Please Say A prayer...

Hi all!

I know that I haven't written in a while, but for the last few weeks I have been studying for my Doctoral Comp exams, and the exam is today, 8/26 and tomorrow. They are four in all, Epistemotology, Clinical, Research, and Policy (in that order). I am nervous as hell. I have been studying alone and in groups and have neglected many onher areas of my life for this.

If someone could just say a prayer - I would really appreciate it.

Thanks,

Gina

 

Good luck Gina, and I'll keep you in my thoughts!!

 

I am praying for you. Fill your heart with all of our prayers and love coming your way.
-Pat

 

Good luck, Gina! Stay relaxed, and remember, you can do this!

 

May the Lord bless Gina and help her to prosper; may He give her wisdom as the sweat falls.

 

Good luck and may your work be rewarded....

 

Good Luck Gina

 

Good luck Gina.

 

Hi Gina,

Am praying the Lord will help you recall information, that He will help you do your best, and that your hard work and studying serve you well.

 

The worst part will be the wait, how lontuntil you know the results.

Best of luck!!!

 

50% Over - another 50% to go

Hi everyone!


First of all, thank you so much for your prayers and thoughts and support. It is need now more than ever in this quest for my doctorate degree. I will still need them though, for it is not over just yet.

I just finished today the first Two Parts of the Exam. Epistemology - the first one- wasn't so bad. A lot of discussion on Positivism and Post Potivistism. The Clinical Exam - the second one - was a doozy. I had to analyze a case of a married couple through one of the "Theories of Personality" and then apply the case to two models of pratice, and then explain how I would intergrate these models of pratice with the couple. It would have been much easier if it were just one person, for 3 hours was just not enough time to do this in. That exam answer came out to be 11 pages long, and it was tough to intergrate all the stuff, especially since I used Freud's theory of psychoanalysis to analyze the case (it was the theory that I knew the best).

Now to face Research in the am and Social Policy in the pm!


Gina


P.S. I won't know the results until probably after Labor Day, although there are rumors that we may know sooner than that.

 

It's over - but........

Ok folks! It's over - but with a glitch.


Research was quite straight foward (I had to create a quantative and qualitative study using a sample population and defend the studies). Policy was long and involved, but here is the situation that I am now faced with: As I was saving my exam on the computer, it was accidentally unplugged by my classmate (she thought she was unplugging her's - since we were next to each other). I then rebooted my computer and rushed to save the exam to disk so I can get it to my professor (she was a little annoyed - she had to go back home to Conn. and it was rush hour). I had asked her secretary to print out a copy of my exam for my review (I don't have a working printer at home) and while I was reviewing just a while ago, I noticed a portion of my answer of question #6 was missing. I checked my computer and realized that that portion of the exam did not save on my harddrive as well. I had word preform backups of my file every 5 minutes just in case something like this would happen, and what I do have is that backup - which is the same as the exam that I handed in with the missing info.

I know it is to late to do anything about this at this point, but I am fearful that this may cause me not to pass - for the question is worth 15 points (it was the last question). I thought I had saved everything, and my classmate/friend apologized profusely for what happened (I don't hold her responsible whatsoever). I e-mailed my professor and told her what happened, but she is not as easy to talk to - and she is the director. The passing grade is 70 for each exam - so, If I am unable to get credit for this - I am down to a grade of 85. I am having some anxiety over this. I just hope that I get a decent response from her.

Again - please say a prayer! I also pray for you guys out there who are doing DL, especially if you are doing a PhD - DL. It is hard enough already, and to work independently must make the learing process more difficult!

Gina

P.S. If anyone is interested in seeing a copy of my answer to this exam, please let me know - I definately wouldn't mind the feedback!

 

Gina,

Hang in there, you can do it!

I worked myself into a real worry over mine. They just seem worse than they actually are (he said in hind sight). You wouldn't be taking them if you weren't ready!

Looking forward to hearing the good news on your passing!

 

An update..

Hi everyone, here is an update on my comp exams...


Apparently, there is going to be a meeting Wednesday with the Doctoral staff to discuss the grades. The way each exam section was graded was blind using two seperate graders, and then averaging the grades together. I don't know if that's the protocol or something new or what, but now I can't help feeling like I have a "knot in my Stomach" over this. The results of exams will not be in until after their meeting Wednesday...


Please still keep me in your prayers, and thanks to all for your continued support and kind words.


the anxiety continues

 

Hi Gina,

When I did my comps there was a triple blind read. The test comprised of three questions (multiple parts, of course). We were to write the answers to each question as a separate document, so each could be reviewed separately. Names only went on the cover sheet which did not go to the readers. However, having taught, it is possible to pick out someone's work if you had them as a student, so it is likely the profs knew who belonged to which paper.

This meant up to nine different people could review a candidate's work, though likely only three people reviewed anyone person's work. The protocol used was to remove the cover sheet, make three copies of the ansers and distribute them to the readers. The readers then determined the grade given to the answer. Eventually, after a couple weeks (which, like you, I spent on pins and needles.) I received the results that I passed.

Of course, that was only the warm up to the real event- the dissertation. However, that's a different story altogether.

So, next Thursday we hear the good news that you joined the ranks of ABD!

 

Ok....I got my results.


The story first:

I arrived home this evening from work and picking up my kids from my mother's house at 9:00pm, and my husband teels me that two of my classmates called and the Director of the doctoral program called and left a message for me to call her after 9:30pm at her home. Immediately my heart stopped and put my son to bed. Then I called one classmate and encountered "Star 82" and decided that dialing that took to much time and called my other classmate, who said the grades are in and that Prof. called each of the students at home to give the results.

As I mentioned before, there are 4 sections to the exam: Epistemology, Clinical, Research and Social Policy. My friend passed all 4 sections, as well as two other students. Two of my classmates passed 3 and failed research, one classmate failed 2 and passed 2, and one classmate failed all 4 sections. One classmate did not get her results as of yet - but is planning on calling in the morning. The one that failed all 4 also is an instructor at my school, and is completely devistated about her results - she feels that she is unable to now face her collegues at work. She is also one of the brightest students in class - and upon hearing that news, I nearly lost it. I hung up the phone, changed my clothes, prayed really hard and waited the longest 10 minutes of my life to call for my results. When I called, this is what I got:










Ready...............................




Epistemology Section - Pass
Clinical Section - Pass
Research Section - Pass


Social Policy - Failed (marginally)


According to my professor, these are good results and I can re-take the policy exam in January (they allow for one retake). I am also going to schedule a meeting with her to discuss what I did wrong on the exam, and since it was "marginal" - to try and work in a few points here or there. According to the Prof., I am not at risk of not being allowed back into the program, and I passed the exam (all 4 sections together) overall. I am just releived that I finally got the results, and the wait is over. She also said that most people failed the policy section, and that only three people passed all four sections.


Any thoughts, suggestions? Am I an ABD now?

 

Go Gina!

Go Gina!

 

Gina,

Congratulations and rather than being overly concerned about one "failed marginally" how about rewarding yourself for the three "passed".

Congrats again and continued success.

Regards,

 

Definitely schedule that meeting. When I did my comps for my M.A., we had three in-class essays, 3 out-of-class essays (because it's not possible to do the subjects without references and it would be impossible to predict what you might need), and a 150 multiple guess exam.

I passed 5 out of 6 essays and the multiple guess exam. The one area I failed was historical linguistics (which is not a history class, but closer to scientific analysis of language change over time). For the life of me, I could not figure out what I had done wrong. I went back and looked, had a different prof take a look, found more resources, and the best that we could determine was that it was not a great answer, but we thought adequately addressed the question. I went to the dept. chair and asked him to take a look. He also couldn't understand why it was a fail. Two days later he called me and said it had been changed to a pass. Never knew exactly what transpired nor really cared (as long as I got the bleepin' pass).

So, the short version is that a second look never hurts.



Tom Nixon

 

Thank you for this story. I am now really encouraged to meet with my prof. and the other grader. Since it is marginal, then I am going to fight for those extra points. I also can't understand how I could have answered the question any better than in the three hours I had for the exam (it came out to almost 10 typewritten pages). I would be more than happy to share it with you - that's if you know anything about policy.



Note for FED: yes, i plan on rewarding myself this weekend with a new outfit or pair of shoes. Thank you for reminding me of this!!!


Note to everyone else: THANK YOU for all your prayers and support during this time of need. I truly appreciate this from the bottom of my heart, and it will not be forgotten.

I will keep everyone posted once I meet with the Prof.