Becoming a Ph.D. Student

Sarah Lonon
In Process

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Telling my mom and dad one day in early December that I got accepted into MTSU’s Ph.D. program was quite a shock for them. It was a shock because I had told no one, not my family, none of my friends, that I had been steadily making plans to get my Ph.D. and had been filling out the application. It was quite a funny situation as I shuffled into the living room, rather nervous at explaining my plan, “So, I got accepted into the Ph.D. program at a place called MTSU.”

“What?!” My parents gasped, looking at each other in confusion.

I applied for the Ph.D. program because if I didn’t do it now, I never would.
After working two years for the Headstart program, I decided that it was time for me to pursue my dream of getting my Ph.D. I have always wanted this degree, even as far back as middle school. So, I started looking around for different colleges that offered this program and kept coming across this college called Middle Tennessee State University. Being from East Tennessee, I looked it up: only four hours away from our home, right down in the middle area of the state. That wasn’t too bad. I made my decision. I would go to MTSU. After filling out all the paperwork and packing up to move to a completely new area I finally made it down to Murfreesboro. My mom and grandma came with me for support and helped me move into a dorm room. I was amazed at the size and liveliness of the whole town. I was both excited and nervous. I had never been so far away from home, so alone. Yet I was determined to gain this degree no matter the sacrifices I had to make.

The application process for applying to the Ph.D. program at MTSU was complex and kept me busy for several weeks. First, I researched what MTSU had to offer, such as what types of courses there were, and what the research interests of the faculty were. Since I was interested in both medieval and early modern English literature, I was thrilled to discover that MTSU had quite a few faculty members in their department who focused on those particular areas. Then, I started the application process early and asked a few of my previous professors from my other college, ETSU, for recommendation letters. These recommendation letters highlight that a student has done original work. After you have done all these things, you (hopefully) get accepted into the Ph.D. program and start a new semester as a brand-new graduate student!

Giving an overall discussion of being a Ph.D. student, I will tell you without doubt: You really have to want to do this. It may be difficult, but it’s worth it. Getting this degree takes dedication, hard work, and effort. You also have to maintain the right mindset, and you have to balance both work and school in order to succeed. There have been times when I doubted myself or became worried that I didn’t “fit in.’’ Sometimes I missed home and my parents so much that I cried for several nights in a row. However, as the semesters kept coming, I continued working hard and did my best, anld everything would always turn out great in the end.

Here is some advice that I would offer to anyone seeking a PhD:

1. Have a positive mindset;

2. Buy a planner. It will help you stay on track!

3. Go get help with a tutor;

4. Work hard;

5. Have fun and make new friends.

Now, as a fourth year Ph.D. student, I am closer than ever than to fulfilling my dream of becoming “Dr. Wolfe.”

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