Earning a doctorate degree is an incredible achievement. You will feel accomplished, proud, and bring honor to yourself and your family. You will reach a level of academic success that very few will ever reach.
Most doctoral students complete their programs in five, six or seven years, even if it’s possible to complete it in an earlier time frame. The average cost of tuition for a doctoral degree in a private college in the U.S. is $20,000.00 per year, costing students $100,000.00 for a five year experience. Add interest rates to this cost and students could be paying up to $500.00 per month on student loans for the rest of their lives.
In the first months of my program, a professor advised our class that two students had previously completed the same doctoral degree in only two years. Once I knew that it had already been done, I made a decision to finish my program in two years. I did it, and so can you! My degree only cost me $40,000.00, with interest of course, saving me tens of thousands of dollars. It could have cost me $60,000.00 to $100,000.00, as was the case for the majority of my classmates who chose to take more time to finish.
Choosing to take longer than is necessary to finish a degree not only costs you in terms of money, it also prolongs the stress in your life. The easy part of the program is completing the course work. If you’re smart, you will follow the course schedule as is suggested by the college and complete the courses within the first two years or so.
Before You Begin the Doctoral Program:
To ensure that your doctoral program will give you the highest returns, financially and career-wise, you may want to consider the following:
(i) Why do you want to pursue this rigor? Be clear about your motivation. The program will be rigorous. You will experience burnout and be tempted to quit many many times. You will lose thousands of dollars if you start and don’t finish. It is important to your quality of life that you make a decision and stick to it to the very end. Otherwise, what’s the point?
(ii) Research the job market and future trends in the field of study that you are pursuing. You want to be sure that your hard work will pay high dividends at the end.
(iii) Determine the highest amount of student debt that you are able to afford. Then, research the salary you are expecting to bring in with this doctoral degree. Will the salary provide you a lifestyle where you can pay off the student loans in a reasonable amount of time while still maintaining a lifestyle of a mortgage and living expenses?
The Main Stressors of the Dissertation:
The really stressful part, however, is completing the dissertation. Here’s what I learned as I pursued my degree:
(i) By the time you finish your coursework, you will experience burnout. No matter how much you exercise, eat well, try to balance your life, lack of enthusiasm and optimism, my friend, is guaranteed! You probably have been juggling a full-time job and family life with your school commitment. Taking on a dissertation is not for the weak during the best of times, let alone after you’ve completed two years of heavy course work;
(ii) Once you begin the dissertation, there are milestones along the way that you must attain. Deadlines have a habit of sneaking up on you very quickly as you, which can be very stressful, to say the least! Once you get off track, you can lose momentum quickly so it’s imperative that you stay the course; and
(iii) You will start to notice negativity and frustration amongst classmates who are equally feeling burnout. In fact, many of our classmates will begin to show signs of resignation. It will be easy to quit. This is the time for you to stay strong and carry on, no matter what!
Secrets to Finishing the Doctoral Program Early
Having completed my doctorate in two years, I have learned the secrets to saving years of stress and tens of thousands of dollars! My hope is that you will apply some of this advice and, in the process, save yourself a lot of heartache. . .
(i) Determine the shortest length of time it takes to finish your doctorate. Simply ask your program advisor to give you statistics on fast-tracking from their experience with former students.
(ii) Decide to finish early. Saving money and time is a mindset. Get into the frame of mind to save tens of thousands of dollars and make a plan of action. Create a vision board, write your goals with timelines, and look at it once a week to remind yourself of your promise to YOU.
(iii) Begin the dissertation as early as possible in your program. Your advisor will give you guidance and take his/her advice. The earlier you begin, the earlier you will finish. You will get momentum before the real burnout begins.
(iv) Determine the topic for your dissertation and stick to it. Changing your mind will cost you precious time and energy. Time is money. There will only be three people interested in your dissertation (a) the person on the board who has the authority to accept your dissertation and give you the credentials; (b) the advisor who is working with you to get your dissertation passed by the board and (c) you. You won’t change the world with our research. This is nothing but a process to get to the next level in your career.
(v) As you go through the process of writing the dissertation, follow your advisor’s lead to the most exact detail. You will send your dissertation back and forth to your advisor for months on end as you revise your paper over and over again to perfection (according to you) each and every time that he/she makes suggestions with editing and specific requirements. This is the time that many students get frustrated and quit. However, this is the time for YOU to swallow your pride, remind yourself of why you enrolled in this program to begin with and follow his/her lead. Otherwise, you can’t win!
(vi) Commit to staying on track. Focus, remain disciplined and do not let any distractions (eg. trips, traditional celebrations, etc.) or negativity get in your way of finishing early.
(vii) Never, ever, ever quit!!! If you believe it can happen, it will! I believed it! It happened for me. It can happen for you too!
YOU know that you REALLY, REALLY want this. Be bold and courageous, my friend. I’m on your team and am rooting for you!
thejayoasis 