Pros and Cons of an Academic Life

 (For academic scholars only not for academic administrators)

·         To achieve success is difficult in any field but the academic lane has some special advantages

·         It is a life of your mind only

·         You do not need people skill as a necessary condition for success even though honesty and integrity still count

·         Flexible lives with all summer off and sabbaticals

·         Pay is adequate and can lead to comfortable retirement with careful planning though you won’t be a billionaire

·         Joy of discovery and plenty of freedom

·         Interacting with interesting people and cut across different social strata

·         Have control of 80% of your own life and less dependent on others

·         There are less risks of all kind

·         You are your own boss

1.      You can not be a billionaire via an academic career

2.      You need to manage your finance carefully to achieve a comfortable retirement

3.      You still need to work and compete hard if you want to reach the top instead of just a mediocre existence.

4.      There are no short cuts to success

Readers: The above are my own experiences of close to 70 years. Suggest additional advantages and disadvantages!