<p>What happens to international graduate students who drop out of a PhD program (in the US) with a masters? Can I apply for a job? take up an OPT? etc. What are my chances in landing with a job. </p>
<p>I have accepted admission to a PhD program from a relatively top school but I am having second thoughts about my ability to finish a PhD. It's weird; My decision seemed so obvious when I was applying.</p>
<p>If anyone has done it before please discuss how things are with you right now.</p>
<p>Grad school can be a bit terrifying at the beginning, but once you get started you will figure out if you want to stay and for how long. Almost all PhD programs will give you the option to leave with your Master degree partway through. If you do decide not to continue, the International Students Office and your own department will be able to help you sort out the OPT business.</p>
<p>For more ideas, you may want to repost this in the International Students Forum or in the Grad School Forum. You can find both of those by going to the main page where all the forums are listed, and then scrolling down. Look for anything posted by b@r!um who is one of the experts here on OPT.</p>
<p>Wishing you all the best.</p>
<p>What sort of major are we talking about here, a PhD in science or something else?</p>
<p>In my experience, science majors who drop out of PhD programs and settle for masters have pretty much the same employment opportunities as people with bachelors - but maybe with a somewhat higher starting salary. In terms of advancing in a scientific career, a PhD provides a huge boost, a masters only a small boost, if that.</p>
<p>Now things are different for engineering majors. For a practicing engineers who is not aspiring to be a professor of Engineering, a PhD is not necessary. A masters will do just fine for your career.</p>
<p>Your ability to work in the US with either a masters or PhD will, of course, require that you have the proper work visa. Dropping out of a PhD program to get a job in the US may not be a successful strategy if you are here on a student visa.</p>