TL;DR: This post reflects upon my journey to earn a Doctorate amidst the onset of the global pandemic. I am speaking from my frame of reference and giving personal interpretations of the process, challenges, discoveries, and hindsight learnings, within one specific program, in one cohort, as one person.
I do NOT recommend treating this as an ‘end all, be all’ of what earning a Doctorate is like. To say the sample size is not representative here is a statistical-truthy pun of epic proportions.
Note: I can’t blame you for jumping to the TL;DR; trying to consolidate three years of work/life into a single post is a challenge, to say the least, so instead, I’ve broken it into chapters. If you ARE considering pursuing a Doctorate, please use the subheadings to navigate to the information that might be most relevant to you at the time as you embark on your journey. I send my deepest congratulations and support for your decision. It won’t be easy, but it’ll be worth it.
Who is this for?
These posts are for those considering pursuing a Doctorate or those curious about the process. Before my enrollment, I too wondered about the journey of earning the “Dr.”, shrouded in a veil of academic wizardry and mystery, but having walked the path, I can say things became clearer (albeit an ere of magic and wonder still exists around those that pursue this path). The road is not easy, and passion is sometimes the only sustainable factor that pushes people (including myself) to continue.
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Part 1: The Beginning
It’s been about a month since earning the title of Doctor of Business Administration and over a year since the last posting, so it seems long overdue to reflect upon the adventure and distill insights from the experience as was promised in the blog title. Please forgive my extended absence. Sacrifices to finish this undertaking had to be made (as you’ll soon read why), but now I am excited to share them with you.
Setting the scene:
A little background seems needed here. The COVID pandemic was settling in for an extended stay.
The school year had just ended, and for the first time, there was no graduation ceremony to finish due to necessary social distancing requirements. Colleges and universities were planning for a full return after the summer break, with health policy precautions underway and fears of recession looming.
To say things were interesting for us all would be a massive understatement; we had no idea what lay ahead, but all the same, I decided this was the time to jump back in and finish pursuing a goal that lived in my heart for at least ten years. Why was it, then? Excellent question! The pandemic may have sent a stark reminder that nothing is guaranteed and to make the most of our time here. Perhaps the solitude of working from home made it clear an opportunity exists to make the best out of a bad situation. Maybe the itch of complacency sent an alarm bell that it was time to level up. Truth be told, it could be all those things or something else entirely, but the gut said, “No more lollygagging, do it!” so off I went.
As one who likes to know what I’m in for ahead of time, I did a little digging before looking into programs and found a great book that gave me information on what to expect. It helped me, so I’m recommending it, but this is an unpaid, unincentivized advertisement. The book is also a bit dated, so some aspects may no longer be the case, but at any rate, onward!
And so, the journey begins…
Why journey? Because this lofty goal requires many steps, many sacrifices, and many hours to achieve it. The truth about pursuing a doctorate is that you start this adventure by identifying the degree, program(s), and university(ies) that match your desired expertise focus.
This decision may require soul-searching, preliminary research, and a healthy dose of skepticism if you are anything like I am (a self-declared jack-of-all-trades). Make no mistake, when choosing this path, you narrow your skillset and energies into a targeted skill area. You are equally selecting what you WILL and WILL NOT hone. You are developing your expertise, substantiated by first, your final defended and published research, and then by your received degree (credential) and title (that oh so glorious “Dr.”).
The program or programs (more likely) you choose to apply to are based on the college’s focus, as declared by their degree curriculum (the series of classes you take) and the faculty that will be teaching it (experts of their chosen subject matter). The college or university denotes the resources, rigor, and reputation of the degree you have earned. Realistically, you will select multiple here to increase your odds of being accepted into a program; think of it like dating; both parties need to ‘swipe right,’ which means you’ll be shopping around until you find the best match.
You need to find the best balance for you. If it helps, here are some questions I asked myself before applying to programs:
How important is this to me? (No one else can answer this for you, sit with it for as long as you need.)
What do I plan on doing with the degree once completed?
Will I be working full-time while doing this?
Is my job stable enough to allow for this?
Can I afford another degree? (Unless you’re applying for a program that is paid for, financial aid is rare, and money is always a factor.)
How much family time am I able to sacrifice?
Do I have my family’s support? (See the question above and speak with your family before jumping in, they need to know what they’re in for just as much as you do.)
Do I have the time, and if not, can I make the time?
There’s also the added component of accreditation for the degrees you’re considering. Programs may gain higher clout or prestige from these accreditations and regional accreditations. As an example, in business programs, there are two revered accrediting organizations:
The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
Pending on what you plan to do with your degree and how your field views accrediting will determine how much weight you assign to a program having specific accreditations. I suggest researching which accreditations are significant for your area of study, which colleges have the best programs (level of renown) for your focus, and where the experts in your field are teaching. Then make a list of the programs that fit the bill.
In the next post, I’ll discuss the application process and what to expect.