Ask Doctoral Advising

One group of issues that academic advisors assist learners with on a daily basis consists of time lines, deadlines and queues. Every day I hear learners say: “Why does it take so long for Methodology Review Form approval?” The same for dissertation committee approval, proposal review, or final graduation audit, Capella is no different from any institution or similar organization.

Hundreds of transactions take place every day. Forms are routed between departments and staff members. Sometimes, several levels of approval are needed for an exception to or deviation from policy or procedure. Every step takes time.

Of course there are legitimate cases where something has gone awry and the turnaround time has exceeded normal guidelines. In these instances, we stand ready to help track down a missing form or expedite the process.

With that said, waiting is an expected part of the doctoral journey. With the new milestone process, the time lines can be clearly defined and learners can establish reasonable estimates of how long it will take. However, there are few cases where a dissertation is completed in a year or less. Usually, we find that it takes five or six quarters or even longer. Much of the wait is due to the necessity of revising one’s work, a key element of rigorous inquiry. While I completed the thesis for my Master of Science degree in a relatively short time, I quickly learned how involved and complex doctoral study is. My proposal went back and forth at least a dozen times. Was I always happy to make the changes? No, and I dreaded the wait to see how they would be received.

I must confess that I still can be an impatient waiter. As a Type II diabetic, I occasionally leave messages for my internist. Recently, I had forgotten to refill one of my medications and I had only one pill left. All of my prescriptions are written for 90-day supplies and I had, in this case, procrastinated about getting a refill until the last moment. My clinic has a 3-day turnaround for prescription refill messages and I needed it done on that day. In my mind, I couldn’t understand why my message to him wouldn’t trigger an immediate response. After all, we had an excellent doctor-patient relationship. He should drop everything and tend to my request since I am such a model patient. Right?

Wrong. He sees about 25-30 people a day. His inbox is stacked high with paperwork. My clinic still has paper charts and the charts have to be retrieved from the Medical Records Department. Sometimes, it takes 3 days total, the clinic’s stated time line.

I think many of us fail to understand why professionals of all sorts cannot respond to us by OUR time line. We are a demanding society, driven by instant gratification and high expectations. Technology has contributed to our impatience. For those of us who received our degrees at large brick and mortar institutions back when computers were in their infancy, we learned quickly how to stand in long lines for registration, fee payments and other services. Our papers could take 2-3 weeks to get graded and we understood that our professors had dozens of other students.

Now think about your mentor, your committee, the staff at Capella. Every one of us works very hard to provide our learners with a quality educational experience, while yet maintaining the rigor that will ensure Capella’s rightful place in the academy. The best thing learners can do for their peace of mind is to fully acquaint themselves with turnaround time guidelines. Open and frequent communications with academic advisors and faculty can make the journey easier. Reach out today – if not for specific assistance with an issue, then do it to let your advisor know that things are going along well.