In 2011, some colleagues and I wanted to see what factors might influence someone's choices for going back for a PhD. Our pilot study found some interesting results and you can read about them in our 2014 published study here . Among our findings, family and financial factors were major concerns. This is a pretty common concern among most women returning for graduate study, and increasingly for men. Let's take a look at common questions and concerns around family issues that come up among potential PhD applicants. Most responses are geared toward individuals returning for full time study and modified for part-time study as needed. These responses also apply to the US context. They may not be relevant outside the US. _______________________________________________________________________________ My family can't afford for me to quit my job for full time study. _____________________________________________________ Full time PhD study is at least a 4 year commitment ...