1. Many reasons, but the biggest was an ex-colleague of mine. He's the closest thing I've ever met to a mad scientist, though the dude was incredibly kind. I've seen this guy tinker around in the lab on nights and weekends to create instruments that no one else had yet designed, only to have PhD's swoop in and slap their names on it. When he looked me in the eye and told me I'd never regret grad school, I listened.

2. Started this August, and I'm 28. No one else in my class had anything more than a summer between their undergraduate career and the start of their graduate school career, and that put me at a disadvantage, academically. On the other hand, they lack the experience of working in industry, and can't as easily pinpoint skills that will help them later in their careers. Most of them don't know exactly what their expertise will be.

3. Because you're passionate about your area of study. Because doing the easier things in life doesn't sharpen the mind. Because to some degree, you're a masochist.

4. I agree, the worst answer is probably "because you're supposed to". If you don't feel like you need to be there, for whatever reason, it's going to be almost impossible to push yourself through.

5. Originally, my plan was to roll into my new city and have a week or two to acclimate and tackle various errands. I waited too long to put in my two weeks notice, and found myself accidentally having my last day of work the day before grad school orientation. Things turned out just fine, perhaps because I carried the momentum from the crazy effort I was putting in with the job I just left. So I'm not sure there's a correct answer here, because a clinical doctor would probably recommend taking some time off to collect your thoughts.

6. Find a department with several faculty members doing groundbreaking research. Browse as many rankings of programs as you can. Analyze whether or not you think you'd be a good match with the culture of the area that the school resides in.

7. You shouldn't plan on working on anything but your studies. Apply for grants, scholarships, and the like, or take out loans, if you have to. If you can find a school willing to pay you for attending, well, that probably holds some sway in the decision-making process.

I've said it elsewhere, but a graduate school degree is, in large part, a pedigree. Sure, it's an incredibly formative experience that can redefine who you are, but so can a job with the right demands. Sometimes you just gotta play the game.