Ed.D.: I have two options and both are insane. Help?

Discussion in 'Education, Teaching and related degrees' started by Gabe F., Jul 8, 2017.

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  1. Gabe F.

    Gabe F. Active Member

    Alright folks,

    So here we go. I'm exploring Ed.D. programs. I'll spare you the boring back story suffice it to say that I don't see how an Ed.D. will help me in the long run based on where I'm at right now, BUT...

    Option A

    I have an MBA from Corban University and am just four weeks away from completing a Master of Education through University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. These two degrees would allow me to enter the Northwest Nazarene University Ed.D. program which is typically reserved for folks with an Ed.S.; however, they are viewing my two master's degrees as Ed.S. equivalency (because it's a total of 68 credits). This is a sweet gig because it means that I can A) Earn the Ed.D. in 26 months B) Incur less than $19k in tuition charges most of which will be picked up by my remaining GI Bill benefits.

    One last thing, I have an interview scheduled with a rather prestigious school located in a little town known as Evanston (most of y'all know what I mean). If were to get the job, then the Ed.D. would make nearly perfect sense (although still not technically required for the position), but it's still a long shot.

    Option B

    Skip the idea altogether. I say this because I've been nearly continuously enrolled in school since May 2014 - finished my MBA in May 2015, started a grad certificate at Illinois in August 2015, earned the graduate certificate in March 2016, and started back at Illinois in August of 2016 until August 2017. So burnout is a bit of a concern.

    The other issue, of course, is the question of "Why pursue the degree if it's not professionally relevant?". The part I really struggle with is that some day it may be. I'd also hate to leave those remaining GI Bill benefits on the shelf, but jumping into an intense program like a doctorate degree seems like a lot just for benefits sake.

    What say you (or y'all as I prefer)?
     
  2. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    Is there a reason(s) why you're only considering Northwest Nazarene?
     
  3. Gabe F.

    Gabe F. Active Member

    I've considered a few other schools and haven't entirely ruled them out. What moved Northwest Nazarene to the front is the 26 month completion time and the fact that I could complete the degree with very little out-of-pocket costs.
     
  4. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    Gotcha; I was going to say that there are other options for an Ed.D., but you can't fault that reasoning.

    My opinion is that you should go for the doctorate while the desire and funding is still available. You never know what kind of curveballs that life will throw you, and having that kind of credential to fall back on if necessary can't ever be a bad thing.
     
  5. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    As a third option, because you have two Master's degrees, the University of the Cumberlands EdD or PhD would be similar duration and price.
     
  6. Gabe F.

    Gabe F. Active Member

    Hey Steve,

    Thanks for the recommendation. Funny enough, I almost played football for UoftheC right out of high school back when it was Cumberland College. I grew up just outside the area. They certainly appeared on my radar, but their program requires standardized tests. I've never taken any so that's just more time and expense for me (the expense being the biggest factor). For a variety of other reasons, the path of least resistance for getting into the program is also a factor and that's another way NNU stood out to me.
     
  7. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Well, they exempt applicants who meet certain criteria from having to test at all, so you may want to take a look anyway. And even if you don't qualify, they accept the Miller Analogies Test, which only takes an hour and costs less than a hundred bucks. But hey, I understand you're trying to have the G.I. Bill cover everything, if possible, so if that's a deal breaker, then that's a deal breaker.
     
  8. WR213

    WR213 New Member

    Why noT stay at Illinois and complete it there?
     
  9. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    I guess the first thing is that I don't think any of it is insane. However, it might be poor judgment to earn a doctoral degree just because someday it might come in handy. I suggest that, after completing your current program, you take a year off to think about it. Se how you feel in a year. Maybe you'll find that you just can't shake the idea and I think that would be a sign that you actually have another motivation, maybe one that's a bit under the radar. On the other hand, you might discover that you like the life of an X-perpetual student.
     

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