Students’ Life Concerns and Graduate School Journey

Abstract

Pursuing graduate studies is a fulfilling and rewarding experience, and sometimes challenging. Thus, this study examined the life concerns likely to contribute to the students’ graduate school journey. The study was conducted in the College of Graduate Studies, Palompon, Leyte, Philippines, utilizing a descriptive-correlational research design, with respondents recruited from the master's and doctoral degree programs. Relevant data were collected using survey questionnaires prepared in Google Forms. Data were analyzed using means, standard deviations, and the Spearman rank-order correlation. Results showed that the current study sample found their graduate school journey slightly good. Study findings revealed further that two demographic factors - age and work positions, were found negatively correlated with the graduate school journey, and this implies that younger graduate students tend to have better graduate school experience than older ones; and students holding supervisory positions have struggling graduate school experience. Correlation analysis indicated a significant negative relationship between work-related concerns and graduate school experience. Overall findings pinpoint the need for graduate school practitioners to consider initiatives that address students' life concerns and likewise formulate policies and guidelines that may provide them with a support system that helps students find their graduate school journey smooth, happier, and fulfilling.