What conditions challenge degree completion?

1) a wacked out family environment that makes you want to scream and pull your hair out.

2) ?

3) ?

 

Bill,

It's interesting you should ask. As for me, it's the relentless demands of pastoral ministry in a rapidly growing church body. At present, I am at a very "intense" point in my thesis writing. I am in the midst of drafting two very heavy-duty chapters. Yet, I find it difficult to carve out "sacred" chunks of time within which I can focus consistently upon conceptualizing and writing. This being so, it is difficult for me to sustain a "train of thought" between significant opportunities to sit down and write. I often feel as though, when finally I have opportunity to sit back down at my computer, I have to back-track several steps so I can become reacquainted with where I am in the process. As a result of this struggle, I am heading out to a remote lake cabin for three days next week. While there, my plan is to do nothing but think and write in utter, uninterupted solitude. I have my thoughts pretty well in order, so am hoping that this retreat experience will prove adequate to enable me to wrap up these two chapters. After that, I have only one relatively light-weight chapter to go before I have completed the thesis. Joy!

Then, on to Stellenbosch...Although, part of me dreads the notion of investing myself in several more years of the time crunch dynamic I've just described. Yet, I love what I do, and at the same time am committed to the value of the research in which I am wanting to engage. Thus, I must continue to strive to cultivate a balance!

Bill, I wish you a bountiful supply of the Lord's grace and stength as you endeavor to persevere in the face of your particular challenges. Blessings!

Cory Seibel

 

This is an interesting topic.

I remember reading somewhere that Calvin crafted the Institutes' first draft (much smaller than we have today) in a house full of children.

This may be apocryphal, but for our sake, let's just believe it!

Chris

 

...............

Yeah, but Calvin was decreed to
finish so Russell would realize his error

 

POINT LOMA?

Chris

You are at POINT LOMA NAZ now? That's my old school. In 1966 there was no accredited school of theology in San Diego. So I drove twice a week to Pasadena near LA for two years to finish the MA in Theo there. Later it moved to Point Loma (San Diego) but by then I was in Oregon and there were several schools in San Diego...I think branches of Westminster and Bethel and of course my old Linda Vista became Southern Cal. with TRACS accred. The Nazarenes seem to do education well.

Do you have to take the year of Armininan Theo before they let you go

 

What an inspiration

Bill,
With all your posts you are well on your way to making the pages of the distance learning anthology which has been mentioned hypothetically in the past.

With the situation you've described above - I only have more respect for the depth of your posts. I am not currently in vocational ministry (It is my belief that this interim as a nurse is definitely a ministry.) and think about returning often. It was my curse to work with church staffs (I originally typed *stiffs* ) who did not value advanced education in the ministry. I recall a pastor with whom I worked who told me that God had called him to the pastorate (without formal education) and that God had called me to go to school. I believe I detailed my fiasco on staff with largely Bob Jones graduates (please do not read this as vehemence for Bob Jones U - just a statement about the ultrafundamentalism and conservativism to which I was exposed).

Today, with one teenager and two quickly on her heels, I definitely feel the struggle about giving significant chunks of time to one's study. When I was completing my MBA, I had to retreat to my bedroom - turn on a noise maker made by Homedics (I love the "white noise" setting.) and sometimes even turn on a fan to drown out distractions. It's a good thing I was not decreed to write Institutes because if it were truly crafted in a houseful of children, my version would have been Instituted.

 

The reasons are:
1) Bipolar affective disorder II, ultradian rapid cycling type
2) Adult ADHD--predominantly inattentive type
3) Some difficult circumstances with the university community that I am currently involved in.

The main thing is that I will finish my degree because acquiring knowledge is always a good thing, even if it seems to take forever to do so.

 

2) Money and/or extended working hours to get money at the expense of adequate study time.

3) Sticking with a major that is too difficult for you to comprehend but not cutting your losses and changing majors.

4) Listening to bad advice from other people who just know that the "Lexis" education will always be just for you in lieu of the "Chevy" education you were contemplating.

5) Spending to much time cogitating over your feeling of buyer's remorse for picking the Chevy over the Lexus.

6) Believing the marketing hype that you could get a synchronous on-line degree program completed at "your own pace".

7) A dissertation committe that just can't seem to come to grips with your hypothesis after several years of explaining.

8)....... The Biggie...... LACK OF MOTIVATION.

Dick

 

The school was 90 miles away. I had to commute twice a week in addition to extensive travel with my job and running a state agency. I had a wife and 4 children at home. However, most of that was the easy stuff.

The biggest barrier to start was that I picked a bad chair and a bad committee. Once I fired them, got a new chair who wanted me to graduate and a quality committee, things improved greatly.

The next biggest barrier was the remaining focused on the dissertation (while not trying to do toooooooooooooo much research, getting very focused, and restricting the lit review....I ended up cutting more than 100 pages out of my final dissertation). The dissertation is such a lonely process. It is easy to let work, family, TV, almost anythiing get in the way. Having a study group and a couple of study partners helped to overcome this barrier.

 

2) The NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL seasons.

3) Beer.




Bruce

 

Conditions Challenge degree?

How about poverty?

How about living in America the land of the free and barely ever so slightly making ends meet?

How about a dean's committee that doesn't let you back in college after serving a full-time mission for your church for two years simply because it wasn't a year and a half it was two?
(Any other reasons: NO)

How about kids and a family?

How about working 50-55 hours per week?

Let's see, what else?

Nope, I think poverty probably does it.

 

Re: Conditions Challenge degree?

It sounds like you had a tough time with it.

I'm sorry to hear that. Did you look at financial aid options? I believe that even deferred loans are a good investment for most educational pursuits. Surely most can afford the time to pursue education, it is the out of pocket costs that kill us. If you were that destitute, I have a hard time believing that a financial aid package couldn't be put together that would cover everything (I am including loans, although I think other avenues would cover a substantial portion of this cost).
Also, 50-55 hours a week is a lot. Still, it is possible to go full time along with these kind of work obligations. This is possible through dl of course. I had an impossible time trying to attend traditional classes considering my own work-related challenges.
Best of luck,
Tony

 

Tony

 

Dealing with an administration that can't seem to get their ducks in a row and show me as (a) admitted and (b) eligible for financial aid so I can register for classes.

And this school has a good rep on this board!

Melissa/Suse

 

In looking at my situation I must say that in light of Bill G.'s circumstances mine seem calmer. Family was a big one in my first graduate program where I did not have too much time to study and a home with a wife (who was losing patience with my going to school) and three kids. Managed to keep everyone relatively happy and do well.

A few years later............I am now down to one child at home (occasionally) and separated from my wife. My biggest obstacle in my doctoral program is some lethargy. I have been going through the separation in the midst of it and although my wife and I get along very well, I have felt melancholy(??). When not feeling melancholy (??) I given in to the temptation to watch the History Channel, O'Reilly Factor, Hannity & Colmes, and EWTN. But I am persevering quite well as I am predestined to do.

North

 

..................


What, no Bishop Jakes?

 

Perish the thought. Bill Thou art loosed. Need a little more intellectual stimulation than that. I have respect for TD but his theology is out to lunch. He is more entertainer than theologian.
I must admit to occassionally watching Joel Osteen (he is generally pretty upbeat).

I do enjoy EWTN as some of their programs are fairly interesting. Father Pacwa (PhD) is a bright guy (I forget how many semitic and other ancient languages he speaks). Dr. Hahn is also interesting (whether or not I agree with him) in discussing Catholic Theology (Marian doctrine). The series on GK Chesterton is good (brilliant man/writer). I find Fulton Sheen's old programs good as well (PhD Louvain??).

North

 

In my case it is motivation.

I find that I have to push myself to open and study the course materials. Therefore, I bought a planner and I am mapping out the assignments I need to complete within a schedule, thus pacing myself. Perhaps this tip could help others.

Regards,