04/25/sum…

17/n Did you get to travel to the ocean on vacation? Could you afford to travel abroad?

18/n “study abroad programs, and even international vacations, are fantastic opportunities for cross-cultural understanding, learning, and personal growth. For that reason, they can certainly be helpful experiences to draw on when applying for colleges.” asuprepdigital.org/can-summer-tri…

19/n Did you learn to scuba dive?

Being a scuba certified is not at all recquired for being a marine biologist. Although I do scuba dive and am a divemaster, I rarely if ever use it for my research. However, many “career advice” websites online definitely recommend it.

21/n "There are no certification requirements for marine biology. However, because diving is a large part of marine biology, many schools recommend that students become open water certified and take a course in scientific diving.” careertrend.com/certifications…

22/n Did you get to participate in all kinds of wonderful experiences because you had free time? Were you blessed and did not have to work a full- or part-time job?

23/n "Data was collected from a very large sample of students when they were in 8th, 10th and 12th grades, and again two years after they graduated. The researchers compared groups by controlling for economic background, ethnicity, gender, and prior educational experiences."

24/n "They measured outcomes including standardized test scores, school grades, courses taken, attendance, staying out of trouble, educational and occupational aspirations, post-secondary employment and college enrollment."

25/n "results showed a pattern of negative effects for students who worked during high school. In particular, working in the final year of high school had a significantly negative effect. These negative effects occurred even from working a small number of hours per week"

26/n "… working during high school undermines students’ commitment to and identification with school and subverts traditional academic goals” ernweb.com/educational-re…

27/n Could you even afford to stay in high school?

28/n " a third of the 563,000 teenage dropouts left school to work. These 16- to 18-year-olds were disproportionately male and Hispanic... Roughly 75% of them are native-born Americans” washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2…

29/n Could you afford to go to the best college and university?

30/n "Of the 113 Supreme Court Justices, 40% of them attended an Ivy League university. Currently, all of the nine Justices went to an Ivy League. In CNN’s top 100 startups list, 34 of the CEOs went to Harvard"

31/n "…at the very least you’ll receive on average $19,200 USD more than the standard US college graduate [by attending an Ivy Leage University]” crimsoneducation.org/sg/blog/

32/n "Even when there isn’t a policy of exclusion, students at elite universities join networks of professors and alumni whose members offer each other information, support, and advice that isn’t available to outsiders.” mindingthecampus.org/2015/02/22/wha…

33/n "In a corporate environment that still largely favors white men, an Ivy League college degree opens doors that would otherwise remain closed for most."

34/n " In recent years, I’ve interviewed successful [minorities] in a variety of industries…Ivy League education afforded them pivotal opportunities for their careers today...the Ivy “stamp of approval” became the first in a long list of achievements.” forbes.com/sites/ruchikat…

35/n "Tech founders with Ivy League degrees also tended to start companies that produced higher revenue and employed more workers than the average, the report added.” cnbc.com/id/49465579

36/n And while Princeton and some other Ivy League schools have generous financial aid programs, this is not the case among all universities. It is near impossible to get an accurate view of what a typical amount of loans a student is burdened with after four years.

37/n Take Duke University, several reports suggest the average student loan debt is $25,000. However, take note of the term average. collegefactual.com/colleges/duke-…

38/n Only 37% of the student body is receiving Federal Student Loans. This begs the question, how is this average actually calculated? collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?198419…

39/n Just keep in mind that low-income students cannot afford 95% of colleges.nasfaa.org/news-item/1162…

40/n Did they tell you that they would meet 100% of your financial aid only for you to realize that meant pile you up with school loans and work study?

Yeah me too.

41/n Could you afford to leave your home and not financially help your elderly, sick, or young family members while you pursue your dreams? Could you afford not financially support your spouse and children?

42/n "Roughly half of independent college students, or 4.8 million students, are parents of dependent children. 7/10 student parents are women, with women of color in college are especially likely to be student parents."

43/n "Twice as likely to be living in poverty: 42% of independent students live at or below the federal poverty line, compared with 17% of dependent students. In fact, nearly 2/3 college students living in poverty (72%) are independent.” iwpr.org/independent-st…

44/n Could you afford to move to college? What about all those hidden fees and costs? Parking? Transportation?

45/n "Almost 74% said extra activities like study abroad programs and unpaid internships are important to reaching professional goals. But the same percentage (74%) had to turn down such activities due to a lack of money."

46/n "Expenses beyond tuition were higher than they thought, too. The top 5 expenses students said were “much more than expected” include: Textbooks: 63% Housing: 56% Food: 46% Exam prep classes: 45% Moving: 41%” prnewswire.com/news-releases/…

47/n Could you afford your books?

48/n "the average cost of college textbooks has risen 4 times faster than the rate of inflation over the past 10 years. That has caused 65% of students to skip buying required texts at some point in their college career because of a lack of affordability.” cbsnews.com/news/whats-beh…

49/n Could you afford a computer in college?

50/n "The problem with not having a laptop comes with online assignments. It may be even more for me as a cs major, but even in gen ed courses we often had to submit assignments online or do readings online which is easier with a laptop."

51/n "You can survive without one as you can use the library computers at your college or if you have a desktop you can do all your online things there- but it would be easier to just whip out your laptop wherever you are to work on assignment.” reddit.com/r/college/comm…

52/n Could you afford the time for extracurricular activities, lectures, clubs, student events? Did you need to work a full- or part-time job while attending college?

53/n "More than two-thirds of independent students work on top of going to school, and the majority work at least 20 hours per week…39 percent of dependent students work at least 20 hours per week)” iwpr.org/independent-st…

54/n Did you not participate in that marine biology volunteer opportunity because you needed to work?

55/n "Volunteer research that prevents a student from making money. Remember that most financial aid packages REQUIRE a student to make a certain amount of money over the summer."

56/n “If they aren’t getting paid to do research, then they are either adding to their debt or working two jobs, neither of which is setting them up for scientific success.” deepseanews.com/2013/01/a-fiel…

57/n Did you not do that great educational experience at sea because you could not afford the hefty fees?

58/n While again I don’t agree, the Semester at Sea Program is often promoted for the aspiring marine biologist. That is at least $25,074.

59/n Keep in mind that both the University of Pittsburg and Virginia pulled out of the program for “safety concerns and complaints that its suggestions for program improvement were being ignored."

60/n Did you not take those field summer courses because you couldn’t afford it? Did you not participate in a summer research opportunity because you could not afford to not work for a summer?

61/n I am obviously biased serving as the Executive Director of a marine laboratory. As an undergraduate, I took summer marine biology courses for credit…at the marine lab I currently serve as the director.

62/n These courses were invaluable for round out my education and kick-starting my career in marine science by offering experiential learning. Likewise, a paid Research Experience for Undergraduate one summer launched my career in deep-sea biology. These experiences are vital.

63/n “[student] participation in research is a more effective way to socialize novices into the scientific research community by helping them to develop the mastery, knowledge, skills, and behaviors necessary to become a scientist” tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.108…

64/n Did you purchase all those extra study guides for the GRE? Did you take the GRE training course? Could you afford to take the GRE multiple times? Could you afford to send it to numerous graduate program?

65/n You can read all about my views on the GRE here. deepseanews.com/2018/11/lets-k…

66/n Did you apply to multiple graduate programs and pay all those additional application fees? Did you pay to travel to the visit those prospective graduate schools?

67/n Given that most acceptance rates are less than 20%, applying to several programs is advised. The application fees typically range from $50 to $100 per graduate program.

68/n If you don’t think all of this matters, consider that..

The percentage of students enrolling in graduate school increases with family income.

urban.org/sites/default/…

68/n "Among dependent 2007–08 four-year college graduates, 39 percent of those from families in the lowest income quartile, 42% from middle-income families, and 45% from the highest income quartile had enrolled in graduate school within four years of college graduation.”

69/n now for graduate school, assuming you’ve made it this far

70n/ Did you have enough money to take a gap year and travel abroad to visit the oceans you want to study?

71/ In my experience, students that have traveled more extensively and have more life experiences fair better in graduate school. No hard data here merely anecdotal but worth considering nonetheless.

72/n Could you afford to move to graduate school?

73/n Moving from Arkansas to Boston was more costly than I anticipated. Gas, U-Haul trailer, food, and one night in a very cheap hotel all added up. I couldn’t afford any of this and charged it all to my credit card.

74/n Did you buy all those books your advisor recommend you have and read? What about the ones you will need for your research and courses?

75/n Several books a scientist needs on a regular basis, more often than would be practical to obtain from a library. These highly specialized books may not even be in library. And because these are specialized and low print run volumes, the prices can be astronomical.

76/n Can you afford the computer and software you needed for your research?

77/n That cheap, outdated, and slow laptop leftover from college is going to need a major upgrade. Time for a new computer because science is becoming more and more computational and data driven. But thank god for R package.

78/n "Computation has been an important part of science for more than half a century, and the data explosion is making it even more central.” theconversation.com/why-data-drive…

79/n Could you afford to travel to that conference or collaborators when you grant, or travel awards weren’t available?

80/n If your advisor has grant money to cover your travel or you are lucky enough to obtain a travel grant or award you are set. However, if not then you will need to find a creative way to pay for it on your own.

81/n These professional conferences are tremendous benefits to your career and you cannot afford to miss the opportunity to network and hear about the latest advances in the field.

82/n "Nearly all (91%) gained new contacts that improved their research, in-the-field conservation, science communication, and/or conservation policy making. Two thirds (64%) gained ideas, contacts, and/or lessons could lead to publication"

83/n "Over a third (39%) gained new ideas, contacts and/or lessons that led to grant proposals, and 36% gained contacts that led to funding."

84/n "A conference... can be an important venue for brainstorming, networking and making vital connections that can lead to new initiatives, papers and funding...This is why conferences matter.” frontiersin.org/articles/10.33…

85/n Can you afford to live on an income of $10-25k per year? Could you afford not to support your family while you pursue your career? Does your partner have a stable and high paying job?

86/n FYI current poverty levels are (person in household)

1$12,880
2$17,420
3$21,960
4$26,500

aspe.hhs.gov/poverty-guidel…

87/n The average graduate stipend in science is $20,000-$30,000 per year. This puts any graduate student with a family below or near the poverty level and nowhere near the middle class. sciencemag.org/careers/2017/1…

88/n Can you afford your own health insurance?

89/n Most universities do not offer health insurance to graduate students. Current cheapest plans with high deductibles, i.e. do not ever, ever need any medical assistance, will average $440 per month.

90/n Can you afford that scuba or field gear you will need for your research?

91/n Some gear, e.g. wetsuit, hiking boots, backpacks, binoculars, is considered personal and will not be covered by a grant or your advisor. There may not even be funds currently available to purchase these things.

92/n Can you afford to be social over drinks and food with other scientists you need to network with?

93/n Networking is a must and nobody in science seems to give a damn if you cannot pay. You can try to drink cheaply but at some point, that restaurant or bar bill is going to be out of your control.

94/n BTW If you are faculty member you should really be following the pay down rule; the faculty member should always pay for the food and drinks of the all the students.

95/n Can you afford to wait a long time to be reimbursed for expenses from your university?

96/n The major invisible difficulty that I’ve observed has been the reimbursement process.

97/n It’s common practice for people to spend their own money on scientific supplies and then apply for reimbursement from their grant, actually receiving the money 3-8 weeks later. For people without substantial cash flow, this can lead to credit card debt and future problems.

98/n now the postdoctoral and faculty years...

99/n Can you afford that new set of clothes to interview in?

100/n "Because interviewers — yes, even a committee of curmudgeonly old tenured faculty members...— are going to make judgments about you, fair or not, based on how you present yourself. And what you wear is part of your overall presentation.” chronicle.com/article/how-to…

101/n Can you afford to be social over drinks and food with other scientists you need to network with? Do you have the funds to take care of the people in your lab group? (see my previous tweet about paying downward)

102/n Did you just realize you are 35-40 and haven’t paid off your school loans and just started to contribute to retirement?

103/n A scientist doesn’t start thinking or paying into retirement plans until that first faculty position is landed. With the current track record of 5-6 years of postdoctoral until landing a permanent position could mean being 40 before landing that first faculty job.

104/n To afford a comfortable retirement, a 40-year-old couple with household income of$100,000 should have amassed savings of 2.6 times salary, or $260,000, according to research by J.P. Morgan. time.com/money/collecti…

105/n Can you afford for your partner not work or do they have a mobile job?

Yeah with all that moving around for graduate school, postdocs, and faculty positions good luck to your partner trying to find a meaningful career.

106/n Can you afford to wait a long time to be reimbursed for expenses from your university?

See previous tweets.

107/n Can you personally afford to float your research and travel needs between grants?

It happens and it sucks. Are you just going to stop doing research? Not go to conferences?

108/n Do you have the funds to pay for society memberships?

A lot of grants will not pay for society memberships. So there is that.

109/n So this all leaves us needing a lot of money to get from Point A to Marine Biologist. Conservatively, I estimate that cost, to ensure the greatest amount of success, to make it to Associate Professor, to be

$591,395

110/n Granted you could choose not to do some of these things, I didn’t do many of the things listed above as undergraduate or high school student and here I am.

111/n But it was a tremendous amount of struggle and sacrifice for me being from a lower socioeconomic group. If you poor and then non-white and non-male on top of that, the disadvantage is even greater, the proverbial one-two punch.

112/n But let this sink in for a moment.
Nothing above is out of the recommended, ordinary, or expected.
We have created a system that to succeed it costs
half a million dollars.

113/n This is not the kind of science I want. The beauty of being a marine biologist and scientist should not be for only those privileged enough afford the price.

114/ If you would like to see how I how I arrived at the half million dollar estimate see bottom of this post deepseanews.com/2018/12/can-yo…