Hi! I have an opportunity to start a PhD with a professor of who I believe I would work well with to pursue my research interests in environmental sciences. My question is should I leave my permanent well-paid position to do so? I am also 44 years of age and working in the field I wish to be in. I have permission to leave my position for close to three years and presumably will return to it but will still have 1-3 years of a PhD left to finish. My reasons for doing a PhD are varied and in no particular order... I've reached a peak in my learning curve with work and I am not looking forward to more of the same same at work...I need a new challenge... I love research (field work, research design, spatial modelling) but writing not so much - this is something I want to overcome....I am really excited to live in a new city for a short while and be able to return to my hometown to finish my PhD (I have permission to finish on a satellite campus in my hometown)....
I will not receive a pay raise at work when I am done but other jobs might be open to me, I may not want to return to my job after a PhD but that is my safety net if things don't work out. My main concern is financial as my pay will be 1/3 to 1/2 of my current salary (I have a good job at the top of my potential earnings in my field). My financial obligations are minimal (no dependents) just a mortgage. I feel that it is now or never in terms of timing to do a PhD - I am no longer "young" and I might regret it if I don't at least try. I should add that I have 8 months of savings for a PhD to keep me at my acustomed living expenses before I have a big dip in finances.... money and time that I could use for travel which is my other option. I just feel after 8 months of travel I am back at my job that I am not that happy with and no more opportunity to pursue my research interests.

I live in the best small city and do not wish to relocate just for a career - just trying to make the best of what options I have.

Have any of you been in my shoes before? I assume from this forum you all went on to graduate school! Was it the right choice for you?

I was advised not to leave my job to do a PhD as there is no guarantee of a job at the end of it - or even any guarantee of getting project approval, just because you have a place. I was told the first year is very provisional. However, as my job was at risk and I wasn't happy there I decided to leave anyway.

I don't regret it, but things are tight financially. Perhaps if you can hang onto your job for your first year as a safety net until you are approved?

Do the PhD. Seems like a fantastic opportunity to me, with no risk at the end of it as you can return to your job if you need to.

After my masters I took a well paid job for 5 years before quitting to start a PhD. It hasn't always been an easy ride (4th year unfunded, difficult to find a job after) but I've never regretted it and now I'm in an academic job so things couldn't have worked out better for me. Staying in my previous job would have meant years of stress only to then be made redundant so this was definitely the right decision for me.

Do make sure you know what you're letting yourself in for with a PhD though - relearning the basics and being subordinate to your supervisor can be particularly challenging.