Jump Ship?

[cherenkovshower]

Hi all,

I'm in a bit of a (seemingly) unique situation right now and hoping you all may be able to focus my confusions a bit!

This past semester, my spouse and I had our second child. Resultantly, I tanked in my courses hard and came out the other side with an overall 2.6 GPA, predominantly due to how much my attention had been divided. I still have two semesters left before I graduate, but that isn't enough to recoup the past, well two semesters really, of poor grades (2.95, 2.25). My major GPA is sitting right below a 3.0 and I still have 12 credit hours of major specific classes to take, not counting some research credits I hope to take. To note, I just finished my BS in Astronomy and am rounding out a few senior level BS physics courses I need to get that degree. On top of that, I have three years research experience in a particle astrophysics lab, where I have authored two papers, with the intent to author at least one more before I graduate next Spring.

Now that there is some context, my concern is being able to get into a master's program, let alone going straight for the PhD. My desire to to stay in HEP-ex, as I thoroughly enjoy my field, but the professor I work for suggested somberly that trying for a Master's at the university I'm currently at my be my only option from his eyes. I would love for my family and I to go practically anywhere else for graduate school, especially out of the states, but would love to hear what the community thinks!

Apologies for a long post, just hoping that context adds clarity!

-j