[mcrwfrd]

I completed a four-year honours level program at a research university. Math has always been one of my biggest passions, but I wanted some real world work experience before heading into grad school.

Fast-forward four years: I now work in software and, as others have said, I have tried and failed to find anyone who cares that I have studied high-level pure math/theoretical physics. So if I ever want back, it would be purely out of passion, not for any professional gains.

I have considered going back just to fulfill the passion side, but right now that passion does not outweigh the burden of potentially going without an income and paying out of savings to support myself and my family while I get a graduate degree, and I doubt that it ever will. I've done a lot of work to make peace with this fact of life. I have a lot of other passions, and I focus on those instead.

[markus_zhang]

Yeah I can definitely understand that other aspects of life takes priority. Would you consider independent study? Many universities offer such option, which saves money because students don't have to register courses they don't enjoy.