I have to go to academia and I hate it (advice needed)

[difjdof]

Hello, everyone. I'm a long time lurker and happy to be here

 

Before anything, I just want to point out that I'm not a troll so please don't treat me like one

 

I'm an undergrad (finished my studies last year) in a third world country. last year I applied to most high ranking universities (for masters) just to check the waters and got into almost all of them. (think mit, Vanderbilt, Princeton, LSE, etc...) So I believe I have what it takes to (at least academically) to get into high finance.

But I don't have the money to pay for this programs, this means I have to go to a university that will give me the full ride, in my case, it would be Bocconi, Toulouse, Tilburg, etc... (all three even gave me a half TA position) essentially the best programs mainland Europe has to offer. Problem is that (and all these schools have made it perfectly clear) my chances of getting a job are minuscule since I'm not an EU citizen and even If I get a job in London, which is very unlikely I simply will not be able to work in the US which is where I want to end up. most of the admission team and professors in these programs have advised me to get a Ph.D. after my masters and go into academia since I apparently have the skill set needed. from the looks of it, there is a very good chance for me to get into top 20-30 finance program or even top 10 economics if I go to Bocconi's ESS.

I even got admitted to BYU's MAcc which essentially means I can easily attend a top 10 Ph.D. program in accounting and get a $225,000+2/9 job as an AP.

Problem is that I HATE academia. I hate everything about it. the teaching, the administrative work, lack of work structure, the laid back culture (compare to IB), the useless research. I hate all of it. I even don't really want to get my masters. I just want to start working and I certainly have enough in my arsenal to put my foot in the door. ( I know Python and R, I've passed all the CFA exams and the first 11 levels of ACCA, I know how to make financial models by the hearth, etc...) but because of my damn Visa situation, I have to get my Ph.D.

Yeah, I know there are lots of people who'd kill to be in my shoes, get to study for free in some of the best economics departments in Europe, with free housing and even a EU18,000 yearly salary for 18-20 hours of work per week while getting all that resume boosting experince? forget about it. but the truth of the matter is I don't think me wanting to go into industry and admittedly being ungrateful about the opportunity has anything to do with it. Just because someone wants it doesn't mean I should want it too.

I.DON'T.WANT.TO.WORK.IN.ACADEMIA

But I have no choice.

I'm extremely disappointed and discouraged, and I really need some advice. what should I do? should I just give up and go to a Ph.D. feeder masters program or should I go to one that's concentrated on industry and just hope to get a job offer? what would you do if you were in my shoes?

thank you for reading

any and all advice is extremely welcome.

**TL.DR: I have no chance of working in the industry and a good chance of getting a good position in academia but I have the academia and I'm looking for advice.