Seeking balance in graduate school: A realistic expectation or a dangerous dilemma?

Abstract

With the significant increase in graduate students characterized as nontraditional, challenges associated with balance have become more prominent. The author explores issues of work‐life balance, institutional ownership, and the chilly climate, each of which can contribute to negative academic outcomes.

Striving to Obtain a School-Work-Life Balance: The Full-Time Doctoral Student

“…As suggested by Golde (2000), "paradoxically, the most academically capable, most academically successful, most stringently evaluated, and most carefully selected students in the entire higher education system-doctoral students-are the least likely to complete their chosen academic goals" (p. 199). Nonetheless, it is important to note that student attrition extends beyond academic issues (Brus, 2006;Offstein, Larson, McNeill, & Mwale, 2004) and is influenced by multiple factors (Gardner, 2009). According to Gardner (2009) student attrition is "multifaceted" since "…there is no one reason why students leave" (p. 97).…”

“…As Hadjioannou, Shelton, Fu, and Dhanarattigannon (2007) maintain "doctoral work is challenging on a variety of levels, stretching often excessively, the minds as well as the emotions, the stamina and the finances of doctoral students" (p. 160). Doctoral education also involves the stretching of time as doctoral students carry various and often competing roles and responsibilities, each demanding time and attention (Brus, 2006;Haynes et al, 2012;Moyer, Salovey, & Casey-Cannon, 1999;Stimpson & Filer, 2011). Therefore, as suggested by Brus (2006), doctoral students "struggle to balance their academic pursuits with their personal lives and responsibilities" (p. 31).…”

Voices from the Desks: Exploring Student Experiences in Counselor Education

“…Department climate, including environmental safety, and developing a culture of caring and respect, has been linked to doctoral student satisfaction (Anderson & Swazey, 1998;Brus, 2006;Protivnak & Foss, 2009;Veilleux, January, Vanderveen, Reddy, & Klonoff, 2012). It is possible that master's students' reduced time spent within a department could shield them from broader aspects of the department that can be problematic.…”

A Qualitative Examination of Challenges Influencing Doctoral Students in an Online Doctoral Program

“…For instance isolation (Gardner & Holley, 2011), stress due to lack of adequate tutor support (Golde, 1998;Seagram, Gould, & Pyke, 1998), cultural barriers (McAlpine, Paulson, Gonsalves, & Jazvac-Martek, 2012), financial issues (Moyer & Salovey, 1999), struggles due to family lives (Offerman, 2011), lack of adequate balancing of family and worklife (Brus, 2006) have been identified as challenges in literature. In addition, challenges arise because of lack of adequate social support from family members or fellow peers.…”

“…Research indicates that the doctoral students in general and particularly online doctoral students face numerous challenges from a cultural and an academic standpoint and this has been identified as a major cause of student dropout from doctoral programs (Barnett, Basom, Yerkes, & Norris, 2000;Brus, 2006;De Valero, 2001;Di Pierro, 2013;Golde, 2000;Protivnak & Foss, 2009). Students enrolled in the professional doctoral programs face numerous challenges and a systematic investigation in this area is lacking.…”