Since having a PhD is not a prerequisite for most jobs, it only makes sense if you are genuinely interested in science. The system is geared to support this.<p>Unfortunately, the system is also biased for the young and single and child-free. When I tried entering the PhD program, I was ready for significant income drop (I had been a successful software engineer for 10 years before). But I also had a 10-months daughter (she is almost 2 now). And this proved to be incompatible with the requirements of the job. I am not a father who neglects his family needs and focuses on the job. So I moved back to consulting, working from home most of the time.<p>I don&#x27;t see an adequate solution for this. Of course, young and single will be preferred to survive the grind, and forcing the employers to do otherwise is unfair to them. Perhaps there is something else I can do to make a difference.