Advice from Experienced Travelers: What to Expect on the Grad School Journey

In which current and former students in master’s and doctoral programs share their graduate school challenges and surprises.

As you navigate your way through graduate school, it’s helpful to hear from those who are a bit farther down the road. This post is the third in a series that shares tips and encouragement from graduate students and those who have recently completed degrees. Part One in this series is “Cautionary Tales.” These are the realities of graduate school that can cause problems if you are not prepared. Part Two is “The Joys of the Graduate School Journey,” where students share about the good gifts of grad school. Today, we’ll look at what happens when graduate school really gets challenging.

Part Three: Roadblocks — Significant Graduate School Setbacks

Jeremy, a Ph.D. student in aerospace engineering, said, “There are always roadblocks, and the more you succeed, the more you will be tested.”

Often, we talk about obstacles as “roadblocks,” and this is a pretty good metaphor. A roadblock is a big problem. It means you can’t continue on your planned course. But it doesn’t have to be the end of the journey. Usually, when there is a roadblock, there is a detour.

Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash

Karol, who recently completed an Ed.D. in adult and higher education leadership, got off track when a planned internship didn’t work out. She ended up having to adjust her graduation timeline. Although the delay was frustrating and embarrassing, she realized that “other than those in your program, no one cares or questions WHEN you finished your degree.”

Just as on a physical journey, a detour in your graduate school journey may require more time and effort than originally planned. In her last semester of coursework for her Ph.D. in musicology, Michelle became sick. Her health has been a struggle since then, requiring constant monitoring, significant lifestyle changes, and frequent, extended hospital stays. The illness has slowed her progress, but not stopped it.

“Most things, you can find a way to endure, persevere through, or circumnavigate,” she said.

Graduate Success Coaching

Whether you are running into major roadblocks or want help navigating the curves in the road of graduate school, you may want a little extra support. The Well-Ordered Mind exists to support graduate school persistence. Success coaching can bring structure, peace, and progress to your grad school journey!

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