Exploring Doctoral Program Applicants’ Negative Experiences: A Phenomenological Study

Baki Cavlazoglu

Abstract


As people strive for good jobs and companies ask higher qualifications for good job positions, having a doctoral degree has become an essential qualification. However, doctoral programs have offered more challenging and competitive admission requirements than the past since the demand for doctoral degrees has increased and the number of highly selective doctoral programs has been limited. Although research on analyzing doctoral programs’ admission requirements, exploring various admission requirements, and generating models for admission decision process is available, research on doctoral program applicants’ admission experience is limited. The purpose of this study is to give a voice to three doctoral program applicants on their negative experiences of doctoral program admission process and inform doctoral programs’ admission committees regarding possible applicants’ feelings. Using a phenomenological approach, three themes were emerged from participants’ significant statements to understand their difficulties, struggles, and stress during their doctoral program admission process. The themes were higher expectations and additional requirements, admission committees’ unclear decision process, and people’s negative behaviors towards applicants. Possible implications for doctoral program applicants and doctoral programs’ admission committees are discussed. 


Keywords


Higher Education, Doctoral Program Admission, Doctoral Program Applicants, Phenomenology

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References


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