<p>And another excellent post by StrangeLight.</p>
<p>The only thing I would add is to breathfire: </p>
<p>If you are having difficulty justifying being away from your family for graduate school, you really need to be aware that in academia, the odds are extremely, extremely slim that your eventual place of employment will be even in the general region of your family’s home. If you are unable to break those family ties in order for you to attend the most appropriate doctoral program for you, then your career is already at a dead halt before it begins.</p>