Frequently Asked Questions
The pursuit of a doctoral degree is not common in any society and is considered extremely rare in the United States. In fact, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, only 3% of people in the U.S. attain a doctoral degree. I am frequently asked about my school, program, and what I hope to accomplish by earning my doctoral degree. Listed below are my answers to the most commonly asked questions. If your questions are not listed here, please send them to me via my contact form and I will do my best to respond both here and to you personally.
What made you decide to pursue Masters and Doctoral degrees?
After I completed my Bachelors Degree in Communications Studies from California State University, Sacramento I found myself caught in the bursting of the dot-com-bubble between 2001-2003. I was unemployed and trying to make ends meet by working for temp agencies. Because of the large number of people out of work, my BS degree wasn’t making the grade. I was up against too many other people with Bachelors degrees and a LOT more practical experience than I currently had. I managed to find a permanent (administrative assistant) position at Sutter Health Support Services and started to pursue a Masters Degree in Health Administration. My goal was to work my way into the Executive Level. Everyone I saw working at that level had a minimum of a Masters degree. Many also had doctoral degrees.
Why did you choose the University of Phoenix, Online?Initially I wanted to return to CSUS for my Masters Degree program. However, before I even applied to the program I was told by an advisor that my Bachelors Degree program grades were such (3.0) that I would have to get a perfect score on the Graduate Record Exam (a rare feat) in order to be accepted. I left feeling stupid and at a dead end. However, a few days later I was watching my local news when they reported that Shaquille O’Neal from the LA Lakers (at that time) had earned a MBA from the University of Phoenix, Online. I was pretty sure Shaq was not a straight A student in his Bachelors program either and did some checking into University of Phoenix, Online. I applied and was accepted into their Masters of Healthcare Administration program in August of 2005 and graduated in September 2007.
Why did you go through their online program?
While there was a ground campus just up the street from where I worked, there were other practical considerations to address. At that time my husband and I only had one vehicle and we commuted to work together. Taking Mark all the way home and then coming all the way back to school just didn’t seem practical. Also, the MHA program was not offered at the Sacramento ground campus, but was offered online. I chose the online program (with some reservations and trepidations) and have not regretted the decision ever since.
Why pursue a doctoral degree?There were a couple of factors that influenced this decision for me. The first was that I had been told I would never get into a Masters program, much less a Doctoral program. I had proven that wrong about the Masters degree. I figured why not go all the way and prove it with a Doctoral degree as well. My husband was supportive so I went for it.
The second reason was money. I had paid for most of my BS and all of my MHA programs through the use of Federal student loans. Once I finished my MHA program my BS loans would be back in repayment mode and my MHA loans would be close on their heels. Quite frankly I was not in a position where I could afford those payments yet. Staying in school would keep my existing loans in forbearance (I wouldn’t have to make payments yet) and earning a higher degree (yes, yes, I know… more student loans) would put me in an even better position for a higher paying job when I was done. I went for it!
The Library of Congress is the national library of the United States and is the largest library in the world by shelf space.
Don’t Doctoral Students have to write a book?
Yes, they do! It’s called a dissertation. My favorite instructor at CSUS – Dr. Edith LeFebvre - once explained the educational process to me this way…
Associates Degree - This is where newly minted High School graduates can work out their Party:Homework ratio. They are also informed that somewhere on campus is a building called a “library.”
Bachelors Degree – Students working towards this degree are taught how to use the library and are also taught how to write term papers. They remember that their high school teachers warned them about this, but didn’t take it seriously at the time. Students at this level also become masters at cramming for mid-term and final examinations.
Masters Degree - These students are informed that they are expected to become experts in using the library. They are expected to know how to gather information from many different sources and explain it in a coherent manner to their instructors. Proper citations are also required in order to avoid being accused of the ultimate academic sin of plagiarism.
Doctoral Degree - These students are expected to do one thing only… CONTRIBUTE TO THE LIBRARY. This requires finding new knowledge, proving its existence, and writing a book about it so others can learn about it. This, more than anything else seems to scare people away from pursuing graduate degrees. I’m here to tell you now, they (the academic elite who advise and instruct doctoral students) prepare students for this task and help them along the way. I encourage everyone to embark on this journey. Yes, it’s long, exhaustive, and expensive. However, you’ll be a better person for it when you’re done.
If your questions are not listed here, please send them to me via my contact form and I will do my best to respond both here and to you personally.
