Tag Archives: PhD

Applying to Doctoral Programs, by Brian A. Peters

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Applying to a doctoral program is a lengthy and time consuming process for prospective students. Either continuing their education or a professional going back to school, the decision to complete a PhD is a major step in one’s career and life. Within higher education, a terminal degree creates future opportunities to conduct research, seek higher administrative positions or become engaged in policy. However, a doctorate is not just a credential. Doctoral programs prepare future scholars to research problems using a particular disciplinary focus. To be successful in doctoral work, you will have to start thinking of yourself as a scholar within a particular discipline. Through this lens, you are able to view the issues and concerns in our society and find means to address them using specific methods.  Having a “life of the mind,” prospective students should have educational interests beyond higher education career advancement within their institutions. What interests you within the higher education field? What problems do you see in higher education? How can we identify and solve these problems? Studying for a PhD will provide you the tools to address these issues, but how do you apply and what should you consider going through the process? Below are some thoughts on the application process based on my personal experience and discussions with colleagues.

Before You Apply

Before you can apply to a PhD program, you will need to do some research. I would start by reading topics in your interest area. What is the current literature saying about your topic? If you were to study a problem, what would it be and why? By asking these questions, you will start to recognize authors who regularly write in that area. Look at where these scholars are teaching and begin your PhD program search there. I found it helpful to call faculty members to ask about studying within their discipline and discover their upcoming research agendas. This can be particularly helpful if a professor you are interested in working with is planning on going on a sabbatical, Fulbright or retiring while you will be in the program. Further, you may have a particular research interest but want to diversify your research skills so you may want to work with a professor who is proficient in another methodology. Before you contact them, you will want to read a couple articles by the professor and their dissertation to have a sense of their research agenda. In addition, review the curriculum of each program; what are the interests of the varying faculty at the institution? Background knowledge on the curriculum and the faculty will assist you later when you write your personal statement.

If you are a working professional, one consideration you may be weighing is attending a PhD program fulltime or part-time. Several institutions have tuition waivers and assistance programs that could help pay for your degree while you continue to work in the field. On the other hand, fulltime status allows a prospective student to gain new experiences as graduate assistants and participate in more research. Several factors can go into your decision so it may be helpful for you to sit down and think about what you want to achieve with your degree. Can you attain those goals at your current institution or do you need to enroll fulltime to get the most out of your program?

Most institutions will require you to take the GRE and submit official transcripts. Your GRE scores are good for 5 years if you already have a master’s degree. After 5 years, you will need to re-take the exam which has changed in the past few years. I had to retake the exam and found the test easier than the first time I took it based on experience of going through the test once. I would suggest buying a GRE study book, re-learn math formulas and take several practice tests. Further, you will need a transcript for each institution you have attended (even community colleges) to submit with your applications. Depending on your alma mater(s), this can take several days or weeks so plan accordingly. However, some programs only require unofficial transcripts until you have been admitted so look at the particular application requirements to save time and money.

Your references should be mostly (if not all) academics. Higher education appreciates work experience and some programs may even require a letter of reference from a supervisor, but for most academic programs, they want to ready letters from faculty members. Faculty committees want to see how you will perform in the classroom and in research so you should ask faculty that you know closely. If you have a publication with a faculty member, he or she should be one of your references so they can articulate your skills as a researcher. You can also ask current faculty at your institution if you are a working professional and you have taken PhD courses as a non-degree seeking student. This is a great way to connect with more faculty in the field and see if a PhD is right for you. Finally, if you are applying to higher education fields, at least one reference should be from a higher education professor. He or she will know the faculty at the institutions you are applying and can be a strong recommender on your behalf. Your faculty recommender may give advice on the best places for you to apply based on your interests.  Just make sure you give your recommenders plenty of time to write your references in advance so as you begin to submit applications, you will either have the required hard copies or they will be ready to submit an electronic version.

Personal Statements

Your personal statement is your opportunity to tell the faculty who you are, what your career goals are, why you wish to pursue a doctorate and why you fit in their program. I received a lot of advice on my personal statement because I let several people read it before submitting it to schools. I would suggest having people close to you read your statement as they will know if you are forgetting something or the statement does not sound like you. Your personal statement should showcase who you are and your personality. Why do you want to get a PhD? What opportunities open up to you after completing a doctorate? Faculty make a major investment when taking on doctoral students so they want to make sure you are fit for their institution and program. Your previous reading and research should be showcased in your personal statement to connect the institution to your goals. For example, how does the curriculum fit with your educational goals? Which faculty members do you want to work with and why? Mention recent books and articles that sparked your research interests. The previous research you completed before applying for programs should be highlighted in your personal statement as you are telling the faculty how your particular interest fits within their curriculum and research agenda. As some faculty may only read your CV and your personal statement when considering your application, you should focus on writing the best statement possible.

Deciding

After submitting (and paying) for your applications, you will start to hear from programs during the spring semester. Some offer admission early to start gauging your interest while others offer admission after you have attended a recruitment weekend. Visiting campus is a great opportunity to learn more about the institution and meet the faculty. Similar to picking your undergraduate college, or your first job, picking a program is about fit. Can I see myself at this institution? What opportunities do I have here compared to another program? Which faculty will I get to work with or what assistantship/aid am I offered? Campus visits provide you insights on the programs and the institution, providing a wider lens to make your decision.

Some decisions on which program to attend may come easier than others. If you are not offered aid than that program should be lower on your list. Several programs offer full tuition waiver and a stipend. If you are considering PhD part-time, weigh the costs of working full time (with potential tuition assistance) against attending a program fulltime. Depending on your life situation, one of these factors may weigh more in your mind than others. In an ideal world, choosing a doctoral program would be completely about connecting with faculty, fit and strong academics. However, doctoral students have to pay previous student loans, provide for their families, potentially move and have other work responsibilities to be carefully weighed. Faculty who are particularly interested in working with you will check in with you regularly to see how your decision process is progressing. Use this to your advantage to ask follow up questions and read between the lines about the different programs.

Programs offer different opportunities that may help your decision. One of the reasons I decided to attend NC State’s program was the opportunities to teach. In my current position, I have the opportunity to teach an Honors Seminar to undergraduates, connecting my research interest with the classroom. Further, the doctoral program encourages and promotes teaching opportunities for students to assist with master’s or doctoral level classes. Teaching opportunities can diversify your CV when you go on the job market and push you to do more research. Other opportunities may include assistantships, research centers, fellowships, job opportunities, government policy and access to other institutions. Consider your goals in your personal statement and how the programs to which you have been admitted will best prepare you.

Pursuing a doctoral degree is a major life decision. You will need to decide what is best for you after considering all the various perspectives and factors about each program. Reach out to faculty, students, family and peers to help you think about your decision. If you can see yourself at an institution and can map out how you will finish your degree, then you have your match. Hopefully you will have several great offers to consider and will start your doctoral journey.

Brian A. Peters is a doctoral student in the Educational Research and Policy Analysis program with a Specialization in Higher Education Administration. He works with University Housing and the University Honors Program as the Honors Village Community Director at NC State University.

Making the Most Out of Your Office Hours, by Lauren Padgett Sutherland

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I don’t know about all of you, but this is about the time of the semester that I find myself getting VERY busy in my assistantship and am finding it hard to get everything done within my “20 hours/week”.  I know that realistically, most assistantships require more than 20 hours per week–I’m looking at you, housing grads!  Being on-duty aside, I’ve found some practices that help me be efficient during my office hours, which helps me keep my office hours to the true 20!

  1. Get Good at Email: we get A LOT of emails every day.  And let’s not talk about what happens over a weekend or a break.  If you can master the art of email efficiency, it can keep you on your A-game, act as a running to-do list, and save you time.  In my job before graduate school, we had a strict 24-hour turnaround response time on emails, disregarding weekends.  I have tried to stick to that policy during my assistantship.  I make it a goal to have a “zero inbox” by the end of the work week, meaning I answer and archive everything before leaving my last office hour.  I treat my email like real mail; I only want to handle it once.  If you read it, respond and tend to it–don’t let it sit in the inbox and get covered!  When you stay on top of your email, it can become a running to-do list for you–if it’s in the inbox, it needs attention.
  2. “On Air” Time: In a perfect world, we would all be completely dedicated to our work 100% of our office hours–except, we’re human, and humans can’t totally drown out all distractions 100% of the time.  I try to work in bursts of 30-60 minutes, especially if I know I have a big week with a lot to accomplish.  Some people call this “on air” time; time that is completely dedicated to your performance.  This could also be known as time that you don’t allow yourself to be distracted by your phone, email, Facebook, Buzzfeed, etc.  After you spend 60 minutes of unadulterated work time, reward yourself for getting done in a hour what typically takes a day!
  3. Learn to Say No: I am still working on this one, but being a graduate assistant is a great time to hone your skills at knowing how much you can handle in a certain amount of time.  If you are being efficient with your time (see above…) and still can’t seem to find the time in your week to complete tasks, talk with your supervisor.  You might have too much on your plate to realistically get done in 20 hours each week.  YOU are your best advocate, and it is more than ok to say no every now and then!

I hope some of these tips are helpful for you to make the most out of your office hours this semester!

Did you know that October is Careers in Student Affairs Month!? By Katie Ratterree

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October is Careers in Student Affairs Month (CSAM), a celebration of student affairs for current professionals and a way to promote the field to interested students and professionals. If you know undergraduate students interested in entering the field, this is a group opportunity to invite them to the Careers in Student Affairs Panel hosted by HEA! NASPA is providing eight educational webinars for current student affairs practitioners and our very own Dr. Tiffany Davis is hosting the kickoff webinar, “Student Affairs: The Greatest Profession on Earth.” Check out the HEA website for more information on this event and other CSAM opportunities.

Because Careers in Student Affairs month is an opportunity to reflect on our own professional journey, I would like to use this blog post to share about my experience. As an undergraduate student, I had no idea what a career in student affairs entailed. I knew what I liked–working with students, program development, and education policy–but did not know how to translate those interests into a single job. I always assumed that I would have to pick a career based on one area I was passionate about and simply forego my other interests. Between undergrad and graduate school I first worked for a Public Affairs firm and later for an Outdoor Education program but something was always missing. I didn’t know how to combine my seemingly disparate interests in policy and youth development into a single career. It seemed impossible…

…until I discovered student affairs. The Higher Education Administration program at NC State finally provided me with a long-searched-for pathway to the job of my dreams. I currently have an assistantship with the National Initiative for Leadership and Institutional Effectiveness (NILIE) and an internship with the Office of Assessment for the Department of Academic and Student Affairs (DASA). Through my position with NILIE I am learning about survey methodology and developing both quantitative and qualitative research skills. I am helping with the administration and data analysis for DASA’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), which measures critical and creative thinking of undergraduate students.  I have had opportunities to assist Upward Bound students with college applications, advise Duke undergraduates on their summer internship search, and assist faculty with research through an independent study. My education and work in student affairs have provided me with the technical skills and professional opportunities to combine my varied interests into a single career in higher education and I couldn’t be happier with my choice!

I hope you get involved in CSAM and enjoy the educational and professional development opportunities this month has to offer!

Making It Through Your First Year, by Mary Rosage

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As I started writing this blog, I thought back to my first semester and where I was this time of year. Here’s how it went:

August: “I only have class three days a week and I’m done? Wow, I’ll have so much free time. Maybe I should pick up another hobby just in case I run out of things to do?”

September/October: “Wait…I have a project due, all this reading, a busy work week, and a HEA event all in one week? And all these new opportunities to get involved keep coming up, but I’m swamped!”

November: “Just keep swimming, just keep swimming…”

December: “Okay, I made it. But I really need to sleep for like, a week”

If I were to follow my series of thoughts second semester, it would be drastically different. The first semester of grad school is harder than the rest but there are some things you can do to make it easier. Here’s a few tips I wish I used from the beginning of my first year:

Prioritize Responsibilities

Yes, there’s a lot of class reading and project deadlines that sneak up on us, all while trying to maintain work responsibilities. But it doesn’t have to be so overwhelming. Everyone is different in how they plan their time but the earlier you can figure out what works best for you the easier it will be. I tried a few things and found that using the same calendar for work, school, and life has helped me the most. I’m able to see which weeks will be very busy so I can try to prepare a little bit in advance to avoid stress. It also helps me to learn when to say “yes” and when to say “no” to additional opportunities that come up.

Try a few ways to approach your schedule, see what helps you feel prepared and not overwhelmed. And for the times that you are, there’s Howling Cow ice cream and scoop candy in Talley.

Prioritize Yourself

We’re grad students but we can have a life too! Make sure you prioritize time for you. I’m a strong believer that making time for yourself and those close to you makes you happier and in the end, better at your job. Last year I started setting aside at least one day where I don’t do anything school or work related to spend time with my husband or doing something for myself (like binge watch House of Cards). I’ve found that it has really helped me to feel re-energized and still not fall behind on school and work.

Explore Professional Development Opportunities

It’s totally okay not to know what you want to do with this degree from your first day. One of the awesome things about our program is its flexibility to help you explore different functional areas. Take advantage of it. Grad school is the perfect time to try different things and find your interests.

Think you might be interested in access? Become a Pack Promise mentor. Interested in research? Talk to your professors about helping them on a project. Want to increase your knowledge on issues of equity? Get the Equal Opportunity Institute certificate. Find what you’re passionate about and go for it. We tend to get so busy day-to-day that we sometimes forget our long-term goals. Not everything is a big time commitment; find out what that is before committing and see if you can fit it in. At the same time, don’t be afraid to say no if you’re feeling overwhelmed. A good way to find out about these opportunities: talk to second years in our program and see what they’re involved in, talk to your advisor, and look out for HEA blasts.

The main takeaway from these tips is to experiment and see what fits you best. Good luck with your first semester of classes!

Veering off Course to Stay on Track, by Shauna Morin

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When I began the HEA doctoral program just over a year ago, it was with the sole intention of furthering my career as a student affairs practitioner. After seven years as a full-time professional in the field, I had come to realize that a doctorate would be necessary to secure an upper-level position in higher education administration and I felt it was time to take the Ph.D. plunge. What I didn’t realize was that, in coming to NC State, I would be exposed to an entirely different career path that I’d never before considered—that of a faculty member. 

As any current student or graduate of our program knows, we have some incredibly talented and dedicated faculty in HEA. Because I am the graduate assistant for the HEA program, I’ve had a unique opportunity to spend significant time with them, observing the myriad roles they play and gaining insight into their diverse career paths. Learning about our faculty’s educational and professional journeys has reinforced that there are many possible avenues to a career in academia, thereby making attainment of such a career seem more viable. I never anticipated that my graduate assistantship would shift my career trajectory, but it has been a welcome (if unexpected) turn of course.

Over the past year, I’ve also gained tremendous insight into the world of a faculty member by engaging in collaborative research, writing and reviewing scholarly articles, and (perhaps most exciting of all!) teaching. I am currently participating in NC State’s Preparing the Professoriate (PTP) program, a yearlong professional development initiative that allows me to gain hands-on experience in the classroom under the supervision of a faculty mentor. As part of PTP, I am serving as a teaching colleague for the master’s level Foundations of Student Affairs course. Thinking creatively about lessons, developing activities and assignments, and getting up in front of the classroom have provided equal measure of challenge and reward. Though experiences such as PTP were not part of my plan when I entered the HEA program, they have proved to be hugely valuable and formative in my learning.

While I am not entirely certain that I’ll pursue a faculty career when I complete my degree, I am committed to keeping all doors open that will enable me to do so. And I am grateful for the opportunities and support here at NC State that make it possible. I encourage all of our current students to get involved by taking full advantage of our collective faculty expertise and the professional development offerings within and across programs at the University. Most of all, I urge students to explore an array of career paths within higher education by venturing into unfamiliar waters once in awhile. After all, veering off course can sometimes keep you on the right track!