The Art of
Graduate Education
Lee Allen Aggison, Jr., Ph.D.
Vice Provost & Dean
The Art of
Graduate Education
Only 50% of PhD
students complete
their degree after
8 years!
The Art of
Graduate Education
Only 50% of ABDs
complete their
program!
The Art of
Graduate Education
Four-Year Cumulative Attrition Rates
for 3 Cohorts of Ph.D. Students
Council of Graduate Schools
The Art of
Graduate Education
Cumulative 10-Year Completion Rates for Students Who
Entered Ph.D. Programs 1992-3 through 1994-5
Council of Graduate Schools
The Art of
Graduate Education
Why
What
How
The Art of
Graduate Education
WHY?
Graduate
education is hard!
WHY?
Transition from
student to scholar
WHY?
Graduate
School
High
School
WHY?
Fear of failure
WHY?
Fear of success
WHY?
Wrong
Student…Wrong
Program
WHY?
Wrong
Student…Wrong
Project
WHY?
Wrong
Student…Wrong
Advisor
WHY?
DISORGANIZED
WHY?
WHY?
What am I
doing?
The Art of
Graduate Education
WHAT?
WHAT?
Suck it up!
HOW?
Make your
decision!
HOW?
Do not
look back!
WHAT?
You are who
you believe
yourself to be!
WHAT?
Take an
honest look
WHAT?
Make a
decision
WHAT?
…hard in
the paint
HOW?
“…Become
the PhD”
Dr. Ruth Washington, UCONN
HOW?
Accept that
you are
special!
HOW?
Accept that
you are going
to fail at times!
HOW?
Back-up if
you need to
HOW?
Accept that Uncle
Ron doesn't know
what the hell
you’re doing!
HOW?
www.davecheong.com
The Art of
Graduate Education
O.F.F.I.C.I.A.L.
The Art of
Graduate Education
O.F.F.I.C.I.A.L.
ORGANIZED
The Art of
Graduate Education
O.F.F.I.C.I.A.L.
FEARLESS
The Art of
Graduate Education
O.F.F.I.C.I.A.L.
FLEXIBILITY
The Art of
Graduate Education
O.F.F.I.C.I.A.L.
INITIATIVE
The Art of
Graduate Education
O.F.F.I.C.I.A.L.
COMMUNICATE
The Art of
Graduate Education
O.F.F.I.C.I.A.L.
INTERPERSONAL
SKILLS
The Art of
Graduate Education
O.F.F.I.C.I.A.L.
APPLY
YOURSELF
The Art of
Graduate Education
O.F.F.I.C.I.A.L.
LOVE
YOURSELF
CONTACT
Lee Aggison, Jr., Ph.D.
Vice Provost for Graduate Education &
Dean of the Graduate School
University of Connecticut
438 Whitney Road - Unit 1152
Storrs, Connecticut 06269-1152
lee.aggison@uconn.edu