Anyone ever been in a doctoral program?

16 years ago

I am trying to calm down. I am ready to strangle a professor and my groupmates. First class was last Wed. We were assigned groups and my group has a lecture due Jan 30!!!! Two weeks to prepare and the guys in my group have no idea what the material is AND the DON"T even have their textbooks. They didn't bother to tell me that last week when we met, no they waited until last night and today!

My Advanced Epidemiology class looks like it will average 200 pages of reading a week! (I am intemidated in the class too- most of the students are Epi majors and actually understand the topic).

Survey Methods (the one with the lecture) will have about 100-150 a week.

Grant writing I can wing since I have done most of it before but there are three textbooks for it (one that still hasn't arrived)

Intervention design doesn't have a book (thank goodness) but he is REALLY into reading everything too.

I LOVE to read but I am not going to have enough awake hours to read all of this do the assignments and do the 15-20 hours of research work we are required!

Last semester was so nice (except for the Epi course) but this one is gonna be a killer! Okay, enough griping, there are much worse things I could be dealing with!

If you don't see me for a while, make sure I am not lost in a pile of papers!!!!!

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Comments (10)

Kathsgrdn
16 years ago
Oh geez, I'm sorry you're stressed out. Never been in a doctoral program but am actually thinking of going back and getting my bachelor's degree in nursing. I can't even believe I'm even thinking about this remembering what I went through to get my ADN.

Just think, it will one day be over with and will be worth all the stress and work.
glenda_al
16 years ago
No have not, but sending your EXTRA SPECIAL thoughts for success!
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stephanie_in_ga
16 years ago
Nope, sorry. Someday, I hope. But you're making me feel that it will have to wait until I'm done raising kids. (We can have it all, just not all at the same time.)

But I know you can do this! You worked so hard to get this far and I have faith in you! YOU GO GIRL!! Deep breath, make a plan, stick with it.

I'm puttin' a pot of coffee on for you.
bigfoot_liz
16 years ago
i have not been in a doctoral program but do want to send you lots of encouraging thoughts! i can sort of relate i did not do groups w/ disorganized or intellectually inferior peers well in college LOL. i know that may should horrible to many who can't relate but truth of the matter is your grade is essentially dependent on your groups' performance not on your individual performance. if you are a grade perfectionist like i was it's very scary to lose control over your grade to people who care less. i also taught at indiana univ and never allowed group anything lol, that's the quickest way to weed out people not up to par which helps willing students in the long run.

my dh is working on a dual BS/MS in engineering honors program at UCF and last semester had to deal w/ having a class w/ group projects. he and 1 other guy were the only one's who met and did the work, there were 4 others in their group. they earned the other 4 a grade of 101 out of 100 and believe me DH made sure the prof knew who did what...

this semester dh ordered all of his textbks from outside the US, much cheaper BTW, and i was worried they wouldn't come early enough for him to look over before jan 7 when classes started lol. 3 of his 4 classes have yet to have assignments because textbks are not yet in for most of the students or most don't yet have them?!

it takes as much dilligence and organization as it does effort at studying & the knowledge to do well. it sounds like you are on top of all of that! just stick to your guns with your group and drag them to the finish if you have to LOL! ~ liz
glenda_al
16 years ago
Goood luck wishes!
Rudebekia
16 years ago
I have a doctorate and am now a university professor. All I can say is it was worth it -- I just love my career! I'm also glad I was in school when I was young enough to handle the long hours, pressure, and just general &*(^% you have to put up from, well, usually those professors. I remember reading at least one to three scholarly books per day; long hours in the library and writing papers; but also the excitement of starting to feel like I had mastered the topic and was joining a scholarly "conversation." It was a great time in my life. I must say, though, that I don't believe we ever had "group" projects in my day. I don't assign them to my students (except, occasionally pair projects) for the reason you mention -- the good students are often frustrated that the poor students aren't sharing the load, and then they all just get a group grade at the end. Hang in there -- if you are headed for a college teaching career, you won't regret it!
heather_on
16 years ago
One course I took had a group project. There were only two of us that were remotely interested in the project and had to carry the group in order to pass with a decent mark. I really resented all the extra work I had to do especially when I was working full time nursing and the others were all part time nurses. The only thing I can say is that when we presented our topic, it was very obvious which girls had done all the work.
janie_ga
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks all. It sure was nice to vent last night. The meeting went okay this morning, we will see if they come through in a few days with a presentation outline. At least they both showed up!

Marita, what was your major? I tried to email you but there wasn't an option to email through your page.

Janie
Rudebekia
16 years ago
Janie--I'm a literature major. I did my doctorate in literature at the Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, and I now teach at a Catholic University in St. Paul MN
sooey
16 years ago
Hi Janie,

I have never been in a doctoral program but our youngest daughter is now working on her degree at UIUC in Urbana IL. She is a very hard worker, puts a lot of pressure on herself and strives to always be the very best. She graduated from Macalester College in St. Paul, MN in '04, started at UIUC a year later. She is now in her exam year, working toward a PhD in History. She was home for the holidays and spent most of her time reading and studing. She arrived home with 75 lbs of books...had to pay extra $$ for her flight because of it and, had requested more books for Christmas presents. We shipped many of them back for her so she did not have so much to carry during her travels back. She reads and reads and reads. She LOVES what she is doing. She loves the world of academia...she wallows in it. She has worked hard and should be ABD by mid April.

It sounds like your semester will be full of challenges. I remember those group assignments in college as having a bit of a guessing game element to them...-who would be the one not pulling his or her weight?- Remember...all of this will make you stronger and much wiser. Schedule your time, get your rest and eat as many balanced meals as you can. You won't be sorry, it will all be worth it. And, Good for you!

Anyone ever been in a doctoral program?

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