Changed My Mind. I *WILL* Be Getting a Ph.D. After All.

No. I addressed that comment to people "looking for an excuse." You can have a reason, or you can be looking for one. If the latter describes you, then you have not yet made a decision.

 

Yes, that makes perfect sense.

 

On the other hand it can be fun - for my MAS thesis research I took three or four vacations to the UK to research my project visiting several museums, the British Library and the UK National Archives. As a student I was allowed access to archives not open to the general public.

 

The determination of credit value has fundamental approach all accredited programs follow.

 

This may have been mentioned already but before you throw out Walden or Capella as an option check to see if any of your Master degree credits transfer. I got one whole year of my Masters degree (I have a two year Masters) to transfer in for the program I enrolled in. For me that was the clincher since no one else wanted to give me that much credit (Fielding, Walden, Union, etc.).

 

IMHO, "Why not" is one of the worst reasons to start a PhD program!

I started a PhD program because of "why not" and another but equally bad reason, "I like to teach." However, I'm looking at it from the standpoint of a traditional B&M student, complete with teaching commitments, idiotic rules of academia, and trying to live off $25k a year. Dealing with all the politics here has sucked the joy out of topic I am working on. Yes, tuition was "free", but it has cost me a relationship, all my free time, loads of stress, and other lost opportunities.

What's my reward for all this? Let's see, I could get a tenure track position somewhere. I just have to wait for a current tenured faculty member to retire or die, then all I would have to do is uproot and move across the country somewhere. Maybe if I pull in enough grant money, I can keep my job after a few years. Did I mention that some departments now have the unwritten policy to always deny tenure? That way they have a fresh new crop of servants coming in every few years.

I could get a non-tenured instructor position. Last one was offered at 45K a year (which would actually be 5k less than what I was making as a grad student, considering it was 25k for only part-time work.) But hey, I get to be called "doctor". Woopie!!

Hmm, I could get an adjunct position. A UF PhD would put me on the top of the pile compared to you NCU, UoP, and Capella grads (no offense). The going rate around here at CC's is $300 a credit hour, no benefits. Looking at the time it take to prepare classes, grade papers, teach, office hours, that works out to less than what I was making at Starbucks. Starbucks paid benefits too.

Knowing what I know now, I would have done an online program such as NCU, EBS, or Walden, but only if I was getting tuition reimbursement from a company I was working for, and ONLY if there was a solid reason. For some people, being called "doctor" is a strong reason enough.

 

So......how are those Gators doin'?


Okay, you make some very strong points. I just see it from my frame of reference where "why not" was okay. I had a career job, extra time due to travel and being in a hotel, and it was free due to tuition assistance. I guess the real lesson is that everyone must decide what is best for them after collecting all the information they can.

 

Very well written, but I could not have understood this when I sought to get a doctorate. In hindsight, your message is loud and clear -- and accurate.

 

For a full-time B&M program, maybe. But how about for a part-time online program?

 

LOL Soooo true