A PhD or Just Enormous Debt?

Online PhD Programs Articles : A PhD or Just Enormous Debt? by Nick Stoianov

According to a study by the National Science Foundation (www.nsf.gov) only 45 percent of the students entering doctoral programs successfully finish and receive their degrees. Many of those students fund their graduate journey with enormous student loans--in some cases, well in excess of $100,000. This is a huge amount, especially for those who get nothing in return. Once dropped out, students have to start paying back the loans for their aborted education. Adding insult to injury, many of these students get derailed years into the endeavor--after all their coursework is completed and they have only one hurdle--the dissertation--left. Why? The dissertation is an intensely emotional and challenging experience for students, their friends and families, and their advisors. One doctoral student explained, "I get frozen. My goal looks impossible and impractical and I shut down. Managing anxiety, building a thicker skin and learning what you need are important. I needed a whole year just to deal with that. The biggest waste of time is worrying whether I'll be able to finish as well as sitting outside myself and thinking 'Why don't you have any friends? It's Friday night--why are you at home writing?' If I could have condensed all those thoughts, I could have been done a year ago." From lacking understanding or preparation for the task, to having difficulties managing their motivation, to challenges gaining support and communicating effectively with their faculty, students can face one challenge after another. One faculty member in a doctoral psychology program remarked, "Most of the problems come up with people that just don't learn basic research. They don't really know what they're doing." A doctoral student in a prestigious linguistics doctoral program shared, "I don't think any of the writing tasks we did prepared me to write a dissertation. Not at all." In response to these challenges, coaches and consultants who have weathered the storm are emerging to help others complete their journey successfully. For example, Graduate Research Coaching, a division of Koepp Research Corporation (http://www.koeppcorp.com), offers comprehensive services to help masters and doctoral students produce their best work. Since 2002, the company has supported more than 200 graduate students from across the United States, Canada, Europe, and China in completing their theses and dissertations and earning their coveted degrees. For these students who get help, their loans become a worthy investment, indeed.


About the Author
Graduate Research Coaching, a division of Koepp Research Corporation (http://www.koeppcorp.com), offers comprehensive services to help masters and doctoral students produce their best work.

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