I started out college wanting to be a professor. That was fleeting, once I saw what my most respected professors and advisors were up against, grinding out pape

I started out college wanting to be a professor. That was fleeting, once I saw what my most respected professors and advisors were up against, grinding out papers, looking exhausted and subtly hinting that I should pursue anything but my initial goal. When I started college, for some reason, I also thought the most interesting work was being done in academia, without exception. Now, a few years out, it is clear that the most interesting work is done at a crossroads - between top CS and engineering universities and industry. I do think it is getting harder to resist the lure of industry (based on the experience of my friends with PhDs), mainly because of comparable pay and far fewer peripheral responsibilities like managing labs, advising students, etc.