Sometimes we may wonder if doing a PhD is an opportunity cost. While we spend 4 to 5 years pursuing science, our peers are already earning and have begun to move up the ladders. So to make the process meaningful and less of an opportunity cost, we must think beyond graduate studies and where we hope to see ourselves thereafter. We have to consider if graduate studies would give us a significant advantage in the career choice we have envisioned for ourselves or would learning on the job be better. We could also consider if opportunities to pursue further studies would come while beng on the job, and better still if our new employer may sponsor it.
All of this information would definitely help us in deciding on whether we should pursue graduate studies and if so, when would be the best time. Given that I always had an interest in research and teaching, pursuing graduate studies was the path that maximized my options in these areas. Perhaps at that point in time, if my interest was inclined towards administration, I may have started working first before pursuing a relevant graduate course to better support my choice of career. For now, no regrets!