Why is graduating with a Ph.D. so hard? (And what you can do about it)

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Graduating with a Ph.D. is just plain hard for many reasons. I made a non-exhaustive list below of the things that prevent people from graduating, and suggestions to combat these obstacles.

Your data does not make sense. Or worse, you don’t have data because your experiment is broken.
Suggestion: Consider performing your analysis on a different dataset. For example, re-visit or improve upon an older student’s data analysis or analyze data from a previous experiment. That should be, at least, one substantial chapter. Plus, write a separate chapter on everything you did and learned from working on the data that does not make sense or the experiment that broke. Ain’t a thesis if it doesn’t have some failed attempts. Own your failures and WRITE them down for the next person.
Graduating with a Ph.D. can involve lots of conflict with your advisor. No one wants that. It’s easier to simply avoid the topic.
Suggestion: It’s better to resolve the conflicts and be able to put “conflict resolution” on your resume for the next job than spend forever in graduate school.
You don’t believe that you could ever be a doctor. It feels unreal and you are not sold that it can be done.
Suggestion: Do it and be sold later, just do it anyway. I still don’t believe I am a doctor. It’s all good.
Your life is set up in a way that makes graduating with a Ph.D. difficult. You are comfortable as a graduate student and want to maintain that status. You are not ready to face the world or whatever is next.
Suggestion: You will never be ready; just do it anyway.
You did not get the postdoc or job offer you want yet.
Suggestion: It was not meant to be. Leave rejections in the past, and keep moving forward. Better things are waiting for you but they all need you to be a doctor first. So go be a doctor.
You are just plain unmotivated. You don’t care about your research anymore.
Suggestion: Good, it’s time for you to graduate. Get out of your own way, write your thesis, and be done.
You don’t care about anything anymore.
Suggestion: 1. See your therapist. 2. Write your thesis. Repeat. Your mental health is not going to get better if you remain in a toxic environment. The sooner you graduate, the better.

I hope this helps in graduating with a Ph.D. and let me know your comments below!

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Why is graduating with a Ph.D. so hard? (And what you can do about it)

Your data does not make sense. Or worse, you don’t have data because your experiment is broken.

Graduating with a Ph.D. can involve lots of conflict with your advisor. No one wants that. It’s easier to simply avoid the topic.

Suggestion: It’s better to resolve the conflicts and be able to put “conflict resolution” on your resume for the next job than spend forever in graduate school.

You don’t believe that you could ever be a doctor. It feels unreal and you are not sold that it can be done.

Suggestion: Do it and be sold later, just do it anyway. I still don’t believe I am a doctor. It’s all good.

Your life is set up in a way that makes graduating with a Ph.D. difficult. You are comfortable as a graduate student and want to maintain that status. You are not ready to face the world or whatever is next.

Suggestion: You will never be ready; just do it anyway.

You did not get the postdoc or job offer you want yet.

Suggestion: It was not meant to be. Leave rejections in the past, and keep moving forward. Better things are waiting for you but they all need you to be a doctor first. So go be a doctor.

You are just plain unmotivated. You don’t care about your research anymore.

Suggestion: Good, it’s time for you to graduate. Get out of your own way, write your thesis, and be done.

You don’t care about anything anymore.

Suggestion: 1. See your therapist. 2. Write your thesis. Repeat. Your mental health is not going to get better if you remain in a toxic environment. The sooner you graduate, the better.

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