No one ever said that getting a Ph.D. is easy (trust me, no one!), and the hard truth is that it’s no walk in the park. While graduate students’ experiences in their doctoral programs vary widely, almost everyone hits a wall at some point during the dissertation process. The reality is, writing your dissertation is likely the greatest intellectual challenge you’ve ever faced. Most graduate students encounter one or two major roadblocks along the way. 

Indiana Jones. Minerva Mcgonagall. Professor X. Fiction and film are filled with colorful academics who use their intellectual prowess to save the day, time and again. But what about their personal lives? Non-stop glamour and excitement, perhaps? Not quite. Before you set your sights on a scholar, it might help to have a little insight into what it’s really like dating a Ph.D. student. 

One of the most significant milestones in any doctoral education is the transition from Ph.D. student to Ph.D. candidate. While the change in title may be the difference of only one word, getting the distinction of being a Ph.D. candidate represents a major step forward on the journey to earning a dissertation. Though a Ph.D. candidate has not yet fulfilled all of the requirements for earning a doctorate, they are well on their way. 

There are many elements to consider when weighing the benefits of pursuing graduate education. One of the most pressing is cost. In addition to being academically rigorous and time-consuming, earning a Ph.D. can also be a pricey proposition. In addition to expenses like tuition, textbooks, and lab or activity fees, there are also less apparent and sometimes hidden costs that many prospective graduate students don’t know to factor into their calculations.