Midway VLOG Review of Summer Term '13

Between working full time at CMU, being a full-time student at RMU, serving in the National Guard, and volunteering as a firefighter, I've been extremely busy. I'm working to restructure my schedule and have been looking at my time management skills through prioritization. To save some time here, I've posted my first video blog (VLOG) to this site. Cheers!

I survived Week 1

My first week of doctoral coursework was very fruitful. Both of my professors were extremely knowledgeable, professional, and recognized experts in the field of education. I was swamped with reading and assignments. I love to read, but I’m typically a slower reader, especially when I feel that I need to take notes-which I nearly always do. There is obviously a lot of work involved in this program, but I knew that there would be so there’s no call to complain on that front.

The other student’s in my cohort are all extremely friendly people with diverse backgrounds and positive attitudes. I feel blessed that I can go through this with them.  I think that in a classroom full of extroverts, I may be the only introvert. I would bet that my research and public speaking skills will both improve vastly over the next several years.

I do feel a little bit out of my league, but I typically feel the same way with every new job I've ever started- it takes a little bit of time for me to get into the groove. I’m doing my best to stay cheerful and tweak my time management skills to accommodate these new life changes. Week 2 of 8 of the Summer Term starts tonight at 6PM in the RMU Library. Wish me luck!

Buying Books for 1st Term

It’s real now. I just bought my books for my first doctoral courses. I only had to purchase four books initially. I opted to buy online through Amazon.com. I elected 2-day shipping. My total in charges was $384.30. This might seem like a lot of money and I certainly do not like to part with my hard earned dollars, but compared to my prior studies I felt as though I had gotten a deal. The RMU bookstore had ordered, and reserved a copy of each of the textbooks for us. By ordering from Amazon rather than the campus bookstore I saved over $100.00. Bear in mind that I am not, nor have I ever been a wealthy man. 

I purchased my first car in 2001. I was in high school and had saved money from working as a caddy at the Fox Chapel Golf Club and a park attendant for a children’s park in my township. I paid only $500.00 for a four door 1987 Chevy Cavalier. The car was an obvious lemon- but I loved it. Today the reality of being a graduate student is that you must be prepared to spend more on books per semester than I did on my first vehicle.

Meaningful  Learning with Technology (4^th Edition). Howland, Jane L.

Qualitative Research in Education: A User’s Guide. Lichtman, Marilyn

Reading Statistics and Research (6^th Edition). Huck, Schuyler W.

Distance Education: A Systems View of Online Learning. Moore, Michael G.

"Bobby Mo!"

I am pleased to announce that I was accepted to each of the doctoral programs which I applied for. I have decided to commit to studies at Robert Morris University. I made this decision for several reasons. First is that Robert Morris has an outstanding reputation in the Greater Pittsburgh region. In academics the university is rapidly expanding. In athletics, their Division 1 programs in hockey and basketball have garnered nationwide recognition. RMU is military friendly. My remaining GI Bill benefits will cover almost two years at RMU versus about a year at the University of Pittsburgh because of how they schedule courses. This, coupled with the tuition remission benefit offered by Carnegie-Mellon, makes Robert Morris the most affordable institution within driving distance. The program will take at least three years to complete, but is delivered in a format which allows me to continue my current employment status and juggle life, money, and the business of being an adult. I’m excited to begin my studies at Robert Morris University and feel blessed that I am able to continue my formal education.    

Diplomas

Walt's Thiel College & Duquesne University diplomas.

Applying for Admission

The search for a doctoral program that was the right fit for me was not a simple one. My academic background included a BA in History from Thiel College and an MS in Business Ethics & Leadership from Duquesne University, both in Western Pennsylvania. I never graduated near, let alone at the top of my class. My test scores were average. The fact that I was a combat veteran of the Iraq Campaign seemed to carry very little weight with most universities.

I did know that I wanted to be the best, and so I started looking at doctoral programs at only the finest institutions. The first program that I scouted was at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. I interviewed briefly with a doctoral admissions representative, toured the campus, and sat in on an economics course. It was impressive. I felt that I could keep up better than most, but there were problems. Firstly, I was not wealthy. Philadelphia was a far more expensive city to live in than my home of Pittsburgh. The program had many costs associated to it. I simply could not afford it. Secondly, my mother’s cancer had turned terminal and I was needed at home. Thirdly, I did not have the Ivy League background or pedigree that most, if not all of the people whom I met that day had. I'm not one to sell myself short. I know that I can accomplish any goal, but there are also fiscal and emotional realities which must be acknowledged. Wharton was an amazing school, but it was not destined to be.

I transitioned quickly from the military into civilian employment, working in Human Resources for Carnegie-Mellon University. I turned my attention to CMU’s Ph.D. program at the Tepper School of Business. CMU did not have any part-time doctoral programs at the time. I would have had to quit my job to pursue CMU as an option. Their programs also would have taken a much longer time to complete compared to programs at other local universities.

I again turned my attention elsewhere. I got the idea in my head that it would be a good idea from a professional standpoint for me to continue my education at Pennsylvania universities. I also knew that I wanted to continue working if possible, as experience seemed to be just as important as education, if not more so. I steered clear of the for-profit colleges and universities. I investigated doctoral programs at the University of Pittsburgh, Robert Morris University, Drexel University, and Eastern University. I felt that I needed a doctoral degree in order to advance in my career, make more money, have an honest chance at teaching at the college level, be taken seriously at top-tier universities, and allow for personal growth.

Every institution that I applied to was a good one, and one that I would be proud to attend.

I took both the GRE and the GMAT examinations. I paid to have my curriculum vitae professionally done.I obtained letters of reference from former professors, supervisors, and volunteer organizations. I tirelessly worked on applications and essays. The only thing left to do was to say a prayer and apply.