A professor weighs the appeal of academic careers, especially the schedule flexibility and summers off, against a much tougher job market than decades ago. He encourages anyone considering a doctorate to think hard about the competition.
Another benefit you can get is a career that you're looking for. You may want to become an academic. Getting the doctorate might be the path to get there, which gives you flexibility. Maybe summers free. I used to tell people every break that the undergraduates got, I got too. Now there was work to do, but you can have flexibility in your schedule and it can be very helpful for families in particular. I will say the job market is much more competitive than it was for academic jobs. Let's say 100 years ago, I got into the field. Drop the word "help" in the comments, and I'll send you the link to our free dissertation help community.
