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[quote=Anonymous]As a woman, and daughter of a science Ph.D and a SAHM with a Master's, I always expected to go to grad school. But I decided to get an MBA.  Some reasons not to get a Ph.D:

1) Low pay for most of your 20s
2) Needing to stay tied to an institution for many years vs. easily changing jobs
3) I liked the idea of being a psychology or history professor - terrible job outlook for really great jobs at great schools
4) Didn't want the stress of either being assigned or having to come up with a thesis topic...I'm more of a long form article writer than a novelist, and I just like disciplines broadly, not specifically 
5) I saw enough of academia as a research assistant and I knew I wouldn't like departmental politics, publish or perish, etc.  I also was loosely aware that babies come at a poor time in an academic career.

I don't regret not getting a PhD. My MBA is lucrative although a more common degree.  My cousin has a science PhD and has remained a lecturer at her PhD institution for 15+ years because she chooses not to research and publish.  She is happy and has acceptable work life balance but I think she's being taken advantage of.  I think teaching is undervalued vs. being an original researcher.  I really don't agree that original researchers automatically add magical value to the undergrad experience.[/quote]

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