Grad School. What an amazing opportunity! Congratulations! And good luck!!!

I left a high paying job I hated to go back to school and get my masters. I finished almost a year ago and am still looking for something in my field in the new area my husband and I moved to. It was scary as hell but I dont regret it one bit. I am working in my old field making decent money while still looking for my…

Obviously I do not know you, so please take my advice with a grain of salt. Also, I may not know what the hell I'm talking about in general but I am at least a current PhD student in the sciences at what most people would probably consider a "fantastic" university. Having said that, some of the reasons you are giving…

I think you can have it all - just not at the same time, maybe. I just left a job I really enjoyed (last day was Friday) with people I really loved working with, because I needed to grow and learn new things. I absolutely agonized over taking the new opportunity that fell in my lap, and received a lot of solicited…

Four years ago, I faced the same decision. I went to grad school because I didn't want to face the "what if" on my death bed. Whatever decision you'll make will be the right one. But given that you applied to grad school, I'm guessing that deep down, you've already made the decision.

Do the PhD. I'm 37, finishing undergrad now, and starting my MA in the fall, and yeah, the first year of no longer having the comparatively big income is full of all kinds of little culture shocks, but if what you're applying to is what you can see yourself doing in or out of academia for a good long while once you're…

Congratulations on the opportunity! I would ask yourself - Do you love your subject area enough that it will balance the loss of the things you enjoy? Any niggly doubt may eat away at you at 3am when you are marking papers/ working on a deadline. Also, you could spend some time at the university just soaking up the…

I think we might be in a similar position - I love my work, hate my boss, and the only way for me to move up career-wise is to get a PhD. I am currently working full time and also working on my PhD (using stocked up vacation time to take a day off a week to work on PhD). I wish I could quit and work on the PhD full…

Go for the PhD, if you can afford it (I mean, if you can live on that amount of money and not starve :)).

Yep. Went back at 35. It actually does take a little time to get used to the poor, and will feel awful for a while, but then you start getting your kicks out of how thrifty you are!

I just turned 45 and made the decision to switch careers. Like, something completely different, not even slightly related. I'm in school now and hope to be fully licensed in 2 years. Scary, but so glad I'm doing it!

Go with your heart. You will never regret taking a shot at your dream. You MAY, however, regret not taking it.

Go to grad school bruh! You've only got so much time on this planet; invest it in yourself! (Also, fully funded, woohoo - go you! ;) )

In a similar situation myself—-got a chance to accept a writing gig, but it pays half what I'm making in accounting and is a LOT more potentially unstable compared to a reliable 40.

Still going to take it, because here's how I see it—-if you could read your own obituary sent back in time from the day you died, would…

I'm a PhD student. When I graduate I will be at the top of my field. Great reputation, many publications, countless presentations. HOWEVER, my physical and emotional health has suffered. I spent two years in therapy, took anti-depressants for a year, almost failed out (or so I thought), and gained 40 pounds. It's…

I did the PhD thing in my thirties. Looking back, I should have just gotten an MA. PhDs are a dime a dozen now, it depends what kind of job your thinking of afterwards. For me, I had to leave it off of my resume entirely in order to get back to full-time employment.

I chose the latter one, except I didn't go into Academia. I just left an area to get away from the shit people surrounding me. But I left behind a big paycheck (for me, it was probably low for the area) and being able to buy and do whatever I wanted, to my current life, which I wouldn't give up for the former. …

If there's a good chance your PhD will lead to the job you eventually want, I say go for it. I just finished my master's, and while it the process sucked, I'm so glad I did it.

Everybody with a Ph.D. I've talked to has told me that it's an absolutely miserable experience, usually not worth it, and that I shouldn't get one . . . which kind of just makes me want to get one more. But Option 1 sounds pretty damn good to me. That's what I would pick.

go to grad school. It sucks, but it's worth it. Especially if you're getting paid to do it. Sincerely, MPH student only getting 50% of tuition covered by a crappy TA position.