Hey all,

Thanks a lot for your thoughtful replies! I know most plans do not work out, and all I can do is to do our best, and hope for the best. I think I will try to apply within both academia and industry, and see what turns out. Good luck to you on your studies and/or future job searches!

Dear all,
I am a 30 year old female PhD student, and I will graduate next year. My husband and I plan to have two children in the next 4-5 years. And I would like to take a leave for a year for each kid, which accumulates to 2 years.(For medical reasons, I don’t want to wait till late 30s to have children.)
My question is should I apply for academia? Is my plan compatible with academia? Can I have two kids before getting tenure, and taking one year off for each kid? In addition, I don't want a high stress job. I prefer something more like 9-5, and I can return to my family by the end of the day, with not much overtime. Is this realistic? I kind of think no, just want to see what people think here.

I am in science, so I can try go into industry. Thanks so much in advance for any advice you may give me!! And good luck to your PhDs.