商学院PHD的出路， 请建议。

在这个坛子里潜水了一段时间了，吸收了大家的很多精华，现在请大家对我的情况做点建议。

我是2001年移民来加的，之前在中国有一个烂校的本科工程文凭再加一个so-so大学的管理硕士。来加之前我工作了八年，做的还是相对来说高层的财务管理工作。我来加以后在一个还是so-so大学修了会计硕士，然后进入四大工作。到现在四大换了两家，总共工作了三年多，该拿的证书也都拿了。在加拿大，我拿的证书还是很硬的，所以我的工作可以说是十分Secured的。估计照这么发展下去，再有一两年升manager, 再有两三年升senior manger, 挣个十多万，都是很确定的事。如果去industry, 情况也差不多类似。

可是我就是觉得生活得没劲。觉得找不到人生的方向。我很想再去念一个Business PHD。一方面，除了生存以外，我是哪种很理想主义的人，追求自身的提高。另一方面，我觉得我的性格很适合当老师和搞research. 很憧憬做老师这样一个职业。可是我又担心四五年以后的出路问题。
                一是等毕业的时候不一定能找到academic job. 即使是找到了，还得再苦熬六年的tenure, 而且太多uncertainty. 如果是PHD 出来再进
                firm and industry, 我不认为我的位置和起点会比留在四大高。为了理想要牺牲很多，时间，金钱和努力，大家觉得值得吗？

真的不知道商学院的PHD，
                除了当教师以外，出来都能做些什么工作？大家多给我提些思路。

另外，我今年35岁了，经济上压力不大，因为男朋友会支持。但是我也不是哪种可以靠人家养活的人。

非常谢谢你的意见。

PhD focuses on research but not teaching. If you want to be a teacher, you can teach in college schools (?!) in part-time. If you want to do research, how much do you know the life of researchers? The work of professors in universities is mainly for research. So......make sure that you like to do research before giving up your accounting career.

To my knowledge, most PhD students and professors do not like to teach because teaching cannot help their career. They like to spend more time on research.

Look before you leap!

If you came up with your idea as a spur-of-the-moment, I suppose you have good reasons to think twice.Firstly, the PhD journey is long and tedious and only very solid previous academic background and serious commitment can ensure your later success as a scholar.

Second, let's do the math.You're 35 now,and assume you apply and got accepted next year, then your academic career path would be:5 yrs PhD+6 yrs Ass Prof.+6 yrs tenure-track Prof = 17 yrs.You must make sure you'll have enough mental and physical energy in the following 20 years.

The life of a scholar/researcher is attractive, but obviously it's not an ideal option for every one.

如果是我应该不要读phd了。

lz权衡清楚啊

对啊 lz自己应该好好想想自己是不是喜欢做research嘛

做什么事情都是喜欢是第一位的，如果你不喜欢待在四大，想做学问，拿就跳出来吧

为了理想要牺牲很多，时间，金钱和努力，这值得么？

谁能告诉lz是值得还是不值得呢？：）犹豫太多是正常的，35岁已经是知道自己想要什么的年纪了吧。不要太瞻前顾后。如果决定去读phd了就不要想着将来万一做不了faculty的话可以做什么

谢谢大家的回复和建议。其实对于academic job的实质，我是比较了解的。我知道是以research为主的。我本人现在做的是税法，其实也是很多research和写的东西。我非常明白以上各位的concern.也知道这条路是很很长苦很难走的。不要说是PHD了，就是我在这边念的一个Matser, 都让我脱了一层皮。：）

可是一想到我终其一生就是做一个很好的税务会计，我也总觉得很不心甘。所以我为这个已经痛苦了很长一段时间了。男朋友说，只要你想做的，只要你能够快乐，我们都支持，可是我真的不知道做这样一个决定我会不会快乐。毕竟这是个very serious commitment.

另外，我不认为这个年龄会是个问题。只要我决定做了我不会觉得晚。已经经历过一次归零也有信心再重新开始。但是我担心我的精力，毕竟不得不承认人到中年了。

I think the support from your boyfriend is the most important! Age is not a problem. Some PhD students are even over 40. If you have enough motivation, it is time for you to check your ability. Which track of accounting will you concentrate?Economics or behaviors? Different universities have different emphases. If economics, strong mathmatics background is a must. So choose suitable universities for applications.

Accounting is the best concentration for academic job hunting in business school. Good luck.

To be frank, if I were you, I would get married and have two babies and live with my husband happily everafter.

That is only children's fairy tales