At this point, you have applied to at least four Doctoral programs and have endured the mandated 'sweat' period from each program's review boards. Hopefully, the process wasn't laborious or panic-inducing. So, let's talk about the results in a best-case, most likely-case, or worst-case scenario format.
A quick note before we jump into the scenarios here as I have had to run the entire emotional spectrum of being both accepted (elated) and rejected (insert the stages of grief here) from many an institution (I'll share a quick story on this after this thought).
The decision criteria and reasons you may not be accepted into a program can be arbitrary or the result of applying during a particularly strong applicant year. Committees are looking for reasons to quickly dismiss candidates to reduce the time it takes to select the final pool. Furthermore, pending on how high you shot (insert the ivies, research, and preeminent institutions here) will amplify the more granular reasons you may be passed by for admittance.
I'll give you an example here; I once applied to Harvard (the one and only) for a Ph.D. program in Organizational Behavior with dreams of studying under Dr. Teresa Amabile. Just like you may have undergone recently, I was on pins and needles waiting to hear back, and after four months of waiting, I received my rejection letter on St. Patrick's Day. To say I was crushed would be an understatement. After a good cuppa coffee and a small window of boo hoo-ing (Listen, we're all entitled to be sad in moments like these. Feel what you need to feel and then pivot accordingly), I wrote a note to myself on the rejection letter and hung it on the wall as motivation:
"Proof that you tried. Keep going."
So, to this point, I will say the same thing to you, dear reader. If the ideal scenario did not pan out, and you, too, shot very high, don't let it take you down. Rejection is nothing more than another avenue opening somewhere, and your job becomes to find it. Before jumping into these scenarios, first recognize you'll have a big decision to make, and before you close your eyes and attempt to pin the tail on the Ph.D. program (please don't do that), instead consider these factors:
Factors to consider when selecting your program:
Curriculum demand or intensity
Completion rates
Average time to complete degree
Committee selection processes
Class scheduling
Level of support
Research support (including library assistance resources)
Writing support
Class support
Time management support and general counseling
Mental health support
Post-doctoral placement and success rates (i.e., Where are they now?)
Finances
Financial Aid (Scholarships, Grants, Student Loans, etc.)
Teaching stipends
Comped housing?
Location
In-person, remote, or hybrid?
Cost of living
Lifestyle match
Level of prestige (Every institution has a 'rep'; will the one you choose work in your favor and open doors?)
Let's delve further into each category to inform the research you may decide to do, starting with the curriculum demand or intensity.
Curriculum Demand or Intensity
Earning a Doctorate is intense enough on its own, but some programs dial up the rigor for varied reasons. Akin to the US Marine's reputation of toughness, programs may increase academic intensity so that you can be one of the few and the proud at the end of the adventure. Similarly, your committee members may individually decide to dial up the intensity of your dissertation to ensure you've undergone the same rigor they endured, but that's a sneak peek at a much later conversation.
The fun rule about Doctorate degrees, you have seven years to complete everything from day one. It seems like A LOT of time, but you would be surprised how quickly it goes when you factor in the three years of classes leading up to your dissertation. Additionally, most programs require that a passing grade is a minimum of a "B" for your graded classes (some classes might be based on a pass/fail system). This requirement is why the level of rigor matters.
By and large, the program you choose will be challenging. After all, there's a reason only 1.3% of adults in the world have a Ph.D. among 38 countries as of 2021 (according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development or OECD for short). From the same study, the percentage in the US is like milk, 2%. So, the small ratio of doctors alone conveys this journey will take work.
When examining the program's demand or intensity, consider the courses' scheduling, the average time students take to complete their degree, the completion rate, and the process of committee selection (more on this when we talk about the dissertation process). Once you have a sense of the rigor, you can either list it out or rate it on a scale (if so inclined). From here, you know how much effort and time it will take to complete your degree. Now you'll want to know how much support you'll have access to along the way.
Level of Support
The expression "it takes a village" rings true for this undertaking. I attest that without the support of my family, committee, peers, colleagues, professors, counselors, research librarians of awesomeness (Thank you, Christine!), and friends, I wouldn't have made it to this point. It's challenging to conduct original research and write what could easily be a 200+ page book on a single topic.
You might be a superhero, but even heroes need a little help now and then. Types of support include research, writing, class, time management, and mental health support. Look into each program and institution to see what resources are available to you and what resources you'll need to procure on your own when a need presents.
Research support includes the oft-unsung library heroes with a passion for information and zeal to help you discover the magic they wield. (Seriously, there is magic here.) When you begin to craft Chapter Two, known as the Literature Review, be prepared to go in DEEP. You're going to run into paywalls; you're going to be desperately searching for a rare print copy of a seminal publication, and you're going to be emailing researchers requesting a copy of their studies, waiting impatiently as this might be the one article you were missing to fill a void. Google Scholar alone won't be enough to get there; you need help from an information soothsayer.
Writing support includes not only people but access to tools to polish your writing, such as Grammarly. You will be writing a lot. Before this adventure, writing a fifteen-page paper seemed like a Herculean challenge; I still chuckle about this to this day. Now, the challenge is to limit a single piece to forty pages. (Please note this is not a brag. Brevity is tough, especially when there is research to be showcased.) If writing is not your strong suit, you need to ensure there are resources to help you improve as you go. Is there a writing center? Does the school provide writing tools? Can you partner with a peer? See what is available to you with each program.
Class support involves helping with understanding the course material and assignments leading up to the dissertation. This resource can involve help or guidance from your professor or peers, teacher's aides (TAs), and tutors (if provided by the school). Remember, the passing requirements are high here, but more importantly, you will likely need to ACTUALLY understand the subject matter as it relates to your study. Ensure you know where to go if you need help learning a new subject.
Time Management support is by far one of the most important and, at times, complex skills to master while in a Doctorate program. In my case, as may be yours, this was doubled by working full-time while attending school. How and how well you manage your time will become critical throughout this journey because, as you may have guessed already, life doesn't stop just because you're pursuing a Doctorate. Your family will still need you; chores will still need to be done; you will still need to take care of yourself, and more than ever, you will need a little grace trying to balance it all. In my program, there was a running joke about the 11:59 club.
Assignments were due by midnight on Thursdays, so naturally, there were times when I took every minute available to complete an assignment on time. No judgment here. As a professor that understands that life happens, "on time is on time" in my book. Having a little project management knowledge NEVER hurts in these undertakings, which is why I'll include a whole post on just this in the future.
Mental Health support
Listen, this journey is arduous. Imposter syndrome can be real. It can be easy to feel like you're the only one "not getting it" (Lord knows I did a time or two). Sometimes you need someone to help you reframe your thoughts or listen to your struggles to make sense of it all. Increasingly, colleges and universities have begun offering counseling services to students during their stay. It's a beautiful resource. I encourage you to see if it's offered and to use it on tough days. You might be the grittiest/most resilient person in the world, but that doesn't mean you must "go it" alone.
Post-doctoral success rates and placements
Before we get into this one, please note that some programs are beginning to fudge this up by only admitting candidates that are high-level managers or successful business owners in the first place, increasing the ability for programs to claim the successes of their graduates. Fun fact: This may be why you were passed up at one of the institutions you applied to. There's no shame in it; it happened to me as well. If this was the case, know that it's not a reflection of you or what you bring to the table, more so a '3-card Monty' or sleight-of-hand on institutions' part to inflate their program's projected graduate outcomes (never mind what's behind that curtain…).
For programs where success inflation methods are not employed, jump on LinkedIn and see where graduates were before and after obtaining their degrees. Better yet, reach out to a few of them and ask for their insights on the experience and any tips they have for you. Technology is fantastic these days, amirite? If you aim to secure a job as a professor or researcher, see how many graduates have secured the desired position. It's not guaranteed that things will work out exactly as you have planned, but if your probability increases from this degree, the odds may more likely be in your favor (insert Hunger Games reference here).
Finances
For the vast majority of those looking to pursue a Doctorate, the means to earn more money is likely a reason (if not THE reason) to do it. The adage "you have to spend money to make money" may apply here. Doctorate degrees are expensive if you're not in the lucky ranks of those programs that are entirely paid for. Even then, you still have to be able to provide for yourself while studying, which means it will cost you in some way, shape, or form. Looking into financial aid (finaid from now on) options or contacting the finaid offices for each program may prove fruitful here.
As an aside, one of the classes I teach is Negotiation, so I would be an absolute hypocrite if I did not recommend seeing what options are available to reduce your overall tuition costs.
As long as you're respectful about it, there's no harm in asking. True story, I saved about $20K in my master's program by asking, which was the difference between completion and not. Finances are, not surprisingly, a core determinant of attrition (dropout) rates in Doctoral programs, according to a 2018 study by Wollast et al. in the International Journal of Higher Education. The researchers found "the highest attrition rate occurs in the first two years and is related to the absence of funding or scholarship ." Accordingly, ask yourself, "Is the juice worth the proverbial squeeze?" Will the degree allow you to earn more money over 20-30 working years than what the degree will cost you? (Pro tip: if considering student loans, remember that all-important factor of compounding interest.)
Location
Location is one of those elements that can factor into the conversation in multiple ways. It affects the associated cost of living, the desirability of the program, the ease of attending classes, the time demands around attending class in person (e.g., LA traffic added about 2 hours of time demand needed to go anywhere #the405), and the ability to find a job in the chosen locale.
If classes are offered online, be advised you still may need to travel to campus at least once a year for mandated residencies where you're taking classes in person for 2-5 days (confirm this with your programs). If this is the case, you'll need to plan for the costs of days off, travel, and possible hotel accommodations to satisfy the requirements).
Institutional Prestige
I listed this last because it is a factor to be sure, but it should not be the foremost consideration (personal opinion here, but you do you) when selecting your program. As mentioned earlier, every school has a reputation. You should conduct what we call in the marketing world "social listening" to see what impressions of the institution and program are and how it will reflect on your professional brand once you've earned your "Dr." (so exciting).
Once you've investigated these aspects, it's time to list your pros and cons for each program. Then prioritize the list. What is the most important to you? How about the least? If you're a quantitative thinker, again, a ranking system might be helpful here, or better yet, how about a table with conditional formatting to color code that list?
Too much? Apologies, I got excited for you.
Sound good? Great! Let's use our strategic thinking hats to break down the scenarios of applying from the best case to the worst case. Feel free to jump to whichever scenario is most relevant to you, but along the way, check out the Factors to Consider section if you have a choice. Please note: In this post, I will NOT tell you which path to take; only YOU know the best fit for yourself. Take the time to weigh what is most important for you, research, and commit to your decision.
Scenario 1: I got into every program I applied to! Now I must choose…
Look at you, fancy pants! You must have really worked your tail off on those applications. Please accept my deepest congratulations; that's awesome! Now comes the no-so-bad problem of having to weigh the programs against each other a choose your destiny. Using the abovementioned factors, you want to use those research skills to create a list of pros and cons for each program. Just like no person is perfect, no program you enter will be perfect.
There will be some great benefits and some not-so-great consequences to your choice. The goal here is to maximize the good and minimize the not.
Scenario 2: I didn't get into all the programs but I have a few options.
This is still fantastic news! You have a few options here, and all the same, factors apply to your decision. Start researching and see what you learn about the options available to you—with that said, if your heart and mind were set on the "one that got away," you could consider calling their admissions office and asking for feedback on your application and what you could do to apply in the next round more successfully, whether that's next term (if they accept rolling applications) or next year (if they don't).
Scenario 3: I got into a single program.
What's great in this case is you have a choice; you can decide to go for the option that you have, OR you can choose to continue looking at other programs and submit new applications. A big note here is not to feel pressured to take the one option first presented to you (especially if you're not enthusiastic about the prospect). Remember, this is a long-term, challenging commitment. When you confirm your acceptance, you must be fully invested and ready to 'put a ring on it.'
Scenario 4: I was not accepted anywhere.
The first and foremost point here is not to be disheartened (I know easier said than done). Have your moment. Take a day or two to process. Treat yourself to a bit of self-love and sit with it as long as you need, but most importantly, don't stay there. Create a plan to bounce back; you could start looking at other programs, ask for feedback on your applications, or perhaps you're missing a few prerequisites that you can take before reapplying. The big thing here is this is not a final "NO"; it's just a "NOT YET." If you want bad enough, you'll find a way and craft a plan to make it happen.
You're in!
Assuming you've landed in scenarios 1-3 or landed there after a second go around with the application process, it's time to make your choice and confirm your acceptance. It usually involves paying a confirmation fee that will go toward your tuition once that bill posts. The following steps are to apply for financial aid, which generally begins with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (ye olde FAFSA) and getting ready for your first class (or student orientation, if there is one). But before all of that, you should celebrate! You have an exciting chapter ahead of you.
In the next post, I'll talk about the lead-up to and attendance of your first class. Til' next time!