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[quote=Anonymous]I worked 5 years after college having no idea what I wanted to do. After being repeatedly sexually harassed at work at my 2nd post-college job  (nothing physical, but vulgar comments, assumptions I would always get coffee and not ever asking male colleagues at same level etc) I wanted a quick out. I realized all the jobs I found appealing required a graduate degree. I  focused on public policy, took the GRE, was accepted with a full scholarship, and enrolled over the course of 8 months. It turns out I could have gone 4 months earlier (prior semester) but didn’t know my program considered applicants after the application date. Financially my career has been pretty good (about $95k 10 years later) and great work life balance. I also had 5 years early in life to build savings like 401 k. (First 2 years post college  my salary was about $30k. I lived with my parents, rode the bus to work, and saved every penny.)

My DH took one year between college and grad school to work a random job (admin unrelated to his field) and apply to schools. He spent a year in his masters / phD program before switching to a different lab. His advisor kind of drew things out and my DH kind of lost motivation. At any rate, it took him 10 years to earn his PhD in physics. (Our first DD was born a year before he finished.) He was earning $20k as a TA and had no benefits. I often think I “enabled” him by being married. (We met in college and married about 6 years into his program - around the time I finished grad school.) He then did a 1.5 year post doc (renewed 6 months at a time) and a 2 year position as a contractor (renewed 4 months at s time). We couldn’t sell my studio or buy a home when we didn’t know what was next. Our older DD slept in a corner of our “living room” until she was 3. About 3 years ago (14 years after college) he started a really awesome position. Salary is good ($200k or so), he’s happy, good benefits etc. We had a second daughter 2 years ago.

But, he strongly feels if he’d worked for awhile he would have had more direction and clarity and finished sooner. We put off growing our family while he tried to pursue higher ed. For pride and his happiness a PhD was the right course but I think it will be awhile before it was the right financial decision vs working post college.

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