system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
"Apply for a PhD, but when you get the Masters, drop out and voila! You just got a free Masters degree!"

This was told to me by one of my professors. The professor claims a few students have done this and is recommending it to anyone thinking about a Masters. 

Ethics aside, is this even possible?
gpt
Definitely possible, but the mentality is all wrong. Dropping out of a PhD and taking a Master's degree is an option designed for PhD students who find that the PhD is not for them, but completed enough courses and research to still be worthy of a Master's degree. It's a bit of a consolation prize for trying out the PhD but deciding against it, or not passing quals in some cases. 

It will be generally harder than a regular Master's to do things this way, since you will have to get into a selective PhD program, perform PhD research with your advisor, probably TA some courses, and still write up a Master's thesis. A lot of schools are also beginning to implement yearly minimums on when you can drop out of a PhD and still get a Master's to discourage that exact problem, typically 3-4 years in. As a lot of people mentioned, you may also end up burning bridges, losing out on good recommendations from faculty, and it may reflect poorly, or be a red flag, on your CV.