Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I am a black woman seriously considering the pursuit of a Ph.D. As such, I have been searching for literature detailing the struggles I might face and information on the African American's experience of obtaining a doctorate. I am happy to say that I've found what I was looking for.
The book consists of several chapters written by Black Ph.D. students and graduates. The contributors come from a variety of backgrounds, ranging from rural to solidly middle class. Most are young, but several detail their experience of obtaining the Ph.D. while maintaining work and familiar responsibilities. A variety of fields are represented, from education to chemistry. I was pleased that the essays did not take the tone of, "It's awful being Black in America." (Readers are already aware of this--hence the need for the book.) Instead, I found the book helpful, uplifting and inspiring, with most of the contributors citing their family background and religious faith as motivating factors when times became difficult.
Journey to the Ph.D. also contains a helpful introductory section on the admissions process, and several contributors detail their admission/application experiences. Many include their viewpoints with regard to doctoral studies in PWI (Predominantly White Instutions) and how their experiences there conflicted with the notions of black heritage they learned at home. Some had never before attended PWIs and were thus quite shocked; others had attended PWIs at all levels of their education and were unphased.
Whatever your viewpoint, whether you are on your way to a Ph.D. yourself or just trying to understand the process from a Black perspective, this is an excellent resource.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Journey to the Ph.D.: How to Navigate the Process as African Americans
As a new generation of African Americans completes college, an increasing number of students are aspiring to the Ph.D. as a stepping stone to a career in the academy and to fully participate in shaping our society. Most African Americans are conscious that they are the first in their families to embark on this journey. They are aware they will meet barriers and prejudice, are likely to face isolation and frustration, and find few sources of support along the way.This book, by twenty-four Black scholars who 'have been there," offers a guide to aspiring doctoral students to the formal process and to the personal, emotional and intellectual challenges they are likely to face. The authors come from a wide range of disciplines - from computing, education and literature to science and sociology. Although their experiences and backgrounds are as varied as they are as individuals, their richly diverse chapters cohere into a rounded guide to the issues for those who follow in their footsteps.From questioning the reader about his or her reasons for pursuing a doctorate, offering advice on financial issues, the choice of university and doctoral program, and relocation, through the process and timetable of application, interviews, acceptance and rejection, the authors go on to describe their own journeys and the lessons they have learned.These men and women write candidly about their experiences, the strategies they used to maintain their motivation, make the transition from HBCUs to PWIs, balance family and work, make the right choices and keep focussed on priorities. They discuss how to work effectively with advisors and mentors, make all-important connections with teachers and build professional and personal support networks. They recount how they dealt with tokenism, established credibility, handled racism, maintained their values and culture, and persuaded supervisors to legitimize their research interests in African American issues. This is both an inspirational and practical book for every African American considering pursuit of a doctoral degree.
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