Grad/Professional School

[AKA_Monet]

Unfortunately we still live a world that severely wants to restrict access to higher degree education... So I am basing what I am going to say about my close to 10 years of hell in grad school. Although, grateful for the final outcome--my Ph.D. in molecular genetics, I want those who wish to pursue a higher degree to know how to take the glaze out of their eyes much like I had to do...

It's about sacrifice. How much are you willing to give up. If you are 20-something, you may think this could be the best thing to do. Well it is true for some fields, such as medicine, science and law. But not for all fields. Are you willing to give up all your 20's for a piece a paper?

Well, if you are, the risks are great but the benefits are plenty!

If you are 20-something--you will watch your fellow school friends obtain wealths of cash, houses and cars. Your folks--no matter how supportive they are--will wonder why you are behind. They might not say it, but you will feel it and they will never admit it.

Your fellow girlfriends will get married to the "ultimate" husband and have tons of children. And you will begin to wonder about the meaning of life during grad school. Why the hell would you want to do this...

It is at this point when you have to go back are remember what most of us are telling you now... Once your in--you don't give up... But if you have any reservations before you are in--wait! And work awhile...

Think of it this way, most employers want responsible employees. Typically, that means folks who have mortgages to pay and some vested interest in the field... What that means is that you will not be a "super" accomplisher until your late 20's or early 30's anyway. So in the meantime, for your ultimate goal of what you want to become, do you see the folks who are doing what you want to do with higher degrees? If so, I'd say, go for it. If not, rethink about what it is you wish to seek...

No matter how hard grad school can become, once your in it, you must not give up. Get the poem "Don't Quit" and follow it each difficult day you will have while in grad school.

And hey, you aren't the first person to say they are sick of school--no more school... But also do not live with the regret of why not...

So in some ways it is a catch-22...

Pray and seek God's counsel...

[Kali-n-Kohl]

Originally Posted by AKA_Monet

Unfortunately we still live a world that severely wants to restrict access to higher degree education... So I am basing what I am going to say about my close to 10 years of hell in grad school. Although, grateful for the final outcome--my Ph.D. in molecular genetics, I want those who wish to pursue a higher degree to know how to take the glaze out of their eyes much like I had to do...

It's about sacrifice. How much are you willing to give up. If you are 20-something, you may think this could be the best thing to do. Well it is true for some fields, such as medicine, science and law. But not for all fields. Are you willing to give up all your 20's for a piece a paper?

Well, if you are, the risks are great but the benefits are plenty!

If you are 20-something--you will watch your fellow school friends obtain wealths of cash, houses and cars. Your folks--no matter how supportive they are--will wonder why you are behind. They might not say it, but you will feel it and they will never admit it.

Your fellow girlfriends will get married to the "ultimate" husband and have tons of children. And you will begin to wonder about the meaning of life during grad school. Why the hell would you want to do this...

It is at this point when you have to go back are remember what most of us are telling you now... Once your in--you don't give up... But if you have any reservations before you are in--wait! And work awhile...

Think of it this way, most employers want responsible employees. Typically, that means folks who have mortgages to pay and some vested interest in the field... What that means is that you will not be a "super" accomplisher until your late 20's or early 30's anyway. So in the meantime, for your ultimate goal of what you want to become, do you see the folks who are doing what you want to do with higher degrees? If so, I'd say, go for it. If not, rethink about what it is you wish to seek...

No matter how hard grad school can become, once your in it, you must not give up. Get the poem "Don't Quit" and follow it each difficult day you will have while in grad school.

And hey, you aren't the first person to say they are sick of school--no more school... But also do not live with the regret of why not...

So in some ways it is a catch-22...

Pray and seek God's counsel...

you just summed up all my feelings. i'm in an MSW program right now with plans to go on for a phd upon completion i can't belive how well you got my feelings out.
thanks and sorry to crash your thread

[PhDiva]

Heed the words of AKA_Monet. Graduate school is about endurance so you have to have a strong mental and spiritual constitution to navigate through the bureaucracy, politics and lack of "life" outside of school.

While I think my research is important, I am also aware that the Ph.D. gives me a social and cultural capital to open doors that would have been closed to me as a Black woman. Make sure you have a clear idea why you are putting yourself through this process. I wanted to teach young adults and especially challenge young Black women to look beyond media representations that teaches us to look beyond ourselves for validation. A PhD gives me a captive audience and a credibility that having years of teaching experience did not. With only 2% of the US population holding a Ph.D., people are more willing to listen to what I have to say than treating my experience as an valid source of knowledge. As much as I disagree with this idea, I have to be pragmatic. If I want to reach more black girls that enter into the academy, I need the Ph.D. Keep the reason for this sacrafice at the forefront of your mind because it's easy to lose focus when you get bogged down in reading journal articles, writing countless papers and spending several hours in the library.

Here's some questions to ponder (sorry if some of this is a repeat)

Ask yourself, am I willing to find ways to keep me motivated when the "grind" gets to be too much?

Am I willing to delay gratification while friends are getting married, having children and moving on with their lives?

Am I able to take constructive (and not so constructive) feedback from advisors and committee members without losing my cool?

Do I have confidence in my writing and speaking abilities?

Will I be able to make a return on my financial and mental/spiritual investment? Esp. if you end up in the professoriate, you won't make the money you really should but having flexibility and autonomy often makeup for not making as much money (I teach 3 days a week; get May-Aug and January off which balances out not making alot of money).

Do I know how to negoitate with a variety of personality types to construct a committee that will facilitate my graduation?

Am I a procrastinator and how can I change that to make myself self-motivated and organized?

A good resource for prospective and current grad students is www.phinished.org. It's a site for MA and Ph.D. students needing support to get through their theses and dissertation. Check out their archive about setting writing and working goals and read through some of the folks trials and triumphs. This site helped me to stop "polishing a turd" which was chapter 4 of my dissertation.

May the Force Be with You,
PhDiva

[jubilance1922]

Originally Posted by PhDiva

Heed the words of AKA_Monet. Graduate school is about endurance so you have to have a strong mental and spiritual constitution to navigate through the bureaucracy, politics and lack of "life" outside of school.

While I think my research is important, I am also aware that the Ph.D. gives me a social and cultural capital to open doors that would have been closed to me as a Black woman. Make sure you have a clear idea why you are putting yourself through this process. I wanted to teach young adults and especially challenge young Black women to look beyond media representations that teaches us to look beyond ourselves for validation. A PhD gives me a captive audience and a credibility that having years of teaching experience did not. With only 2% of the US population holding a Ph.D., people are more willing to listen to what I have to say than treating my experience as an valid source of knowledge. As much as I disagree with this idea, I have to be pragmatic. If I want to reach more black girls that enter into the academy, I need the Ph.D. Keep the reason for this sacrafice at the forefront of your mind because it's easy to lose focus when you get bogged down in reading journal articles, writing countless papers and spending several hours in the library.

Here's some questions to ponder (sorry if some of this is a repeat)

Ask yourself, am I willing to find ways to keep me motivated when the "grind" gets to be too much?

Am I willing to delay gratification while friends are getting married, having children and moving on with their lives?

Am I able to take constructive (and not so constructive) feedback from advisors and committee members without losing my cool?

Do I have confidence in my writing and speaking abilities?

Will I be able to make a return on my financial and mental/spiritual investment? Esp. if you end up in the professoriate, you won't make the money you really should but having flexibility and autonomy often makeup for not making as much money (I teach 3 days a week; get May-Aug and January off which balances out not making alot of money).

Do I know how to negoitate with a variety of personality types to construct a committee that will facilitate my graduation?

Am I a procrastinator and how can I change that to make myself self-motivated and organized?

A good resource for prospective and current grad students is www.phinished.org. It's a site for MA and Ph.D. students needing support to get through their theses and dissertation. Check out their archive about setting writing and working goals and read through some of the folks trials and triumphs. This site helped me to stop "polishing a turd" which was chapter 4 of my dissertation.

May the Force Be with You,
PhDiva

Your post and the post by AKA_Monet were so on point.

I spent two years in a PhD program for polymer chemistry, and left this August with my masters. At this point in my life I was not ready or mature enough to devote my entire life to the pursuit of my PhD. While I love the subject matter, I was not physically, mentally, and emotionally ready to handle everything that comes with working towards a PhD.

I'm hoping that one day soon I will be able to resume my studies, but I desparately needed to get out of the lab and out of school.

[NeuroTypical]

I'm a first year master's student in an M.S. Speech Pathology Program.

I think the biggest difference between grad and undergrad is that in grad school your professors begin to expect you to think on your own. The days of regurgitating information are basically over. For assignments, they give you the foundation and expect you to expand on what they have given you with critical thinking. I say adopt a philosophy for your field and have information that supports your way of thinking. Where I am professors seem to appreciate difference in opinion with adequate reasoning.

As far as the process of selecting a school goes. I felt that going beyond the rankings was crucial. Rankings involve alot of politics. I would suggest taking advantages of visits offered and get to know 1) the faculty, 2) the current students, and 3) probably the most important, the other students that are attracted to the program. I LOVE MY COHORT!!!