Get Clear. Get Into Grad School. Get On With Your Life.
by Dr. Khia on August 11, 2011
Hurray! Your Grad School Coach is growing! You may have noticed that there’s a brand spanking new Testimonials page! Now you can keep up to date with what actual coaching clients have to say, in addition to the valuable information posted here on the blog.
I had the pleasure of working with a client who set aside dedicated time this summer to work on her statement of purpose for graduate social policy programs. And talk about getting started EARLY! Applications are due by October 1st and we were working together in JULY to add some polish to her essay. She seriously deserves an e-round of applause for being so proactive.
The First Read
She was off to an incredible start – and I said so after reviewing her first draft- but she shared that she had a nagging feeling that something was missing. Some oomph, some impact, some something, but couldn’t quite put her finger on what else was needed.
Enter Your Grad School Coach. Together, we were able to pinpoint areas that needed improvement, and go through several rounds of edits – three rounds, to be exact – in order to produce a polished essay that she felt confident was submission-ready. What was the final verdict on the coaching services? In her own words: [click to continue…]
Get Clear. Get Into Grad School. Get On With Your Life.
by Dr. Khia on July 30, 2011
Maybe the rash of grad school related articles is a not-so-subtle reminder that back to school season is upon us. At any rate, I’ve run across quite a few “check this out”-worthy articles.
Masters is the New Bachelors
This Education Life piece hit the New York Times last week on how employers are dealing with the glut of job applicants for fewer positions in today’s American economy. Their solution? Let’s weed ’em out by education level. Increasingly job postings are starting to read: “Bachelors required. Masters preferred.” Some employers are even taking resumes that list bachelors degrees only and placing them to the side in favor of advanced degreed applicants. Some are calling this trend “credential inflationism,” some call it “professionalizing the industry,” and still others are crying foul that bachelors degrees have been devalued. Are these trends a good or bad thing for the new American economy? [click to continue…]
Get Clear. Get Into Grad School. Get On With Your Life.
by Dr. Khia on July 23, 2011
I have developed a very recent semi-obsession with TED talks. TED is a nonprofit organization dedicated to “Ideas Worth Spreading.” There are tons of speakers – industry leaders, innovators, artists, educators, and investors – who are sharing their thoughts on everything from leadership to artistry to innovation. Some of these talks are downright cool – so says the geek living inside of me.
I watched this TED talk “On Being Wrong” just a few moments ago. Kathryn Schulz, the speaker, apparently wrote a cool book that I need to advance to my ever-expanding “To Read List” called Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error. She challenges the idea that to succeed in life, we must never make mistakes.
These thoughts are a little off-center from the TED talk I posted above, but looking back at my life, I can definitely say for sure is that this common belief is super duper amazingly false. Yet it’s a belief that I’m sure we can all relate to. If I had never tried and made mistakes, I would absolutely not be where I am today. I was WRONG – not once, but twice – in applying to graduate school. [click to continue…]
Get Clear. Get Into Grad School. Get On With Your Life.
by Dr. Khia on July 12, 2011
Dude… who are you?!
It’s not enough that you got an A out of the class. Are you memorable? Can the professor truly say something about your character and potential based off of a one-to-one interaction? If not, then think again about whether this person should write a letter of recommendation for you.
What you’re most likely to get is bland, boring, and not much to say besides, well, this student did well in my class. Is this recommendation doing any actual recommending for you? Probably not.
Are graduate admissions committees likely to be underwhelmed and unimpressed? You betcha! [click to continue…]
Get Clear. Get Into Grad School. Get On With Your Life.
by Dr. Khia on July 5, 2011
As one of the most popular majors on college campuses, the idea of becoming a psychologist has crossed the minds of many as a career path of interest. You may know that a Ph.D. is the most advanced degree you can receive, but exactly how long does it take to earn one?
Anatomy of a Ph.D. Program
A Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree is the highest level of specialization that you can achieve in the field of psychology. Unlike the bachelor’s degree, which is an introduction to the breadth of field, earning the Ph.D. means specializing in a specific area of interest.
Many requirements of Ph.D. programs include completion of a bachelor’s degree, standardized test scores, letters of recommendation, and personal statement essay. Many programs nowadays are designed where you receive a master’s degree on the way to completing the Ph.D. program, usually marked by the completion of coursework and successful passing of oral or written exams. [click to continue…]
Hurray! Your Grad School Coach is growing! You may have noticed that there’s a brand spanking new Testimonials page! Now you can keep up to date with what actual coaching clients have to say, in addition to the valuable information posted here on the blog.
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