one-on-one support
Waiting to Get Your Dissertation Accepted?
Last Updated on: 30th August 2022, 04:33 am
Many people go into the process of getting a doctoral degree with big plans and even bigger dreams. Perhaps you want to do research that will change the world. Maybe your goal is to be a guide for the next generation. Or, you may be planning to show those in your past that they underestimated you.
Regardless of your big plan, you will have to go through the graduate school process. Few people actually look ahead and know what they are getting into or what the process will be. Be warned: graduate school is not for the faint of heart. Here’s a brief summary of how to get a PhD.
When to Get a PhD
Many people jump straight into asking how to get a PhD without considering the more important questions: when and why to get a PhD.
Before beginning the process of getting a PhD, it’s important to make sure it’s the right time. Getting a PhD is a huge commitment, and it will mean giving up most (if not all) of your free time for the next few years.
It may mean missing out on income, promotions, time with family, hobbies, and pretty much anything else that you spend time on besides your topic of study. Not to mention, it’s quite expensive, especially when you consider the hidden costs of getting a PhD.
The right time to get a PhD is when it feels worth all that you have to give up. When my wife went back to school to get a degree in counseling, she left her full-time home in the mountains of Costa Rica, a place our son describes as “paradise on earth.” She did this because she felt a deep call to be of service.
For her, the chance to serve was worth giving up her home and going into a rigorous program for the next few years. If you have a similar calling getting a PhD may be right for you. Remember, most of the “how” in “how to get a PhD” depends on your motivation, resilience, and drive.
How to Get a PhD
Here are the steps I would recommend for how to get a PhD.
Find a Program
Before you can get a PhD you must find the program that is right for you. The first consideration is whether you prefer a full time or a part time program. Will you keep your job while in a program or devote all your effort to the program? Answering this question will eliminate many schools from consideration as some only offer one of the options.
Then you need to determine which of the remaining schools offer a program that fits your desires, financial factors, and how each school will help you reach your goals. Make sure that the schools that you are considering have the programs and resources to help you reach your goals.
Whenever possible, I highly recommend visiting the schools, sitting in on classes, and talking with people from the department you’re interested in. This serves a dual purpose. First, it gives you a more accurate idea of what it’s like and whether it’s a good fit. Second, it shows the admissions committee that you’re invested in pursuing your education there.
Get Accepted
In order to get into a PhD program you need to apply. Admission standards vary by institution. Many require scores from standardized tests such as the GRE or GMAT. If your desired school requires one these tests then you will need to prepare and do the best that you can.
If you start early, you can retake the test if you score too low. You may be happy to know that fewer schools are relying on these types of tests for admission.
After tests, you will need to get your records from previous schools as well as letters of recommendations ready for submission. Make sure that you get letters from people who know you and will write good letters for you. A former professor may be a good person as long as he or she got to know you.
On that note, it’s worth asking your former professors for advice. If anyone can tell you how to get a PhD, it’s the people who have already done it.
Start the Program
In traditional programs you take classes for up to two years in your area of study and in statistics and analysis. As a new doctoral student, you are being evaluated by everyone all the time. So, comment on things carefully. Show respect for everyone. These professors may end up on your dissertation committee.
Also, take time to figure out who likes whom and who doesn’t like each other, and try to avoid taking a side. If you get identified as part of one faction too soon you may lose potential opportunities.
The courses that you take will most likely be different than other classes that you have taken, especially if you’re coming from an undergraduate program. There will be less emphasis on the “right” answer and more on the implications of the material that you are covering and the broad opinions held by scholars on a topic. You will learn to be very specific in what you write and say and back up statements with citations. A PhD program is more rigorous, but in a sense you are also more free.
Take the Comprehensive Exams
This is where you get the chance to study really, really hard for several months. Then, you take a test that is usually 2-3 days long and answer questions about any topic in your field. This will be grueling, but you will need to make your way through. Look at old exams, if available, to get a feel for what the questions might be like.
At many schools you follow your written comps with an oral exam. This is where the faculty get to question you and explore your depth of understanding. Don’t underestimate this process. Treat it and the faculty with respect. For the most part, faculty members want to see you move forward, so be prepared and respectful and you should do well.
Write your Dissertation
Writing your dissertation is the culmination of your PhD journey. You may have an idea in mind, but the first thing you will need to do is find a Chairperson and get her or his approval for your topic.
I suggest you find a Chair who is supportive and can both help you finish your degree and help you in your career. Be careful of people who want to be your Chair to further their own career.
Once you have a Chair and a topic, you need to work on your proposal and form your committee.
Find people who work well together and have the interests and skill sets to help you on your way. The last thing that you want is to have a committee that does not get along and uses your dissertation as a battlefield.
Along the way you will most likely need to get IRB (Institutional Review Board) approval to make sure that you follow ethical guidelines during your research. It can take time to get through this process but it is important to do so as it lends credibility to your research.
Once your dissertation is finished and all committee members think you are ready, you will have an oral defense. You should not be allowed to get to an oral defense unless you are ready to pass. That does not mean that you should not be ready and well prepared for your defense.
Treat this like your earlier orals. Be ready for all questions. If you do not know something, admit it. And most of all, be respectful.
A Good Dissertation is a Done Dissertation
Once you have gone through this process you have made it! Depending upon your program and your situation this journey can take between 3 and 10 years. If you are prepared and have drive and patience, you can do this.
How to Get a PhD: Summary
Getting a PhD is not for the faint of heart. It requires immense drive, commitment, and resilience. But if you’re up for it, it can open doors nothing else will.
PS. I coach students who are writing their dissertations, as well as those who have recently graduated. If you want to finish your dissertation in record time and land a job you love, feel free to get in touch.
