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Right now, I have three society characters that will be going for PrC's. My Rogue Investigor is becoming a Sleepless Detective, I have a Transmuter Wizard who will multiclass until he can go into Arcane Archer. My Efrit sorcerer dipped into Cavalier and will become a Eldritch Knight next level (8th).
For the most part, however, the entry point in a PrC at around 6th to 11th level makes it so that most of the time, it isn't worth getting it.
A properly designed prestige class can reflect these changes by a)using pre-reqs to limit when they can be taken, so that b) they can provide useful abilities of a character of that level.
From the PRD:
Prestige classes allow characters to become truly exceptional, gaining powers beyond the ken of their peers.From 3.5's DMG2 p203:
These special roles offer abilities and powers otherwise inaccessible to PCs and focus them in specific, interesting directions.
and later on the next page:
PRESTIGE CLASS OR STANDARD CLASS?
Ideally, the choice of gaining a level in the character's primary class (or only class, if not multiclassing) or taking a prestige class should be a tough decision. A prestige class might allow access to new skills or spells, but can be more restrictive than the standard class. Perhaps it has a slower attack progression or less desirable saves. If a player has a tough time deciding whether her character should take another level of rogue from the Player's handbook or should start taking levels of your prestige class, you've probably balanced your prestige class correctly.
3.5 expressly indicates the prestige class should be nearly equal in worth, and that it should be giving new stuff at the price of a more narrow focus for the character. PF indicate the prestige class should make you exceptional, yet they fail.
I have no problems with the pre-reqs, just with the lack of goodies to balance what you loose out on the base class(es).
/cevah