Major Mistakes PhD Students Cannot Afford to Make

Every level of education provides a corresponding advancement up the pay scale. As the highest level of academic credential one can obtain, the PhD unlocks outstanding income potential, but only if PhD students can achieve their degree in a reasonable amount of time. PhD programs are expensive, and any mistake could cost a student another year in education and deprive them another year in industry. Know more in detail about Major Mistakes PhD Students Cannot Afford to Make.

Whether you are looking to pursue your PhD in Education or in some other subject, you should try to avoid the following time- and energy-wasting mistakes:

Entering a PhD Program Without Vision

You need a good reason to pursue a PhD, or you will be unlikely to see the program to completion. Beyond the pay opportunities, what do you hope to achieve with your advanced degree? You might be seeking a solution to a problem that plagues your professional field, or you may have a passion for knowledge in a particular topic. In any case, you should be able to visualize what success with a PhD means to you before you enroll in the program.

Choosing the Wrong Supervisor

Selecting a PhD supervisor is among the most important steps to earning a PhD — and it occurs overwhelmingly early in the process. You will be interacting with your supervisor often, almost every day, and their knowledge and skill will help you develop your research and dissertation. You can change your supervisor throughout the PhD process, but doing so might alter your timeline and put your degree further out of reach. You should consider your options carefully before you make a decision; you need a supervisor whose expertise overlaps with your field of interest and who is easy to communicate with.

Expecting to Coast on IQ

Undeniably, you need to be smart to succeed in a PhD program. However, intellectual capacity alone is not enough to ensure your success. Beyond having a high IQ, you need to be able to learn new information quickly and efficiently, and you need to be willing to work hard to complete projects and research necessary to complete your dissertation. Every student in your PhD program will be smart, but if you want to rise above the rest, you need discipline and diligence, as well.

Trying to Balance School and Work

Online PhD programs make it easier than ever to access advanced studies, but you should not make the mistake of trying to fit a PhD program amidst an already packed work schedule. Most students feel that pursuing a PhD is equivalent to working two full-time jobs. If you need financial support during your studies, you might look for teaching opportunities with your school, apply for grants, take out loans or ask for help from family and friends.

Focusing on a Single Methodology

PhD students need to be masters of problem-solving. Unfortunately, because many PhD students have little research experience, some struggle when it comes to developing methodologies to explore different approaches to existing problems. As tempting as it may be to utilize a single methodology in your research, you need to be open to multiple methods of collecting and analyzing information, as there might be better tools and strategies for achieving the insights you need to write a compelling thesis.

Forgetting Revisions

You will not revise your dissertation once — or twice — or three times. Your dissertation will undergo dozens upon dozens of revisions, both as you make new discoveries through your research and as you receive input from your PhD supervisor and other subject-area experts. The sooner you become comfortable making revisions to your writing, the sooner you can complete your thesis and receive your PhD.

Rejecting Help

No PhD student is an island. As a PhD student, you are striving to become an expert in your field — but you are not one yet. Thus, you need to be receptive to offers of guidance, especially from the faculty currently working in your college of study. Your supervisor knows much more about the field than you do, and you need to trust that their advice will help you achieve your research goals. Similarly, you should graciously accept help from members of your personal life, like friends and family, who take on greater responsibilities to ensure you succeed through your studies. Being stubborn or unresponsive to help will only alienate important figures in your life and slow down your PhD progress.
Mistakes are essential learning opportunities, and you are bound to make more than a few mistakes during the course of your PhD. Still, you should strive to avoid the costliest mistakes, like those listed above, to ensure the greatest success through your PhD program and beyond.
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