You should be prepared for these scenarios by making a back-up plan. Some students who don't complete the PhD leave with a master's degree others leave with no degree at all. Others choose to leave because they are burnt out, or their interests have changed. How do you handle pressure?Įach year, some PhD candidates do not meet the requirements of their graduate programs and are asked to leave. And of course, in the final three years of the PhD program, you'll mainly focus on writing the dissertation and preparing for oral exams.
THE MOST UNKNOWN PARTS ABOUT PURSING A PHD HOW TO
Many grad students also serve as teaching assistants (TAs) and must learn how to juggle their needs along with their students. Graduate courses are far more rigorous than those you took as an undergrad, and first-year PhD students usually take around three classes. So, your starving student days may not be behind you. Most PhD students live on their earnings from teaching and research assistantships or other low-paying employment. Unfortunately, it doesn't tend to be financially rewarding, at least not in the short term. Getting a doctorate is intellectually rewarding. Read More: Graduate School Application Timeline 3. Be prepared to follow jobs to colleges on the other side of the country or to adjust your career expectations. Many PhDs have to settle for temporary or non tenure-track teaching positions, which can be just as demanding as full-time work but without the salary. The reality is that academic positions are increasingly difficult to come by.
Many PhD students hope to find a tenure-track position at a good college or research university after graduating (although others do pursue satisfying careers outside of academia). Have you thought realistically about your job prospects? But if it's your ambition to become a professor you should be aware that the PhD track is no guarantee of a life in academia. For some there is the added appeal of taking time out from the traditional job market as you pursue what you love. They relish the opportunity to tackle intellectual problems and explore new areas of knowledge. Despite the obstacles, people stay in doctorate programs because they enjoy learning for learning's sake.
What is your motive for getting a PhD?Įxamine your true motivation for wanting to earn a PhD and how the degree makes sense within your larger plan. Here's what you need to reflect on before making the leap. Don't start the PhD process before you consider all the obstacles (and rewards). The road to a doctorate is long, arduous, and paved with abandoned scholarship.