http://www.byuaccounting.net/mediawiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=AsaysPhdwiki - User contributions [en]2026-06-12T03:25:27ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.31.3http://www.byuaccounting.net/mediawiki/index.php?title=Applying_to_a_Ph.D._Program&diff=10523Applying to a Ph.D. Program2009-12-22T18:11:53Z<p>Asays: /* Letters of Recommendation */</p>
<hr />
<div>So you have decided you want to get a Ph.D. now what? The next step in the process is to decide which programs you should apply for, fill out your applications, hopefully visit several schools, and then make your final decision. On this page, we provide an overview of the process and specific suggestions for being successful in choosing and being accepted into an accounting Ph.D. program. <br />
<br />
==Selecting the Right Program==<br />
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:45em; max-width: 25%;" cellspacing="5"<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
<br />
==Question to consider when applying to programs==<br />
Here is a list of some questions that you might want to think about when applying to programs (some questions taken from [http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/doctoral/admissions/selecting.cfm here]):<br />
* How many faculty are working with students? Do students regularly coauthor articles with faculty?<br />
* How many faculty members are doing research in areas related to my own interests?<br />
* What opportunities are there to work with a variety of faculty and to be exposed to different research methodologies?<br />
* Am I sufficiently qualified to enter this program?<br />
* Many Ph.D. students change their vision of research and many change their intended concentration area after joining the program and being exposed to a variety of research styles. Does my program of choice offer flexibility needed to do so?<br />
* Is there financial support for students to attend academic conferences to present their own research?<br />
* What opportunities are there for students to participate in colloquia, both as an attendee and as a presenter?<br />
* What are the TA, RA, and teaching requirements of the program?<br />
* What is the department's placement record? What types of jobs do graduates take and where?<br />
* Finally, how well do graduates of the program perform in the long term (contributing to the field through publication, practice of management and earning tenure)?<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
|}<br />
The most important criterion for success in an accounting Ph.D. program is to find a program that "fits" you. In deciding which programs do and do not fit, it helps if you know what you want. Specifically, what type of career do you want when you graduate with your Ph.D.? Are you hoping to spend most of your time teaching or researching (or some combination of both)? How many hours do you want to work a week? How much money do you want to make? What subject of accounting (e.g., AIS, auditing, financial, managerial, tax, etc.) do you hope to teach and hope to research? While knowing answers to these types of questions is not required for applying to Ph.D. programs, it does help in selecting a program where you will "fit" well. <br />
<br />
As a very general "rule-of-thumb," academic prestige is usually based on research productivity, that is, the more successful an individual or school is at publishing research in respected journals the more "revered" the individual/institution. Connected to research productivity is pay. Generally speaking, the more research intensive the university, the higher the pay. Finally, professors often change schools over the course of their career. In general, it is easier to move from a research-intensive school to a more teaching-intensive school. Going in the opposite direction is more difficult because it is hard to sustain high levels of productivity as a researcher if you have a heavier teaching load and research-intensive universities will want to see evidence of research productivity/potential before hiring you. <br />
<br />
As you think through the research/teaching balance, do not make the mistake of assuming one is a better or worse option. Both options have costs and benefits and whether the costs and benefits are better/worse depends on your individual goals. Thus, knowing what your goals are is important for deciding where to apply. If you have a strong desire to focus more on teaching/research, you will be more successful going to a Ph.D. program that emphasizes the area of your interest. At the same time, do not rule out the possibility of changing your mind as you study in a Ph.D. program. Most academics decide to become a professor because they were originally attracted to teaching. Many, however, find that researching is as rewarding (or even more rewarding for some) than teaching. Further, research can often complement your teaching such that you become more effective in the classroom. Keep an open mind as you learn more about the life as a professor and allow yourself to give full consideration to all aspects of the life as a professor. <br />
<br />
Once you have decided what you want to do with your career, then the following suggestions will help you decide where to go. <br />
<br />
* Gather as much information about different schools as you can. A good starting point is visiting each school's official web page as well as the different [[University Information|university pages]] on this website.<br />
<br />
* Talk to people who have either been at a school or are currently at the school of interest. See [[University Information]] for help finding who has been where from the BYU family. Please be respectful of the time of the people you are contacting. Ph.D. students and faculty are busy so asking them questions that are already answered on the school's web page is wasting their time. Also, don't send out the same email to multiple people at the same school. Students and faculty talk and it looks bad for you to send out a form e-mail requesting information. <br />
<br />
* Determine what type of research you are interested in conducting. Certain schools do not support some research topical areas and/or methodologies. Make sure the schools you are considering do what you want to do. Do not expect to go to a school and convince professors to change the area of research they are focusing on to work on projects that interest you. You can expect them to continue working on what they find interesting and letting you work with them if they think you will be helpful to them.<br />
<br />
After you have gathered information about schools that interest you, you will need to apply to these schools. Hopefully, you will get to visit several schools and find which one fits. An important warning: while you may be tempted to go to the school other people consider "best," it is far more important that you feel comfortable and like where you will work. Numerous Ph.D. students have dropped out because they didn't fit with the school. Making sure you fit with the school is far more important than making sure you are at the school others consider the "best." On the other hand, it is important to get information from a wide variety of sources. If a program has developed a reputation, there is probably a reason.<br />
<br />
==The Application Process==<br />
Most schools consider several different factors when deciding which candidates to admit into their program. Which factors each school considers and the weights each school place on these factors differs. However, in general, schools use GMAT and GPA to perform an "initial screen" of the many applicants. Those that surpass the thresholds set by the school move into the "second round" and their applications are more carefully considered. Thus, GMAT and GPA alone will not get you into a program, but the absence of strong scores in these areas may keep you out of a program. <br />
<br />
===GMAT===<br />
Your GMAT score is an important component of your application. While a high GMAT score will not guarantee that you are accepted into a given program, a low score can eliminate you from consideration. For most research-intensive universities, a 700 is often considered the "magic number," although the actual benchmark will vary between schools. Schools often state what the minimum or average GMAT score is for their students. Some schools will focus mostly on the score from the quantitative section, while others will also put significant weight on the verbal section. This is because the program will likely require good quantitative skills, but writing skill may determine how likely you are to publish your papers.<br />
<br />
As a word of advice, don't despair if you don't do well on the GMAT on the first time. The format of the exam and the types of questions may be unlike anything you've ever done before. Study very hard before you take it the first time, because it will save you time and money if you don't have to retake it. However, if you have a bad day, realize that many people have done poorly on their first attempt, before retaking it and doing significantly better. Many people have gotten below a 600 on their first attempt, and over a 700 the second time around.<br />
<br />
===GPA===<br />
Your GPA is often considered jointly with your GMAT score in evaluating whether your application should be considered more carefully. Schools may also consider your major and minor GPA, or grades in specific classes they think are important. You may be able to improve your chances of getting into a top research school if you have done well in courses in economics, statistics, and math.<br />
<br />
===Letters of Recommendation===<br />
You will generally want to obtain letters of recommendations from academics. Typically, if you have gotten to know a particular professor well (e.g., you have served as their TA or RA), you will want to obtain a letter from them. Also, you might consider what they are known for. If a professor has won many teaching awards but is not research active, they may be an excellent source for a letter if you are applying to teaching schools, but maybe not as strong if applying for research schools. Much of this type of information can be found on each professor's vita.<br />
<br />
Most professors will be happy to provide you with a good letter of recommendation. Note however, that this can be a significant time commitment for them, if they are planning on write you a strong letter. You should be very courteous and respectful in asking for a letter. If they decline, it may be because they don't believe they can write you a strong letter or because they do not have time. You should be respectful of their decision. Remember to ask well ahead of the deadline and give them plenty of time to write the letter. It's probably ok to give a kind reminder a week or two before the deadline if they haven't yet written the letter.<br />
<br />
===Statement of Purpose===<br />
<br />
==Fly-outs==<br />
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:60em; max-width: 35%;" cellspacing="5"<br />
| style="text-align: left;" |<br />
<br />
==How to act during Fly Outs==<br />
===Do===<br />
* Be cordial in all respects.<br />
* Call schools and let them know before you visit if you have ''accepted'' another offer. Schools will view it as a slap in the face if you have formally accepted with another school and still fly out. If you are highly interested in another school but have not formally accepted, you still may consider flying out to another school if you have already arranged a campus visit. <br />
* Research on the school. Read about the professors and their work and have intelligent questions to ask them. Read about the area. This is one of the most important job interviews of your career.<br />
* Send a thank you note/letter/email after visit is over. Make sure the email is not a form email. You should send individual responses if you send a response to each person you met. <br />
* Remember the schools where you don't go are likely to consider hiring you. Leave a good impression and it will increase your chance of getting a job once you graduate. <br />
===Do NOT===<br />
* Undertake your application or campus visits lightly. How you act during the campus visit will not only affect your Ph.D. placement but also your potential future job placement. The academic accounting community is very small, memories very long, and bridges are easily burned. <br />
* Act arrogant. More so than any other personality trait, arrogance has cost many excellent candidates the opportunity to attend the program of their choice. There are plenty of other candidates who are as qualified (or more qualified) than you are to enter a Ph.D. program. Make sure you come across as humble, willing to work hard, and a nice person. <br />
* Schedule visits if you "know" you won't go to that school. If you might go to the school, then go, but if you know there is no way you will go to the school, don't waste their time and money. <br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
|}<br />
As part of the interview process, doctoral programs often bring students in for a campus visit. Only students that the program is seriously considering for admittance are brought in. Some universities will first do phone interviews with the candidates they are interested in before they fly applicants out. It is important to remember that just because you are being flown out does not mean you will be given an offer by the university. In general, the purpose of the fly out is to evaluate the candidate on softer skills (e.g., interpersonal skills, likability, etc.) rather than quantitative skills (e.g., GMAT, GPA, etc.) and to serve as a chance for the institution to recruit the individual and sell the program. <br />
<br />
The typical campus visit usually includes meal times, one-on-one time with professors, and attending a workshop/class. During your stay, one or more professors will take you out for dinner and/or breakfast. This is an informal meeting. You should be prepared to talk about why you want to enter a Ph.D. program, what are your research interests (if you have some), what are your future goals, why you are interested in that school, and most importantly be able to ask relevant questions about the school. You should not be asking questions about the school that you can find out for yourself (i.e., make sure you read the school's doctoral program web page and the individual professor's web pages as well). <br />
<br />
Your one-on-one meetings with professors usually last 30 minutes. These meetings can range from the professors conducting a mini job interview, to a friendly open dialog. You need to make sure you have enough things to talk about to fill up an entire 30 minutes. One of the best things you can talk about is the professor's own research. Checking out the faculty member's vita before an interview is a good way to get an idea of the type of research they do. Alternatively, you could ask the professor to describe one of their more recent projects. It is not a bad idea to bring a notepad to take notes. On the notepad, you might consider jotting a list of the questions you want answered during your visit. <br />
<br />
Often times, you will attend a doctoral seminar or a workshop presentation. If you can read the papers before you get there for the workshop or seminar that would be fantastic. You are not required to make any comments, and shouldn't just to show that you can speak. If you have [[How to ask good questions in workshop|good questions/comments to make]], you can do that, but make sure you aren't speaking to try and show how smart you are. These workshops give you a good idea of what the tone of the school is like. <br />
<br />
On a practical note, the school will usually cover airfare, transportation, and meals. The school may give you a budget and allow you to make plans (they usually reimburse you after you provide receipts) or they may book everything for you. If you are unsure, ask whoever is recruiting you how the school handles the finances of the fly out. <br />
<br />
Again, remember that during the campus visit you are being recruited and evaluated. You need to make sure you do your best to sell them on yourself and also take some time to evaluate the school to see if you would fit if given an offer. Be forthcoming about yourself and your interests. You don't want to end up at a school whose faculty are uninterested in or hostile to your research interests or that has a culture that doesn't suit you.<br />
<br />
You may find this collective list of "Do's and Do not's on campus visits" helpful as you prepare for a campus visit:<br />
<br />
==The Decision, which Program to Attend==<br />
You have done all the research, you have visited schools, you have talked with lots of people, you are now ready to make the decision of where to go to school. How in the world do you make this critical decision? <br />
<br />
Steve Kachelmeier's (University of Texas - Austin) story is one of the best illustrations of making the decision the right way. He created a table with the most important criteria that he should consider across the top and each program listed down the side. He carefully mapped how each school fit his criteria, taking care to list the positives and negatives. After he was finished with this exercise, he folded it in half, thought for a minute about which program he would like best, and then throwing his carefully constructed chart away chose to go to the University of Florida. At the end of the day, he went to the program he liked and where he thought he would fit well. <br />
<br />
There is no magic formula for deciding where to go. A few pointers will help as you make the decision. First, although this may sound like a broken record, go to the school where you fit best. Fit is far more important than any other criteria. Second, it is hard to make a bad decision. If you are willing to do your best, most programs will help you learn and be successful. Third, if you have a spouse or significant other, include them in the decision. Having support from your spouse during the program is extremely helpful in being successful. Listen to their needs and desires as you make the decision. Finally, quit stressing and celebrate you have been admitted into a Ph.D. program! You are well on your way to a great career. <br />
<br />
A word of advice on what to do once you have made your decision. It is important that you notify schools as soon as possible of your choice, especially if you have offers from other schools. These other schools will likely want to invite someone else to their program and while you are deciding, they often hold offers to other candidates. As soon as you have eliminated a school from consideration, kindly and courteously let that school know so they can move on (e.g., you have 3 offers and have decided you will not go to University X. Let University X know as soon as possible even if you are still deciding between University Y and Z). In a similar vein, try and make the decision of where you are going as soon as possible rather than drag the decision out. Schools appreciate being told earlier rather than later so they can recruit other candidates.<br />
<br />
==Other Items==<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
{|style="width:100%;margin-top:+.7em;"<br />
|-align="center"<br />
! style="background:#fafaFe; color:black; height: 20px" | <small>[[Main Page]] ► [[So you want to get a Ph.D.?]] ► [[Applying to a Ph.D. Program]]</small></div>Asayshttp://www.byuaccounting.net/mediawiki/index.php?title=Applying_to_a_Ph.D._Program&diff=10522Applying to a Ph.D. Program2009-12-22T18:04:31Z<p>Asays: /* GPA */</p>
<hr />
<div>So you have decided you want to get a Ph.D. now what? The next step in the process is to decide which programs you should apply for, fill out your applications, hopefully visit several schools, and then make your final decision. On this page, we provide an overview of the process and specific suggestions for being successful in choosing and being accepted into an accounting Ph.D. program. <br />
<br />
==Selecting the Right Program==<br />
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:45em; max-width: 25%;" cellspacing="5"<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
<br />
==Question to consider when applying to programs==<br />
Here is a list of some questions that you might want to think about when applying to programs (some questions taken from [http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/doctoral/admissions/selecting.cfm here]):<br />
* How many faculty are working with students? Do students regularly coauthor articles with faculty?<br />
* How many faculty members are doing research in areas related to my own interests?<br />
* What opportunities are there to work with a variety of faculty and to be exposed to different research methodologies?<br />
* Am I sufficiently qualified to enter this program?<br />
* Many Ph.D. students change their vision of research and many change their intended concentration area after joining the program and being exposed to a variety of research styles. Does my program of choice offer flexibility needed to do so?<br />
* Is there financial support for students to attend academic conferences to present their own research?<br />
* What opportunities are there for students to participate in colloquia, both as an attendee and as a presenter?<br />
* What are the TA, RA, and teaching requirements of the program?<br />
* What is the department's placement record? What types of jobs do graduates take and where?<br />
* Finally, how well do graduates of the program perform in the long term (contributing to the field through publication, practice of management and earning tenure)?<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
|}<br />
The most important criterion for success in an accounting Ph.D. program is to find a program that "fits" you. In deciding which programs do and do not fit, it helps if you know what you want. Specifically, what type of career do you want when you graduate with your Ph.D.? Are you hoping to spend most of your time teaching or researching (or some combination of both)? How many hours do you want to work a week? How much money do you want to make? What subject of accounting (e.g., AIS, auditing, financial, managerial, tax, etc.) do you hope to teach and hope to research? While knowing answers to these types of questions is not required for applying to Ph.D. programs, it does help in selecting a program where you will "fit" well. <br />
<br />
As a very general "rule-of-thumb," academic prestige is usually based on research productivity, that is, the more successful an individual or school is at publishing research in respected journals the more "revered" the individual/institution. Connected to research productivity is pay. Generally speaking, the more research intensive the university, the higher the pay. Finally, professors often change schools over the course of their career. In general, it is easier to move from a research-intensive school to a more teaching-intensive school. Going in the opposite direction is more difficult because it is hard to sustain high levels of productivity as a researcher if you have a heavier teaching load and research-intensive universities will want to see evidence of research productivity/potential before hiring you. <br />
<br />
As you think through the research/teaching balance, do not make the mistake of assuming one is a better or worse option. Both options have costs and benefits and whether the costs and benefits are better/worse depends on your individual goals. Thus, knowing what your goals are is important for deciding where to apply. If you have a strong desire to focus more on teaching/research, you will be more successful going to a Ph.D. program that emphasizes the area of your interest. At the same time, do not rule out the possibility of changing your mind as you study in a Ph.D. program. Most academics decide to become a professor because they were originally attracted to teaching. Many, however, find that researching is as rewarding (or even more rewarding for some) than teaching. Further, research can often complement your teaching such that you become more effective in the classroom. Keep an open mind as you learn more about the life as a professor and allow yourself to give full consideration to all aspects of the life as a professor. <br />
<br />
Once you have decided what you want to do with your career, then the following suggestions will help you decide where to go. <br />
<br />
* Gather as much information about different schools as you can. A good starting point is visiting each school's official web page as well as the different [[University Information|university pages]] on this website.<br />
<br />
* Talk to people who have either been at a school or are currently at the school of interest. See [[University Information]] for help finding who has been where from the BYU family. Please be respectful of the time of the people you are contacting. Ph.D. students and faculty are busy so asking them questions that are already answered on the school's web page is wasting their time. Also, don't send out the same email to multiple people at the same school. Students and faculty talk and it looks bad for you to send out a form e-mail requesting information. <br />
<br />
* Determine what type of research you are interested in conducting. Certain schools do not support some research topical areas and/or methodologies. Make sure the schools you are considering do what you want to do. Do not expect to go to a school and convince professors to change the area of research they are focusing on to work on projects that interest you. You can expect them to continue working on what they find interesting and letting you work with them if they think you will be helpful to them.<br />
<br />
After you have gathered information about schools that interest you, you will need to apply to these schools. Hopefully, you will get to visit several schools and find which one fits. An important warning: while you may be tempted to go to the school other people consider "best," it is far more important that you feel comfortable and like where you will work. Numerous Ph.D. students have dropped out because they didn't fit with the school. Making sure you fit with the school is far more important than making sure you are at the school others consider the "best." On the other hand, it is important to get information from a wide variety of sources. If a program has developed a reputation, there is probably a reason.<br />
<br />
==The Application Process==<br />
Most schools consider several different factors when deciding which candidates to admit into their program. Which factors each school considers and the weights each school place on these factors differs. However, in general, schools use GMAT and GPA to perform an "initial screen" of the many applicants. Those that surpass the thresholds set by the school move into the "second round" and their applications are more carefully considered. Thus, GMAT and GPA alone will not get you into a program, but the absence of strong scores in these areas may keep you out of a program. <br />
<br />
===GMAT===<br />
Your GMAT score is an important component of your application. While a high GMAT score will not guarantee that you are accepted into a given program, a low score can eliminate you from consideration. For most research-intensive universities, a 700 is often considered the "magic number," although the actual benchmark will vary between schools. Schools often state what the minimum or average GMAT score is for their students. Some schools will focus mostly on the score from the quantitative section, while others will also put significant weight on the verbal section. This is because the program will likely require good quantitative skills, but writing skill may determine how likely you are to publish your papers.<br />
<br />
As a word of advice, don't despair if you don't do well on the GMAT on the first time. The format of the exam and the types of questions may be unlike anything you've ever done before. Study very hard before you take it the first time, because it will save you time and money if you don't have to retake it. However, if you have a bad day, realize that many people have done poorly on their first attempt, before retaking it and doing significantly better. Many people have gotten below a 600 on their first attempt, and over a 700 the second time around.<br />
<br />
===GPA===<br />
Your GPA is often considered jointly with your GMAT score in evaluating whether your application should be considered more carefully. Schools may also consider your major and minor GPA, or grades in specific classes they think are important. You may be able to improve your chances of getting into a top research school if you have done well in courses in economics, statistics, and math.<br />
<br />
===Letters of Recommendation===<br />
<br />
<br />
===Statement of Purpose===<br />
<br />
==Fly-outs==<br />
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:60em; max-width: 35%;" cellspacing="5"<br />
| style="text-align: left;" |<br />
<br />
==How to act during Fly Outs==<br />
===Do===<br />
* Be cordial in all respects.<br />
* Call schools and let them know before you visit if you have ''accepted'' another offer. Schools will view it as a slap in the face if you have formally accepted with another school and still fly out. If you are highly interested in another school but have not formally accepted, you still may consider flying out to another school if you have already arranged a campus visit. <br />
* Research on the school. Read about the professors and their work and have intelligent questions to ask them. Read about the area. This is one of the most important job interviews of your career.<br />
* Send a thank you note/letter/email after visit is over. Make sure the email is not a form email. You should send individual responses if you send a response to each person you met. <br />
* Remember the schools where you don't go are likely to consider hiring you. Leave a good impression and it will increase your chance of getting a job once you graduate. <br />
===Do NOT===<br />
* Undertake your application or campus visits lightly. How you act during the campus visit will not only affect your Ph.D. placement but also your potential future job placement. The academic accounting community is very small, memories very long, and bridges are easily burned. <br />
* Act arrogant. More so than any other personality trait, arrogance has cost many excellent candidates the opportunity to attend the program of their choice. There are plenty of other candidates who are as qualified (or more qualified) than you are to enter a Ph.D. program. Make sure you come across as humble, willing to work hard, and a nice person. <br />
* Schedule visits if you "know" you won't go to that school. If you might go to the school, then go, but if you know there is no way you will go to the school, don't waste their time and money. <br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
|}<br />
As part of the interview process, doctoral programs often bring students in for a campus visit. Only students that the program is seriously considering for admittance are brought in. Some universities will first do phone interviews with the candidates they are interested in before they fly applicants out. It is important to remember that just because you are being flown out does not mean you will be given an offer by the university. In general, the purpose of the fly out is to evaluate the candidate on softer skills (e.g., interpersonal skills, likability, etc.) rather than quantitative skills (e.g., GMAT, GPA, etc.) and to serve as a chance for the institution to recruit the individual and sell the program. <br />
<br />
The typical campus visit usually includes meal times, one-on-one time with professors, and attending a workshop/class. During your stay, one or more professors will take you out for dinner and/or breakfast. This is an informal meeting. You should be prepared to talk about why you want to enter a Ph.D. program, what are your research interests (if you have some), what are your future goals, why you are interested in that school, and most importantly be able to ask relevant questions about the school. You should not be asking questions about the school that you can find out for yourself (i.e., make sure you read the school's doctoral program web page and the individual professor's web pages as well). <br />
<br />
Your one-on-one meetings with professors usually last 30 minutes. These meetings can range from the professors conducting a mini job interview, to a friendly open dialog. You need to make sure you have enough things to talk about to fill up an entire 30 minutes. One of the best things you can talk about is the professor's own research. Checking out the faculty member's vita before an interview is a good way to get an idea of the type of research they do. Alternatively, you could ask the professor to describe one of their more recent projects. It is not a bad idea to bring a notepad to take notes. On the notepad, you might consider jotting a list of the questions you want answered during your visit. <br />
<br />
Often times, you will attend a doctoral seminar or a workshop presentation. If you can read the papers before you get there for the workshop or seminar that would be fantastic. You are not required to make any comments, and shouldn't just to show that you can speak. If you have [[How to ask good questions in workshop|good questions/comments to make]], you can do that, but make sure you aren't speaking to try and show how smart you are. These workshops give you a good idea of what the tone of the school is like. <br />
<br />
On a practical note, the school will usually cover airfare, transportation, and meals. The school may give you a budget and allow you to make plans (they usually reimburse you after you provide receipts) or they may book everything for you. If you are unsure, ask whoever is recruiting you how the school handles the finances of the fly out. <br />
<br />
Again, remember that during the campus visit you are being recruited and evaluated. You need to make sure you do your best to sell them on yourself and also take some time to evaluate the school to see if you would fit if given an offer. Be forthcoming about yourself and your interests. You don't want to end up at a school whose faculty are uninterested in or hostile to your research interests or that has a culture that doesn't suit you.<br />
<br />
You may find this collective list of "Do's and Do not's on campus visits" helpful as you prepare for a campus visit:<br />
<br />
==The Decision, which Program to Attend==<br />
You have done all the research, you have visited schools, you have talked with lots of people, you are now ready to make the decision of where to go to school. How in the world do you make this critical decision? <br />
<br />
Steve Kachelmeier's (University of Texas - Austin) story is one of the best illustrations of making the decision the right way. He created a table with the most important criteria that he should consider across the top and each program listed down the side. He carefully mapped how each school fit his criteria, taking care to list the positives and negatives. After he was finished with this exercise, he folded it in half, thought for a minute about which program he would like best, and then throwing his carefully constructed chart away chose to go to the University of Florida. At the end of the day, he went to the program he liked and where he thought he would fit well. <br />
<br />
There is no magic formula for deciding where to go. A few pointers will help as you make the decision. First, although this may sound like a broken record, go to the school where you fit best. Fit is far more important than any other criteria. Second, it is hard to make a bad decision. If you are willing to do your best, most programs will help you learn and be successful. Third, if you have a spouse or significant other, include them in the decision. Having support from your spouse during the program is extremely helpful in being successful. Listen to their needs and desires as you make the decision. Finally, quit stressing and celebrate you have been admitted into a Ph.D. program! You are well on your way to a great career. <br />
<br />
A word of advice on what to do once you have made your decision. It is important that you notify schools as soon as possible of your choice, especially if you have offers from other schools. These other schools will likely want to invite someone else to their program and while you are deciding, they often hold offers to other candidates. As soon as you have eliminated a school from consideration, kindly and courteously let that school know so they can move on (e.g., you have 3 offers and have decided you will not go to University X. Let University X know as soon as possible even if you are still deciding between University Y and Z). In a similar vein, try and make the decision of where you are going as soon as possible rather than drag the decision out. Schools appreciate being told earlier rather than later so they can recruit other candidates.<br />
<br />
==Other Items==<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
{|style="width:100%;margin-top:+.7em;"<br />
|-align="center"<br />
! style="background:#fafaFe; color:black; height: 20px" | <small>[[Main Page]] ► [[So you want to get a Ph.D.?]] ► [[Applying to a Ph.D. Program]]</small></div>Asayshttp://www.byuaccounting.net/mediawiki/index.php?title=Applying_to_a_Ph.D._Program&diff=10521Applying to a Ph.D. Program2009-12-22T18:01:00Z<p>Asays: /* GMAT */</p>
<hr />
<div>So you have decided you want to get a Ph.D. now what? The next step in the process is to decide which programs you should apply for, fill out your applications, hopefully visit several schools, and then make your final decision. On this page, we provide an overview of the process and specific suggestions for being successful in choosing and being accepted into an accounting Ph.D. program. <br />
<br />
==Selecting the Right Program==<br />
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:45em; max-width: 25%;" cellspacing="5"<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
<br />
==Question to consider when applying to programs==<br />
Here is a list of some questions that you might want to think about when applying to programs (some questions taken from [http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/doctoral/admissions/selecting.cfm here]):<br />
* How many faculty are working with students? Do students regularly coauthor articles with faculty?<br />
* How many faculty members are doing research in areas related to my own interests?<br />
* What opportunities are there to work with a variety of faculty and to be exposed to different research methodologies?<br />
* Am I sufficiently qualified to enter this program?<br />
* Many Ph.D. students change their vision of research and many change their intended concentration area after joining the program and being exposed to a variety of research styles. Does my program of choice offer flexibility needed to do so?<br />
* Is there financial support for students to attend academic conferences to present their own research?<br />
* What opportunities are there for students to participate in colloquia, both as an attendee and as a presenter?<br />
* What are the TA, RA, and teaching requirements of the program?<br />
* What is the department's placement record? What types of jobs do graduates take and where?<br />
* Finally, how well do graduates of the program perform in the long term (contributing to the field through publication, practice of management and earning tenure)?<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
|}<br />
The most important criterion for success in an accounting Ph.D. program is to find a program that "fits" you. In deciding which programs do and do not fit, it helps if you know what you want. Specifically, what type of career do you want when you graduate with your Ph.D.? Are you hoping to spend most of your time teaching or researching (or some combination of both)? How many hours do you want to work a week? How much money do you want to make? What subject of accounting (e.g., AIS, auditing, financial, managerial, tax, etc.) do you hope to teach and hope to research? While knowing answers to these types of questions is not required for applying to Ph.D. programs, it does help in selecting a program where you will "fit" well. <br />
<br />
As a very general "rule-of-thumb," academic prestige is usually based on research productivity, that is, the more successful an individual or school is at publishing research in respected journals the more "revered" the individual/institution. Connected to research productivity is pay. Generally speaking, the more research intensive the university, the higher the pay. Finally, professors often change schools over the course of their career. In general, it is easier to move from a research-intensive school to a more teaching-intensive school. Going in the opposite direction is more difficult because it is hard to sustain high levels of productivity as a researcher if you have a heavier teaching load and research-intensive universities will want to see evidence of research productivity/potential before hiring you. <br />
<br />
As you think through the research/teaching balance, do not make the mistake of assuming one is a better or worse option. Both options have costs and benefits and whether the costs and benefits are better/worse depends on your individual goals. Thus, knowing what your goals are is important for deciding where to apply. If you have a strong desire to focus more on teaching/research, you will be more successful going to a Ph.D. program that emphasizes the area of your interest. At the same time, do not rule out the possibility of changing your mind as you study in a Ph.D. program. Most academics decide to become a professor because they were originally attracted to teaching. Many, however, find that researching is as rewarding (or even more rewarding for some) than teaching. Further, research can often complement your teaching such that you become more effective in the classroom. Keep an open mind as you learn more about the life as a professor and allow yourself to give full consideration to all aspects of the life as a professor. <br />
<br />
Once you have decided what you want to do with your career, then the following suggestions will help you decide where to go. <br />
<br />
* Gather as much information about different schools as you can. A good starting point is visiting each school's official web page as well as the different [[University Information|university pages]] on this website.<br />
<br />
* Talk to people who have either been at a school or are currently at the school of interest. See [[University Information]] for help finding who has been where from the BYU family. Please be respectful of the time of the people you are contacting. Ph.D. students and faculty are busy so asking them questions that are already answered on the school's web page is wasting their time. Also, don't send out the same email to multiple people at the same school. Students and faculty talk and it looks bad for you to send out a form e-mail requesting information. <br />
<br />
* Determine what type of research you are interested in conducting. Certain schools do not support some research topical areas and/or methodologies. Make sure the schools you are considering do what you want to do. Do not expect to go to a school and convince professors to change the area of research they are focusing on to work on projects that interest you. You can expect them to continue working on what they find interesting and letting you work with them if they think you will be helpful to them.<br />
<br />
After you have gathered information about schools that interest you, you will need to apply to these schools. Hopefully, you will get to visit several schools and find which one fits. An important warning: while you may be tempted to go to the school other people consider "best," it is far more important that you feel comfortable and like where you will work. Numerous Ph.D. students have dropped out because they didn't fit with the school. Making sure you fit with the school is far more important than making sure you are at the school others consider the "best." On the other hand, it is important to get information from a wide variety of sources. If a program has developed a reputation, there is probably a reason.<br />
<br />
==The Application Process==<br />
Most schools consider several different factors when deciding which candidates to admit into their program. Which factors each school considers and the weights each school place on these factors differs. However, in general, schools use GMAT and GPA to perform an "initial screen" of the many applicants. Those that surpass the thresholds set by the school move into the "second round" and their applications are more carefully considered. Thus, GMAT and GPA alone will not get you into a program, but the absence of strong scores in these areas may keep you out of a program. <br />
<br />
===GMAT===<br />
Your GMAT score is an important component of your application. While a high GMAT score will not guarantee that you are accepted into a given program, a low score can eliminate you from consideration. For most research-intensive universities, a 700 is often considered the "magic number," although the actual benchmark will vary between schools. Schools often state what the minimum or average GMAT score is for their students. Some schools will focus mostly on the score from the quantitative section, while others will also put significant weight on the verbal section. This is because the program will likely require good quantitative skills, but writing skill may determine how likely you are to publish your papers.<br />
<br />
As a word of advice, don't despair if you don't do well on the GMAT on the first time. The format of the exam and the types of questions may be unlike anything you've ever done before. Study very hard before you take it the first time, because it will save you time and money if you don't have to retake it. However, if you have a bad day, realize that many people have done poorly on their first attempt, before retaking it and doing significantly better. Many people have gotten below a 600 on their first attempt, and over a 700 the second time around.<br />
<br />
===GPA===<br />
<br />
<br />
===Letters of Recommendation===<br />
<br />
<br />
===Statement of Purpose===<br />
<br />
==Fly-outs==<br />
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:60em; max-width: 35%;" cellspacing="5"<br />
| style="text-align: left;" |<br />
<br />
==How to act during Fly Outs==<br />
===Do===<br />
* Be cordial in all respects.<br />
* Call schools and let them know before you visit if you have ''accepted'' another offer. Schools will view it as a slap in the face if you have formally accepted with another school and still fly out. If you are highly interested in another school but have not formally accepted, you still may consider flying out to another school if you have already arranged a campus visit. <br />
* Research on the school. Read about the professors and their work and have intelligent questions to ask them. Read about the area. This is one of the most important job interviews of your career.<br />
* Send a thank you note/letter/email after visit is over. Make sure the email is not a form email. You should send individual responses if you send a response to each person you met. <br />
* Remember the schools where you don't go are likely to consider hiring you. Leave a good impression and it will increase your chance of getting a job once you graduate. <br />
===Do NOT===<br />
* Undertake your application or campus visits lightly. How you act during the campus visit will not only affect your Ph.D. placement but also your potential future job placement. The academic accounting community is very small, memories very long, and bridges are easily burned. <br />
* Act arrogant. More so than any other personality trait, arrogance has cost many excellent candidates the opportunity to attend the program of their choice. There are plenty of other candidates who are as qualified (or more qualified) than you are to enter a Ph.D. program. Make sure you come across as humble, willing to work hard, and a nice person. <br />
* Schedule visits if you "know" you won't go to that school. If you might go to the school, then go, but if you know there is no way you will go to the school, don't waste their time and money. <br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
|}<br />
As part of the interview process, doctoral programs often bring students in for a campus visit. Only students that the program is seriously considering for admittance are brought in. Some universities will first do phone interviews with the candidates they are interested in before they fly applicants out. It is important to remember that just because you are being flown out does not mean you will be given an offer by the university. In general, the purpose of the fly out is to evaluate the candidate on softer skills (e.g., interpersonal skills, likability, etc.) rather than quantitative skills (e.g., GMAT, GPA, etc.) and to serve as a chance for the institution to recruit the individual and sell the program. <br />
<br />
The typical campus visit usually includes meal times, one-on-one time with professors, and attending a workshop/class. During your stay, one or more professors will take you out for dinner and/or breakfast. This is an informal meeting. You should be prepared to talk about why you want to enter a Ph.D. program, what are your research interests (if you have some), what are your future goals, why you are interested in that school, and most importantly be able to ask relevant questions about the school. You should not be asking questions about the school that you can find out for yourself (i.e., make sure you read the school's doctoral program web page and the individual professor's web pages as well). <br />
<br />
Your one-on-one meetings with professors usually last 30 minutes. These meetings can range from the professors conducting a mini job interview, to a friendly open dialog. You need to make sure you have enough things to talk about to fill up an entire 30 minutes. One of the best things you can talk about is the professor's own research. Checking out the faculty member's vita before an interview is a good way to get an idea of the type of research they do. Alternatively, you could ask the professor to describe one of their more recent projects. It is not a bad idea to bring a notepad to take notes. On the notepad, you might consider jotting a list of the questions you want answered during your visit. <br />
<br />
Often times, you will attend a doctoral seminar or a workshop presentation. If you can read the papers before you get there for the workshop or seminar that would be fantastic. You are not required to make any comments, and shouldn't just to show that you can speak. If you have [[How to ask good questions in workshop|good questions/comments to make]], you can do that, but make sure you aren't speaking to try and show how smart you are. These workshops give you a good idea of what the tone of the school is like. <br />
<br />
On a practical note, the school will usually cover airfare, transportation, and meals. The school may give you a budget and allow you to make plans (they usually reimburse you after you provide receipts) or they may book everything for you. If you are unsure, ask whoever is recruiting you how the school handles the finances of the fly out. <br />
<br />
Again, remember that during the campus visit you are being recruited and evaluated. You need to make sure you do your best to sell them on yourself and also take some time to evaluate the school to see if you would fit if given an offer. Be forthcoming about yourself and your interests. You don't want to end up at a school whose faculty are uninterested in or hostile to your research interests or that has a culture that doesn't suit you.<br />
<br />
You may find this collective list of "Do's and Do not's on campus visits" helpful as you prepare for a campus visit:<br />
<br />
==The Decision, which Program to Attend==<br />
You have done all the research, you have visited schools, you have talked with lots of people, you are now ready to make the decision of where to go to school. How in the world do you make this critical decision? <br />
<br />
Steve Kachelmeier's (University of Texas - Austin) story is one of the best illustrations of making the decision the right way. He created a table with the most important criteria that he should consider across the top and each program listed down the side. He carefully mapped how each school fit his criteria, taking care to list the positives and negatives. After he was finished with this exercise, he folded it in half, thought for a minute about which program he would like best, and then throwing his carefully constructed chart away chose to go to the University of Florida. At the end of the day, he went to the program he liked and where he thought he would fit well. <br />
<br />
There is no magic formula for deciding where to go. A few pointers will help as you make the decision. First, although this may sound like a broken record, go to the school where you fit best. Fit is far more important than any other criteria. Second, it is hard to make a bad decision. If you are willing to do your best, most programs will help you learn and be successful. Third, if you have a spouse or significant other, include them in the decision. Having support from your spouse during the program is extremely helpful in being successful. Listen to their needs and desires as you make the decision. Finally, quit stressing and celebrate you have been admitted into a Ph.D. program! You are well on your way to a great career. <br />
<br />
A word of advice on what to do once you have made your decision. It is important that you notify schools as soon as possible of your choice, especially if you have offers from other schools. These other schools will likely want to invite someone else to their program and while you are deciding, they often hold offers to other candidates. As soon as you have eliminated a school from consideration, kindly and courteously let that school know so they can move on (e.g., you have 3 offers and have decided you will not go to University X. Let University X know as soon as possible even if you are still deciding between University Y and Z). In a similar vein, try and make the decision of where you are going as soon as possible rather than drag the decision out. Schools appreciate being told earlier rather than later so they can recruit other candidates.<br />
<br />
==Other Items==<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
{|style="width:100%;margin-top:+.7em;"<br />
|-align="center"<br />
! style="background:#fafaFe; color:black; height: 20px" | <small>[[Main Page]] ► [[So you want to get a Ph.D.?]] ► [[Applying to a Ph.D. Program]]</small></div>Asayshttp://www.byuaccounting.net/mediawiki/index.php?title=Applying_to_a_Ph.D._Program&diff=10520Applying to a Ph.D. Program2009-12-22T17:54:20Z<p>Asays: /* GMAT */</p>
<hr />
<div>So you have decided you want to get a Ph.D. now what? The next step in the process is to decide which programs you should apply for, fill out your applications, hopefully visit several schools, and then make your final decision. On this page, we provide an overview of the process and specific suggestions for being successful in choosing and being accepted into an accounting Ph.D. program. <br />
<br />
==Selecting the Right Program==<br />
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:45em; max-width: 25%;" cellspacing="5"<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
<br />
==Question to consider when applying to programs==<br />
Here is a list of some questions that you might want to think about when applying to programs (some questions taken from [http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/doctoral/admissions/selecting.cfm here]):<br />
* How many faculty are working with students? Do students regularly coauthor articles with faculty?<br />
* How many faculty members are doing research in areas related to my own interests?<br />
* What opportunities are there to work with a variety of faculty and to be exposed to different research methodologies?<br />
* Am I sufficiently qualified to enter this program?<br />
* Many Ph.D. students change their vision of research and many change their intended concentration area after joining the program and being exposed to a variety of research styles. Does my program of choice offer flexibility needed to do so?<br />
* Is there financial support for students to attend academic conferences to present their own research?<br />
* What opportunities are there for students to participate in colloquia, both as an attendee and as a presenter?<br />
* What are the TA, RA, and teaching requirements of the program?<br />
* What is the department's placement record? What types of jobs do graduates take and where?<br />
* Finally, how well do graduates of the program perform in the long term (contributing to the field through publication, practice of management and earning tenure)?<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
|}<br />
The most important criterion for success in an accounting Ph.D. program is to find a program that "fits" you. In deciding which programs do and do not fit, it helps if you know what you want. Specifically, what type of career do you want when you graduate with your Ph.D.? Are you hoping to spend most of your time teaching or researching (or some combination of both)? How many hours do you want to work a week? How much money do you want to make? What subject of accounting (e.g., AIS, auditing, financial, managerial, tax, etc.) do you hope to teach and hope to research? While knowing answers to these types of questions is not required for applying to Ph.D. programs, it does help in selecting a program where you will "fit" well. <br />
<br />
As a very general "rule-of-thumb," academic prestige is usually based on research productivity, that is, the more successful an individual or school is at publishing research in respected journals the more "revered" the individual/institution. Connected to research productivity is pay. Generally speaking, the more research intensive the university, the higher the pay. Finally, professors often change schools over the course of their career. In general, it is easier to move from a research-intensive school to a more teaching-intensive school. Going in the opposite direction is more difficult because it is hard to sustain high levels of productivity as a researcher if you have a heavier teaching load and research-intensive universities will want to see evidence of research productivity/potential before hiring you. <br />
<br />
As you think through the research/teaching balance, do not make the mistake of assuming one is a better or worse option. Both options have costs and benefits and whether the costs and benefits are better/worse depends on your individual goals. Thus, knowing what your goals are is important for deciding where to apply. If you have a strong desire to focus more on teaching/research, you will be more successful going to a Ph.D. program that emphasizes the area of your interest. At the same time, do not rule out the possibility of changing your mind as you study in a Ph.D. program. Most academics decide to become a professor because they were originally attracted to teaching. Many, however, find that researching is as rewarding (or even more rewarding for some) than teaching. Further, research can often complement your teaching such that you become more effective in the classroom. Keep an open mind as you learn more about the life as a professor and allow yourself to give full consideration to all aspects of the life as a professor. <br />
<br />
Once you have decided what you want to do with your career, then the following suggestions will help you decide where to go. <br />
<br />
* Gather as much information about different schools as you can. A good starting point is visiting each school's official web page as well as the different [[University Information|university pages]] on this website.<br />
<br />
* Talk to people who have either been at a school or are currently at the school of interest. See [[University Information]] for help finding who has been where from the BYU family. Please be respectful of the time of the people you are contacting. Ph.D. students and faculty are busy so asking them questions that are already answered on the school's web page is wasting their time. Also, don't send out the same email to multiple people at the same school. Students and faculty talk and it looks bad for you to send out a form e-mail requesting information. <br />
<br />
* Determine what type of research you are interested in conducting. Certain schools do not support some research topical areas and/or methodologies. Make sure the schools you are considering do what you want to do. Do not expect to go to a school and convince professors to change the area of research they are focusing on to work on projects that interest you. You can expect them to continue working on what they find interesting and letting you work with them if they think you will be helpful to them.<br />
<br />
After you have gathered information about schools that interest you, you will need to apply to these schools. Hopefully, you will get to visit several schools and find which one fits. An important warning: while you may be tempted to go to the school other people consider "best," it is far more important that you feel comfortable and like where you will work. Numerous Ph.D. students have dropped out because they didn't fit with the school. Making sure you fit with the school is far more important than making sure you are at the school others consider the "best." On the other hand, it is important to get information from a wide variety of sources. If a program has developed a reputation, there is probably a reason.<br />
<br />
==The Application Process==<br />
Most schools consider several different factors when deciding which candidates to admit into their program. Which factors each school considers and the weights each school place on these factors differs. However, in general, schools use GMAT and GPA to perform an "initial screen" of the many applicants. Those that surpass the thresholds set by the school move into the "second round" and their applications are more carefully considered. Thus, GMAT and GPA alone will not get you into a program, but the absence of strong scores in these areas may keep you out of a program. <br />
<br />
===GMAT===<br />
Your GMAT score is an important component of your application. While a high GMAT score will not guarantee that you are accepted into a given program, a low score can eliminate you from consideration. For most research-intensive universities, a 700 is often considered the "magic number," although the actual benchmark will vary between schools. Some schools will focus mostly on the score from the quantitative section, while others will also put significant weight on the verbal section. This is because the program will likely require good quantitative skills, but writing skill may determine how likely you are to publish your papers.<br />
<br />
As a word of advice, don't despair if you don't do well on the GMAT on the first time. The format of the exam and the types of questions may be unlike anything you've ever done before. Study very hard before you take it the first time, because it will save you time and money if you don't have to retake it. However, if you have a bad day, realize that many people have done poorly on their first attempt, before retaking it and doing significantly better. Many people have gotten below a 600 on their first attempt, and over a 700 the second time around.<br />
<br />
===GPA===<br />
<br />
<br />
===Letters of Recommendation===<br />
<br />
<br />
===Statement of Purpose===<br />
<br />
==Fly-outs==<br />
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:60em; max-width: 35%;" cellspacing="5"<br />
| style="text-align: left;" |<br />
<br />
==How to act during Fly Outs==<br />
===Do===<br />
* Be cordial in all respects.<br />
* Call schools and let them know before you visit if you have ''accepted'' another offer. Schools will view it as a slap in the face if you have formally accepted with another school and still fly out. If you are highly interested in another school but have not formally accepted, you still may consider flying out to another school if you have already arranged a campus visit. <br />
* Research on the school. Read about the professors and their work and have intelligent questions to ask them. Read about the area. This is one of the most important job interviews of your career.<br />
* Send a thank you note/letter/email after visit is over. Make sure the email is not a form email. You should send individual responses if you send a response to each person you met. <br />
* Remember the schools where you don't go are likely to consider hiring you. Leave a good impression and it will increase your chance of getting a job once you graduate. <br />
===Do NOT===<br />
* Undertake your application or campus visits lightly. How you act during the campus visit will not only affect your Ph.D. placement but also your potential future job placement. The academic accounting community is very small, memories very long, and bridges are easily burned. <br />
* Act arrogant. More so than any other personality trait, arrogance has cost many excellent candidates the opportunity to attend the program of their choice. There are plenty of other candidates who are as qualified (or more qualified) than you are to enter a Ph.D. program. Make sure you come across as humble, willing to work hard, and a nice person. <br />
* Schedule visits if you "know" you won't go to that school. If you might go to the school, then go, but if you know there is no way you will go to the school, don't waste their time and money. <br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
|}<br />
As part of the interview process, doctoral programs often bring students in for a campus visit. Only students that the program is seriously considering for admittance are brought in. Some universities will first do phone interviews with the candidates they are interested in before they fly applicants out. It is important to remember that just because you are being flown out does not mean you will be given an offer by the university. In general, the purpose of the fly out is to evaluate the candidate on softer skills (e.g., interpersonal skills, likability, etc.) rather than quantitative skills (e.g., GMAT, GPA, etc.) and to serve as a chance for the institution to recruit the individual and sell the program. <br />
<br />
The typical campus visit usually includes meal times, one-on-one time with professors, and attending a workshop/class. During your stay, one or more professors will take you out for dinner and/or breakfast. This is an informal meeting. You should be prepared to talk about why you want to enter a Ph.D. program, what are your research interests (if you have some), what are your future goals, why you are interested in that school, and most importantly be able to ask relevant questions about the school. You should not be asking questions about the school that you can find out for yourself (i.e., make sure you read the school's doctoral program web page and the individual professor's web pages as well). <br />
<br />
Your one-on-one meetings with professors usually last 30 minutes. These meetings can range from the professors conducting a mini job interview, to a friendly open dialog. You need to make sure you have enough things to talk about to fill up an entire 30 minutes. One of the best things you can talk about is the professor's own research. Checking out the faculty member's vita before an interview is a good way to get an idea of the type of research they do. Alternatively, you could ask the professor to describe one of their more recent projects. It is not a bad idea to bring a notepad to take notes. On the notepad, you might consider jotting a list of the questions you want answered during your visit. <br />
<br />
Often times, you will attend a doctoral seminar or a workshop presentation. If you can read the papers before you get there for the workshop or seminar that would be fantastic. You are not required to make any comments, and shouldn't just to show that you can speak. If you have [[How to ask good questions in workshop|good questions/comments to make]], you can do that, but make sure you aren't speaking to try and show how smart you are. These workshops give you a good idea of what the tone of the school is like. <br />
<br />
On a practical note, the school will usually cover airfare, transportation, and meals. The school may give you a budget and allow you to make plans (they usually reimburse you after you provide receipts) or they may book everything for you. If you are unsure, ask whoever is recruiting you how the school handles the finances of the fly out. <br />
<br />
Again, remember that during the campus visit you are being recruited and evaluated. You need to make sure you do your best to sell them on yourself and also take some time to evaluate the school to see if you would fit if given an offer. Be forthcoming about yourself and your interests. You don't want to end up at a school whose faculty are uninterested in or hostile to your research interests or that has a culture that doesn't suit you.<br />
<br />
You may find this collective list of "Do's and Do not's on campus visits" helpful as you prepare for a campus visit:<br />
<br />
==The Decision, which Program to Attend==<br />
You have done all the research, you have visited schools, you have talked with lots of people, you are now ready to make the decision of where to go to school. How in the world do you make this critical decision? <br />
<br />
Steve Kachelmeier's (University of Texas - Austin) story is one of the best illustrations of making the decision the right way. He created a table with the most important criteria that he should consider across the top and each program listed down the side. He carefully mapped how each school fit his criteria, taking care to list the positives and negatives. After he was finished with this exercise, he folded it in half, thought for a minute about which program he would like best, and then throwing his carefully constructed chart away chose to go to the University of Florida. At the end of the day, he went to the program he liked and where he thought he would fit well. <br />
<br />
There is no magic formula for deciding where to go. A few pointers will help as you make the decision. First, although this may sound like a broken record, go to the school where you fit best. Fit is far more important than any other criteria. Second, it is hard to make a bad decision. If you are willing to do your best, most programs will help you learn and be successful. Third, if you have a spouse or significant other, include them in the decision. Having support from your spouse during the program is extremely helpful in being successful. Listen to their needs and desires as you make the decision. Finally, quit stressing and celebrate you have been admitted into a Ph.D. program! You are well on your way to a great career. <br />
<br />
A word of advice on what to do once you have made your decision. It is important that you notify schools as soon as possible of your choice, especially if you have offers from other schools. These other schools will likely want to invite someone else to their program and while you are deciding, they often hold offers to other candidates. As soon as you have eliminated a school from consideration, kindly and courteously let that school know so they can move on (e.g., you have 3 offers and have decided you will not go to University X. Let University X know as soon as possible even if you are still deciding between University Y and Z). In a similar vein, try and make the decision of where you are going as soon as possible rather than drag the decision out. Schools appreciate being told earlier rather than later so they can recruit other candidates.<br />
<br />
==Other Items==<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
{|style="width:100%;margin-top:+.7em;"<br />
|-align="center"<br />
! style="background:#fafaFe; color:black; height: 20px" | <small>[[Main Page]] ► [[So you want to get a Ph.D.?]] ► [[Applying to a Ph.D. Program]]</small></div>Asayshttp://www.byuaccounting.net/mediawiki/index.php?title=Applying_to_a_Ph.D._Program&diff=10518Applying to a Ph.D. Program2009-12-22T17:42:09Z<p>Asays: /* The Decision, which Program to Attend */</p>
<hr />
<div>So you have decided you want to get a Ph.D. now what? The next step in the process is to decide which programs you should apply for, fill out your applications, hopefully visit several schools, and then make your final decision. On this page, we provide an overview of the process and specific suggestions for being successful in choosing and being accepted into an accounting Ph.D. program. <br />
<br />
==Selecting the Right Program==<br />
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:45em; max-width: 25%;" cellspacing="5"<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
<br />
==Question to consider when applying to programs==<br />
Here is a list of some questions that you might want to think about when applying to programs (taken from [http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/doctoral/admissions/selecting.cfm here]):<br />
* How many faculty are working with students? Do students regularly coauthor articles with faculty?<br />
* How many faculty members are doing research in areas related to my own interests?<br />
* What opportunities are there to work with a variety of faculty and to be exposed to different research methodologies?<br />
* Am I sufficiently qualified to enter this program?<br />
* Many Ph.D. students change their vision of research and many change their intended concentration area after joining the program and being exposed to a variety of research styles. Does my program of choice offer flexibility needed to do so?<br />
* Is there financial support for students to attend academic conferences to present their own research?<br />
* What opportunities are there for students to participate in colloquia, both as an attendee and as a presenter?<br />
* What are the TA, RA, and teaching requirements of the program?<br />
* What is the department's placement record? What types of jobs do graduates take and where?<br />
* Finally, how well do graduates of the program perform in the long term (contributing to the field through publication, practice of management and earning tenure)?<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
|}<br />
The most important criterion for success in an accounting Ph.D. program is to find a program that "fits" you. In deciding which programs do and do not fit, it helps if you know what you want. Specifically, what type of career do you want when you graduate with your Ph.D.? Are you hoping to spend most of your time teaching or researching (or some combination of both)? How many hours do you want to work a week? How much money do you want to make? What subject of accounting (e.g., AIS, auditing, financial, managerial, tax, etc.) do you hope to teach and hope to research? While knowing answers to these types of questions is not required for applying to Ph.D. programs, it does help in selecting a program where you will "fit" well. <br />
<br />
As a very general "rule-of-thumb," academic prestige is usually based on research productivity, that is, the more successful an individual or school is at publishing research in respected journals the more "revered" the individual/institution. Connected to research productivity is pay. Generally speaking, the more research intensive the university, the higher the pay. Finally, professors often change schools over the course of their career. In general, it is easier to move from a research-intensive school to a more teaching-intensive school. Going in the opposite direction is more difficult because it is hard to sustain high levels of productivity as a researcher if you have a heavier teaching load and research-intensive universities will want to see evidence of research productivity/potential before hiring you. <br />
<br />
As you think through the research/teaching balance, do not make the mistake of assuming one is a better or worse option. Both options have costs and benefits and whether the costs and benefits are better/worse depends on your individual goals. Thus, knowing what your goals are is important for deciding where to apply. If you have a strong desire to focus more on teaching/research, you will be more successful going to a Ph.D. program that emphasizes the area of your interest. At the same time, do not rule out the possibility of changing your mind as you study in a Ph.D. program. Most academics decide to become a professor because they were originally attracted to teaching. Many, however, find that researching is as rewarding (or even more rewarding for some) than teaching. Further, research can often complement your teaching such that you become more effective in the classroom. Keep an open mind as you learn more about the life as a professor and allow yourself to give full consideration to all aspects of the life as a professor. <br />
<br />
Once you have decided what you want to do with your career, then the following suggestions will help you decide where to go. <br />
<br />
* Gather as much information about different schools as you can. A good starting point is visiting each school's official web page as well as the different [[University Information|university pages]] on this website.<br />
<br />
* Talk to people who have either been at a school or are currently at the school of interest. See [[University Information]] for help finding who has been where from the BYU family. Please be respectful of the time of the people you are contacting. Ph.D. students and faculty are busy so asking them questions that are already answered on the school's web page is wasting their time. Also, don't send out the same email to multiple people at the same school. Students and faculty talk and it looks bad for you to send out a form e-mail requesting information. <br />
<br />
* Determine what type of research you are interested in conducting. Certain schools do not support some research topical areas and/or methodologies. Make sure the schools you are considering do what you want to do. Do not expect to go to a school and convince professors to change the area of research they are focusing on to work on projects that interest you. You can expect them to continue working on what they find interesting and letting you work with them if they think you will be helpful to them.<br />
<br />
After you have gathered information about schools that interest you, you will need to apply to these schools. Hopefully, you will get to visit several schools and find which one fits. An important warning: while you may be tempted to go to the school other people consider "best," it is far more important that you feel comfortable and like where you will work. Numerous Ph.D. students have dropped out because they didn't fit with the school. Making sure you fit with the school is far more important than making sure you are at the school others consider the "best." On the other hand, it is important to get information from a wide variety of sources. If a program has developed a reputation, there is probably a reason.<br />
<br />
==The Application Process==<br />
Most schools consider several different factors when deciding which candidates to admit into their program. Which factors each school considers and the weights each school place on these factors differs. However, in general, schools use GMAT and GPA to perform an "initial screen" of the many applicants. Those that surpass the thresholds set by the school move into the "second round" and their applications are more carefully considered. Thus, GMAT and GPA alone will not get you into a program, but the absence of strong scores in these areas may keep you out of a program. <br />
<br />
===GMAT===<br />
<br />
<br />
===GPA===<br />
<br />
<br />
===Letters of Recommendation===<br />
<br />
<br />
===Statement of Purpose===<br />
<br />
==Fly-outs==<br />
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:60em; max-width: 35%;" cellspacing="5"<br />
| style="text-align: left;" |<br />
<br />
==How to act during Fly Outs==<br />
===Do===<br />
* Be cordial in all respects.<br />
* Call schools and let them know before you visit if you have ''accepted'' another offer. Schools will view it as a slap in the face if you have formally accepted with another school and still fly out. If you are highly interested in another school but have not formally accepted, you still may consider flying out to another school if you have already arranged a campus visit. <br />
* Research on the school. Read about the professors and their work and have intelligent questions to ask them. Read about the area. This is one of the most important job interviews of your career.<br />
* Send a thank you note/letter/email after visit is over. Make sure the email is not a form email. You should send individual responses if you send a response to each person you met. <br />
* Remember the schools where you don't go are likely to consider hiring you. Leave a good impression and it will increase your chance of getting a job once you graduate. <br />
===Do NOT===<br />
* Undertake your application or campus visits lightly. How you act during the campus visit will not only affect your Ph.D. placement but also your potential future job placement. The academic accounting community is very small, memories very long, and bridges are easily burned. <br />
* Act arrogant. More so than any other personality trait, arrogance has cost many excellent candidates the opportunity to attend the program of their choice. There are plenty of other candidates who are as qualified (or more qualified) than you are to enter a Ph.D. program. Make sure you come across as humble, willing to work hard, and a nice person. <br />
* Schedule visits if you "know" you won't go to that school. If you might go to the school, then go, but if you know there is no way you will go to the school, don't waste their time and money. <br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
|}<br />
As part of the interview process, doctoral programs often bring students in for a campus visit. Only students that the program is seriously considering for admittance are brought in. Some universities will first do phone interviews with the candidates they are interested in before they fly applicants out. It is important to remember that just because you are being flown out does not mean you will be given an offer by the university. In general, the purpose of the fly out is to evaluate the candidate on softer skills (e.g., interpersonal skills, likability, etc.) rather than quantitative skills (e.g., GMAT, GPA, etc.) and to serve as a chance for the institution to recruit the individual and sell the program. <br />
<br />
The typical campus visit usually includes meal times, one-on-one time with professors, and attending a workshop/class. During your stay, one or more professors will take you out for dinner and/or breakfast. This is an informal meeting. You should be prepared to talk about why you want to enter a Ph.D. program, what are your research interests (if you have some), what are your future goals, why you are interested in that school, and most importantly be able to ask relevant questions about the school. You should not be asking questions about the school that you can find out for yourself (i.e., make sure you read the school's doctoral program web page and the individual professor's web pages as well). <br />
<br />
Your one-on-one meetings with professors usually last 30 minutes. These meetings can range from the professors conducting a mini job interview, to a friendly open dialog. You need to make sure you have enough things to talk about to fill up an entire 30 minutes. One of the best things you can talk about is the professor's own research. Checking out the faculty member's vita before an interview is a good way to get an idea of the type of research they do. Alternatively, you could ask the professor to describe one of their more recent projects. It is not a bad idea to bring a notepad to take notes. On the notepad, you might consider jotting a list of the questions you want answered during your visit. <br />
<br />
Often times, you will attend a doctoral seminar or a workshop presentation. If you can read the papers before you get there for the workshop or seminar that would be fantastic. You are not required to make any comments, and shouldn't just to show that you can speak. If you have [[How to ask good questions in workshop|good questions/comments to make]], you can do that, but make sure you aren't speaking to try and show how smart you are. These workshops give you a good idea of what the tone of the school is like. <br />
<br />
On a practical note, the school will usually cover airfare, transportation, and meals. The school may give you a budget and allow you to make plans (they usually reimburse you after you provide receipts) or they may book everything for you. If you are unsure, ask whoever is recruiting you how the school handles the finances of the fly out. <br />
<br />
Again, remember that during the campus visit you are being recruited and evaluated. You need to make sure you do your best to sell them on yourself and also take some time to evaluate the school to see if you would fit if given an offer. Be forthcoming about yourself and your interests. You don't want to end up at a school whose faculty are uninterested in or hostile to your research interests or that has a culture that doesn't suit you.<br />
<br />
You may find this collective list of "Do's and Do not's on campus visits" helpful as you prepare for a campus visit:<br />
<br />
==The Decision, which Program to Attend==<br />
You have done all the research, you have visited schools, you have talked with lots of people, you are now ready to make the decision of where to go to school. How in the world do you make this critical decision? <br />
<br />
Steve Kachelmeier's (University of Texas - Austin) story is one of the best illustrations of making the decision the right way. He created a table with the most important criteria that he should consider across the top and each program listed down the side. He carefully mapped how each school fit his criteria, taking care to list the positives and negatives. After he was finished with this exercise, he folded it in half, thought for a minute about which program he would like best, and then throwing his carefully constructed chart away chose to go to the University of Florida. At the end of the day, he went to the program he liked and where he thought he would fit well. <br />
<br />
There is no magic formula for deciding where to go. A few pointers will help as you make the decision. First, although this may sound like a broken record, go to the school where you fit best. Fit is far more important than any other criteria. Second, it is hard to make a bad decision. If you are willing to do your best, most programs will help you learn and be successful. Third, if you have a spouse or significant other, include them in the decision. Having support from your spouse during the program is extremely helpful in being successful. Listen to their needs and desires as you make the decision. Finally, quit stressing and celebrate you have been admitted into a Ph.D. program! You are well on your way to a great career. <br />
<br />
A word of advice on what to do once you have made your decision. It is important that you notify schools as soon as possible of your choice, especially if you have offers from other schools. These other schools will likely want to invite someone else to their program and while you are deciding, they often hold offers to other candidates. As soon as you have eliminated a school from consideration, kindly and courteously let that school know so they can move on (e.g., you have 3 offers and have decided you will not go to University X. Let University X know as soon as possible even if you are still deciding between University Y and Z). In a similar vein, try and make the decision of where you are going as soon as possible rather than drag the decision out. Schools appreciate being told earlier rather than later so they can recruit other candidates.<br />
<br />
==Other Items==<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
{|style="width:100%;margin-top:+.7em;"<br />
|-align="center"<br />
! style="background:#fafaFe; color:black; height: 20px" | <small>[[Main Page]] ► [[So you want to get a Ph.D.?]] ► [[Applying to a Ph.D. Program]]</small></div>Asayshttp://www.byuaccounting.net/mediawiki/index.php?title=Applying_to_a_Ph.D._Program&diff=10517Applying to a Ph.D. Program2009-12-22T17:40:55Z<p>Asays: /* The Decision, which Program to Attend */</p>
<hr />
<div>So you have decided you want to get a Ph.D. now what? The next step in the process is to decide which programs you should apply for, fill out your applications, hopefully visit several schools, and then make your final decision. On this page, we provide an overview of the process and specific suggestions for being successful in choosing and being accepted into an accounting Ph.D. program. <br />
<br />
==Selecting the Right Program==<br />
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:45em; max-width: 25%;" cellspacing="5"<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
<br />
==Question to consider when applying to programs==<br />
Here is a list of some questions that you might want to think about when applying to programs (taken from [http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/doctoral/admissions/selecting.cfm here]):<br />
* How many faculty are working with students? Do students regularly coauthor articles with faculty?<br />
* How many faculty members are doing research in areas related to my own interests?<br />
* What opportunities are there to work with a variety of faculty and to be exposed to different research methodologies?<br />
* Am I sufficiently qualified to enter this program?<br />
* Many Ph.D. students change their vision of research and many change their intended concentration area after joining the program and being exposed to a variety of research styles. Does my program of choice offer flexibility needed to do so?<br />
* Is there financial support for students to attend academic conferences to present their own research?<br />
* What opportunities are there for students to participate in colloquia, both as an attendee and as a presenter?<br />
* What are the TA, RA, and teaching requirements of the program?<br />
* What is the department's placement record? What types of jobs do graduates take and where?<br />
* Finally, how well do graduates of the program perform in the long term (contributing to the field through publication, practice of management and earning tenure)?<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
|}<br />
The most important criterion for success in an accounting Ph.D. program is to find a program that "fits" you. In deciding which programs do and do not fit, it helps if you know what you want. Specifically, what type of career do you want when you graduate with your Ph.D.? Are you hoping to spend most of your time teaching or researching (or some combination of both)? How many hours do you want to work a week? How much money do you want to make? What subject of accounting (e.g., AIS, auditing, financial, managerial, tax, etc.) do you hope to teach and hope to research? While knowing answers to these types of questions is not required for applying to Ph.D. programs, it does help in selecting a program where you will "fit" well. <br />
<br />
As a very general "rule-of-thumb," academic prestige is usually based on research productivity, that is, the more successful an individual or school is at publishing research in respected journals the more "revered" the individual/institution. Connected to research productivity is pay. Generally speaking, the more research intensive the university, the higher the pay. Finally, professors often change schools over the course of their career. In general, it is easier to move from a research-intensive school to a more teaching-intensive school. Going in the opposite direction is more difficult because it is hard to sustain high levels of productivity as a researcher if you have a heavier teaching load and research-intensive universities will want to see evidence of research productivity/potential before hiring you. <br />
<br />
As you think through the research/teaching balance, do not make the mistake of assuming one is a better or worse option. Both options have costs and benefits and whether the costs and benefits are better/worse depends on your individual goals. Thus, knowing what your goals are is important for deciding where to apply. If you have a strong desire to focus more on teaching/research, you will be more successful going to a Ph.D. program that emphasizes the area of your interest. At the same time, do not rule out the possibility of changing your mind as you study in a Ph.D. program. Most academics decide to become a professor because they were originally attracted to teaching. Many, however, find that researching is as rewarding (or even more rewarding for some) than teaching. Further, research can often complement your teaching such that you become more effective in the classroom. Keep an open mind as you learn more about the life as a professor and allow yourself to give full consideration to all aspects of the life as a professor. <br />
<br />
Once you have decided what you want to do with your career, then the following suggestions will help you decide where to go. <br />
<br />
* Gather as much information about different schools as you can. A good starting point is visiting each school's official web page as well as the different [[University Information|university pages]] on this website.<br />
<br />
* Talk to people who have either been at a school or are currently at the school of interest. See [[University Information]] for help finding who has been where from the BYU family. Please be respectful of the time of the people you are contacting. Ph.D. students and faculty are busy so asking them questions that are already answered on the school's web page is wasting their time. Also, don't send out the same email to multiple people at the same school. Students and faculty talk and it looks bad for you to send out a form e-mail requesting information. <br />
<br />
* Determine what type of research you are interested in conducting. Certain schools do not support some research topical areas and/or methodologies. Make sure the schools you are considering do what you want to do. Do not expect to go to a school and convince professors to change the area of research they are focusing on to work on projects that interest you. You can expect them to continue working on what they find interesting and letting you work with them if they think you will be helpful to them.<br />
<br />
After you have gathered information about schools that interest you, you will need to apply to these schools. Hopefully, you will get to visit several schools and find which one fits. An important warning: while you may be tempted to go to the school other people consider "best," it is far more important that you feel comfortable and like where you will work. Numerous Ph.D. students have dropped out because they didn't fit with the school. Making sure you fit with the school is far more important than making sure you are at the school others consider the "best." On the other hand, it is important to get information from a wide variety of sources. If a program has developed a reputation, there is probably a reason.<br />
<br />
==The Application Process==<br />
Most schools consider several different factors when deciding which candidates to admit into their program. Which factors each school considers and the weights each school place on these factors differs. However, in general, schools use GMAT and GPA to perform an "initial screen" of the many applicants. Those that surpass the thresholds set by the school move into the "second round" and their applications are more carefully considered. Thus, GMAT and GPA alone will not get you into a program, but the absence of strong scores in these areas may keep you out of a program. <br />
<br />
===GMAT===<br />
<br />
<br />
===GPA===<br />
<br />
<br />
===Letters of Recommendation===<br />
<br />
<br />
===Statement of Purpose===<br />
<br />
==Fly-outs==<br />
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:60em; max-width: 35%;" cellspacing="5"<br />
| style="text-align: left;" |<br />
<br />
==How to act during Fly Outs==<br />
===Do===<br />
* Be cordial in all respects.<br />
* Call schools and let them know before you visit if you have ''accepted'' another offer. Schools will view it as a slap in the face if you have formally accepted with another school and still fly out. If you are highly interested in another school but have not formally accepted, you still may consider flying out to another school if you have already arranged a campus visit. <br />
* Research on the school. Read about the professors and their work and have intelligent questions to ask them. Read about the area. This is one of the most important job interviews of your career.<br />
* Send a thank you note/letter/email after visit is over. Make sure the email is not a form email. You should send individual responses if you send a response to each person you met. <br />
* Remember the schools where you don't go are likely to consider hiring you. Leave a good impression and it will increase your chance of getting a job once you graduate. <br />
===Do NOT===<br />
* Undertake your application or campus visits lightly. How you act during the campus visit will not only affect your Ph.D. placement but also your potential future job placement. The academic accounting community is very small, memories very long, and bridges are easily burned. <br />
* Act arrogant. More so than any other personality trait, arrogance has cost many excellent candidates the opportunity to attend the program of their choice. There are plenty of other candidates who are as qualified (or more qualified) than you are to enter a Ph.D. program. Make sure you come across as humble, willing to work hard, and a nice person. <br />
* Schedule visits if you "know" you won't go to that school. If you might go to the school, then go, but if you know there is no way you will go to the school, don't waste their time and money. <br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
|}<br />
As part of the interview process, doctoral programs often bring students in for a campus visit. Only students that the program is seriously considering for admittance are brought in. Some universities will first do phone interviews with the candidates they are interested in before they fly applicants out. It is important to remember that just because you are being flown out does not mean you will be given an offer by the university. In general, the purpose of the fly out is to evaluate the candidate on softer skills (e.g., interpersonal skills, likability, etc.) rather than quantitative skills (e.g., GMAT, GPA, etc.) and to serve as a chance for the institution to recruit the individual and sell the program. <br />
<br />
The typical campus visit usually includes meal times, one-on-one time with professors, and attending a workshop/class. During your stay, one or more professors will take you out for dinner and/or breakfast. This is an informal meeting. You should be prepared to talk about why you want to enter a Ph.D. program, what are your research interests (if you have some), what are your future goals, why you are interested in that school, and most importantly be able to ask relevant questions about the school. You should not be asking questions about the school that you can find out for yourself (i.e., make sure you read the school's doctoral program web page and the individual professor's web pages as well). <br />
<br />
Your one-on-one meetings with professors usually last 30 minutes. These meetings can range from the professors conducting a mini job interview, to a friendly open dialog. You need to make sure you have enough things to talk about to fill up an entire 30 minutes. One of the best things you can talk about is the professor's own research. Checking out the faculty member's vita before an interview is a good way to get an idea of the type of research they do. Alternatively, you could ask the professor to describe one of their more recent projects. It is not a bad idea to bring a notepad to take notes. On the notepad, you might consider jotting a list of the questions you want answered during your visit. <br />
<br />
Often times, you will attend a doctoral seminar or a workshop presentation. If you can read the papers before you get there for the workshop or seminar that would be fantastic. You are not required to make any comments, and shouldn't just to show that you can speak. If you have [[How to ask good questions in workshop|good questions/comments to make]], you can do that, but make sure you aren't speaking to try and show how smart you are. These workshops give you a good idea of what the tone of the school is like. <br />
<br />
On a practical note, the school will usually cover airfare, transportation, and meals. The school may give you a budget and allow you to make plans (they usually reimburse you after you provide receipts) or they may book everything for you. If you are unsure, ask whoever is recruiting you how the school handles the finances of the fly out. <br />
<br />
Again, remember that during the campus visit you are being recruited and evaluated. You need to make sure you do your best to sell them on yourself and also take some time to evaluate the school to see if you would fit if given an offer. Be forthcoming about yourself and your interests. You don't want to end up at a school whose faculty are uninterested in or hostile to your research interests or that has a culture that doesn't suit you.<br />
<br />
You may find this collective list of "Do's and Do not's on campus visits" helpful as you prepare for a campus visit:<br />
<br />
==The Decision, which Program to Attend==<br />
You have done all the research, you have visited schools, you have talked with lots of people, you are now ready to make the decision of where to go to school. How in the world do you make this critical decision? <br />
<br />
Steve Kachelmeier's (University of Texas - Austin) story is one of the best illustrations of making the decision the right way. He created a table with the most important criteria that he should consider across the top and each program listed down the side. He carefully mapped how each school fit his criteria, taking care to list the positives and negatives. After he was finished with this exercise, he folded it in half, thought for a minute about which program he would like best, and then throwing his carefully constructed chart away chose to go to the University of Florida. At the end of the day, he went to the program he liked and where he thought he would fit well. <br />
<br />
There is no magic formula for deciding where to go. A few pointers will help as you make the decision. First, although this may sound like a broken record, go to the school where you fit best. Fit is far more important than any other criteria. Second, it is hard to make a bad decision. If you are willing to do your best, most programs will help you learn and be successful. Third, if you have a spouse or significant other, include them in the decision. Having support from your spouse during the program is extremely helpful in being successful. Listen to their needs and desires as you make the decision. Finally, quite stressing and celebrate you have been admitted into a Ph.D. program! You are well on your way to a great career. <br />
<br />
A word of advice on what to do once you have made your decision. It is important that you notify schools as soon as possible of your choice, especially if you have offers from other schools. These other schools will likely want to invite someone else to their program and while you are deciding, they often hold offers to other candidates. As soon as you have eliminated a school from consideration, kindly and courteously let that school know so they can move on (e.g., you have 3 offers and have decided you will not go to University X. Let University X know as soon as possible even if you are still deciding between University Y and Z). In a similar vein, try and make the decision of where you are going as soon as possible rather than drag the decision out. Schools appreciate being told earlier rather than later so they can recruit other candidates.<br />
<br />
==Other Items==<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
{|style="width:100%;margin-top:+.7em;"<br />
|-align="center"<br />
! style="background:#fafaFe; color:black; height: 20px" | <small>[[Main Page]] ► [[So you want to get a Ph.D.?]] ► [[Applying to a Ph.D. Program]]</small></div>Asayshttp://www.byuaccounting.net/mediawiki/index.php?title=Applying_to_a_Ph.D._Program&diff=10516Applying to a Ph.D. Program2009-12-22T17:40:27Z<p>Asays: /* Question to consider when applying to programs */</p>
<hr />
<div>So you have decided you want to get a Ph.D. now what? The next step in the process is to decide which programs you should apply for, fill out your applications, hopefully visit several schools, and then make your final decision. On this page, we provide an overview of the process and specific suggestions for being successful in choosing and being accepted into an accounting Ph.D. program. <br />
<br />
==Selecting the Right Program==<br />
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:45em; max-width: 25%;" cellspacing="5"<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
<br />
==Question to consider when applying to programs==<br />
Here is a list of some questions that you might want to think about when applying to programs (taken from [http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/doctoral/admissions/selecting.cfm here]):<br />
* How many faculty are working with students? Do students regularly coauthor articles with faculty?<br />
* How many faculty members are doing research in areas related to my own interests?<br />
* What opportunities are there to work with a variety of faculty and to be exposed to different research methodologies?<br />
* Am I sufficiently qualified to enter this program?<br />
* Many Ph.D. students change their vision of research and many change their intended concentration area after joining the program and being exposed to a variety of research styles. Does my program of choice offer flexibility needed to do so?<br />
* Is there financial support for students to attend academic conferences to present their own research?<br />
* What opportunities are there for students to participate in colloquia, both as an attendee and as a presenter?<br />
* What are the TA, RA, and teaching requirements of the program?<br />
* What is the department's placement record? What types of jobs do graduates take and where?<br />
* Finally, how well do graduates of the program perform in the long term (contributing to the field through publication, practice of management and earning tenure)?<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
|}<br />
The most important criterion for success in an accounting Ph.D. program is to find a program that "fits" you. In deciding which programs do and do not fit, it helps if you know what you want. Specifically, what type of career do you want when you graduate with your Ph.D.? Are you hoping to spend most of your time teaching or researching (or some combination of both)? How many hours do you want to work a week? How much money do you want to make? What subject of accounting (e.g., AIS, auditing, financial, managerial, tax, etc.) do you hope to teach and hope to research? While knowing answers to these types of questions is not required for applying to Ph.D. programs, it does help in selecting a program where you will "fit" well. <br />
<br />
As a very general "rule-of-thumb," academic prestige is usually based on research productivity, that is, the more successful an individual or school is at publishing research in respected journals the more "revered" the individual/institution. Connected to research productivity is pay. Generally speaking, the more research intensive the university, the higher the pay. Finally, professors often change schools over the course of their career. In general, it is easier to move from a research-intensive school to a more teaching-intensive school. Going in the opposite direction is more difficult because it is hard to sustain high levels of productivity as a researcher if you have a heavier teaching load and research-intensive universities will want to see evidence of research productivity/potential before hiring you. <br />
<br />
As you think through the research/teaching balance, do not make the mistake of assuming one is a better or worse option. Both options have costs and benefits and whether the costs and benefits are better/worse depends on your individual goals. Thus, knowing what your goals are is important for deciding where to apply. If you have a strong desire to focus more on teaching/research, you will be more successful going to a Ph.D. program that emphasizes the area of your interest. At the same time, do not rule out the possibility of changing your mind as you study in a Ph.D. program. Most academics decide to become a professor because they were originally attracted to teaching. Many, however, find that researching is as rewarding (or even more rewarding for some) than teaching. Further, research can often complement your teaching such that you become more effective in the classroom. Keep an open mind as you learn more about the life as a professor and allow yourself to give full consideration to all aspects of the life as a professor. <br />
<br />
Once you have decided what you want to do with your career, then the following suggestions will help you decide where to go. <br />
<br />
* Gather as much information about different schools as you can. A good starting point is visiting each school's official web page as well as the different [[University Information|university pages]] on this website.<br />
<br />
* Talk to people who have either been at a school or are currently at the school of interest. See [[University Information]] for help finding who has been where from the BYU family. Please be respectful of the time of the people you are contacting. Ph.D. students and faculty are busy so asking them questions that are already answered on the school's web page is wasting their time. Also, don't send out the same email to multiple people at the same school. Students and faculty talk and it looks bad for you to send out a form e-mail requesting information. <br />
<br />
* Determine what type of research you are interested in conducting. Certain schools do not support some research topical areas and/or methodologies. Make sure the schools you are considering do what you want to do. Do not expect to go to a school and convince professors to change the area of research they are focusing on to work on projects that interest you. You can expect them to continue working on what they find interesting and letting you work with them if they think you will be helpful to them.<br />
<br />
After you have gathered information about schools that interest you, you will need to apply to these schools. Hopefully, you will get to visit several schools and find which one fits. An important warning: while you may be tempted to go to the school other people consider "best," it is far more important that you feel comfortable and like where you will work. Numerous Ph.D. students have dropped out because they didn't fit with the school. Making sure you fit with the school is far more important than making sure you are at the school others consider the "best." On the other hand, it is important to get information from a wide variety of sources. If a program has developed a reputation, there is probably a reason.<br />
<br />
==The Application Process==<br />
Most schools consider several different factors when deciding which candidates to admit into their program. Which factors each school considers and the weights each school place on these factors differs. However, in general, schools use GMAT and GPA to perform an "initial screen" of the many applicants. Those that surpass the thresholds set by the school move into the "second round" and their applications are more carefully considered. Thus, GMAT and GPA alone will not get you into a program, but the absence of strong scores in these areas may keep you out of a program. <br />
<br />
===GMAT===<br />
<br />
<br />
===GPA===<br />
<br />
<br />
===Letters of Recommendation===<br />
<br />
<br />
===Statement of Purpose===<br />
<br />
==Fly-outs==<br />
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:60em; max-width: 35%;" cellspacing="5"<br />
| style="text-align: left;" |<br />
<br />
==How to act during Fly Outs==<br />
===Do===<br />
* Be cordial in all respects.<br />
* Call schools and let them know before you visit if you have ''accepted'' another offer. Schools will view it as a slap in the face if you have formally accepted with another school and still fly out. If you are highly interested in another school but have not formally accepted, you still may consider flying out to another school if you have already arranged a campus visit. <br />
* Research on the school. Read about the professors and their work and have intelligent questions to ask them. Read about the area. This is one of the most important job interviews of your career.<br />
* Send a thank you note/letter/email after visit is over. Make sure the email is not a form email. You should send individual responses if you send a response to each person you met. <br />
* Remember the schools where you don't go are likely to consider hiring you. Leave a good impression and it will increase your chance of getting a job once you graduate. <br />
===Do NOT===<br />
* Undertake your application or campus visits lightly. How you act during the campus visit will not only affect your Ph.D. placement but also your potential future job placement. The academic accounting community is very small, memories very long, and bridges are easily burned. <br />
* Act arrogant. More so than any other personality trait, arrogance has cost many excellent candidates the opportunity to attend the program of their choice. There are plenty of other candidates who are as qualified (or more qualified) than you are to enter a Ph.D. program. Make sure you come across as humble, willing to work hard, and a nice person. <br />
* Schedule visits if you "know" you won't go to that school. If you might go to the school, then go, but if you know there is no way you will go to the school, don't waste their time and money. <br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
|}<br />
As part of the interview process, doctoral programs often bring students in for a campus visit. Only students that the program is seriously considering for admittance are brought in. Some universities will first do phone interviews with the candidates they are interested in before they fly applicants out. It is important to remember that just because you are being flown out does not mean you will be given an offer by the university. In general, the purpose of the fly out is to evaluate the candidate on softer skills (e.g., interpersonal skills, likability, etc.) rather than quantitative skills (e.g., GMAT, GPA, etc.) and to serve as a chance for the institution to recruit the individual and sell the program. <br />
<br />
The typical campus visit usually includes meal times, one-on-one time with professors, and attending a workshop/class. During your stay, one or more professors will take you out for dinner and/or breakfast. This is an informal meeting. You should be prepared to talk about why you want to enter a Ph.D. program, what are your research interests (if you have some), what are your future goals, why you are interested in that school, and most importantly be able to ask relevant questions about the school. You should not be asking questions about the school that you can find out for yourself (i.e., make sure you read the school's doctoral program web page and the individual professor's web pages as well). <br />
<br />
Your one-on-one meetings with professors usually last 30 minutes. These meetings can range from the professors conducting a mini job interview, to a friendly open dialog. You need to make sure you have enough things to talk about to fill up an entire 30 minutes. One of the best things you can talk about is the professor's own research. Checking out the faculty member's vita before an interview is a good way to get an idea of the type of research they do. Alternatively, you could ask the professor to describe one of their more recent projects. It is not a bad idea to bring a notepad to take notes. On the notepad, you might consider jotting a list of the questions you want answered during your visit. <br />
<br />
Often times, you will attend a doctoral seminar or a workshop presentation. If you can read the papers before you get there for the workshop or seminar that would be fantastic. You are not required to make any comments, and shouldn't just to show that you can speak. If you have [[How to ask good questions in workshop|good questions/comments to make]], you can do that, but make sure you aren't speaking to try and show how smart you are. These workshops give you a good idea of what the tone of the school is like. <br />
<br />
On a practical note, the school will usually cover airfare, transportation, and meals. The school may give you a budget and allow you to make plans (they usually reimburse you after you provide receipts) or they may book everything for you. If you are unsure, ask whoever is recruiting you how the school handles the finances of the fly out. <br />
<br />
Again, remember that during the campus visit you are being recruited and evaluated. You need to make sure you do your best to sell them on yourself and also take some time to evaluate the school to see if you would fit if given an offer. Be forthcoming about yourself and your interests. You don't want to end up at a school whose faculty are uninterested in or hostile to your research interests or that has a culture that doesn't suit you.<br />
<br />
You may find this collective list of "Do's and Do not's on campus visits" helpful as you prepare for a campus visit:<br />
<br />
==The Decision, which Program to Attend==<br />
You have done all the research, you have visited schools, you have talked with lots of people, you are not ready to make the decision of where to go to school. How in the world do you make this critical decision? <br />
<br />
Steve Kachelmeier's (University of Texas - Austin) story is one of the best illustrations of making the decision the right way. He created a table with the most important criteria that he should consider across the top and each program listed down the side. He carefully mapped how each school fit his criteria, taking care to list the positives and negatives. After he was finished with this exercise, he folded it in half, thought for a minute about which program he would like best, and then throwing his carefully constructed chart away chose to go to the University of Florida. At the end of the day, he went to the program he liked and where he thought he would fit well. <br />
<br />
There is no magic formula for deciding where to go. A few pointers will help as you make the decision. First, although this may sound like a broken record, go to the school where you fit best. Fit is far more important than any other criteria. Second, it is hard to make a bad decision. If you are willing to do your best, most programs will help you learn and be successful. Third, if you have a spouse or significant other, include them in the decision. Having support from your spouse during the program is extremely helpful in being successful. Listen to their needs and desires as you make the decision. Finally, quite stressing and celebrate you have been admitted into a Ph.D. program! You are well on your way to a great career. <br />
<br />
A word of advice on what to do once you have made your decision. It is important that you notify schools as soon as possible of your choice, especially if you have offers from other schools. These other schools will likely want to invite someone else to their program and while you are deciding, they often hold offers to other candidates. As soon as you have eliminated a school from consideration, kindly and courteously let that school know so they can move on (e.g., you have 3 offers and have decided you will not go to University X. Let University X know as soon as possible even if you are still deciding between University Y and Z). In a similar vein, try and make the decision of where you are going as soon as possible rather than drag the decision out. Schools appreciate being told earlier rather than later so they can recruit other candidates.<br />
<br />
==Other Items==<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
{|style="width:100%;margin-top:+.7em;"<br />
|-align="center"<br />
! style="background:#fafaFe; color:black; height: 20px" | <small>[[Main Page]] ► [[So you want to get a Ph.D.?]] ► [[Applying to a Ph.D. Program]]</small></div>Asayshttp://www.byuaccounting.net/mediawiki/index.php?title=Applying_to_a_Ph.D._Program&diff=10515Applying to a Ph.D. Program2009-12-22T17:32:32Z<p>Asays: </p>
<hr />
<div>So you have decided you want to get a Ph.D. now what? The next step in the process is to decide which programs you should apply for, fill out your applications, hopefully visit several schools, and then make your final decision. On this page, we provide an overview of the process and specific suggestions for being successful in choosing and being accepted into an accounting Ph.D. program. <br />
<br />
==Selecting the Right Program==<br />
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:45em; max-width: 25%;" cellspacing="5"<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
<br />
==Question to consider when applying to programs==<br />
Here is a list of some questions that you might want to think about when applying to programs (taken from [http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/doctoral/admissions/selecting.cfm here]):<br />
* How many faculty are working with students? Do students regularly coauthor articles with faculty?<br />
* How many faculty members are doing research in areas related to my own interests?<br />
* What opportunities are there to work with a variety of faculty and to be exposed to different research methodologies?<br />
* Am I sufficiently qualified to enter this program?<br />
* Many Ph.D. students change their vision of research and many change their intended concentration area after joining the program and being exposed to a variety of research styles. Does my program of choice offer flexibility needed to do so?<br />
* Is there financial support for students to attend academic conferences to present their own research?<br />
* What opportunities are there for students to participate in colloquia, both as an attendee and as a presenter?<br />
* What is the department's placement record? What types of jobs do graduates take and where?<br />
* Finally, how well do graduates of the program perform in the long term (contributing to the field through publication, practice of management and earning tenure)?<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
|}<br />
The most important criterion for success in an accounting Ph.D. program is to find a program that "fits" you. In deciding which programs do and do not fit, it helps if you know what you want. Specifically, what type of career do you want when you graduate with your Ph.D.? Are you hoping to spend most of your time teaching or researching (or some combination of both)? How many hours do you want to work a week? How much money do you want to make? What subject of accounting (e.g., AIS, auditing, financial, managerial, tax, etc.) do you hope to teach and hope to research? While knowing answers to these types of questions is not required for applying to Ph.D. programs, it does help in selecting a program where you will "fit" well. <br />
<br />
As a very general "rule-of-thumb," academic prestige is usually based on research productivity, that is, the more successful an individual or school is at publishing research in respected journals the more "revered" the individual/institution. Connected to research productivity is pay. Generally speaking, the more research intensive the university, the higher the pay. Finally, professors often change schools over the course of their career. In general, it is easier to move from a research-intensive school to a more teaching-intensive school. Going in the opposite direction is more difficult because it is hard to sustain high levels of productivity as a researcher if you have a heavier teaching load and research-intensive universities will want to see evidence of research productivity/potential before hiring you. <br />
<br />
As you think through the research/teaching balance, do not make the mistake of assuming one is a better or worse option. Both options have costs and benefits and whether the costs and benefits are better/worse depends on your individual goals. Thus, knowing what your goals are is important for deciding where to apply. If you have a strong desire to focus more on teaching/research, you will be more successful going to a Ph.D. program that emphasizes the area of your interest. At the same time, do not rule out the possibility of changing your mind as you study in a Ph.D. program. Most academics decide to become a professor because they were originally attracted to teaching. Many, however, find that researching is as rewarding (or even more rewarding for some) than teaching. Further, research can often complement your teaching such that you become more effective in the classroom. Keep an open mind as you learn more about the life as a professor and allow yourself to give full consideration to all aspects of the life as a professor. <br />
<br />
Once you have decided what you want to do with your career, then the following suggestions will help you decide where to go. <br />
<br />
* Gather as much information about different schools as you can. A good starting point is visiting each school's official web page as well as the different [[University Information|university pages]] on this website.<br />
<br />
* Talk to people who have either been at a school or are currently at the school of interest. See [[University Information]] for help finding who has been where from the BYU family. Please be respectful of the time of the people you are contacting. Ph.D. students and faculty are busy so asking them questions that are already answered on the school's web page is wasting their time. Also, don't send out the same email to multiple people at the same school. Students and faculty talk and it looks bad for you to send out a form e-mail requesting information. <br />
<br />
* Determine what type of research you are interested in conducting. Certain schools do not support some research topical areas and/or methodologies. Make sure the schools you are considering do what you want to do. Do not expect to go to a school and convince professors to change the area of research they are focusing on to work on projects that interest you. You can expect them to continue working on what they find interesting and letting you work with them if they think you will be helpful to them.<br />
<br />
After you have gathered information about schools that interest you, you will need to apply to these schools. Hopefully, you will get to visit several schools and find which one fits. An important warning: while you may be tempted to go to the school other people consider "best," it is far more important that you feel comfortable and like where you will work. Numerous Ph.D. students have dropped out because they didn't fit with the school. Making sure you fit with the school is far more important than making sure you are at the school others consider the "best." On the other hand, it is important to get information from a wide variety of sources. If a program has developed a reputation, there is probably a reason.<br />
<br />
==The Application Process==<br />
Most schools consider several different factors when deciding which candidates to admit into their program. Which factors each school considers and the weights each school place on these factors differs. However, in general, schools use GMAT and GPA to perform an "initial screen" of the many applicants. Those that surpass the thresholds set by the school move into the "second round" and their applications are more carefully considered. Thus, GMAT and GPA alone will not get you into a program, but the absence of strong scores in these areas may keep you out of a program. <br />
<br />
===GMAT===<br />
<br />
<br />
===GPA===<br />
<br />
<br />
===Letters of Recommendation===<br />
<br />
<br />
===Statement of Purpose===<br />
<br />
==Fly-outs==<br />
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:60em; max-width: 35%;" cellspacing="5"<br />
| style="text-align: left;" |<br />
<br />
==How to act during Fly Outs==<br />
===Do===<br />
* Be cordial in all respects.<br />
* Call schools and let them know before you visit if you have ''accepted'' another offer. Schools will view it as a slap in the face if you have formally accepted with another school and still fly out. If you are highly interested in another school but have not formally accepted, you still may consider flying out to another school if you have already arranged a campus visit. <br />
* Research on the school. Read about the professors and their work and have intelligent questions to ask them. Read about the area. This is one of the most important job interviews of your career.<br />
* Send a thank you note/letter/email after visit is over. Make sure the email is not a form email. You should send individual responses if you send a response to each person you met. <br />
* Remember the schools where you don't go are likely to consider hiring you. Leave a good impression and it will increase your chance of getting a job once you graduate. <br />
===Do NOT===<br />
* Undertake your application or campus visits lightly. How you act during the campus visit will not only affect your Ph.D. placement but also your potential future job placement. The academic accounting community is very small, memories very long, and bridges are easily burned. <br />
* Act arrogant. More so than any other personality trait, arrogance has cost many excellent candidates the opportunity to attend the program of their choice. There are plenty of other candidates who are as qualified (or more qualified) than you are to enter a Ph.D. program. Make sure you come across as humble, willing to work hard, and a nice person. <br />
* Schedule visits if you "know" you won't go to that school. If you might go to the school, then go, but if you know there is no way you will go to the school, don't waste their time and money. <br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
|}<br />
As part of the interview process, doctoral programs often bring students in for a campus visit. Only students that the program is seriously considering for admittance are brought in. Some universities will first do phone interviews with the candidates they are interested in before they fly applicants out. It is important to remember that just because you are being flown out does not mean you will be given an offer by the university. In general, the purpose of the fly out is to evaluate the candidate on softer skills (e.g., interpersonal skills, likability, etc.) rather than quantitative skills (e.g., GMAT, GPA, etc.) and to serve as a chance for the institution to recruit the individual and sell the program. <br />
<br />
The typical campus visit usually includes meal times, one-on-one time with professors, and attending a workshop/class. During your stay, one or more professors will take you out for dinner and/or breakfast. This is an informal meeting. You should be prepared to talk about why you want to enter a Ph.D. program, what are your research interests (if you have some), what are your future goals, why you are interested in that school, and most importantly be able to ask relevant questions about the school. You should not be asking questions about the school that you can find out for yourself (i.e., make sure you read the school's doctoral program web page and the individual professor's web pages as well). <br />
<br />
Your one-on-one meetings with professors usually last 30 minutes. These meetings can range from the professors conducting a mini job interview, to a friendly open dialog. You need to make sure you have enough things to talk about to fill up an entire 30 minutes. One of the best things you can talk about is the professor's own research. Checking out the faculty member's vita before an interview is a good way to get an idea of the type of research they do. Alternatively, you could ask the professor to describe one of their more recent projects. It is not a bad idea to bring a notepad to take notes. On the notepad, you might consider jotting a list of the questions you want answered during your visit. <br />
<br />
Often times, you will attend a doctoral seminar or a workshop presentation. If you can read the papers before you get there for the workshop or seminar that would be fantastic. You are not required to make any comments, and shouldn't just to show that you can speak. If you have [[How to ask good questions in workshop|good questions/comments to make]], you can do that, but make sure you aren't speaking to try and show how smart you are. These workshops give you a good idea of what the tone of the school is like. <br />
<br />
On a practical note, the school will usually cover airfare, transportation, and meals. The school may give you a budget and allow you to make plans (they usually reimburse you after you provide receipts) or they may book everything for you. If you are unsure, ask whoever is recruiting you how the school handles the finances of the fly out. <br />
<br />
Again, remember that during the campus visit you are being recruited and evaluated. You need to make sure you do your best to sell them on yourself and also take some time to evaluate the school to see if you would fit if given an offer. Be forthcoming about yourself and your interests. You don't want to end up at a school whose faculty are uninterested in or hostile to your research interests or that has a culture that doesn't suit you.<br />
<br />
You may find this collective list of "Do's and Do not's on campus visits" helpful as you prepare for a campus visit:<br />
<br />
==The Decision, which Program to Attend==<br />
You have done all the research, you have visited schools, you have talked with lots of people, you are not ready to make the decision of where to go to school. How in the world do you make this critical decision? <br />
<br />
Steve Kachelmeier's (University of Texas - Austin) story is one of the best illustrations of making the decision the right way. He created a table with the most important criteria that he should consider across the top and each program listed down the side. He carefully mapped how each school fit his criteria, taking care to list the positives and negatives. After he was finished with this exercise, he folded it in half, thought for a minute about which program he would like best, and then throwing his carefully constructed chart away chose to go to the University of Florida. At the end of the day, he went to the program he liked and where he thought he would fit well. <br />
<br />
There is no magic formula for deciding where to go. A few pointers will help as you make the decision. First, although this may sound like a broken record, go to the school where you fit best. Fit is far more important than any other criteria. Second, it is hard to make a bad decision. If you are willing to do your best, most programs will help you learn and be successful. Third, if you have a spouse or significant other, include them in the decision. Having support from your spouse during the program is extremely helpful in being successful. Listen to their needs and desires as you make the decision. Finally, quite stressing and celebrate you have been admitted into a Ph.D. program! You are well on your way to a great career. <br />
<br />
A word of advice on what to do once you have made your decision. It is important that you notify schools as soon as possible of your choice, especially if you have offers from other schools. These other schools will likely want to invite someone else to their program and while you are deciding, they often hold offers to other candidates. As soon as you have eliminated a school from consideration, kindly and courteously let that school know so they can move on (e.g., you have 3 offers and have decided you will not go to University X. Let University X know as soon as possible even if you are still deciding between University Y and Z). In a similar vein, try and make the decision of where you are going as soon as possible rather than drag the decision out. Schools appreciate being told earlier rather than later so they can recruit other candidates.<br />
<br />
==Other Items==<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
{|style="width:100%;margin-top:+.7em;"<br />
|-align="center"<br />
! style="background:#fafaFe; color:black; height: 20px" | <small>[[Main Page]] ► [[So you want to get a Ph.D.?]] ► [[Applying to a Ph.D. Program]]</small></div>Asayshttp://www.byuaccounting.net/mediawiki/index.php?title=Applying_to_a_Ph.D._Program&diff=10514Applying to a Ph.D. Program2009-12-22T17:29:22Z<p>Asays: </p>
<hr />
<div>So you have decided you want to get a Ph.D. now what? The next step in the process is to decide which programs you should apply for, fill out your applications, hopefully visit several schools, and then make your final decision. On this page, we provide an overview of the process and specific suggestions for being successful in choosing and being accepted into an accounting Ph.D. program. <br />
<br />
==Selecting the Right Program==<br />
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:45em; max-width: 25%;" cellspacing="5"<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
<br />
==Question to consider when applying to programs==<br />
Here is a list of some questions that you might want to think about when applying to programs (taken from [http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/doctoral/admissions/selecting.cfm here]):<br />
* How many faculty are working with students? Do students regularly coauthor articles with faculty?<br />
* How many faculty members are doing research in areas related to my own interests?<br />
* What opportunities are there to work with a variety of faculty and to be exposed to different research methodologies?<br />
* Am I sufficiently qualified to enter this program?<br />
* Many Ph.D. students change their vision of research and many change their intended concentration area after joining the program and being exposed to a variety of research styles. Does my program of choice offer flexibility needed to do so?<br />
* Is there financial support for students to attend academic conferences to present their own research?<br />
* What opportunities are there for students to participate in colloquia, both as an attendee and as a presenter?<br />
* What is the department's placement record? What types of jobs do graduates take and where?<br />
* Finally, how well do graduates of the program perform in the long term (contributing to the field through publication, practice of management and earning tenure)?<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
|}<br />
The most important criterion for success in an accounting Ph.D. program is to find a program that "fits" you. In deciding which programs do and do not fit, it helps if you know what you want. Specifically, what type of career do you want when you graduate with your Ph.D.? Are you hoping to spend most of your time teaching or researching (or some combination of both)? How many hours do you want to work a week? How much money do you want to make? What subject of accounting (e.g., AIS, auditing, financial, managerial, tax, etc.) do you hope to teach and hope to research? While knowing answers to these types of questions is not required for applying to Ph.D. programs, it does help in selecting a program where you will "fit" well. <br />
<br />
As a very general "rule-of-thumb," academic prestige is usually based on research productivity, that is, the more successful an individual or school is at publishing research in respected journals the more "revered" the individual/institution. Connected to research productivity is pay. Generally speaking, the more research intensive the university, the higher the pay. Finally, professors often change schools over the course of their career. In general, it is easier to move from a research-intensive school to a more teaching-intensive school. Going in the opposite direction is more difficult because it is hard to sustain high levels of productivity as a researcher if you have a heavier teaching load and research-intensive universities will want to see evidence of research productivity/potential before hiring you. <br />
<br />
As you think through the research/teaching balance, do not make the mistake of assuming one is a better or worse option. Both options have costs and benefits and whether the costs and benefits are better/worse depends on your individual goals. Thus, knowing what your goals are is important for deciding where to apply. If you have a strong desire to focus more on teaching/research, you will be more successful going to a Ph.D. program that emphasizes the area of your interest. At the same time, do not rule out the possibility of changing your mind as you study in a Ph.D. program. Most academics decide to become a professor because they were originally attracted to teaching. Many, however, find that researching is as rewarding (or even more rewarding for some) than teaching. Further, research can often complement your teaching such that you become more effective in the classroom. Keep an open mind as you learn more about the life as a professor and allow yourself to give full consideration to all aspects of the life as a professor. <br />
<br />
Once you have decided what you want to do with your career, then the following suggestions will help you decide where to go. <br />
<br />
* Gather as much information about different schools as you can. A good starting point is visiting each school's official web page as well as the different [[University Information|university pages]] on this website.<br />
<br />
* Talk to people who have either been at a school or are currently at the school of interest. See [[University Information]] for help finding who has been where from the BYU family. Please be respectful of the time of the people you are contacting. Ph.D. students and faculty are busy so asking them questions that are already answered on the school's web page is wasting their time. Also, don't send out the same email to multiple people at the same school. Students and faculty talk and it looks bad for you to send out a form e-mail requesting information. <br />
<br />
* Determine what type of research you are interested in conducting. Certain schools do not support some research topical areas and/or methodologies. Make sure the schools you are considering do what you want to do. Do not expect to go to a school and convince professors to change the area of research they are focusing on to work on projects that interest you. You can expect them to continue working on what they find interesting and letting you work with them if they think you will be helpful to them.<br />
<br />
After you have gathered information about schools that interest you, you will need to apply to these schools. Hopefully, you will get to visit several schools and find which one fits. An important warning: while you may be tempted to go to the school other people consider "best," it is far more important that you feel comfortable and like where you will work. Numerous Ph.D. students have dropped out because they didn't fit with the school. Making sure you fit with the school is far more important than making sure you are at the school others consider the "best."<br />
<br />
==The Application Process==<br />
Most schools consider several different factors when deciding which candidates to admit into their program. Which factors each school considers and the weights each school place on these factors differs. However, in general, schools use GMAT and GPA to perform an "initial screen" of the many applicants. Those that surpass the thresholds set by the school move into the "second round" and their applications are more carefully considered. Thus, GMAT and GPA alone will not get you into a program, but the absence of strong scores in these areas may keep you out of a program. <br />
<br />
===GMAT===<br />
<br />
<br />
===GPA===<br />
<br />
<br />
===Letters of Recommendation===<br />
<br />
<br />
===Statement of Purpose===<br />
<br />
==Fly-outs==<br />
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:60em; max-width: 35%;" cellspacing="5"<br />
| style="text-align: left;" |<br />
<br />
==How to act during Fly Outs==<br />
===Do===<br />
* Be cordial in all respects.<br />
* Call schools and let them know before you visit if you have ''accepted'' another offer. Schools will view it as a slap in the face if you have formally accepted with another school and still fly out. If you are highly interested in another school but have not formally accepted, you still may consider flying out to another school if you have already arranged a campus visit. <br />
* Research on the school. Read about the professors and their work and have intelligent questions to ask them. Read about the area. This is one of the most important job interviews of your career.<br />
* Send a thank you note/letter/email after visit is over. Make sure the email is not a form email. You should send individual responses if you send a response to each person you met. <br />
* Remember the schools where you don't go are likely to consider hiring you. Leave a good impression and it will increase your chance of getting a job once you graduate. <br />
===Do NOT===<br />
* Undertake your application or campus visits lightly. How you act during the campus visit will not only affect your Ph.D. placement but also your potential future job placement. The academic accounting community is very small, memories very long, and bridges are easily burned. <br />
* Act arrogant. More so than any other personality trait, arrogance has cost many excellent candidates the opportunity to attend the program of their choice. There are plenty of other candidates who are as qualified (or more qualified) than you are to enter a Ph.D. program. Make sure you come across as humble, willing to work hard, and a nice person. <br />
* Schedule visits if you "know" you won't go to that school. If you might go to the school, then go, but if you know there is no way you will go to the school, don't waste their time and money. <br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
|}<br />
As part of the interview process, doctoral programs often bring students in for a campus visit. Only students that the program is seriously considering for admittance are brought in. Some universities will first do phone interviews with the candidates they are interested in before they fly applicants out. It is important to remember that just because you are being flown out does not mean you will be given an offer by the university. In general, the purpose of the fly out is to evaluate the candidate on softer skills (e.g., interpersonal skills, likability, etc.) rather than quantitative skills (e.g., GMAT, GPA, etc.) and to serve as a chance for the institution to recruit the individual and sell the program. <br />
<br />
The typical campus visit usually includes meal times, one-on-one time with professors, and attending a workshop/class. During your stay, one or more professors will take you out for dinner and/or breakfast. This is an informal meeting. You should be prepared to talk about why you want to enter a Ph.D. program, what are your research interests (if you have some), what are your future goals, why you are interested in that school, and most importantly be able to ask relevant questions about the school. You should not be asking questions about the school that you can find out for yourself (i.e., make sure you read the school's doctoral program web page and the individual professor's web pages as well). <br />
<br />
Your one-on-one meetings with professors usually last 30 minutes. These meetings can range from the professors conducting a mini job interview, to a friendly open dialog. You need to make sure you have enough things to talk about to fill up an entire 30 minutes. One of the best things you can talk about is the professor's own research. Checking out the faculty member's vita before an interview is a good way to get an idea of the type of research they do. Alternatively, you could ask the professor to describe one of their more recent projects. It is not a bad idea to bring a notepad to take notes. On the notepad, you might consider jotting a list of the questions you want answered during your visit. <br />
<br />
Often times, you will attend a doctoral seminar or a workshop presentation. If you can read the papers before you get there for the workshop or seminar that would be fantastic. You are not required to make any comments, and shouldn't just to show that you can speak. If you have [[How to ask good questions in workshop|good questions/comments to make]], you can do that, but make sure you aren't speaking to try and show how smart you are. These workshops give you a good idea of what the tone of the school is like. <br />
<br />
On a practical note, the school will usually cover airfare, transportation, and meals. The school may give you a budget and allow you to make plans (they usually reimburse you after you provide receipts) or they may book everything for you. If you are unsure, ask whoever is recruiting you how the school handles the finances of the fly out. <br />
<br />
Again, remember that during the campus visit you are being recruited and evaluated. You need to make sure you do your best to sell them on yourself and also take some time to evaluate the school to see if you would fit if given an offer. Be forthcoming about yourself and your interests. You don't want to end up at a school whose faculty are uninterested in or hostile to your research interests or that has a culture that doesn't suit you.<br />
<br />
You may find this collective list of "Do's and Do not's on campus visits" helpful as you prepare for a campus visit:<br />
<br />
==The Decision, which Program to Attend==<br />
You have done all the research, you have visited schools, you have talked with lots of people, you are not ready to make the decision of where to go to school. How in the world do you make this critical decision? <br />
<br />
Steve Kachelmeier's (University of Texas - Austin) story is one of the best illustrations of making the decision the right way. He created a table with the most important criteria that he should consider across the top and each program listed down the side. He carefully mapped how each school fit his criteria, taking care to list the positives and negatives. After he was finished with this exercise, he folded it in half, thought for a minute about which program he would like best, and then throwing his carefully constructed chart away chose to go to the University of Florida. At the end of the day, he went to the program he liked and where he thought he would fit well. <br />
<br />
There is no magic formula for deciding where to go. A few pointers will help as you make the decision. First, although this may sound like a broken record, go to the school where you fit best. Fit is far more important than any other criteria. Second, it is hard to make a bad decision. If you are willing to do your best, most programs will help you learn and be successful. Third, if you have a spouse or significant other, include them in the decision. Having support from your spouse during the program is extremely helpful in being successful. Listen to their needs and desires as you make the decision. Finally, quite stressing and celebrate you have been admitted into a Ph.D. program! You are well on your way to a great career. <br />
<br />
A word of advice on what to do once you have made your decision. It is important that you notify schools as soon as possible of your choice, especially if you have offers from other schools. These other schools will likely want to invite someone else to their program and while you are deciding, they often hold offers to other candidates. As soon as you have eliminated a school from consideration, kindly and courteously let that school know so they can move on (e.g., you have 3 offers and have decided you will not go to University X. Let University X know as soon as possible even if you are still deciding between University Y and Z). In a similar vein, try and make the decision of where you are going as soon as possible rather than drag the decision out. Schools appreciate being told earlier rather than later so they can recruit other candidates.<br />
<br />
==Other Items==<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
{|style="width:100%;margin-top:+.7em;"<br />
|-align="center"<br />
! style="background:#fafaFe; color:black; height: 20px" | <small>[[Main Page]] ► [[So you want to get a Ph.D.?]] ► [[Applying to a Ph.D. Program]]</small></div>Asayshttp://www.byuaccounting.net/mediawiki/index.php?title=Applying_to_a_Ph.D._Program&diff=10513Applying to a Ph.D. Program2009-12-22T17:28:59Z<p>Asays: </p>
<hr />
<div>So you have decided you want to get a Ph.D. now what? The next step in the process is to decide which programs you should apply for, fill out your applications, hopefully visit several schools, and then make your final decision. On this page, we provide an overview of the process and specific suggestions for being successful in choosing and being accepted into an accounting Ph.D. program. <br />
<br />
==Selecting the Right Program==<br />
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:45em; max-width: 25%;" cellspacing="5"<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
<br />
==Question to consider when applying to programs==<br />
Here is a list of some questions that you might want to think about when applying to programs (taken from [http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/doctoral/admissions/selecting.cfm here]):<br />
* How many faculty are working with students? Do students regularly coauthor articles with faculty?<br />
* How many faculty members are doing research in areas related to my own interests?<br />
* What opportunities are there to work with a variety of faculty and to be exposed to different research methodologies?<br />
* Am I sufficiently qualified to enter this program?<br />
* Many Ph.D. students change their vision of research and many change their intended concentration area after joining the program and being exposed to a variety of research styles. Does my program of choice offer flexibility needed to do so?<br />
* Is there financial support for students to attend academic conferences to present their own research?<br />
* What opportunities are there for students to participate in colloquia, both as an attendee and as a presenter?<br />
* What is the department's placement record? What types of jobs do graduates take and where?<br />
* Finally, how well do graduates of the program perform in the long term (contributing to the field through publication, practice of management and earning tenure)?<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
|}<br />
The most important criterion for success in an accounting Ph.D. program is to find a program that "fits" you. In deciding which programs do and do not fit, it helps if you know what you want. Specifically, what type of career do you want when you graduate with your Ph.D.? Are you hoping to spend most of your time teaching or researching (or some combination of both)? How many hours do you want to work a week? How much money do you want to make? What subject of accounting (e.g., AIS, auditing, financial, managerial, tax, etc.) do you hope to teach and hope to research? While knowing answers to these types of questions is not required for applying to Ph.D. programs, it does help in selecting a program where you will "fit" well. <br />
<br />
As a very general "rule-of-thumb," academic prestige is usually based on research productivity, that is, the more successful an individual or school is at publishing research in respected journals the more "revered" the individual/institution. Connected to research productivity is pay. Generally speaking, the more research intensive the university, the higher the pay. Finally, professors often change schools over the course of their career. In general, it is easier to move from a research-intensive school to a more teaching-intensive school. Going in the opposite direction is more difficult because it is hard to sustain high levels of productivity as a researcher if you have a heavier teaching load and research-intensive universities will want to see evidence of research productivity/potential before hiring you. <br />
<br />
As you think through the research/teaching balance, do not make the mistake of assuming one is a better or worse option. Both options have costs and benefits and whether the costs and benefits are better/worse depends on your individual goals. Thus, knowing what your goals are is important for deciding where to apply. If you have a strong desire to focus more on teaching/research, you will be more successful going to a Ph.D. program that emphasizes the area of your interest. At the same time, do not rule out the possibility of changing your mind as you study in a Ph.D. program. Most academics decide to become a professor because they were originally attracted to teaching. Many, however, find that researching is as rewarding (or even more rewarding for some) than teaching. Further, research can often complement your teaching such that you become more effective in the classroom. Keep an open mind as you learn more about the life as a professor and allow yourself to give full consideration to all aspects of the life as a professor. <br />
<br />
Once you have decided what you want to do with your career, then the following suggestions will help you decide where to go. <br />
<br />
* Gather as much information about different schools as you can. A good starting point is visiting each school's official web page as well as the different [[University Information|university pages]] on this website. .<br />
<br />
* Talk to people who have either been at a school or are currently at the school of interest. See [[University Information]] for help finding who has been where from the BYU family. Please be respectful of the time of the people you are contacting. Ph.D. students and faculty are busy so asking them questions that are already answered on the school's web page is wasting their time. Also, don't send out the same email to multiple people at the same school. Students and faculty talk and it looks bad for you to send out a form e-mail requesting information. <br />
<br />
* Determine what type of research you are interested in conducting. Certain schools do not support some research topical areas and/or methodologies. Make sure the schools you are considering do what you want to do. Do not expect to go to a school and convince professors to change the area of research they are focusing on to work on projects that interest you. You can expect them to continue working on what they find interesting and letting you work with them if they think you will be helpful to them.<br />
<br />
After you have gathered information about schools that interest you, you will need to apply to these schools. Hopefully, you will get to visit several schools and find which one fits. An important warning: while you may be tempted to go to the school other people consider "best," it is far more important that you feel comfortable and like where you will work. Numerous Ph.D. students have dropped out because they didn't fit with the school. Making sure you fit with the school is far more important than making sure you are at the school others consider the "best."<br />
<br />
==The Application Process==<br />
Most schools consider several different factors when deciding which candidates to admit into their program. Which factors each school considers and the weights each school place on these factors differs. However, in general, schools use GMAT and GPA to perform an "initial screen" of the many applicants. Those that surpass the thresholds set by the school move into the "second round" and their applications are more carefully considered. Thus, GMAT and GPA alone will not get you into a program, but the absence of strong scores in these areas may keep you out of a program. <br />
<br />
===GMAT===<br />
<br />
<br />
===GPA===<br />
<br />
<br />
===Letters of Recommendation===<br />
<br />
<br />
===Statement of Purpose===<br />
<br />
==Fly-outs==<br />
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:60em; max-width: 35%;" cellspacing="5"<br />
| style="text-align: left;" |<br />
<br />
==How to act during Fly Outs==<br />
===Do===<br />
* Be cordial in all respects.<br />
* Call schools and let them know before you visit if you have ''accepted'' another offer. Schools will view it as a slap in the face if you have formally accepted with another school and still fly out. If you are highly interested in another school but have not formally accepted, you still may consider flying out to another school if you have already arranged a campus visit. <br />
* Research on the school. Read about the professors and their work and have intelligent questions to ask them. Read about the area. This is one of the most important job interviews of your career.<br />
* Send a thank you note/letter/email after visit is over. Make sure the email is not a form email. You should send individual responses if you send a response to each person you met. <br />
* Remember the schools where you don't go are likely to consider hiring you. Leave a good impression and it will increase your chance of getting a job once you graduate. <br />
===Do NOT===<br />
* Undertake your application or campus visits lightly. How you act during the campus visit will not only affect your Ph.D. placement but also your potential future job placement. The academic accounting community is very small, memories very long, and bridges are easily burned. <br />
* Act arrogant. More so than any other personality trait, arrogance has cost many excellent candidates the opportunity to attend the program of their choice. There are plenty of other candidates who are as qualified (or more qualified) than you are to enter a Ph.D. program. Make sure you come across as humble, willing to work hard, and a nice person. <br />
* Schedule visits if you "know" you won't go to that school. If you might go to the school, then go, but if you know there is no way you will go to the school, don't waste their time and money. <br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
|}<br />
As part of the interview process, doctoral programs often bring students in for a campus visit. Only students that the program is seriously considering for admittance are brought in. Some universities will first do phone interviews with the candidates they are interested in before they fly applicants out. It is important to remember that just because you are being flown out does not mean you will be given an offer by the university. In general, the purpose of the fly out is to evaluate the candidate on softer skills (e.g., interpersonal skills, likability, etc.) rather than quantitative skills (e.g., GMAT, GPA, etc.) and to serve as a chance for the institution to recruit the individual and sell the program. <br />
<br />
The typical campus visit usually includes meal times, one-on-one time with professors, and attending a workshop/class. During your stay, one or more professors will take you out for dinner and/or breakfast. This is an informal meeting. You should be prepared to talk about why you want to enter a Ph.D. program, what are your research interests (if you have some), what are your future goals, why you are interested in that school, and most importantly be able to ask relevant questions about the school. You should not be asking questions about the school that you can find out for yourself (i.e., make sure you read the school's doctoral program web page and the individual professor's web pages as well). <br />
<br />
Your one-on-one meetings with professors usually last 30 minutes. These meetings can range from the professors conducting a mini job interview, to a friendly open dialog. You need to make sure you have enough things to talk about to fill up an entire 30 minutes. One of the best things you can talk about is the professor's own research. Checking out the faculty member's vita before an interview is a good way to get an idea of the type of research they do. Alternatively, you could ask the professor to describe one of their more recent projects. It is not a bad idea to bring a notepad to take notes. On the notepad, you might consider jotting a list of the questions you want answered during your visit. <br />
<br />
Often times, you will attend a doctoral seminar or a workshop presentation. If you can read the papers before you get there for the workshop or seminar that would be fantastic. You are not required to make any comments, and shouldn't just to show that you can speak. If you have [[How to ask good questions in workshop|good questions/comments to make]], you can do that, but make sure you aren't speaking to try and show how smart you are. These workshops give you a good idea of what the tone of the school is like. <br />
<br />
On a practical note, the school will usually cover airfare, transportation, and meals. The school may give you a budget and allow you to make plans (they usually reimburse you after you provide receipts) or they may book everything for you. If you are unsure, ask whoever is recruiting you how the school handles the finances of the fly out. <br />
<br />
Again, remember that during the campus visit you are being recruited and evaluated. You need to make sure you do your best to sell them on yourself and also take some time to evaluate the school to see if you would fit if given an offer. Be forthcoming about yourself and your interests. You don't want to end up at a school whose faculty are uninterested in or hostile to your research interests or that has a culture that doesn't suit you.<br />
<br />
You may find this collective list of "Do's and Do not's on campus visits" helpful as you prepare for a campus visit:<br />
<br />
==The Decision, which Program to Attend==<br />
You have done all the research, you have visited schools, you have talked with lots of people, you are not ready to make the decision of where to go to school. How in the world do you make this critical decision? <br />
<br />
Steve Kachelmeier's (University of Texas - Austin) story is one of the best illustrations of making the decision the right way. He created a table with the most important criteria that he should consider across the top and each program listed down the side. He carefully mapped how each school fit his criteria, taking care to list the positives and negatives. After he was finished with this exercise, he folded it in half, thought for a minute about which program he would like best, and then throwing his carefully constructed chart away chose to go to the University of Florida. At the end of the day, he went to the program he liked and where he thought he would fit well. <br />
<br />
There is no magic formula for deciding where to go. A few pointers will help as you make the decision. First, although this may sound like a broken record, go to the school where you fit best. Fit is far more important than any other criteria. Second, it is hard to make a bad decision. If you are willing to do your best, most programs will help you learn and be successful. Third, if you have a spouse or significant other, include them in the decision. Having support from your spouse during the program is extremely helpful in being successful. Listen to their needs and desires as you make the decision. Finally, quite stressing and celebrate you have been admitted into a Ph.D. program! You are well on your way to a great career. <br />
<br />
A word of advice on what to do once you have made your decision. It is important that you notify schools as soon as possible of your choice, especially if you have offers from other schools. These other schools will likely want to invite someone else to their program and while you are deciding, they often hold offers to other candidates. As soon as you have eliminated a school from consideration, kindly and courteously let that school know so they can move on (e.g., you have 3 offers and have decided you will not go to University X. Let University X know as soon as possible even if you are still deciding between University Y and Z). In a similar vein, try and make the decision of where you are going as soon as possible rather than drag the decision out. Schools appreciate being told earlier rather than later so they can recruit other candidates.<br />
<br />
==Other Items==<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
{|style="width:100%;margin-top:+.7em;"<br />
|-align="center"<br />
! style="background:#fafaFe; color:black; height: 20px" | <small>[[Main Page]] ► [[So you want to get a Ph.D.?]] ► [[Applying to a Ph.D. Program]]</small></div>Asayshttp://www.byuaccounting.net/mediawiki/index.php?title=Applying_to_a_Ph.D._Program&diff=10512Applying to a Ph.D. Program2009-12-22T17:27:39Z<p>Asays: </p>
<hr />
<div>So you have decided you want to get a Ph.D. now what? The next step in the process is to decide which programs you should apply for, fill out your applications, hopefully visit several schools, and then make your final decision. On this page, we provide an overview of the process and specific suggestions for being successful in choosing and being accepted into an accounting Ph.D. program. <br />
<br />
==Selecting the Right Program==<br />
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:45em; max-width: 25%;" cellspacing="5"<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
<br />
==Question to consider when applying to programs==<br />
Here is a list of some questions that you might want to think about when applying to programs (taken from [http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/doctoral/admissions/selecting.cfm here]):<br />
* How many faculty are working with students? Do students regularly coauthor articles with faculty?<br />
* How many faculty members are doing research in areas related to my own interests?<br />
* What opportunities are there to work with a variety of faculty and to be exposed to different research methodologies?<br />
* Am I sufficiently qualified to enter this program?<br />
* Many Ph.D. students change their vision of research and many change their intended concentration area after joining the program and being exposed to a variety of research styles. Does my program of choice offer flexibility needed to do so?<br />
* Is there financial support for students to attend academic conferences to present their own research?<br />
* What opportunities are there for students to participate in colloquia, both as an attendee and as a presenter?<br />
* What is the department's placement record? What types of jobs do graduates take and where?<br />
* Finally, how well do graduates of the program perform in the long term (contributing to the field through publication, practice of management and earning tenure)?<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
|}<br />
The most important criterion for success in an accounting Ph.D. program is to find a program that "fits" you. In deciding which programs do and do not fit, it helps if you know what you want. Specifically, what type of career do you want when you graduate with your Ph.D.? Are you hoping to spend most of your time teaching or researching (or some combination of both)? How many hours do you want to work a week? How much money do you want to make? What subject of accounting (e.g., AIS, auditing, financial, managerial, tax, etc.) do you hope to teach and hope to research? While knowing answers to these types of questions is not required for applying to Ph.D. programs, it does help in selecting a program where you will "fit" well. <br />
<br />
As a very general "rule-of-thumb," academic prestige is usually based on research productivity, that is, the more successful an individual or school is at publishing research in respected journals the more "revered" the individual/institution. Connected to research productivity is pay. Generally speaking, the more research intensive the university, the higher the pay. Finally, professors often change schools over the course of their career. In general, it is easier to move from a research-intensive school to a more teaching-intensive school. Going in the opposite direction is more difficult because it is hard to sustain high levels of productivity as a researcher if you have a heavier teaching load and research-intensive universities will want to see evidence of research productivity/potential before hiring you. <br />
<br />
As you think through the research/teaching balance, do not make the mistake of assuming one is a better or worse option. Both options have costs and benefits and whether the costs and benefits are better/worse depends on your individual goals. Thus, knowing what your goals are is important for deciding where to apply. If you have a strong desire to focus more on teaching/research, you will be more successful going to a Ph.D. program that emphasizes the area of your interest. At the same time, do not rule out the possibility of changing your mind as you study in a Ph.D. program. Most academics decide to become a professor because they were originally attracted to teaching. Many, however, find that researching is as rewarding (or even more rewarding for some) than teaching. Further, research can often complement your teaching such that you become more effective in the classroom. Keep an open mind as you learn more about the life as a professor and allow yourself to give full consideration to all aspects of the life as a professor. <br />
<br />
Once you have decided what you want to do with your career, then the following suggestions will help you decide where to go. <br />
<br />
* Gather as much information about different schools as you can. A good starting point is visiting each school's web page and to visit the different [[University Information|university pages]] on this website. .<br />
<br />
* Talk to people who have either been at a school or are currently at the school of interest. See [[University Information]] for help finding who has been where from the BYU family. Please be respectful of the time of the people you are contacting. Ph.D. students and faculty are busy so asking them questions that are already answered on the school's web page is wasting their time. Also, don't send out the same email to multiple people at the same school. Students and faculty talk and it looks bad for you to send out a form e-mail requesting information. <br />
<br />
* Determine what type of research you are interested in conducting. Certain schools do not support some research topical areas and/or methodologies. Make sure the schools you are considering do what you want to do. Do not expect to go to a school and convince professors to change the area of research they are focusing on to work on projects that interest you. You can expect them to continue working on what they find interesting and letting you work with them if they think you will be helpful to them.<br />
<br />
After you have gathered information about schools that interest you, you will need to apply to these schools. Hopefully, you will get to visit several schools and find which one fits. An important warning: while you may be tempted to go to the school other people consider "best," it is far more important that you feel comfortable and like where you will work. Numerous Ph.D. students have dropped out because they didn't fit with the school. Making sure you fit with the school is far more important than making sure you are at the school others consider the "best."<br />
<br />
==The Application Process==<br />
Most schools consider several different factors when deciding which candidates to admit into their program. Which factors each school considers and the weights each school place on these factors differs. However, in general, schools use GMAT and GPA to perform an "initial screen" of the many applicants. Those that surpass the thresholds set by the school move into the "second round" and their applications are more carefully considered. Thus, GMAT and GPA alone will not get you into a program, but the absence of strong scores in these areas may keep you out of a program. <br />
<br />
===GMAT===<br />
<br />
<br />
===GPA===<br />
<br />
<br />
===Letters of Recommendation===<br />
<br />
<br />
===Statement of Purpose===<br />
<br />
==Fly-outs==<br />
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:60em; max-width: 35%;" cellspacing="5"<br />
| style="text-align: left;" |<br />
<br />
==How to act during Fly Outs==<br />
===Do===<br />
* Be cordial in all respects.<br />
* Call schools and let them know before you visit if you have ''accepted'' another offer. Schools will view it as a slap in the face if you have formally accepted with another school and still fly out. If you are highly interested in another school but have not formally accepted, you still may consider flying out to another school if you have already arranged a campus visit. <br />
* Research on the school. Read about the professors and their work and have intelligent questions to ask them. Read about the area. This is one of the most important job interviews of your career.<br />
* Send a thank you note/letter/email after visit is over. Make sure the email is not a form email. You should send individual responses if you send a response to each person you met. <br />
* Remember the schools where you don't go are likely to consider hiring you. Leave a good impression and it will increase your chance of getting a job once you graduate. <br />
===Do NOT===<br />
* Undertake your application or campus visits lightly. How you act during the campus visit will not only affect your Ph.D. placement but also your potential future job placement. The academic accounting community is very small, memories very long, and bridges are easily burned. <br />
* Act arrogant. More so than any other personality trait, arrogance has cost many excellent candidates the opportunity to attend the program of their choice. There are plenty of other candidates who are as qualified (or more qualified) than you are to enter a Ph.D. program. Make sure you come across as humble, willing to work hard, and a nice person. <br />
* Schedule visits if you "know" you won't go to that school. If you might go to the school, then go, but if you know there is no way you will go to the school, don't waste their time and money. <br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
|}<br />
As part of the interview process, doctoral programs often bring students in for a campus visit. Only students that the program is seriously considering for admittance are brought in. Some universities will first do phone interviews with the candidates they are interested in before they fly applicants out. It is important to remember that just because you are being flown out does not mean you will be given an offer by the university. In general, the purpose of the fly out is to evaluate the candidate on softer skills (e.g., interpersonal skills, likability, etc.) rather than quantitative skills (e.g., GMAT, GPA, etc.) and to serve as a chance for the institution to recruit the individual and sell the program. <br />
<br />
The typical campus visit usually includes meal times, one-on-one time with professors, and attending a workshop/class. During your stay, one or more professors will take you out for dinner and/or breakfast. This is an informal meeting. You should be prepared to talk about why you want to enter a Ph.D. program, what are your research interests (if you have some), what are your future goals, why you are interested in that school, and most importantly be able to ask relevant questions about the school. You should not be asking questions about the school that you can find out for yourself (i.e., make sure you read the school's doctoral program web page and the individual professor's web pages as well). <br />
<br />
Your one-on-one meetings with professors usually last 30 minutes. These meetings can range from the professors conducting a mini job interview, to a friendly open dialog. You need to make sure you have enough things to talk about to fill up an entire 30 minutes. One of the best things you can talk about is the professor's own research. Checking out the faculty member's vita before an interview is a good way to get an idea of the type of research they do. Alternatively, you could ask the professor to describe one of their more recent projects. It is not a bad idea to bring a notepad to take notes. On the notepad, you might consider jotting a list of the questions you want answered during your visit. <br />
<br />
Often times, you will attend a doctoral seminar or a workshop presentation. If you can read the papers before you get there for the workshop or seminar that would be fantastic. You are not required to make any comments, and shouldn't just to show that you can speak. If you have [[How to ask good questions in workshop|good questions/comments to make]], you can do that, but make sure you aren't speaking to try and show how smart you are. These workshops give you a good idea of what the tone of the school is like. <br />
<br />
On a practical note, the school will usually cover airfare, transportation, and meals. The school may give you a budget and allow you to make plans (they usually reimburse you after you provide receipts) or they may book everything for you. If you are unsure, ask whoever is recruiting you how the school handles the finances of the fly out. <br />
<br />
Again, remember that during the campus visit you are being recruited and evaluated. You need to make sure you do your best to sell them on yourself and also take some time to evaluate the school to see if you would fit if given an offer. Be forthcoming about yourself and your interests. You don't want to end up at a school whose faculty are uninterested in or hostile to your research interests or that has a culture that doesn't suit you.<br />
<br />
You may find this collective list of "Do's and Do not's on campus visits" helpful as you prepare for a campus visit:<br />
<br />
==The Decision, which Program to Attend==<br />
You have done all the research, you have visited schools, you have talked with lots of people, you are not ready to make the decision of where to go to school. How in the world do you make this critical decision? <br />
<br />
Steve Kachelmeier's (University of Texas - Austin) story is one of the best illustrations of making the decision the right way. He created a table with the most important criteria that he should consider across the top and each program listed down the side. He carefully mapped how each school fit his criteria, taking care to list the positives and negatives. After he was finished with this exercise, he folded it in half, thought for a minute about which program he would like best, and then throwing his carefully constructed chart away chose to go to the University of Florida. At the end of the day, he went to the program he liked and where he thought he would fit well. <br />
<br />
There is no magic formula for deciding where to go. A few pointers will help as you make the decision. First, although this may sound like a broken record, go to the school where you fit best. Fit is far more important than any other criteria. Second, it is hard to make a bad decision. If you are willing to do your best, most programs will help you learn and be successful. Third, if you have a spouse or significant other, include them in the decision. Having support from your spouse during the program is extremely helpful in being successful. Listen to their needs and desires as you make the decision. Finally, quite stressing and celebrate you have been admitted into a Ph.D. program! You are well on your way to a great career. <br />
<br />
A word of advice on what to do once you have made your decision. It is important that you notify schools as soon as possible of your choice, especially if you have offers from other schools. These other schools will likely want to invite someone else to their program and while you are deciding, they often hold offers to other candidates. As soon as you have eliminated a school from consideration, kindly and courteously let that school know so they can move on (e.g., you have 3 offers and have decided you will not go to University X. Let University X know as soon as possible even if you are still deciding between University Y and Z). In a similar vein, try and make the decision of where you are going as soon as possible rather than drag the decision out. Schools appreciate being told earlier rather than later so they can recruit other candidates.<br />
<br />
==Other Items==<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
{|style="width:100%;margin-top:+.7em;"<br />
|-align="center"<br />
! style="background:#fafaFe; color:black; height: 20px" | <small>[[Main Page]] ► [[So you want to get a Ph.D.?]] ► [[Applying to a Ph.D. Program]]</small></div>Asayshttp://www.byuaccounting.net/mediawiki/index.php?title=Applying_to_a_Ph.D._Program&diff=10511Applying to a Ph.D. Program2009-12-22T17:24:05Z<p>Asays: </p>
<hr />
<div>So you have decided you want to get a Ph.D. now what? The next step in the process is to decide which programs you should apply for, fill out your applications, hopefully visit several schools, and then make your final decision. On this page, we provide an overview of the process and specific suggestions for being successful in choosing and being accepted into an accounting Ph.D. program. <br />
<br />
==Selecting the Right Program==<br />
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:45em; max-width: 25%;" cellspacing="5"<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
<br />
==Question to consider when applying to programs==<br />
Here is a list of some questions that you might want to think about when applying to programs (taken from [http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/doctoral/admissions/selecting.cfm here]):<br />
* How many faculty are working with students? Do students regularly coauthor articles with faculty?<br />
* How many faculty members are doing research in areas related to my own interests?<br />
* What opportunities are there to work with a variety of faculty and to be exposed to different research methodologies?<br />
* Am I sufficiently qualified to enter this program?<br />
* Many Ph.D. students change their vision of research and many change their intended concentration area after joining the program and being exposed to a variety of research styles. Does my program of choice offer flexibility needed to do so?<br />
* Is there financial support for students to attend academic conferences to present their own research?<br />
* What opportunities are there for students to participate in colloquia, both as an attendee and as a presenter?<br />
* What is the department's placement record? What types of jobs do graduates take and where?<br />
* Finally, how well do graduates of the program perform in the long term (contributing to the field through publication, practice of management and earning tenure)?<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
|}<br />
The most important criterion for success in an accounting Ph.D. program is to find a program that "fits" you. In deciding which programs do and do not fit, it helps if you know what you want. Specifically, what type of career do you want when you graduate with your Ph.D.? Are you hoping to spend most of your time teaching or researching (or some combination of both)? How many hours do you want to work a week? How much money do you want to make? What subject of accounting (e.g., AIS, auditing, financial, managerial, tax, etc.) do you hope to teach and hope to research? While knowing answers to these types of questions is not required for applying to Ph.D. programs, it does help in selecting a program where you will "fit" well. <br />
<br />
As a very general "rule-of-thumb," academic prestige is usually based on research productivity, that is, the more successful an individual or school is at publishing research in respected journals the more "revered" the individual/institution. Connected to research productivity is pay. Generally speaking, the more research intensive the university, the higher the pay. Finally, professors often change schools over the course of their career. In general, it is easier to move from a research-intensive school to a more teaching-intensive school. Going in the opposite direction is more difficult because it is hard to sustain high levels of productivity as a researcher if you have a heavier teaching load and research-intensive universities will want to see evidence of research productivity/potential before hiring you. <br />
<br />
As you think through the research/teaching balance, do not make the mistake of assuming one is a better or worse option. Both options have costs and benefits and whether the costs and benefits are better/worse depends on your individual goals. Thus, knowing what your goals are is important for deciding where to apply. If you have a strong desire to focus more on teaching/research, you will be more successful going to a Ph.D. program that emphasizes the area of your interest. At the same time, do not rule out the possibility of changing your mind as you study in a Ph.D. program. Most academics decide to become a professor because they were originally attracted to teaching. Many, however, find that researching is as rewarding (or even more rewarding for some) than teaching. Keep an open mind as you learn more about the life as a professor and allow yourself to give full consideration to all aspects of the life as a professor. <br />
<br />
Once you have decided what you want to do with your career, then the following suggestions will help you decide where to go. <br />
<br />
* Gather as much information about different schools as you can. A good starting point is visiting each school's web page and to visit the different [[University Information|university pages]] on this website. .<br />
<br />
* Talk to people who have either been at a school or are currently at the school of interest. See [[University Information]] for help finding who has been where from the BYU family. Please be respectful of the time of the people you are contacting. Ph.D. students and faculty are busy so asking them questions that are already answered on the school's web page is wasting their time. Also, don't send out the same email to multiple people at the same school. Students and faculty talk and it looks bad for you to send out a form e-mail requesting information. <br />
<br />
* Determine what type of research you are interested in conducting. Certain schools do not support some research topical areas and/or methodologies. Make sure the schools you are considering do what you want to do. Do not expect to go to a school and convince professors to change the area of research they are focusing on to work on projects that interest you. You can expect them to continue working on what they find interesting and letting you work with them if they think you will be helpful to them.<br />
<br />
After you have gathered information about schools that interest you, you will need to apply to these schools. Hopefully, you will get to visit several schools and find which one fits. An important warning: while you may be tempted to go to the school other people consider "best," it is far more important that you feel comfortable and like where you will work. Numerous Ph.D. students have dropped out because they didn't fit with the school. Making sure you fit with the school is far more important than making sure you are at the school others consider the "best."<br />
<br />
==The Application Process==<br />
Most schools consider several different factors when deciding which candidates to admit into their program. Which factors each school considers and the weights each school place on these factors differs. However, in general, schools use GMAT and GPA to perform an "initial screen" of the many applicants. Those that surpass the thresholds set by the school move into the "second round" and their applications are more carefully considered. Thus, GMAT and GPA alone will not get you into a program, but the absence of strong scores in these areas may keep you out of a program. <br />
<br />
===GMAT===<br />
<br />
<br />
===GPA===<br />
<br />
<br />
===Letters of Recommendation===<br />
<br />
<br />
===Statement of Purpose===<br />
<br />
==Fly-outs==<br />
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:60em; max-width: 35%;" cellspacing="5"<br />
| style="text-align: left;" |<br />
<br />
==How to act during Fly Outs==<br />
===Do===<br />
* Be cordial in all respects.<br />
* Call schools and let them know before you visit if you have ''accepted'' another offer. Schools will view it as a slap in the face if you have formally accepted with another school and still fly out. If you are highly interested in another school but have not formally accepted, you still may consider flying out to another school if you have already arranged a campus visit. <br />
* Research on the school. Read about the professors and their work and have intelligent questions to ask them. Read about the area. This is one of the most important job interviews of your career.<br />
* Send a thank you note/letter/email after visit is over. Make sure the email is not a form email. You should send individual responses if you send a response to each person you met. <br />
* Remember the schools where you don't go are likely to consider hiring you. Leave a good impression and it will increase your chance of getting a job once you graduate. <br />
===Do NOT===<br />
* Undertake your application or campus visits lightly. How you act during the campus visit will not only affect your Ph.D. placement but also your potential future job placement. The academic accounting community is very small, memories very long, and bridges are easily burned. <br />
* Act arrogant. More so than any other personality trait, arrogance has cost many excellent candidates the opportunity to attend the program of their choice. There are plenty of other candidates who are as qualified (or more qualified) than you are to enter a Ph.D. program. Make sure you come across as humble, willing to work hard, and a nice person. <br />
* Schedule visits if you "know" you won't go to that school. If you might go to the school, then go, but if you know there is no way you will go to the school, don't waste their time and money. <br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
|}<br />
As part of the interview process, doctoral programs often bring students in for a campus visit. Only students that the program is seriously considering for admittance are brought in. Some universities will first do phone interviews with the candidates they are interested in before they fly applicants out. It is important to remember that just because you are being flown out does not mean you will be given an offer by the university. In general, the purpose of the fly out is to evaluate the candidate on softer skills (e.g., interpersonal skills, likability, etc.) rather than quantitative skills (e.g., GMAT, GPA, etc.) and to serve as a chance for the institution to recruit the individual and sell the program. <br />
<br />
The typical campus visit usually includes meal times, one-on-one time with professors, and attending a workshop/class. During your stay, one or more professors will take you out for dinner and/or breakfast. This is an informal meeting. You should be prepared to talk about why you want to enter a Ph.D. program, what are your research interests (if you have some), what are your future goals, why you are interested in that school, and most importantly be able to ask relevant questions about the school. You should not be asking questions about the school that you can find out for yourself (i.e., make sure you read the school's doctoral program web page and the individual professor's web pages as well). <br />
<br />
Your one-on-one meetings with professors usually last 30 minutes. These meetings can range from the professors conducting a mini job interview, to a friendly open dialog. You need to make sure you have enough things to talk about to fill up an entire 30 minutes. One of the best things you can talk about is the professor's own research. Checking out the faculty member's vita before an interview is a good way to get an idea of the type of research they do. Alternatively, you could ask the professor to describe one of their more recent projects. It is not a bad idea to bring a notepad to take notes. On the notepad, you might consider jotting a list of the questions you want answered during your visit. <br />
<br />
Often times, you will attend a doctoral seminar or a workshop presentation. If you can read the papers before you get there for the workshop or seminar that would be fantastic. You are not required to make any comments, and shouldn't just to show that you can speak. If you have [[How to ask good questions in workshop|good questions/comments to make]], you can do that, but make sure you aren't speaking to try and show how smart you are. These workshops give you a good idea of what the tone of the school is like. <br />
<br />
On a practical note, the school will usually cover airfare, transportation, and meals. The school may give you a budget and allow you to make plans (they usually reimburse you after you provide receipts) or they may book everything for you. If you are unsure, ask whoever is recruiting you how the school handles the finances of the fly out. <br />
<br />
Again, remember that during the campus visit you are being recruited and evaluated. You need to make sure you do your best to sell them on yourself and also take some time to evaluate the school to see if you would fit if given an offer. Be forthcoming about yourself and your interests. You don't want to end up at a school whose faculty are uninterested in or hostile to your research interests or that has a culture that doesn't suit you.<br />
<br />
You may find this collective list of "Do's and Do not's on campus visits" helpful as you prepare for a campus visit:<br />
<br />
==The Decision, which Program to Attend==<br />
You have done all the research, you have visited schools, you have talked with lots of people, you are not ready to make the decision of where to go to school. How in the world do you make this critical decision? <br />
<br />
Steve Kachelmeier's (University of Texas - Austin) story is one of the best illustrations of making the decision the right way. He created a table with the most important criteria that he should consider across the top and each program listed down the side. He carefully mapped how each school fit his criteria, taking care to list the positives and negatives. After he was finished with this exercise, he folded it in half, thought for a minute about which program he would like best, and then throwing his carefully constructed chart away chose to go to the University of Florida. At the end of the day, he went to the program he liked and where he thought he would fit well. <br />
<br />
There is no magic formula for deciding where to go. A few pointers will help as you make the decision. First, although this may sound like a broken record, go to the school where you fit best. Fit is far more important than any other criteria. Second, it is hard to make a bad decision. If you are willing to do your best, most programs will help you learn and be successful. Third, if you have a spouse or significant other, include them in the decision. Having support from your spouse during the program is extremely helpful in being successful. Listen to their needs and desires as you make the decision. Finally, quite stressing and celebrate you have been admitted into a Ph.D. program! You are well on your way to a great career. <br />
<br />
A word of advice on what to do once you have made your decision. It is important that you notify schools as soon as possible of your choice, especially if you have offers from other schools. These other schools will likely want to invite someone else to their program and while you are deciding, they often hold offers to other candidates. As soon as you have eliminated a school from consideration, kindly and courteously let that school know so they can move on (e.g., you have 3 offers and have decided you will not go to University X. Let University X know as soon as possible even if you are still deciding between University Y and Z). In a similar vein, try and make the decision of where you are going as soon as possible rather than drag the decision out. Schools appreciate being told earlier rather than later so they can recruit other candidates.<br />
<br />
==Other Items==<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
{|style="width:100%;margin-top:+.7em;"<br />
|-align="center"<br />
! style="background:#fafaFe; color:black; height: 20px" | <small>[[Main Page]] ► [[So you want to get a Ph.D.?]] ► [[Applying to a Ph.D. Program]]</small></div>Asayshttp://www.byuaccounting.net/mediawiki/index.php?title=Life_as_a_Doctoral_Student&diff=10510Life as a Doctoral Student2009-12-22T15:26:50Z<p>Asays: /* Why not get a Ph.D.? */</p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:Students_3.jpg|right]]<br />
It's easy to see why everyone wants to be a professor, they live an exhilarating life full of adventure, fame, and fortune. Far fewer understand the journey it takes to reach the hallowed career of academician--the journey through a Ph.D. program. This page is intended to provide an overview of life as a doctoral student. While each doctoral program is different, this page provides an overview of doctoral studies in general and is intended to help you know whether a Ph.D. program is right for you. Learn what you can from here, read about [[Life as a Professor]], and talk to [[Current Faculty|faculty]] and [[Current Doctoral Students|doctoral students]] at lots of different [[University Information|universities]] to help you make an informed decision. <br />
<br />
==What do you do as a doctoral student?==<br />
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:45em; max-width: 25%;" cellspacing="5"<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
<br />
==Nitty-Gritty Details==<br />
<br />
===Hours spent studying/working===<br />
The amount of work that a doctoral student puts into the program varies by student and by program. However, most students who are still in coursework spend 50-60 hours a week (again this varies depending on how hard the student wants to work). After a student finishes their coursework and their comprehensive exams, the student then can work however many/few hours they desire; however, the fewer hours the student works the longer it will take to graduate. <br />
During the coursework phase of the dissertation, the student does get Christmas break, spring break, and summer break. These times are great opportunities to relax from the stress of coursework, take vacations, and be with family. However, a break is not like High School breaks. The student usually still has assignments and/or projects to work on during these breaks.<br />
<br />
===How long do you do it?===<br />
To earn an accounting doctoral degree, it takes most students four to five years of dedicated work (i.e., students normally work full time on a Ph.D. and do not have a full or part time side job). The amount of time to get the degree varies based on how hard a student is willing to work, the traditions and beliefs of the university granting the degree, and the rigor of the Ph.D. program. The four or five years usually consists of two to three years of coursework and then whatever time is necessary to write the dissertation (usually one or two years).<br />
<br />
===Stipend===<br />
Usually accounting doctoral students receive a full tuition and fees waiver while working towards completing their degree. They often also receive a stipend in exchange for teaching or being a researching assistant. The stipend can range from $12,000 to $30,000+ depending on the school. The requirements for teaching and being a research assistant also vary widely depending on the school. In general, schools with a greater research reputation pay a higher stipend and require less teaching than schools with a lesser research reputation.<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
|}<br />
There are three significant phases to an accounting doctoral program (1) coursework, (2) comprehensive exams, and (3) the dissertation. Also, during each of these phases you are expected, at most schools, to work as a research assistant or teaching assistant (or teach your own class). In this section we discuss each of these five topics individually.<br />
<br />
===Coursework Phase of the Ph.D. Program===<br />
During this phase of the accounting program you are a traditional student. That is, you go to class, have tests, and all the other things you probably did as an undergraduate or masters student. There are a few differences from your undergrad. First, the classes are a usually a lot harder. Second, you tend to not take as many different classes at the same time. Third, the classes are usually a lot smaller. <br />
<br />
[[Image:Students.jpg|left]] The courses you take are commonly separated into major courses, minor courses, and then other "tools" courses. The major courses focus on your discipline, with a particular focus on the research your discipline conducts. For example, in accounting you do not take any more classes where you learn the rules of how to be an accountant (i.e., in-depth study of tax law, audit practice, financial transactions, etc.). Instead, your class is focused on understanding how you research accounting issues. Often times the classes take the form of seminars. A typical seminar class will entail reading several academic research papers and then having one class member present on those papers. The presentation takes the form of an active discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the paper, how the paper could be extended, the theory the paper builds off, etc. The professor usually takes a somewhat back-seat approach to seminars and allows the students to do much of the discussion. Professors then chime in discussing points the students missed or to emphasize particularly important concepts. Most programs have students take several different accounting research seminars. The seminars are grouped based on [[Research Interests|research topical areas or methodologies]]. <br />
<br />
The minor courses in a Ph.D. are taken with Ph.D. students in other areas. In accounting, students often minor in economics, finance, information systems, psychology, or statistics. The minor courses are usually major courses for students in those other fields. In most of these classes, the focus is once again on understanding the research that these disciplines conduct. Minor courses can take the form of seminars or a more traditional lecturing format. <br />
<br />
Finally, the "tools" courses are courses that are intended to build specific competencies so that individuals can conduct research. These types of courses often center around gaining knowledge of statistical methods or experimental design. They may also focus on the basics of the scientific method and philosophy of science. Depending on what type of research you want to conduct, these courses can vary significantly. <br />
<br />
The coursework takes two years for most Ph.D. programs. In some instances, this is extended to three years--especially if incoming students have a lack of background knowledge or have been away from school for an extended period of time. Your work is very structured during the coursework phase of the program and will be very similar to your undergrad or masters experience.<br />
<br />
===Comprehensive Exam Phase of the Ph.D. Program===<br />
After you finish coursework, Ph.D. students are required to pass a comprehensive exam. This exam may be a written exam, oral exam, or both. Most accounting Ph.D. programs require a written comprehensive exam. The purpose of the comprehensive exam is to test whether students have a strong grasp of the current and past research findings in their discipline and whether students are capable of understanding the methods used to conduct research. Studying for the exam also helps students identify important gaps in the research stream or interesting questions. These often times turn into a students dissertation topic. Most students will spend several weeks and even months preparing to take their exams. The exams usually last an entire day or are spread over two or more days. <br />
<br />
The exact format of the comprehensive exam can differ significantly from university to university. The most common form of a comprehensive exam are essay questions and a review of a paper. Here are actual [[examples of comprehensive exam questions]]. If asked to review a paper, the student will be given a "finished" academic paper (usually a working paper) and asked to write a reviewer report. This is similar to the task of reviewing academic papers for peer reviewed journals, as professors are sometimes expected to do. The student will have a set period of time to read the paper and write a review explaining the strengths and weaknesses of the paper. For more information on [[reviewing papers]] see this page. <br />
<br />
After completing the exam, your professors will grade your exam and let you know whether you passed or not. If you did not pass, you are often allowed to take the exam one more time (if you fail the second time, you are usually dismissed from the program, although this does not occur frequently at most programs). If you pass the exam, you enter the dissertation phase of the program. Some universities also grant you a masters degree upon successful completion of the comprehensive exam. <br />
<br />
Studying for and taking the comprehensive exams is a stressful part of the Ph.D. program. Becoming an expert on the research in your field is a laborious process. The time is also completely unstructured such that procrastination is possible and can really hurt your chances of passing if you do not take your study time seriously. Although difficult, the feeling of passing your exams is euphoric. Also, you gain significant confidence in your abilities as a scholar when you pass the exams and know that you are an expert on research in your field.<br />
<br />
===Dissertation Phase of the Ph.D. Program===<br />
The third and final portion of the Ph.D. program is the time spent preparing your dissertation. The process of writing a dissertation has several parts. <br />
<br />
After finishing your comprehensive exams, and often times before then, you identify a faculty member to serve as your dissertation committee chair. This is usually someone who shares an interest or similar research skill set. This person serves as your mentor through the dissertation process and is incredibly important in helping you develop your academic career. <br />
<br />
[[Image:Students 2.jpg|left]]After selecting a chair, the first part of developing a dissertation is coming up with a research question. This part of the dissertation starts now, that is, you can develop an interesting question to answer at any time and use that for your dissertation. Ideally as you study for your comprehensive exams or work in other classes you create a list of interesting research questions. You then decide, with help and guidance from your chair, to use one of these questions for your dissertation. <br />
<br />
After developing an idea, you have to refine the idea to the point that you are ready to pass your dissertation proposal defense. The time required for this depends on how diligently you work on the project and on your university's norms. Some schools required a virtually finished paper at this point, others require a much less refined idea. As you get ready for the proposal defense, you will spend a significant amount of time working with your chair. The proposal defense is a formal meeting where your dissertation committee (several faculty members including your chair) quiz you about your research idea. They are testing to see whether your proposal has merit and if upon completion the work is sufficient to earn a Ph.D. After your presentation and a question and answer period, the committee will vote. A successful vote establishes a contract between you and the university such that if you complete your end of the deal, they will award you your degree. An unsuccessful vote means you will have to continue to refine your idea or select a new idea and go through the process again. <br />
<br />
After passing the dissertation proposal defense, you conduct the rest of your research and produce a final copy of your dissertation. You then present this final copy at your dissertation final defense. Again, a committee of faculty examines what you did and questions you about your work. After they finish questioning you, they vote. If they vote in the affirmative, you are awarded a Ph.D. If they vote in the negative, you will be required to rework your dissertation and repeat process. <br />
<br />
The time to complete a dissertation varies widely. A dissertation may be completed in a single year or as many as 9 years. The average time to completion is usually 2-3 years.<br />
<br />
===Working as a Teaching Assistant or Teaching your Own Class===<br />
Doctoral students often earn their stipend (a stipend is the money a Ph.D. program pays you while you attend) by teaching or helping to teach classes at the university. The amount of teaching that you are required to perform is usually a function of the research ranking and funding of the school. Private schools and schools that conduct more research will generally have a lower teaching expectation. You should be aware of the teaching requirements that are expected when you apply to programs. The greater the teaching requirement, the less time you will have available for research. <br />
<br />
Often doctoral students teach introductory financial or managerial courses. Occasionally students will teach higher level classes, but even then they are usually still undergraduate courses. It would be very rare for a doctoral student to teach masters courses.<br />
<br />
===Working as a Research Assistant===<br />
[[Image:Library_2.jpg|right]]As the name implies, working as a research assistant means that you assist a professor in conducting research. At the beginning of the semester you are either assigned or selected (or some combination of both depending on the program) to work with a professor. The professor will then ask you to help in conducting research. What you do usually depends on (1) what you are capable of doing and (2) the professor's needs. Thus your experience as a research assistant can vary widely. <br />
<br />
Examples of different types of activities you may be asked to perform include hand collecting data (e.g., searching press releases for pro forma information for hundreds/thousands of companies), finding previous research that is related to a topic, writing up a summary of previous research on a topic, designing an experiment, conducting statistical tests, writing up final results for a study, or supervising other students in these tasks. As your skill level for research increases, you are usually assigned more important roles in the research process. Depending on who you work with and what you do, you may even be considered to be a coauthor on a project. This should not be expected in most instances, but it is possible.<br />
<br />
==Why not get a Ph.D.?==<br />
While we have mentioned many of the positive aspects of earning a Ph.D., there are several costs to this decision that are important to weigh. These can be viewed as red flags that might cause you to second guess going into academics. <br />
<br />
In relation to the benefit of flexibility, we mention the curse of flexibility. There is little oversight of the day-to-day, week-to-week, and month-to-month progress you are making in a doctoral program and as a professor. Once coursework is finished, there are few deadlines and it is unlikely that someone is looking over your shoulder telling you what to do. If you are not self-motivated and able to work in an unstructured environment, you will struggle in a Ph.D. program and as a professor.<br />
<br />
If you do decide to start a Ph.D. program, be prepared to give it some time. The first semester or two will likely be very challenging and will not be representative of what you should expect during the rest of your time as a doctoral student or throughout your career as a professor. Students who drop out of a program after one semester have not given the school, or themselves, a fair chance for successful completion of the program. Getting a Ph.D. is very rewarding, but it does require effort. If you do decide to enter a Ph.D. program, be committed to finishing at least one or two years before considering whether you should continue.<br />
<br />
==More Information==<br />
These are the basics of life as a doctoral student. For more information, see the following pages:<br />
* [[Life as a Professor]]<br />
* [[How do you succeed in a Ph.D. program?]]<br />
<br />
----<br />
{|style="width:100%;margin-top:+.7em;"<br />
|-align="center"<br />
! style="background:#fafaFe; color:black; height: 20px" | <small>[[Main Page]] ► [[So you want to get a Ph.D.?]] ► [[Life as a Doctoral Student]]</small><br />
|}</div>Asayshttp://www.byuaccounting.net/mediawiki/index.php?title=Life_as_a_Doctoral_Student&diff=10509Life as a Doctoral Student2009-12-22T15:14:08Z<p>Asays: /* Working as a Research Assistant */</p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:Students_3.jpg|right]]<br />
It's easy to see why everyone wants to be a professor, they live an exhilarating life full of adventure, fame, and fortune. Far fewer understand the journey it takes to reach the hallowed career of academician--the journey through a Ph.D. program. This page is intended to provide an overview of life as a doctoral student. While each doctoral program is different, this page provides an overview of doctoral studies in general and is intended to help you know whether a Ph.D. program is right for you. Learn what you can from here, read about [[Life as a Professor]], and talk to [[Current Faculty|faculty]] and [[Current Doctoral Students|doctoral students]] at lots of different [[University Information|universities]] to help you make an informed decision. <br />
<br />
==What do you do as a doctoral student?==<br />
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:45em; max-width: 25%;" cellspacing="5"<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
<br />
==Nitty-Gritty Details==<br />
<br />
===Hours spent studying/working===<br />
The amount of work that a doctoral student puts into the program varies by student and by program. However, most students who are still in coursework spend 50-60 hours a week (again this varies depending on how hard the student wants to work). After a student finishes their coursework and their comprehensive exams, the student then can work however many/few hours they desire; however, the fewer hours the student works the longer it will take to graduate. <br />
During the coursework phase of the dissertation, the student does get Christmas break, spring break, and summer break. These times are great opportunities to relax from the stress of coursework, take vacations, and be with family. However, a break is not like High School breaks. The student usually still has assignments and/or projects to work on during these breaks.<br />
<br />
===How long do you do it?===<br />
To earn an accounting doctoral degree, it takes most students four to five years of dedicated work (i.e., students normally work full time on a Ph.D. and do not have a full or part time side job). The amount of time to get the degree varies based on how hard a student is willing to work, the traditions and beliefs of the university granting the degree, and the rigor of the Ph.D. program. The four or five years usually consists of two to three years of coursework and then whatever time is necessary to write the dissertation (usually one or two years).<br />
<br />
===Stipend===<br />
Usually accounting doctoral students receive a full tuition and fees waiver while working towards completing their degree. They often also receive a stipend in exchange for teaching or being a researching assistant. The stipend can range from $12,000 to $30,000+ depending on the school. The requirements for teaching and being a research assistant also vary widely depending on the school. In general, schools with a greater research reputation pay a higher stipend and require less teaching than schools with a lesser research reputation.<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
|}<br />
There are three significant phases to an accounting doctoral program (1) coursework, (2) comprehensive exams, and (3) the dissertation. Also, during each of these phases you are expected, at most schools, to work as a research assistant or teaching assistant (or teach your own class). In this section we discuss each of these five topics individually.<br />
<br />
===Coursework Phase of the Ph.D. Program===<br />
During this phase of the accounting program you are a traditional student. That is, you go to class, have tests, and all the other things you probably did as an undergraduate or masters student. There are a few differences from your undergrad. First, the classes are a usually a lot harder. Second, you tend to not take as many different classes at the same time. Third, the classes are usually a lot smaller. <br />
<br />
[[Image:Students.jpg|left]] The courses you take are commonly separated into major courses, minor courses, and then other "tools" courses. The major courses focus on your discipline, with a particular focus on the research your discipline conducts. For example, in accounting you do not take any more classes where you learn the rules of how to be an accountant (i.e., in-depth study of tax law, audit practice, financial transactions, etc.). Instead, your class is focused on understanding how you research accounting issues. Often times the classes take the form of seminars. A typical seminar class will entail reading several academic research papers and then having one class member present on those papers. The presentation takes the form of an active discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the paper, how the paper could be extended, the theory the paper builds off, etc. The professor usually takes a somewhat back-seat approach to seminars and allows the students to do much of the discussion. Professors then chime in discussing points the students missed or to emphasize particularly important concepts. Most programs have students take several different accounting research seminars. The seminars are grouped based on [[Research Interests|research topical areas or methodologies]]. <br />
<br />
The minor courses in a Ph.D. are taken with Ph.D. students in other areas. In accounting, students often minor in economics, finance, information systems, psychology, or statistics. The minor courses are usually major courses for students in those other fields. In most of these classes, the focus is once again on understanding the research that these disciplines conduct. Minor courses can take the form of seminars or a more traditional lecturing format. <br />
<br />
Finally, the "tools" courses are courses that are intended to build specific competencies so that individuals can conduct research. These types of courses often center around gaining knowledge of statistical methods or experimental design. They may also focus on the basics of the scientific method and philosophy of science. Depending on what type of research you want to conduct, these courses can vary significantly. <br />
<br />
The coursework takes two years for most Ph.D. programs. In some instances, this is extended to three years--especially if incoming students have a lack of background knowledge or have been away from school for an extended period of time. Your work is very structured during the coursework phase of the program and will be very similar to your undergrad or masters experience.<br />
<br />
===Comprehensive Exam Phase of the Ph.D. Program===<br />
After you finish coursework, Ph.D. students are required to pass a comprehensive exam. This exam may be a written exam, oral exam, or both. Most accounting Ph.D. programs require a written comprehensive exam. The purpose of the comprehensive exam is to test whether students have a strong grasp of the current and past research findings in their discipline and whether students are capable of understanding the methods used to conduct research. Studying for the exam also helps students identify important gaps in the research stream or interesting questions. These often times turn into a students dissertation topic. Most students will spend several weeks and even months preparing to take their exams. The exams usually last an entire day or are spread over two or more days. <br />
<br />
The exact format of the comprehensive exam can differ significantly from university to university. The most common form of a comprehensive exam are essay questions and a review of a paper. Here are actual [[examples of comprehensive exam questions]]. If asked to review a paper, the student will be given a "finished" academic paper (usually a working paper) and asked to write a reviewer report. This is similar to the task of reviewing academic papers for peer reviewed journals, as professors are sometimes expected to do. The student will have a set period of time to read the paper and write a review explaining the strengths and weaknesses of the paper. For more information on [[reviewing papers]] see this page. <br />
<br />
After completing the exam, your professors will grade your exam and let you know whether you passed or not. If you did not pass, you are often allowed to take the exam one more time (if you fail the second time, you are usually dismissed from the program, although this does not occur frequently at most programs). If you pass the exam, you enter the dissertation phase of the program. Some universities also grant you a masters degree upon successful completion of the comprehensive exam. <br />
<br />
Studying for and taking the comprehensive exams is a stressful part of the Ph.D. program. Becoming an expert on the research in your field is a laborious process. The time is also completely unstructured such that procrastination is possible and can really hurt your chances of passing if you do not take your study time seriously. Although difficult, the feeling of passing your exams is euphoric. Also, you gain significant confidence in your abilities as a scholar when you pass the exams and know that you are an expert on research in your field.<br />
<br />
===Dissertation Phase of the Ph.D. Program===<br />
The third and final portion of the Ph.D. program is the time spent preparing your dissertation. The process of writing a dissertation has several parts. <br />
<br />
After finishing your comprehensive exams, and often times before then, you identify a faculty member to serve as your dissertation committee chair. This is usually someone who shares an interest or similar research skill set. This person serves as your mentor through the dissertation process and is incredibly important in helping you develop your academic career. <br />
<br />
[[Image:Students 2.jpg|left]]After selecting a chair, the first part of developing a dissertation is coming up with a research question. This part of the dissertation starts now, that is, you can develop an interesting question to answer at any time and use that for your dissertation. Ideally as you study for your comprehensive exams or work in other classes you create a list of interesting research questions. You then decide, with help and guidance from your chair, to use one of these questions for your dissertation. <br />
<br />
After developing an idea, you have to refine the idea to the point that you are ready to pass your dissertation proposal defense. The time required for this depends on how diligently you work on the project and on your university's norms. Some schools required a virtually finished paper at this point, others require a much less refined idea. As you get ready for the proposal defense, you will spend a significant amount of time working with your chair. The proposal defense is a formal meeting where your dissertation committee (several faculty members including your chair) quiz you about your research idea. They are testing to see whether your proposal has merit and if upon completion the work is sufficient to earn a Ph.D. After your presentation and a question and answer period, the committee will vote. A successful vote establishes a contract between you and the university such that if you complete your end of the deal, they will award you your degree. An unsuccessful vote means you will have to continue to refine your idea or select a new idea and go through the process again. <br />
<br />
After passing the dissertation proposal defense, you conduct the rest of your research and produce a final copy of your dissertation. You then present this final copy at your dissertation final defense. Again, a committee of faculty examines what you did and questions you about your work. After they finish questioning you, they vote. If they vote in the affirmative, you are awarded a Ph.D. If they vote in the negative, you will be required to rework your dissertation and repeat process. <br />
<br />
The time to complete a dissertation varies widely. A dissertation may be completed in a single year or as many as 9 years. The average time to completion is usually 2-3 years.<br />
<br />
===Working as a Teaching Assistant or Teaching your Own Class===<br />
Doctoral students often earn their stipend (a stipend is the money a Ph.D. program pays you while you attend) by teaching or helping to teach classes at the university. The amount of teaching that you are required to perform is usually a function of the research ranking and funding of the school. Private schools and schools that conduct more research will generally have a lower teaching expectation. You should be aware of the teaching requirements that are expected when you apply to programs. The greater the teaching requirement, the less time you will have available for research. <br />
<br />
Often doctoral students teach introductory financial or managerial courses. Occasionally students will teach higher level classes, but even then they are usually still undergraduate courses. It would be very rare for a doctoral student to teach masters courses.<br />
<br />
===Working as a Research Assistant===<br />
[[Image:Library_2.jpg|right]]As the name implies, working as a research assistant means that you assist a professor in conducting research. At the beginning of the semester you are either assigned or selected (or some combination of both depending on the program) to work with a professor. The professor will then ask you to help in conducting research. What you do usually depends on (1) what you are capable of doing and (2) the professor's needs. Thus your experience as a research assistant can vary widely. <br />
<br />
Examples of different types of activities you may be asked to perform include hand collecting data (e.g., searching press releases for pro forma information for hundreds/thousands of companies), finding previous research that is related to a topic, writing up a summary of previous research on a topic, designing an experiment, conducting statistical tests, writing up final results for a study, or supervising other students in these tasks. As your skill level for research increases, you are usually assigned more important roles in the research process. Depending on who you work with and what you do, you may even be considered to be a coauthor on a project. This should not be expected in most instances, but it is possible.<br />
<br />
==Why not get a Ph.D.?==<br />
While we have mentioned many of the positive aspects of earning a Ph.D., there are several costs to this decision that are important to weigh. These can be viewed as red flags that might cause you to second guess going into academics. <br />
<br />
In relation to the benefit of flexibility, we mention the curse of flexibility. There is little oversight of the day-to-day, week-to-week, and month-to-month progress you are making in a doctoral program and as a professor. Once coursework is finished, there are few deadlines any it is unlikely that someone is looking over your shoulder telling you what to do. If you are not self motivated and able to work in an unstructured environment, you will struggle in a Ph.D. program and as a professor. <br />
<br />
<br />
==More Information==<br />
These are the basics of life as a doctoral student. For more information, see the following pages:<br />
* [[Life as a Professor]]<br />
* [[How do you succeed in a Ph.D. program?]]<br />
<br />
----<br />
{|style="width:100%;margin-top:+.7em;"<br />
|-align="center"<br />
! style="background:#fafaFe; color:black; height: 20px" | <small>[[Main Page]] ► [[So you want to get a Ph.D.?]] ► [[Life as a Doctoral Student]]</small><br />
|}</div>Asayshttp://www.byuaccounting.net/mediawiki/index.php?title=Life_as_a_Doctoral_Student&diff=10508Life as a Doctoral Student2009-12-22T15:13:18Z<p>Asays: /* Working as a Teaching Assistant or Teaching your Own Class */</p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:Students_3.jpg|right]]<br />
It's easy to see why everyone wants to be a professor, they live an exhilarating life full of adventure, fame, and fortune. Far fewer understand the journey it takes to reach the hallowed career of academician--the journey through a Ph.D. program. This page is intended to provide an overview of life as a doctoral student. While each doctoral program is different, this page provides an overview of doctoral studies in general and is intended to help you know whether a Ph.D. program is right for you. Learn what you can from here, read about [[Life as a Professor]], and talk to [[Current Faculty|faculty]] and [[Current Doctoral Students|doctoral students]] at lots of different [[University Information|universities]] to help you make an informed decision. <br />
<br />
==What do you do as a doctoral student?==<br />
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:45em; max-width: 25%;" cellspacing="5"<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
<br />
==Nitty-Gritty Details==<br />
<br />
===Hours spent studying/working===<br />
The amount of work that a doctoral student puts into the program varies by student and by program. However, most students who are still in coursework spend 50-60 hours a week (again this varies depending on how hard the student wants to work). After a student finishes their coursework and their comprehensive exams, the student then can work however many/few hours they desire; however, the fewer hours the student works the longer it will take to graduate. <br />
During the coursework phase of the dissertation, the student does get Christmas break, spring break, and summer break. These times are great opportunities to relax from the stress of coursework, take vacations, and be with family. However, a break is not like High School breaks. The student usually still has assignments and/or projects to work on during these breaks.<br />
<br />
===How long do you do it?===<br />
To earn an accounting doctoral degree, it takes most students four to five years of dedicated work (i.e., students normally work full time on a Ph.D. and do not have a full or part time side job). The amount of time to get the degree varies based on how hard a student is willing to work, the traditions and beliefs of the university granting the degree, and the rigor of the Ph.D. program. The four or five years usually consists of two to three years of coursework and then whatever time is necessary to write the dissertation (usually one or two years).<br />
<br />
===Stipend===<br />
Usually accounting doctoral students receive a full tuition and fees waiver while working towards completing their degree. They often also receive a stipend in exchange for teaching or being a researching assistant. The stipend can range from $12,000 to $30,000+ depending on the school. The requirements for teaching and being a research assistant also vary widely depending on the school. In general, schools with a greater research reputation pay a higher stipend and require less teaching than schools with a lesser research reputation.<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
|}<br />
There are three significant phases to an accounting doctoral program (1) coursework, (2) comprehensive exams, and (3) the dissertation. Also, during each of these phases you are expected, at most schools, to work as a research assistant or teaching assistant (or teach your own class). In this section we discuss each of these five topics individually.<br />
<br />
===Coursework Phase of the Ph.D. Program===<br />
During this phase of the accounting program you are a traditional student. That is, you go to class, have tests, and all the other things you probably did as an undergraduate or masters student. There are a few differences from your undergrad. First, the classes are a usually a lot harder. Second, you tend to not take as many different classes at the same time. Third, the classes are usually a lot smaller. <br />
<br />
[[Image:Students.jpg|left]] The courses you take are commonly separated into major courses, minor courses, and then other "tools" courses. The major courses focus on your discipline, with a particular focus on the research your discipline conducts. For example, in accounting you do not take any more classes where you learn the rules of how to be an accountant (i.e., in-depth study of tax law, audit practice, financial transactions, etc.). Instead, your class is focused on understanding how you research accounting issues. Often times the classes take the form of seminars. A typical seminar class will entail reading several academic research papers and then having one class member present on those papers. The presentation takes the form of an active discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the paper, how the paper could be extended, the theory the paper builds off, etc. The professor usually takes a somewhat back-seat approach to seminars and allows the students to do much of the discussion. Professors then chime in discussing points the students missed or to emphasize particularly important concepts. Most programs have students take several different accounting research seminars. The seminars are grouped based on [[Research Interests|research topical areas or methodologies]]. <br />
<br />
The minor courses in a Ph.D. are taken with Ph.D. students in other areas. In accounting, students often minor in economics, finance, information systems, psychology, or statistics. The minor courses are usually major courses for students in those other fields. In most of these classes, the focus is once again on understanding the research that these disciplines conduct. Minor courses can take the form of seminars or a more traditional lecturing format. <br />
<br />
Finally, the "tools" courses are courses that are intended to build specific competencies so that individuals can conduct research. These types of courses often center around gaining knowledge of statistical methods or experimental design. They may also focus on the basics of the scientific method and philosophy of science. Depending on what type of research you want to conduct, these courses can vary significantly. <br />
<br />
The coursework takes two years for most Ph.D. programs. In some instances, this is extended to three years--especially if incoming students have a lack of background knowledge or have been away from school for an extended period of time. Your work is very structured during the coursework phase of the program and will be very similar to your undergrad or masters experience.<br />
<br />
===Comprehensive Exam Phase of the Ph.D. Program===<br />
After you finish coursework, Ph.D. students are required to pass a comprehensive exam. This exam may be a written exam, oral exam, or both. Most accounting Ph.D. programs require a written comprehensive exam. The purpose of the comprehensive exam is to test whether students have a strong grasp of the current and past research findings in their discipline and whether students are capable of understanding the methods used to conduct research. Studying for the exam also helps students identify important gaps in the research stream or interesting questions. These often times turn into a students dissertation topic. Most students will spend several weeks and even months preparing to take their exams. The exams usually last an entire day or are spread over two or more days. <br />
<br />
The exact format of the comprehensive exam can differ significantly from university to university. The most common form of a comprehensive exam are essay questions and a review of a paper. Here are actual [[examples of comprehensive exam questions]]. If asked to review a paper, the student will be given a "finished" academic paper (usually a working paper) and asked to write a reviewer report. This is similar to the task of reviewing academic papers for peer reviewed journals, as professors are sometimes expected to do. The student will have a set period of time to read the paper and write a review explaining the strengths and weaknesses of the paper. For more information on [[reviewing papers]] see this page. <br />
<br />
After completing the exam, your professors will grade your exam and let you know whether you passed or not. If you did not pass, you are often allowed to take the exam one more time (if you fail the second time, you are usually dismissed from the program, although this does not occur frequently at most programs). If you pass the exam, you enter the dissertation phase of the program. Some universities also grant you a masters degree upon successful completion of the comprehensive exam. <br />
<br />
Studying for and taking the comprehensive exams is a stressful part of the Ph.D. program. Becoming an expert on the research in your field is a laborious process. The time is also completely unstructured such that procrastination is possible and can really hurt your chances of passing if you do not take your study time seriously. Although difficult, the feeling of passing your exams is euphoric. Also, you gain significant confidence in your abilities as a scholar when you pass the exams and know that you are an expert on research in your field.<br />
<br />
===Dissertation Phase of the Ph.D. Program===<br />
The third and final portion of the Ph.D. program is the time spent preparing your dissertation. The process of writing a dissertation has several parts. <br />
<br />
After finishing your comprehensive exams, and often times before then, you identify a faculty member to serve as your dissertation committee chair. This is usually someone who shares an interest or similar research skill set. This person serves as your mentor through the dissertation process and is incredibly important in helping you develop your academic career. <br />
<br />
[[Image:Students 2.jpg|left]]After selecting a chair, the first part of developing a dissertation is coming up with a research question. This part of the dissertation starts now, that is, you can develop an interesting question to answer at any time and use that for your dissertation. Ideally as you study for your comprehensive exams or work in other classes you create a list of interesting research questions. You then decide, with help and guidance from your chair, to use one of these questions for your dissertation. <br />
<br />
After developing an idea, you have to refine the idea to the point that you are ready to pass your dissertation proposal defense. The time required for this depends on how diligently you work on the project and on your university's norms. Some schools required a virtually finished paper at this point, others require a much less refined idea. As you get ready for the proposal defense, you will spend a significant amount of time working with your chair. The proposal defense is a formal meeting where your dissertation committee (several faculty members including your chair) quiz you about your research idea. They are testing to see whether your proposal has merit and if upon completion the work is sufficient to earn a Ph.D. After your presentation and a question and answer period, the committee will vote. A successful vote establishes a contract between you and the university such that if you complete your end of the deal, they will award you your degree. An unsuccessful vote means you will have to continue to refine your idea or select a new idea and go through the process again. <br />
<br />
After passing the dissertation proposal defense, you conduct the rest of your research and produce a final copy of your dissertation. You then present this final copy at your dissertation final defense. Again, a committee of faculty examines what you did and questions you about your work. After they finish questioning you, they vote. If they vote in the affirmative, you are awarded a Ph.D. If they vote in the negative, you will be required to rework your dissertation and repeat process. <br />
<br />
The time to complete a dissertation varies widely. A dissertation may be completed in a single year or as many as 9 years. The average time to completion is usually 2-3 years.<br />
<br />
===Working as a Teaching Assistant or Teaching your Own Class===<br />
Doctoral students often earn their stipend (a stipend is the money a Ph.D. program pays you while you attend) by teaching or helping to teach classes at the university. The amount of teaching that you are required to perform is usually a function of the research ranking and funding of the school. Private schools and schools that conduct more research will generally have a lower teaching expectation. You should be aware of the teaching requirements that are expected when you apply to programs. The greater the teaching requirement, the less time you will have available for research. <br />
<br />
Often doctoral students teach introductory financial or managerial courses. Occasionally students will teach higher level classes, but even then they are usually still undergraduate courses. It would be very rare for a doctoral student to teach masters courses.<br />
<br />
===Working as a Research Assistant===<br />
[[Image:Library_2.jpg|right]]As the name implies, working as a research assistant means that you assist a professor in conducting research. At the beginning of the semester you are either assigned or selected (or some combination of both depending on the program) to work with a professor. The professor will then ask you to help in conducting research. What you do usually depends on (1) what you are capable of doing and (2) the professor's needs. Thus you experience as a research assistant can vary widely. <br />
<br />
Examples of different types of activities you may be asked to perform include hand collecting data (e.g., searching press releases for pro forma information for hundreds/thousands of companies), finding previous research that is related to a topic, writing up a summary of previous research on a topic, designing an experiment, conducting statistical tests, writing up final results for a study, or supervising other students in these tasks. As your skill level for research increases, you are usually assigned more important roles in the research process. Depending on who you work with and what you do, you may even be considered to be a coauthor on a project. This should not be expected in most instances, but it is possible.<br />
<br />
==Why not get a Ph.D.?==<br />
While we have mentioned many of the positive aspects of earning a Ph.D., there are several costs to this decision that are important to weigh. These can be viewed as red flags that might cause you to second guess going into academics. <br />
<br />
In relation to the benefit of flexibility, we mention the curse of flexibility. There is little oversight of the day-to-day, week-to-week, and month-to-month progress you are making in a doctoral program and as a professor. Once coursework is finished, there are few deadlines any it is unlikely that someone is looking over your shoulder telling you what to do. If you are not self motivated and able to work in an unstructured environment, you will struggle in a Ph.D. program and as a professor. <br />
<br />
<br />
==More Information==<br />
These are the basics of life as a doctoral student. For more information, see the following pages:<br />
* [[Life as a Professor]]<br />
* [[How do you succeed in a Ph.D. program?]]<br />
<br />
----<br />
{|style="width:100%;margin-top:+.7em;"<br />
|-align="center"<br />
! style="background:#fafaFe; color:black; height: 20px" | <small>[[Main Page]] ► [[So you want to get a Ph.D.?]] ► [[Life as a Doctoral Student]]</small><br />
|}</div>Asayshttp://www.byuaccounting.net/mediawiki/index.php?title=Life_as_a_Doctoral_Student&diff=10507Life as a Doctoral Student2009-12-22T14:56:44Z<p>Asays: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:Students_3.jpg|right]]<br />
It's easy to see why everyone wants to be a professor, they live an exhilarating life full of adventure, fame, and fortune. Far fewer understand the journey it takes to reach the hallowed career of academician--the journey through a Ph.D. program. This page is intended to provide an overview of life as a doctoral student. While each doctoral program is different, this page provides an overview of doctoral studies in general and is intended to help you know whether a Ph.D. program is right for you. Learn what you can from here, read about [[Life as a Professor]], and talk to [[Current Faculty|faculty]] and [[Current Doctoral Students|doctoral students]] at lots of different [[University Information|universities]] to help you make an informed decision. <br />
<br />
==What do you do as a doctoral student?==<br />
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:45em; max-width: 25%;" cellspacing="5"<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
<br />
==Nitty-Gritty Details==<br />
<br />
===Hours spent studying/working===<br />
The amount of work that a doctoral student puts into the program varies by student and by program. However, most students who are still in coursework spend 50-60 hours a week (again this varies depending on how hard the student wants to work). After a student finishes their coursework and their comprehensive exams, the student then can work however many/few hours they desire; however, the fewer hours the student works the longer it will take to graduate. <br />
During the coursework phase of the dissertation, the student does get Christmas break, spring break, and summer break. These times are great opportunities to relax from the stress of coursework, take vacations, and be with family. However, a break is not like High School breaks. The student usually still has assignments and/or projects to work on during these breaks.<br />
<br />
===How long do you do it?===<br />
To earn an accounting doctoral degree, it takes most students four to five years of dedicated work (i.e., students normally work full time on a Ph.D. and do not have a full or part time side job). The amount of time to get the degree varies based on how hard a student is willing to work, the traditions and beliefs of the university granting the degree, and the rigor of the Ph.D. program. The four or five years usually consists of two to three years of coursework and then whatever time is necessary to write the dissertation (usually one or two years).<br />
<br />
===Stipend===<br />
Usually accounting doctoral students receive a full tuition and fees waiver while working towards completing their degree. They often also receive a stipend in exchange for teaching or being a researching assistant. The stipend can range from $12,000 to $30,000+ depending on the school. The requirements for teaching and being a research assistant also vary widely depending on the school. In general, schools with a greater research reputation pay a higher stipend and require less teaching than schools with a lesser research reputation.<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
|}<br />
There are three significant phases to an accounting doctoral program (1) coursework, (2) comprehensive exams, and (3) the dissertation. Also, during each of these phases you are expected, at most schools, to work as a research assistant or teaching assistant (or teach your own class). In this section we discuss each of these five topics individually.<br />
<br />
===Coursework Phase of the Ph.D. Program===<br />
During this phase of the accounting program you are a traditional student. That is, you go to class, have tests, and all the other things you probably did as an undergraduate or masters student. There are a few differences from your undergrad. First, the classes are a usually a lot harder. Second, you tend to not take as many different classes at the same time. Third, the classes are usually a lot smaller. <br />
<br />
[[Image:Students.jpg|left]] The courses you take are commonly separated into major courses, minor courses, and then other "tools" courses. The major courses focus on your discipline, with a particular focus on the research your discipline conducts. For example, in accounting you do not take any more classes where you learn the rules of how to be an accountant (i.e., in-depth study of tax law, audit practice, financial transactions, etc.). Instead, your class is focused on understanding how you research accounting issues. Often times the classes take the form of seminars. A typical seminar class will entail reading several academic research papers and then having one class member present on those papers. The presentation takes the form of an active discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the paper, how the paper could be extended, the theory the paper builds off, etc. The professor usually takes a somewhat back-seat approach to seminars and allows the students to do much of the discussion. Professors then chime in discussing points the students missed or to emphasize particularly important concepts. Most programs have students take several different accounting research seminars. The seminars are grouped based on [[Research Interests|research topical areas or methodologies]]. <br />
<br />
The minor courses in a Ph.D. are taken with Ph.D. students in other areas. In accounting, students often minor in economics, finance, information systems, psychology, or statistics. The minor courses are usually major courses for students in those other fields. In most of these classes, the focus is once again on understanding the research that these disciplines conduct. Minor courses can take the form of seminars or a more traditional lecturing format. <br />
<br />
Finally, the "tools" courses are courses that are intended to build specific competencies so that individuals can conduct research. These types of courses often center around gaining knowledge of statistical methods or experimental design. They may also focus on the basics of the scientific method and philosophy of science. Depending on what type of research you want to conduct, these courses can vary significantly. <br />
<br />
The coursework takes two years for most Ph.D. programs. In some instances, this is extended to three years--especially if incoming students have a lack of background knowledge or have been away from school for an extended period of time. Your work is very structured during the coursework phase of the program and will be very similar to your undergrad or masters experience.<br />
<br />
===Comprehensive Exam Phase of the Ph.D. Program===<br />
After you finish coursework, Ph.D. students are required to pass a comprehensive exam. This exam may be a written exam, oral exam, or both. Most accounting Ph.D. programs require a written comprehensive exam. The purpose of the comprehensive exam is to test whether students have a strong grasp of the current and past research findings in their discipline and whether students are capable of understanding the methods used to conduct research. Studying for the exam also helps students identify important gaps in the research stream or interesting questions. These often times turn into a students dissertation topic. Most students will spend several weeks and even months preparing to take their exams. The exams usually last an entire day or are spread over two or more days. <br />
<br />
The exact format of the comprehensive exam can differ significantly from university to university. The most common form of a comprehensive exam are essay questions and a review of a paper. Here are actual [[examples of comprehensive exam questions]]. If asked to review a paper, the student will be given a "finished" academic paper (usually a working paper) and asked to write a reviewer report. This is similar to the task of reviewing academic papers for peer reviewed journals, as professors are sometimes expected to do. The student will have a set period of time to read the paper and write a review explaining the strengths and weaknesses of the paper. For more information on [[reviewing papers]] see this page. <br />
<br />
After completing the exam, your professors will grade your exam and let you know whether you passed or not. If you did not pass, you are often allowed to take the exam one more time (if you fail the second time, you are usually dismissed from the program, although this does not occur frequently at most programs). If you pass the exam, you enter the dissertation phase of the program. Some universities also grant you a masters degree upon successful completion of the comprehensive exam. <br />
<br />
Studying for and taking the comprehensive exams is a stressful part of the Ph.D. program. Becoming an expert on the research in your field is a laborious process. The time is also completely unstructured such that procrastination is possible and can really hurt your chances of passing if you do not take your study time seriously. Although difficult, the feeling of passing your exams is euphoric. Also, you gain significant confidence in your abilities as a scholar when you pass the exams and know that you are an expert on research in your field.<br />
<br />
===Dissertation Phase of the Ph.D. Program===<br />
The third and final portion of the Ph.D. program is the time spent preparing your dissertation. The process of writing a dissertation has several parts. <br />
<br />
After finishing your comprehensive exams, and often times before then, you identify a faculty member to serve as your dissertation committee chair. This is usually someone who shares an interest or similar research skill set. This person serves as your mentor through the dissertation process and is incredibly important in helping you develop your academic career. <br />
<br />
[[Image:Students 2.jpg|left]]After selecting a chair, the first part of developing a dissertation is coming up with a research question. This part of the dissertation starts now, that is, you can develop an interesting question to answer at any time and use that for your dissertation. Ideally as you study for your comprehensive exams or work in other classes you create a list of interesting research questions. You then decide, with help and guidance from your chair, to use one of these questions for your dissertation. <br />
<br />
After developing an idea, you have to refine the idea to the point that you are ready to pass your dissertation proposal defense. The time required for this depends on how diligently you work on the project and on your university's norms. Some schools required a virtually finished paper at this point, others require a much less refined idea. As you get ready for the proposal defense, you will spend a significant amount of time working with your chair. The proposal defense is a formal meeting where your dissertation committee (several faculty members including your chair) quiz you about your research idea. They are testing to see whether your proposal has merit and if upon completion the work is sufficient to earn a Ph.D. After your presentation and a question and answer period, the committee will vote. A successful vote establishes a contract between you and the university such that if you complete your end of the deal, they will award you your degree. An unsuccessful vote means you will have to continue to refine your idea or select a new idea and go through the process again. <br />
<br />
After passing the dissertation proposal defense, you conduct the rest of your research and produce a final copy of your dissertation. You then present this final copy at your dissertation final defense. Again, a committee of faculty examines what you did and questions you about your work. After they finish questioning you, they vote. If they vote in the affirmative, you are awarded a Ph.D. If they vote in the negative, you will be required to rework your dissertation and repeat process. <br />
<br />
The time to complete a dissertation varies widely. A dissertation may be completed in a single year or as many as 9 years. The average time to completion is usually 2-3 years.<br />
<br />
===Working as a Teaching Assistant or Teaching your Own Class===<br />
Doctoral students often earn their stipend (a stipend is the money a Ph.D. program pays you while you attend) by teaching or helping to teach classes at the university. The amount of teaching that you are required to perform is usually a function of the research ranking and funding of the school. The more research a school conducts and if the school is private will generally be associated with a lower teaching expectation. You should be aware of the teaching requirements that are expected when you apply to programs. The greater the teaching requirement, the less time you will have available for research. <br />
<br />
Often doctoral students teach introductory financial or managerial courses. Occasionally students will teach higher level classes, but even then they are usually still undergraduate courses. It would be very rare for a doctoral student to teach masters courses.<br />
<br />
===Working as a Research Assistant===<br />
[[Image:Library_2.jpg|right]]As the name implies, working as a research assistant means that you assist a professor in conducting research. At the beginning of the semester you are either assigned or selected (or some combination of both depending on the program) to work with a professor. The professor will then ask you to help in conducting research. What you do usually depends on (1) what you are capable of doing and (2) the professor's needs. Thus you experience as a research assistant can vary widely. <br />
<br />
Examples of different types of activities you may be asked to perform include hand collecting data (e.g., searching press releases for pro forma information for hundreds/thousands of companies), finding previous research that is related to a topic, writing up a summary of previous research on a topic, designing an experiment, conducting statistical tests, writing up final results for a study, or supervising other students in these tasks. As your skill level for research increases, you are usually assigned more important roles in the research process. Depending on who you work with and what you do, you may even be considered to be a coauthor on a project. This should not be expected in most instances, but it is possible.<br />
<br />
==Why not get a Ph.D.?==<br />
While we have mentioned many of the positive aspects of earning a Ph.D., there are several costs to this decision that are important to weigh. These can be viewed as red flags that might cause you to second guess going into academics. <br />
<br />
In relation to the benefit of flexibility, we mention the curse of flexibility. There is little oversight of the day-to-day, week-to-week, and month-to-month progress you are making in a doctoral program and as a professor. Once coursework is finished, there are few deadlines any it is unlikely that someone is looking over your shoulder telling you what to do. If you are not self motivated and able to work in an unstructured environment, you will struggle in a Ph.D. program and as a professor. <br />
<br />
<br />
==More Information==<br />
These are the basics of life as a doctoral student. For more information, see the following pages:<br />
* [[Life as a Professor]]<br />
* [[How do you succeed in a Ph.D. program?]]<br />
<br />
----<br />
{|style="width:100%;margin-top:+.7em;"<br />
|-align="center"<br />
! style="background:#fafaFe; color:black; height: 20px" | <small>[[Main Page]] ► [[So you want to get a Ph.D.?]] ► [[Life as a Doctoral Student]]</small><br />
|}</div>Asayshttp://www.byuaccounting.net/mediawiki/index.php?title=Life_as_a_Doctoral_Student&diff=10506Life as a Doctoral Student2009-12-22T14:18:39Z<p>Asays: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:Students_3.jpg|right]]<br />
It's easy to see why everyone wants to be a professor, they live an exhilarating life full of adventure, fame, and fortune. Far fewer understand the journey it takes to reach the hallowed career of academician--the journey through a Ph.D. program. This page is intended to provide an overview of life as a doctoral student. While each doctoral program is different, this page provides an overview of doctoral studies in general and is intended to help you know whether a Ph.D. program is right for you. Learn what you can from here, read about [[Life as a Professor]], and talk to [[Current Faculty|faculty]] and [[Current Doctoral Students|doctoral students]] at lots of different [[University Information|universities]] to help you make an informed decision. <br />
<br />
==What do you do as a doctoral student?==<br />
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:45em; max-width: 25%;" cellspacing="5"<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
<br />
==Nitty-Gritty Details==<br />
<br />
===Hours spent studying/working===<br />
The amount of work that a doctoral student puts into the program varies by student and by program. However, most students who are still in coursework spend 50-60 hours a week (again this varies depending on how hard the student wants to work). After a student finishes their coursework and their comprehensive exams, the student then can work however many/few hours they desire; however, the fewer hours the student works the longer it will take to graduate. <br />
During the coursework phase of the dissertation, the student does get Christmas break, spring break, and summer break. These times are great opportunities to relax from the stress of coursework, take vacations, and be with family. However, a break is not like High School breaks. The student usually still has assignments and/or projects to work on during these breaks.<br />
<br />
===How long do you do it?===<br />
To earn an accounting doctoral degree, it takes most students four to five years of dedicated work (i.e., students normally work full time on a Ph.D. and do not have a full or part time side job). The amount of time to get the degree varies based on how hard a student is willing to work, the traditions and beliefs of the university granting the degree, and the rigor of the Ph.D. program. The four or five years usually consists of two to three years of coursework and then whatever time is necessary to write the dissertation (usually one or two years).<br />
<br />
===Stipend===<br />
Usually accounting doctoral students receive a full tuition and fees waiver while working towards completing their degree. They often also receive a stipend in exchange for teaching or being a researching assistant. The stipend can range from $12,000 to $30,000+ depending on the school. The requirements for teaching and being a research assistant also vary widely depending on the school. In general, schools with a greater research reputation pay a higher stipend and require less teaching than schools with a lesser research reputation.<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
|}<br />
There are three significant phases to an accounting doctoral program (1) coursework, (2) comprehensive exams, and (3) the dissertation. Also, during each of these phases you are expected, at most schools, to work as a research assistant or teaching assistant (or teach your own class). In this section we discuss each of these five topics individually.<br />
<br />
===Coursework Phase of the Ph.D. Program===<br />
During this phase of the accounting program you are a traditional student. That is, you go to class, have tests, and all the other things you probably did as an undergraduate or masters student. There are a few differences from your undergrad. First, the classes are a usually a lot harder. Second, you tend to not take as many different classes at the same time. Third, the classes are usually a lot smaller. <br />
<br />
[[Image:Students.jpg|left]] The courses you take are commonly separated into major courses, minor courses, and then other "tools" courses. The major courses focus on your discipline, with a particular focus on the research your discipline conducts. For example, in accounting you do not take any more classes where you learn the rules of how to be an accountant (i.e., in-depth study of tax law, audit practice, financial transactions, etc.). Instead, your class is focused on understanding how you research accounting issues. Often times the classes take the form of seminars. A typical seminar class will entail reading several academic research papers and then having one class member present on those papers. The presentation takes the form of an active discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the paper, how the paper could be extended, the theory the paper builds off, etc. The professor usually takes a somewhat back-seat approach to seminars and allows the students to do much of the discussion. Professors then chime in discussing points the students missed or to emphasize particularly important concepts. Most programs have students take several different accounting research seminars. The seminars are grouped based on [[Research Interests|research topical areas or methodologies]]. <br />
<br />
The minor courses in a Ph.D. are taken with Ph.D. students in other areas. In accounting, students often minor in economics, finance, information systems, psychology, or statistics. The minor courses are usually major courses for students in those other fields. In most of these classes, the focus is once again on understanding the research that these disciplines conduct. Minor courses can take the form of seminars or a more traditional lecturing format. <br />
<br />
Finally, the "tools" courses are courses that are intended to build specific competencies so that individuals can conduct research. These types of courses often center around gaining knowledge of statistical methods or experimental design. They may also focus on the basics of the scientific method and philosophy of science. Depending on what type of research you want to conduct, these courses can vary significantly. <br />
<br />
The coursework takes two years for most Ph.D. programs. In some instances, this is extended to three years--especially if incoming students have a lack of background knowledge or have been away from school for an extended period of time. Your work is very structured during the coursework phase of the program and will be very similar to your undergrad or masters experience.<br />
<br />
===Comprehensive Exam Phase of the Ph.D. Program===<br />
After you finish coursework, Ph.D. students are required to pass a comprehensive exam. This exam may be a written exam, oral exam, or both. Most accounting Ph.D. programs require a written comprehensive exam. The purpose of the comprehensive exam is to test whether students have a strong grasp of the current and past research findings in their discipline and whether students are capable of understanding the methods used to conduct research. Studying for the exam also helps students identify important gaps in the research stream or interesting questions. These often times turn into a students dissertation topic. Most students will spend several weeks and even months preparing to take their exams. The exams usually last an entire day or are spread over two or more days. <br />
<br />
The exact format of the comprehensive exam can differ significantly from university to university. The most common form of a comprehensive exam are essay questions and a review of a paper. Here are actual [[examples of comprehensive exam questions]]. If asked to review a paper, the student will be given a "finished" academic paper (usually a working paper) and asked to write a reviewer report. This is similar to the task of reviewing academic papers for peer reviewed journals, as professors are sometimes expected to do. The student will have a set period of time to read the paper and write a review explaining the strengths and weaknesses of the paper. For more information on [[reviewing papers]] see this page. <br />
<br />
After completing the exam, your professors will grade your exam and let you know whether you passed or not. If you did not pass, you are often allowed to take the exam one more time (if you fail the second time, you are usually dismissed from the program, although this does not occur frequently). If you pass the exam, you enter the dissertation phase of the program. Some universities also grant you a masters degree upon successful completion of the comprehensive exam. <br />
<br />
Studying for and taking the comprehensive exams is a stressful part of the Ph.D. program. Becoming an expert on the research in your field is a laborious process. The time is also completely unstructured such that procrastination is possible and can really hurt your chances of passing if you do not take your study time seriously. Although difficult, the feeling of passing your exams is euphoric. Also, you gain significant confidence in your abilities as a scholar when you pass the exams and know that you are an expert on research in your field.<br />
<br />
===Dissertation Phase of the Ph.D. Program===<br />
The third and final portion of the Ph.D. program is the time spent preparing your dissertation. The process of writing a dissertation has several parts. <br />
<br />
After finishing your comprehensive exams, and often times before then, you identify a faculty member to serve as your dissertation committee chair. This is usually someone who shares an interest or similar research skill set. This person serves as your mentor through the dissertation process and is incredibly important in helping you develop your academic career. <br />
<br />
[[Image:Students 2.jpg|left]]After selecting a chair, the first part of developing a dissertation is coming up with a research question. This part of the dissertation starts now, that is, you can develop an interesting question to answer at any time and use that for your dissertation. Ideally as you study for your comprehensive exams or work in other classes you create a list of interesting research questions. You then decide, with help and guidance from your chair, to use one of these questions for your dissertation. <br />
<br />
After developing an idea, you have to refine the idea to the point that you are ready to pass your dissertation proposal defense. The time required for this depends on how diligently you work on the project and on your university's norms. Some schools required a virtually finished paper at this point, others require a much less refined idea. As you get ready for the proposal defense, you will spend a significant amount of time working with your chair. The proposal defense is a formal meeting where your dissertation committee (several faculty members including your chair) quiz you about your research idea. They are testing to see whether your proposal has merit and if upon completion the work is sufficient to earn a Ph.D. After your presentation and a question and answer period, the committee will vote. A successful vote establishes a contract between you and the university such that if you complete your end of the deal, they will award you your degree. An unsuccessful vote means you will have to continue to refine your idea or select a new idea and go through the process again. <br />
<br />
After passing the dissertation proposal defense, you conduct the rest of your research and produce a final copy of your dissertation. You then present this final copy at your dissertation final defense. Again, a committee of faculty examines what you did and questions you about your work. After they finish questioning you, they vote. If they vote in the affirmative, you are awarded a Ph.D. If they vote in the negative, you will be required to rework your dissertation and repeat process. <br />
<br />
The time to complete a dissertation varies widely. A dissertation may be completed in a single year or as many as 9 years. The average time to completion is usually 2-3 years.<br />
<br />
===Working as a Teaching Assistant or Teaching your Own Class===<br />
Doctoral students often earn their stipend (a stipend is the money a Ph.D. program pays you while you attend) by teaching or helping to teach classes at the university. The amount of teaching that you are required to perform is usually a function of the research ranking and funding of the school. The more research a school conducts and if the school is private will generally be associated with a lower teaching expectation. You should be aware of the teaching requirements that are expected when you apply to programs. The greater the teaching requirement, the less time you will have available for research. <br />
<br />
Often doctoral students teach introductory financial or managerial courses. Occasionally students will teach higher level classes, but even then they are usually still undergraduate courses. It would be very rare for a doctoral student to teach masters courses.<br />
<br />
===Working as a Research Assistant===<br />
[[Image:Library_2.jpg|right]]As the name implies, working as a research assistant means that you assist a professor in conducting research. At the beginning of the semester you are either assigned or selected (or some combination of both depending on the program) to work with a professor. The professor will then ask you to help in conducting research. What you do usually depends on (1) what you are capable of doing and (2) the professor's needs. Thus you experience as a research assistant can vary widely. <br />
<br />
Examples of different types of activities you may be asked to perform include hand collecting data (e.g., searching press releases for pro forma information for hundreds/thousands of companies), finding previous research that is related to a topic, writing up a summary of previous research on a topic, designing an experiment, conducting statistical tests, writing up final results for a study, or supervising other students in these tasks. As your skill level for research increases, you are usually assigned more important roles in the research process. Depending on who you work with and what you do, you may even be considered to be a coauthor on a project. This should not be expected in most instances, but it is possible.<br />
<br />
==Why not get a Ph.D.?==<br />
While we have mentioned many of the positive aspects of earning a Ph.D., there are several costs to this decision that are important to weigh. These can be viewed as red flags that might cause you to second guess going into academics. <br />
<br />
In relation to the benefit of flexibility, we mention the curse of flexibility. There is little oversight of the day-to-day, week-to-week, and month-to-month progress you are making in a doctoral program and as a professor. Once coursework is finished, there are few deadlines any it is unlikely that someone is looking over your shoulder telling you what to do. If you are not self motivated and able to work in an unstructured environment, you will struggle in a Ph.D. program and as a professor. <br />
<br />
<br />
==More Information==<br />
These are the basics of life as a doctoral student. For more information, see the following pages:<br />
* [[Life as a Professor]]<br />
* [[How do you succeed in a Ph.D. program?]]<br />
<br />
----<br />
{|style="width:100%;margin-top:+.7em;"<br />
|-align="center"<br />
! style="background:#fafaFe; color:black; height: 20px" | <small>[[Main Page]] ► [[So you want to get a Ph.D.?]] ► [[Life as a Doctoral Student]]</small><br />
|}</div>Asayshttp://www.byuaccounting.net/mediawiki/index.php?title=Life_as_a_Doctoral_Student&diff=10505Life as a Doctoral Student2009-12-22T14:15:41Z<p>Asays: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:Students_3.jpg|right]]<br />
It's easy to see why everyone wants to be a professor, they live an exhilarating life full of adventure, fame, and fortune. Far fewer understand the journey it takes to reach the hallowed career of academician--the journey through a Ph.D. program. This page is intended to provide an overview of life as a doctoral student. While each doctoral program is different, this page provides an overview of doctoral studies in general and is intended to help you know whether a Ph.D. program is right for you. Learn what you can from here, read about [[Life as a Professor]], and talk to [[Current Faculty|faculty]] and [[Current Doctoral Students|doctoral students]] at lots of different [[University Information|universities]] to help you make an informed decision. <br />
<br />
==What do you do as a doctoral student?==<br />
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:45em; max-width: 25%;" cellspacing="5"<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
<br />
==Nitty-Gritty Details==<br />
<br />
===Hours spent studying/working===<br />
The amount of work that a doctoral student puts into the program varies by student and by program. However, most students who are still in coursework spend 50-60 hours a week (again this varies depending on how hard the student wants to work). After a student finishes their coursework and their comprehensive exams, the student then can work however many/few hours they desire; however, the fewer hours the student works the longer it will take to graduate. <br />
During the coursework phase of the dissertation, the student does get Christmas break, spring break, and summer break. These times are great opportunities to relax from the stress of coursework, take vacations, and be with family. However, a break is not like High School breaks. The student usually still has assignments and/or projects to work on during these breaks.<br />
<br />
===How long do you do it?===<br />
To earn an accounting doctoral degree, it takes most students four to five years of dedicated work (i.e., students normally work full time on a Ph.D. and do not have a full or part time side job). The amount of time to get the degree varies based on how hard a student is willing to work, the traditions and beliefs of the university granting the degree, and the rigor of the Ph.D. program. The four or five years usually consists of two to three years of coursework and then whatever time is necessary to write the dissertation (usually one or two years).<br />
<br />
===Stipend===<br />
Usually accounting doctoral students receive a full tuition and fees waiver while working towards completing their degree. They often also receive a stipend in exchange for teaching or being a researching assistant. The stipend can range from $12,000 to $30,000+ depending on the school. The requirements for teaching and being a research assistant also vary widely depending on the school. In general, schools with a greater research reputation pay a higher stipend and require less teaching than schools with a lesser research reputation.<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
|}<br />
There are three significant phases to an accounting doctoral program (1) coursework, (2) comprehensive exams, and (3) the dissertation. Also, during each of these phases you are expected, at most schools, to work as a research assistant or teaching assistant (or teach your own class). In this section we discuss each of these five topics individually.<br />
<br />
===Coursework Phase of the Ph.D. Program===<br />
During this phase of the accounting program you are a traditional student. That is, you go to class, have tests, and all the other things you probably did as an undergraduate or masters student. There are a few differences from your undergrad. First, the classes are a usually a lot harder. Second, you tend to not take as many different classes at the same time. Third, the classes are usually a lot smaller. <br />
<br />
[[Image:Students.jpg|left]] The courses you take are commonly separated into major courses, minor courses, and then other "tools" courses. The major courses focus on your discipline, with a particular focus on the research your discipline conducts. For example, in accounting you do not take any more classes where you learn the rules of how to be an accountant (i.e., in-depth study of tax law, audit practice, financial transactions, etc.). Instead, your class is focused on understanding how you research accounting issues. Often times the classes take the form of seminars. A typical seminar class will entail reading several academic research papers and then having one class member present on those papers. The presentation takes the form of an active discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the paper, how the paper could be extended, the theory the paper builds off, etc. The professor usually takes a somewhat back-seat approach to seminars and allows the students to do much of the discussion. Professors then chime in discussing points the students missed or to emphasize particularly important concepts. Most programs have students take several different accounting research seminars. The seminars are grouped based on [[Research Interests|research topical areas or methodologies]]. <br />
<br />
The minor courses in a Ph.D. are taken with Ph.D. students in other areas. In accounting, students often minor in economics, finance, information systems, psychology, or statistics. The minor courses are usually major courses for students in those other fields. In most of these classes, the focus is once again on understanding the research that these disciplines conduct. Minor courses can take the form of seminars or a more traditional lecturing format. <br />
<br />
Finally, the "tools" courses are courses that are intended to build specific competencies so that individuals can conduct research. These types of courses often center around gaining knowledge of statistical methods or experimental design. They may also focus on the basics of the scientific method and philosophy of science. Depending on what type of research you want to conduct, these courses can vary significantly. <br />
<br />
The coursework takes two years for most Ph.D. programs. In some instances, this is extended to three years--especially if incoming students have a lack of background knowledge or have been away from school for an extended period of time. Your work is very structured during the coursework phase of the program and will be very similar to your undergrad or masters experience.<br />
<br />
===Comprehensive Exam Phase of the Ph.D. Program===<br />
After you finish coursework, Ph.D. students are required to pass a comprehensive exam. This exam may be a written exam, oral exam, or both. Most accounting Ph.D. programs require a written comprehensive exam. The purpose of the comprehensive exam is to test whether students have a strong grasp of the current and past research findings in their discipline and whether students are capable of understanding the methods used to conduct research. Studying for the exam also helps students identify important gaps in the research stream or interesting questions. These often times turn into a students dissertation topic. Most students will spend several weeks and even months preparing to take their exams. The exams usually last an entire day or are spread over two or more days. <br />
<br />
The exact format of the comprehensive exam can differ significantly from university to university. The most common form of a comprehensive exam are essay questions and a review of a paper. Here are actual [[examples of comprehensive exam questions]]. If asked to review a paper, the student will be given a "finished" academic paper (usually a working paper) and asked to write a reviewer report. This is similar to the task of reviewing academic papers for peer reviewed journals, as professors are sometimes expected to do. The student will have a set period of time to read the paper and write a review explaining the strengths and weaknesses of the paper. For more information on [[reviewing papers]] see this page. <br />
<br />
After completing the exam, your professors will grade your exam and let you know whether you passed or not. If you did not pass, you are often allowed to take the exam one more time (if you fail the second time, you are usually dismissed from the program). If you pass the exam, you enter the dissertation phase of the program. Some universities also grant you a masters degree upon successful completion of the comprehensive exam. <br />
<br />
Studying for and taking the comprehensive exams is a stressful part of the Ph.D. program. Becoming an expert on the research in your field is a laborious process. The time is also completely unstructured such that procrastination is possible and can really hurt your chances of passing if you do not take your study time seriously. Although difficult, the feeling of passing your exams is euphoric. Also, you gain significant confidence in your abilities as a scholar when you pass the exams and know that you are an expert on research in your field.<br />
<br />
===Dissertation Phase of the Ph.D. Program===<br />
The third and final portion of the Ph.D. program is the time spent preparing your dissertation. The process of writing a dissertation has several parts. <br />
<br />
After finishing your comprehensive exams, and often times before then, you identify a faculty member to serve as your dissertation committee chair. This is usually someone who shares an interest or similar research skill set. This person serves as your mentor through the dissertation process and is incredibly important in helping you develop your academic career. <br />
<br />
[[Image:Students 2.jpg|left]]After selecting a chair, the first part of developing a dissertation is coming up with a research question. This part of the dissertation starts now, that is, you can develop an interesting question to answer at any time and use that for your dissertation. Ideally as you study for your comprehensive exams or work in other classes you create a list of interesting research questions. You then decide, with help and guidance from your chair, to use one of these questions for your dissertation. <br />
<br />
After developing an idea, you have to refine the idea to the point that you are ready to pass your dissertation proposal defense. The time required for this depends on how diligently you work on the project and on your university's norms. Some schools required a virtually finished paper at this point, others require a much less refined idea. As you get ready for the proposal defense, you will spend a significant amount of time working with your chair. The proposal defense is a formal meeting where your dissertation committee (several faculty members including your chair) quiz you about your research idea. They are testing to see whether your proposal has merit and if upon completion the work is sufficient to earn a Ph.D. After your presentation and a question and answer period, the committee will vote. A successful vote establishes a contract between you and the university such that if you complete your end of the deal, they will award you your degree. An unsuccessful vote means you will have to continue to refine your idea or select a new idea and go through the process again. <br />
<br />
After passing the dissertation proposal defense, you conduct the rest of your research and produce a final copy of your dissertation. You then present this final copy at your dissertation final defense. Again, a committee of faculty examines what you did and questions you about your work. After they finish questioning you, they vote. If they vote in the affirmative, you are awarded a Ph.D. If they vote in the negative, you will be required to rework your dissertation and repeat process. <br />
<br />
The time to complete a dissertation varies widely. A dissertation may be completed in a single year or as many as 9 years. The average time to completion is usually 2-3 years.<br />
<br />
===Working as a Teaching Assistant or Teaching your Own Class===<br />
Doctoral students often earn their stipend (a stipend is the money a Ph.D. program pays you while you attend) by teaching or helping to teach classes at the university. The amount of teaching that you are required to perform is usually a function of the research ranking and funding of the school. The more research a school conducts and if the school is private will generally be associated with a lower teaching expectation. You should be aware of the teaching requirements that are expected when you apply to programs. The greater the teaching requirement, the less time you will have available for research. <br />
<br />
Often doctoral students teach introductory financial or managerial courses. Occasionally students will teach higher level classes, but even then they are usually still undergraduate courses. It would be very rare for a doctoral student to teach masters courses.<br />
<br />
===Working as a Research Assistant===<br />
[[Image:Library_2.jpg|right]]As the name implies, working as a research assistant means that you assist a professor in conducting research. At the beginning of the semester you are either assigned or selected (or some combination of both depending on the program) to work with a professor. The professor will then ask you to help in conducting research. What you do usually depends on (1) what you are capable of doing and (2) the professor's needs. Thus you experience as a research assistant can vary widely. <br />
<br />
Examples of different types of activities you may be asked to perform include hand collecting data (e.g., searching press releases for pro forma information for hundreds/thousands of companies), finding previous research that is related to a topic, writing up a summary of previous research on a topic, designing an experiment, conducting statistical tests, writing up final results for a study, or supervising other students in these tasks. As your skill level for research increases, you are usually assigned more important roles in the research process. Depending on who you work with and what you do, you may even be considered to be a coauthor on a project. This should not be expected in most instances, but it is possible.<br />
<br />
==Why not get a Ph.D.?==<br />
While we have mentioned many of the positive aspects of earning a Ph.D., there are several costs to this decision that are important to weigh. These can be viewed as red flags that might cause you to second guess going into academics. <br />
<br />
In relation to the benefit of flexibility, we mention the curse of flexibility. There is little oversight of the day-to-day, week-to-week, and month-to-month progress you are making in a doctoral program and as a professor. Once coursework is finished, there are few deadlines any it is unlikely that someone is looking over your shoulder telling you what to do. If you are not self motivated and able to work in an unstructured environment, you will struggle in a Ph.D. program and as a professor. <br />
<br />
<br />
==More Information==<br />
These are the basics of life as a doctoral student. For more information, see the following pages:<br />
* [[Life as a Professor]]<br />
* [[How do you succeed in a Ph.D. program?]]<br />
<br />
----<br />
{|style="width:100%;margin-top:+.7em;"<br />
|-align="center"<br />
! style="background:#fafaFe; color:black; height: 20px" | <small>[[Main Page]] ► [[So you want to get a Ph.D.?]] ► [[Life as a Doctoral Student]]</small><br />
|}</div>Asayshttp://www.byuaccounting.net/mediawiki/index.php?title=Life_as_a_Doctoral_Student&diff=10504Life as a Doctoral Student2009-12-22T14:08:03Z<p>Asays: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:Students_3.jpg|right]]<br />
It's easy to see why everyone wants to be a professor, they live an exhilarating life full of adventure, fame, and fortune. Far fewer understand the journey it takes to reach the hallowed career of academician--the journey through a Ph.D. program. This page is intended to provide an overview of life as a doctoral student. While each doctoral program is different, this page provides an overview of doctoral studies in general and is intended to help you know whether a Ph.D. program is right for you. Learn what you can from here, read about [[Life as a Professor]], and talk to [[Current Faculty|faculty]] and [[Current Doctoral Students|doctoral students]] at lots of different [[University Information|universities]] to help you make an informed decision. <br />
<br />
==What do you do as a doctoral student?==<br />
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:45em; max-width: 25%;" cellspacing="5"<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
<br />
==Nitty-Gritty Details==<br />
<br />
===Hours spent studying/working===<br />
The amount of work that a doctoral student puts into the program varies by student and by program. However, most students who are still in coursework spend 50-60 hours a week (again this varies depending on how hard the student wants to work). After a student finishes their coursework and their comprehensive exams, the student then can work however many/few hours they desire; however, the fewer hours the student works the longer it will take to graduate. <br />
During the coursework phase of the dissertation, the student does get Christmas break, spring break, and summer break. These times are great opportunities to relax from the stress of coursework, take vacations, and be with family. However, a break is not like High School breaks. The student usually still has assignments and/or projects to work on during these breaks.<br />
<br />
===How long do you do it?===<br />
To earn an accounting doctoral degree, it takes most students four to five years of dedicated work (i.e., students normally work full time on a Ph.D. and do not have a full or part time side job). The amount of time to get the degree varies based on how hard a student is willing to work, the traditions and beliefs of the university granting the degree, and the rigor of the Ph.D. program. The four or five years usually consists of two to three years of coursework and then whatever time is necessary to write the dissertation (usually one or two years).<br />
<br />
===Stipend===<br />
Usually accounting doctoral students receive a full tuition and fees waiver while working towards completing their degree. They often also receive a stipend in exchange for teaching or being a researching assistant. The stipend can range from $12,000 to $30,000+ depending on the school. The requirements for teaching and being a research assistant also vary widely depending on the school. In general, schools with a greater research reputation pay a higher stipend and require less teaching than schools with a lesser research reputation.<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
|}<br />
There are three significant phases to an accounting doctoral program (1) coursework, (2) comprehensive exams, and (3) the dissertation. Also, during each of these phases you are expected, at most schools, to work as a research assistant or teaching assistant (or teach your own class). In this section we discuss each of these five topics individually.<br />
<br />
===Coursework Phase of the Ph.D. Program===<br />
During this phase of the accounting program you are a traditional student. That is, you go to class, have tests, and all the other things you probably did as an undergraduate or masters student. There are a few differences from your undergrad. First, the classes are a usually a lot harder. Second, you tend to not take as many different classes at the same time. Third, the classes are usually a lot smaller. <br />
<br />
[[Image:Students.jpg|left]] The courses you take are commonly separated into major courses, minor courses, and then other "tools" courses. The major courses focus on your discipline, with a particular focus on the research your discipline conducts. For example, in accounting you do not take any more classes where you learn the rules of how to be an accountant (i.e., in-depth study of tax law, audit practice, financial transactions, etc.). Instead, your class is focused on understanding how you research accounting issues. Often times the classes take the form of seminars. A typical seminar class will entail reading several academic research papers and then having one class member present on those papers. The presentation takes the form of an active discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the paper, how the paper could be extended, the theory the paper builds off, etc. The professor usually takes a somewhat back-seat approach to seminars and allows the students to do much of the discussion. Professors then chime in discussing points the students missed or to emphasize particularly important concepts. Most programs have students take several different accounting research seminars. The seminars are grouped based on [[Research Interests|research topical areas or methodologies]]. <br />
<br />
The minor courses in a Ph.D. are taken with Ph.D. students in other areas. In accounting, students often minor in economics, finance, information systems, psychology, or statistics. The minor courses are usually major courses for students in those other fields. In most of these classes, the focus is once again on understanding the research that these disciplines conduct. Minor courses can take the form of seminars or a more traditional lecturing format. <br />
<br />
Finally, the "tools" courses are courses that are intended to build specific competencies so that individuals can conduct research. These types of courses often center around gaining knowledge of statistical methods or experimental design. They may also focus on the basics of the scientific method and philosophy of science. Depending on what type of research you want to conduct, these courses can vary significantly. <br />
<br />
The coursework takes two years for most Ph.D. programs. In some instances, this is extended to three years--especially if incoming students have a lack of background knowledge or have been away from school for an extended period of time. Your work is very structured during the coursework phase of the program and will be very similar to your undergrad or masters experience.<br />
<br />
===Comprehensive Exam Phase of the Ph.D. Program===<br />
After you finish coursework, Ph.D. students are required to pass a comprehensive exam. This exam may be a written exam, oral exam, or both. Most accounting Ph.D. programs require a written comprehensive exam. The purpose of the comprehensive exam is to test whether students have a strong grasp of the current and past research findings in their discipline and whether students are capable of understanding the methods used to conduct research. Studying for the exam also helps students identify important gaps in the research stream or interesting questions. These often times turn into a students dissertation topic. Most students will spend several weeks and even months preparing to take their exams. The exams usually last an entire day or are spread over two or more days. <br />
<br />
The exact format of the comprehensive exam can differ significantly from university to university. The most common form of a comprehensive exam are essay questions and a review of a paper. Here are actual [[examples of comprehensive exam questions]]. If asked to review a paper, the student will be given a "finished" academic paper (usually a working paper) and asked to write a reviewer report. This is similar to the task of reviewing academic papers that professors conduct. The student will have a set period of time to read the paper and write a review explaining the strengths and weaknesses of the paper. For more information on [[reviewing papers]] see this page. <br />
<br />
After completing the exam, your professors will grade your exam and let you know whether you passed or not. If you did not pass, you are often allowed to take the exam one more time (if you fail the second time, you are usually dismissed from the program). If you pass the exam, you enter the dissertation phase of the program. Some universities also grant you a masters degree upon successful completion of the comprehensive exam. <br />
<br />
Studying for and taking the comprehensive exams is a stressful part of the Ph.D. program. Becoming an expert on the research in your field is a laborious process. The time is also completely unstructured such that procrastination is possible and can really hurt your chances of passing if you do not take your study time seriously. Although difficult, the feeling of passing your exams is euphoric. Also, you gain significant confidence in your abilities as a scholar when you pass the exams and know that you are an expert on research in your field.<br />
<br />
===Dissertation Phase of the Ph.D. Program===<br />
The third and final portion of the Ph.D. program is the time spent preparing your dissertation. The process of writing a dissertation has several parts. <br />
<br />
After finishing your comprehensive exams, and often times before then, you identify a faculty member to serve as your dissertation committee chair. This is usually someone who shares an interest or similar research skill set. This person serves as your mentor through the dissertation process and is incredibly important in helping you develop your academic career. <br />
<br />
[[Image:Students 2.jpg|left]]After selecting a chair, the first part of developing a dissertation is coming up with a research question. This part of the dissertation starts now, that is, you can develop an interesting question to answer at any time and use that for your dissertation. Ideally as you study for your comprehensive exams or work in other classes you create a list of interesting research questions. You then decide, with help and guidance from your chair, to use one of these questions for your dissertation. <br />
<br />
After developing an idea, you have to refine the idea to the point that you are ready to pass your dissertation proposal defense. The time required for this depends on how diligently you work on the project and on your university's norms. Some schools required a virtually finished paper at this point, others require a much less refined idea. As you get ready for the proposal defense, you will spend a significant amount of time working with your chair. The proposal defense is a formal meeting where your dissertation committee (several faculty members including your chair) quiz you about your research idea. They are testing to see whether your proposal has merit and if upon completion the work is sufficient to earn a Ph.D. After your presentation and a question and answer period, the committee will vote. A successful vote establishes a contract between you and the university such that if you complete your end of the deal, they will award you your degree. An unsuccessful vote means you will have to continue to refine your idea or select a new idea and go through the process again. <br />
<br />
After passing the dissertation proposal defense, you conduct the rest of your research and produce a final copy of your dissertation. You then present this final copy at your dissertation final defense. Again, a committee of faculty examines what you did and questions you about your work. After they finish questioning you, they vote. If they vote in the affirmative, you are awarded a Ph.D. If they vote in the negative, you will be required to rework your dissertation and repeat process. <br />
<br />
The time to complete a dissertation varies widely. A dissertation may be completed in a single year or as many as 9 years. The average time to completion is usually 2-3 years.<br />
<br />
===Working as a Teaching Assistant or Teaching your Own Class===<br />
Doctoral students often earn their stipend (a stipend is the money a Ph.D. program pays you while you attend) by teaching or helping to teach classes at the university. The amount of teaching that you are required to perform is usually a function of the research ranking and funding of the school. The more research a school conducts and if the school is private will generally be associated with a lower teaching expectation. You should be aware of the teaching requirements that are expected when you apply to programs. The greater the teaching requirement, the less time you will have available for research. <br />
<br />
Often doctoral students teach introductory financial or managerial courses. Occasionally students will teach higher level classes, but even then they are usually still undergraduate courses. It would be very rare for a doctoral student to teach masters courses.<br />
<br />
===Working as a Research Assistant===<br />
[[Image:Library_2.jpg|right]]As the name implies, working as a research assistant means that you assist a professor in conducting research. At the beginning of the semester you are either assigned or selected (or some combination of both depending on the program) to work with a professor. The professor will then ask you to help in conducting research. What you do usually depends on (1) what you are capable of doing and (2) the professor's needs. Thus you experience as a research assistant can vary widely. <br />
<br />
Examples of different types of activities you may be asked to perform include hand collecting data (e.g., searching press releases for pro forma information for hundreds/thousands of companies), finding previous research that is related to a topic, writing up a summary of previous research on a topic, designing an experiment, conducting statistical tests, writing up final results for a study, or supervising other students in these tasks. As your skill level for research increases, you are usually assigned more important roles in the research process. Depending on who you work with and what you do, you may even be considered to be a coauthor on a project. This should not be expected in most instances, but it is possible.<br />
<br />
==Why not get a Ph.D.?==<br />
While we have mentioned many of the positive aspects of earning a Ph.D., there are several costs to this decision that are important to weigh. These can be viewed as red flags that might cause you to second guess going into academics. <br />
<br />
In relation to the benefit of flexibility, we mention the curse of flexibility. There is little oversight of the day-to-day, week-to-week, and month-to-month progress you are making in a doctoral program and as a professor. Once coursework is finished, there are few deadlines any it is unlikely that someone is looking over your shoulder telling you what to do. If you are not self motivated and able to work in an unstructured environment, you will struggle in a Ph.D. program and as a professor. <br />
<br />
<br />
==More Information==<br />
These are the basics of life as a doctoral student. For more information, see the following pages:<br />
* [[Life as a Professor]]<br />
* [[How do you succeed in a Ph.D. program?]]<br />
<br />
----<br />
{|style="width:100%;margin-top:+.7em;"<br />
|-align="center"<br />
! style="background:#fafaFe; color:black; height: 20px" | <small>[[Main Page]] ► [[So you want to get a Ph.D.?]] ► [[Life as a Doctoral Student]]</small><br />
|}</div>Asayshttp://www.byuaccounting.net/mediawiki/index.php?title=Life_as_a_Doctoral_Student&diff=10503Life as a Doctoral Student2009-12-22T14:06:33Z<p>Asays: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:Students_3.jpg|right]]<br />
It's easy to see why everyone wants to be a professor, they live an exhilarating life full of adventure, fame, and fortune. Far fewer understand the journey it takes to reach the hallowed career of academician--the journey through a Ph.D. program. This page is intended to provide an overview of life as a doctoral student. While each doctoral program is different, this page provides an overview of doctoral studies in general and is intended to help you know whether a Ph.D. program is right for you. Learn what you can from here, read about [[Life as a Professor]], and talk to [[Current Faculty|faculty]] and [[Current Doctoral Students|doctoral students]] at lots of different [[University Information|universities]] to help you make an informed decision. <br />
<br />
==What do you do as a doctoral student?==<br />
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:45em; max-width: 25%;" cellspacing="5"<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
<br />
==Nitty-Gritty Details==<br />
<br />
===Hours spent studying/working===<br />
The amount of work that a doctoral student puts into the program varies by student and by program. However, most students who are still in coursework spend 50-60 hours a week (again this varies depending on how hard the student wants to work). After a student finishes their coursework and their comprehensive exams, the student then can work however many/few hours they desire; however, the fewer hours the student works the longer it will take to graduate. <br />
During the coursework phase of the dissertation, the student does get Christmas break, spring break, and summer break. These times are great opportunities to relax from the stress of coursework, take vacations, and be with family. However, a break is not like High School breaks. The student usually still has assignments and/or projects to work on during these breaks.<br />
<br />
===How long do you do it?===<br />
To earn an accounting doctoral degree, it takes most students four to five years of dedicated work (i.e., students normally work full time on a Ph.D. and do not have a full or part time side job). The amount of time to get the degree varies based on how hard a student is willing to work, the traditions and beliefs of the university granting the degree, and the rigor of the Ph.D. program. The four or five years usually consists of two to three years of coursework and then whatever time is necessary to write the dissertation (usually one or two years).<br />
<br />
===Stipend===<br />
Usually accounting doctoral students receive a full tuition and fees waiver while working towards completing their degree. They often also receive a stipend in exchange for teaching or being a researching assistant. The stipend can range from $12,000 to $30,000+ depending on the school. The requirements for teaching and being a research assistant also vary widely depending on the school. In general, schools with a greater research reputation pay a higher stipend and require less teaching than schools with a lesser research reputation.<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
|}<br />
There are three significant phases to an accounting doctoral program (1) coursework, (2) comprehensive exams, and (3) the dissertation. Also, during each of these phases you are expected, at most schools, to work as a research assistant or teaching assistant (or teach your own class). In this section we discuss each of these five topics individually.<br />
<br />
===Coursework Phase of the Ph.D. Program===<br />
During this phase of the accounting program you are a traditional student. That is, you go to class, have tests, and all the other things you probably did as an undergraduate or masters student. There are a few differences from your undergrad. First, the classes are a usually a lot harder. Second, you tend to not take as many different classes at the same time. Third, the classes are usually a lot smaller. <br />
<br />
[[Image:Students.jpg|left]] The courses you take are commonly separated into major courses, minor courses, and then other "tools" courses. The major courses focus on your discipline, with a particular focus on the research your discipline conducts. For example, in accounting you do not take any more classes where you learn the rules of how to be an accountant (i.e., in-depth study of tax law, audit practice, financial transactions, etc.). Instead, your class is focused on understanding how you research accounting issues. Often times the classes take the form of seminars. A typical seminar class will entail reading several academic research papers and then having one class member present on those papers. The presentation takes the form of an active discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the paper, how the paper could be extended, the theory the paper builds off, etc. The professor usually takes a somewhat back-seat approach to seminars and allows the students to do much of the discussion. Professors then chime in discussing points the students missed or to emphasize particularly important concepts. Most programs have students take several different accounting research seminars. The seminars are grouped based on [[Research Interests|research topical areas or methodologies]]. <br />
<br />
The minor courses in a Ph.D. are taken with Ph.D. students in other areas. In accounting, students often minor in economics, finance, information systems, psychology, or statistics. The minor courses are usually major courses for students in those other fields. In most of these classes, the focus is once again on understanding the research that these disciplines conduct. Minor courses can take the form of seminars or like a more traditional lecturing format. <br />
<br />
Finally, the "tools" courses are courses that are intended to build specific competencies so that individuals can conduct research. These types of courses often center around gaining knowledge of statistical methods or experimental design. They may also focus on the basics of the scientific method and philosophy of science. Depending on what type of research you want to conduct, these courses can vary significantly. <br />
<br />
The coursework takes two years for most Ph.D. programs. In some instances, this is extended to three years--especially if incoming students have a lack of background knowledge or have been away from school for an extended period of time. Your work is very structured during the coursework phase of the program and will be very similar to your undergrad or masters experience.<br />
<br />
===Comprehensive Exam Phase of the Ph.D. Program===<br />
After you finish coursework, Ph.D. students are required to pass a comprehensive exam. This exam may be a written exam, oral exam, or both. Most accounting Ph.D. programs require a written comprehensive exam. The purpose of the comprehensive exam is to test whether students have a strong grasp of the current and past research findings in their discipline and whether students are capable of understanding the methods used to conduct research. Studying for the exam also helps students identify important gaps in the research stream or interesting questions. These often times turn into a students dissertation topic. Most students will spend several weeks and even months preparing to take their exams. The exams usually last an entire day or are spread over two or more days. <br />
<br />
The exact format of the comprehensive exam can differ significantly from university to university. The most common form of a comprehensive exam are essay questions and a review of a paper. Here are actual [[examples of comprehensive exam questions]]. If asked to review a paper, the student will be given a "finished" academic paper (usually a working paper) and asked to write a reviewer report. This is similar to the task of reviewing academic papers that professors conduct. The student will have a set period of time to read the paper and write a review explaining the strengths and weaknesses of the paper. For more information on [[reviewing papers]] see this page. <br />
<br />
After completing the exam, your professors will grade your exam and let you know whether you passed or not. If you did not pass, you are often allowed to take the exam one more time (if you fail the second time, you are usually dismissed from the program). If you pass the exam, you enter the dissertation phase of the program. Some universities also grant you a masters degree upon successful completion of the comprehensive exam. <br />
<br />
Studying for and taking the comprehensive exams is a stressful part of the Ph.D. program. Becoming an expert on the research in your field is a laborious process. The time is also completely unstructured such that procrastination is possible and can really hurt your chances of passing if you do not take your study time seriously. Although difficult, the feeling of passing your exams is euphoric. Also, you gain significant confidence in your abilities as a scholar when you pass the exams and know that you are an expert on research in your field.<br />
<br />
===Dissertation Phase of the Ph.D. Program===<br />
The third and final portion of the Ph.D. program is the time spent preparing your dissertation. The process of writing a dissertation has several parts. <br />
<br />
After finishing your comprehensive exams, and often times before then, you identify a faculty member to serve as your dissertation committee chair. This is usually someone who shares an interest or similar research skill set. This person serves as your mentor through the dissertation process and is incredibly important in helping you develop your academic career. <br />
<br />
[[Image:Students 2.jpg|left]]After selecting a chair, the first part of developing a dissertation is coming up with a research question. This part of the dissertation starts now, that is, you can develop an interesting question to answer at any time and use that for your dissertation. Ideally as you study for your comprehensive exams or work in other classes you create a list of interesting research questions. You then decide, with help and guidance from your chair, to use one of these questions for your dissertation. <br />
<br />
After developing an idea, you have to refine the idea to the point that you are ready to pass your dissertation proposal defense. The time required for this depends on how diligently you work on the project and on your university's norms. Some schools required a virtually finished paper at this point, others require a much less refined idea. As you get ready for the proposal defense, you will spend a significant amount of time working with your chair. The proposal defense is a formal meeting where your dissertation committee (several faculty members including your chair) quiz you about your research idea. They are testing to see whether your proposal has merit and if upon completion the work is sufficient to earn a Ph.D. After your presentation and a question and answer period, the committee will vote. A successful vote establishes a contract between you and the university such that if you complete your end of the deal, they will award you your degree. An unsuccessful vote means you will have to continue to refine your idea or select a new idea and go through the process again. <br />
<br />
After passing the dissertation proposal defense, you conduct the rest of your research and produce a final copy of your dissertation. You then present this final copy at your dissertation final defense. Again, a committee of faculty examines what you did and questions you about your work. After they finish questioning you, they vote. If they vote in the affirmative, you are awarded a Ph.D. If they vote in the negative, you will be required to rework your dissertation and repeat process. <br />
<br />
The time to complete a dissertation varies widely. A dissertation may be completed in a single year or as many as 9 years. The average time to completion is usually 2-3 years.<br />
<br />
===Working as a Teaching Assistant or Teaching your Own Class===<br />
Doctoral students often earn their stipend (a stipend is the money a Ph.D. program pays you while you attend) by teaching or helping to teach classes at the university. The amount of teaching that you are required to perform is usually a function of the research ranking and funding of the school. The more research a school conducts and if the school is private will generally be associated with a lower teaching expectation. You should be aware of the teaching requirements that are expected when you apply to programs. The greater the teaching requirement, the less time you will have available for research. <br />
<br />
Often doctoral students teach introductory financial or managerial courses. Occasionally students will teach higher level classes, but even then they are usually still undergraduate courses. It would be very rare for a doctoral student to teach masters courses.<br />
<br />
===Working as a Research Assistant===<br />
[[Image:Library_2.jpg|right]]As the name implies, working as a research assistant means that you assist a professor in conducting research. At the beginning of the semester you are either assigned or selected (or some combination of both depending on the program) to work with a professor. The professor will then ask you to help in conducting research. What you do usually depends on (1) what you are capable of doing and (2) the professor's needs. Thus you experience as a research assistant can vary widely. <br />
<br />
Examples of different types of activities you may be asked to perform include hand collecting data (e.g., searching press releases for pro forma information for hundreds/thousands of companies), finding previous research that is related to a topic, writing up a summary of previous research on a topic, designing an experiment, conducting statistical tests, writing up final results for a study, or supervising other students in these tasks. As your skill level for research increases, you are usually assigned more important roles in the research process. Depending on who you work with and what you do, you may even be considered to be a coauthor on a project. This should not be expected in most instances, but it is possible.<br />
<br />
==Why not get a Ph.D.?==<br />
While we have mentioned many of the positive aspects of earning a Ph.D., there are several costs to this decision that are important to weigh. These can be viewed as red flags that might cause you to second guess going into academics. <br />
<br />
In relation to the benefit of flexibility, we mention the curse of flexibility. There is little oversight of the day-to-day, week-to-week, and month-to-month progress you are making in a doctoral program and as a professor. Once coursework is finished, there are few deadlines any it is unlikely that someone is looking over your shoulder telling you what to do. If you are not self motivated and able to work in an unstructured environment, you will struggle in a Ph.D. program and as a professor. <br />
<br />
<br />
==More Information==<br />
These are the basics of life as a doctoral student. For more information, see the following pages:<br />
* [[Life as a Professor]]<br />
* [[How do you succeed in a Ph.D. program?]]<br />
<br />
----<br />
{|style="width:100%;margin-top:+.7em;"<br />
|-align="center"<br />
! style="background:#fafaFe; color:black; height: 20px" | <small>[[Main Page]] ► [[So you want to get a Ph.D.?]] ► [[Life as a Doctoral Student]]</small><br />
|}</div>Asayshttp://www.byuaccounting.net/mediawiki/index.php?title=Life_as_a_Doctoral_Student&diff=10502Life as a Doctoral Student2009-12-22T14:05:38Z<p>Asays: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:Students_3.jpg|right]]<br />
It's easy to see why everyone wants to be a professor, they live an exhilarating life full of adventure, fame, and fortune. Far fewer understand the journey it takes to reach the hallowed career of academician--the journey through a Ph.D. program. This page is intended to provide an overview of life as a doctoral student. While each doctoral program is different, this page provides an overview of doctoral studies in general and is intended to help you know whether a Ph.D. program is right for you. Learn what you can from here, read about [[Life as a Professor]], and talk to [[Current Faculty|faculty]] and [[Current Doctoral Students|doctoral students]] at lots of different [[University Information|universities]] to help you make an informed decision. <br />
<br />
==What do you do as a doctoral student?==<br />
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:45em; max-width: 25%;" cellspacing="5"<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
<br />
==Nitty-Gritty Details==<br />
<br />
===Hours spent studying/working===<br />
The amount of work that a doctoral student puts into the program varies by student and by program. However, most students who are still in coursework spend 50-60 hours a week (again this varies depending on how hard the student wants to work). After a student finishes their coursework and their comprehensive exams, the student then can work however many/few hours they desire; however, the fewer hours the student works the longer it will take to graduate. <br />
During the coursework phase of the dissertation, the student does get Christmas break, spring break, and summer break. These times are great opportunities to relax from the stress of coursework, take vacations, and be with family. However, a break is not like High School breaks. The student usually still has assignments and/or projects to work on during these breaks.<br />
<br />
===How long do you do it?===<br />
To earn an accounting doctoral degree, it takes most students four to five years of dedicated work (i.e., students normally work full time on a Ph.D. and do not have a full or part time side job). The amount of time to get the degree varies based on how hard a student is willing to work, the traditions and beliefs of the university granting the degree, and the rigor of the Ph.D. program. The four or five years usually consists of two to three years of coursework and then whatever time is necessary to write the dissertation (usually one or two years).<br />
<br />
===Stipend===<br />
Usually accounting doctoral students receive a full tuition and fees waiver while working towards completing their degree. They often also receive a stipend in exchange for teaching or being a researching assistant. The stipend can range from $12,000 to $30,000+ depending on the school. The requirements for teaching and being a research assistant also vary widely depending on the school. In general, schools with a greater research reputation pay a higher stipend and require less teaching than schools with a lesser research reputation.<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: left;" | <br />
|}<br />
There are three significant phases to an accounting doctoral program (1) coursework, (2) comprehensive exams, and (3) the dissertation. Also, during each of these phases you are expected, at most schools, to work as a research assistant or teaching assistant (or teach your own class). In this section we discuss each of these five topics individually.<br />
<br />
===Coursework Phase of the Ph.D. Program===<br />
During this phase of the accounting program you are a traditional student. That is, you go to class, have tests, and all the other things you probably did as an undergraduate or masters student. There are a few differences from your undergrad. First, the classes are a usually a lot harder. Second, you tend to not take as many different classes at the same time. Third, the classes are usually a lot smaller. <br />
<br />
[[Image:Students.jpg|left]] The courses you take are commonly separated into major courses, minor courses, and then other "tools" courses. The major courses focus on your discipline, with a particular focus on the research your discipline conducts. For example, in accounting you do not take any more classes where you learn the rules of how to be an accountant (i.e., in-depth study of tax law, audit practice, financial transactions, etc.). Instead, your class is focused on understanding how you research accounting issues. Often times the classes take the form of seminars. A typical seminar class will entail reading several academic research papers and then having one class member present on those papers. The presentation takes the form of an active discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the paper, how the paper could be extended, the theory the paper builds off, etc. The professor usually takes a somewhat back-seat approach to seminars and allows the students to do much of the discussion. Professors then chime in discussing points the students missed or to emphasize particularly important concepts. Most programs have students take several different accounting research seminars. The seminars are grouped based on [[Research Interests|research topical areas or methodologies]]. <br />
<br />
The minor courses in a Ph.D. are taken with Ph.D. students in other areas. In accounting, students offer minor in economics, finance, information systems, psychology, or statistics. The minor courses are usually major courses for students in those other fields. In most of these classes, the focus is once again on understanding the research that these disciplines conduct. Minor courses can take the form of seminars or like a more traditional lecturing format. <br />
<br />
Finally, the "tools" courses are courses that are intended to build specific competencies so that individuals can conduct research. These types of courses often center around gaining knowledge of statistical methods or experimental design. They may also focus on the basics of the scientific method and philosophy of science. Depending on what type of research you want to conduct, these courses can vary significantly. <br />
<br />
The coursework takes two years for most Ph.D. programs. In some instances, this is extended to three years--especially if incoming students have a lack of background knowledge or have been away from school for an extended period of time. Your work is very structured during the coursework phase of the program and will be very similar to your undergrad or masters experience.<br />
<br />
===Comprehensive Exam Phase of the Ph.D. Program===<br />
After you finish coursework, Ph.D. students are required to pass a comprehensive exam. This exam may be a written exam, oral exam, or both. Most accounting Ph.D. programs require a written comprehensive exam. The purpose of the comprehensive exam is to test whether students have a strong grasp of the current and past research findings in their discipline and whether students are capable of understanding the methods used to conduct research. Studying for the exam also helps students identify important gaps in the research stream or interesting questions. These often times turn into a students dissertation topic. Most students will spend several weeks and even months preparing to take their exams. The exams usually last an entire day or are spread over two or more days. <br />
<br />
The exact format of the comprehensive exam can differ significantly from university to university. The most common form of a comprehensive exam are essay questions and a review of a paper. Here are actual [[examples of comprehensive exam questions]]. If asked to review a paper, the student will be given a "finished" academic paper (usually a working paper) and asked to write a reviewer report. This is similar to the task of reviewing academic papers that professors conduct. The student will have a set period of time to read the paper and write a review explaining the strengths and weaknesses of the paper. For more information on [[reviewing papers]] see this page. <br />
<br />
After completing the exam, your professors will grade your exam and let you know whether you passed or not. If you did not pass, you are often allowed to take the exam one more time (if you fail the second time, you are usually dismissed from the program). If you pass the exam, you enter the dissertation phase of the program. Some universities also grant you a masters degree upon successful completion of the comprehensive exam. <br />
<br />
Studying for and taking the comprehensive exams is a stressful part of the Ph.D. program. Becoming an expert on the research in your field is a laborious process. The time is also completely unstructured such that procrastination is possible and can really hurt your chances of passing if you do not take your study time seriously. Although difficult, the feeling of passing your exams is euphoric. Also, you gain significant confidence in your abilities as a scholar when you pass the exams and know that you are an expert on research in your field.<br />
<br />
===Dissertation Phase of the Ph.D. Program===<br />
The third and final portion of the Ph.D. program is the time spent preparing your dissertation. The process of writing a dissertation has several parts. <br />
<br />
After finishing your comprehensive exams, and often times before then, you identify a faculty member to serve as your dissertation committee chair. This is usually someone who shares an interest or similar research skill set. This person serves as your mentor through the dissertation process and is incredibly important in helping you develop your academic career. <br />
<br />
[[Image:Students 2.jpg|left]]After selecting a chair, the first part of developing a dissertation is coming up with a research question. This part of the dissertation starts now, that is, you can develop an interesting question to answer at any time and use that for your dissertation. Ideally as you study for your comprehensive exams or work in other classes you create a list of interesting research questions. You then decide, with help and guidance from your chair, to use one of these questions for your dissertation. <br />
<br />
After developing an idea, you have to refine the idea to the point that you are ready to pass your dissertation proposal defense. The time required for this depends on how diligently you work on the project and on your university's norms. Some schools required a virtually finished paper at this point, others require a much less refined idea. As you get ready for the proposal defense, you will spend a significant amount of time working with your chair. The proposal defense is a formal meeting where your dissertation committee (several faculty members including your chair) quiz you about your research idea. They are testing to see whether your proposal has merit and if upon completion the work is sufficient to earn a Ph.D. After your presentation and a question and answer period, the committee will vote. A successful vote establishes a contract between you and the university such that if you complete your end of the deal, they will award you your degree. An unsuccessful vote means you will have to continue to refine your idea or select a new idea and go through the process again. <br />
<br />
After passing the dissertation proposal defense, you conduct the rest of your research and produce a final copy of your dissertation. You then present this final copy at your dissertation final defense. Again, a committee of faculty examines what you did and questions you about your work. After they finish questioning you, they vote. If they vote in the affirmative, you are awarded a Ph.D. If they vote in the negative, you will be required to rework your dissertation and repeat process. <br />
<br />
The time to complete a dissertation varies widely. A dissertation may be completed in a single year or as many as 9 years. The average time to completion is usually 2-3 years.<br />
<br />
===Working as a Teaching Assistant or Teaching your Own Class===<br />
Doctoral students often earn their stipend (a stipend is the money a Ph.D. program pays you while you attend) by teaching or helping to teach classes at the university. The amount of teaching that you are required to perform is usually a function of the research ranking and funding of the school. The more research a school conducts and if the school is private will generally be associated with a lower teaching expectation. You should be aware of the teaching requirements that are expected when you apply to programs. The greater the teaching requirement, the less time you will have available for research. <br />
<br />
Often doctoral students teach introductory financial or managerial courses. Occasionally students will teach higher level classes, but even then they are usually still undergraduate courses. It would be very rare for a doctoral student to teach masters courses.<br />
<br />
===Working as a Research Assistant===<br />
[[Image:Library_2.jpg|right]]As the name implies, working as a research assistant means that you assist a professor in conducting research. At the beginning of the semester you are either assigned or selected (or some combination of both depending on the program) to work with a professor. The professor will then ask you to help in conducting research. What you do usually depends on (1) what you are capable of doing and (2) the professor's needs. Thus you experience as a research assistant can vary widely. <br />
<br />
Examples of different types of activities you may be asked to perform include hand collecting data (e.g., searching press releases for pro forma information for hundreds/thousands of companies), finding previous research that is related to a topic, writing up a summary of previous research on a topic, designing an experiment, conducting statistical tests, writing up final results for a study, or supervising other students in these tasks. As your skill level for research increases, you are usually assigned more important roles in the research process. Depending on who you work with and what you do, you may even be considered to be a coauthor on a project. This should not be expected in most instances, but it is possible.<br />
<br />
==Why not get a Ph.D.?==<br />
While we have mentioned many of the positive aspects of earning a Ph.D., there are several costs to this decision that are important to weigh. These can be viewed as red flags that might cause you to second guess going into academics. <br />
<br />
In relation to the benefit of flexibility, we mention the curse of flexibility. There is little oversight of the day-to-day, week-to-week, and month-to-month progress you are making in a doctoral program and as a professor. Once coursework is finished, there are few deadlines any it is unlikely that someone is looking over your shoulder telling you what to do. If you are not self motivated and able to work in an unstructured environment, you will struggle in a Ph.D. program and as a professor. <br />
<br />
<br />
==More Information==<br />
These are the basics of life as a doctoral student. For more information, see the following pages:<br />
* [[Life as a Professor]]<br />
* [[How do you succeed in a Ph.D. program?]]<br />
<br />
----<br />
{|style="width:100%;margin-top:+.7em;"<br />
|-align="center"<br />
! style="background:#fafaFe; color:black; height: 20px" | <small>[[Main Page]] ► [[So you want to get a Ph.D.?]] ► [[Life as a Doctoral Student]]</small><br />
|}</div>Asayshttp://www.byuaccounting.net/mediawiki/index.php?title=How_do_I_get_into_a_research_intensive_PhD_program%3F&diff=2305How do I get into a research intensive PhD program?2008-03-13T15:00:11Z<p>Asays: </p>
<hr />
<div>* Study for the GMAT and get a good score.<br />
<br />
* Take your PhD Prep-track courses seriously and learn as much as possible. <br />
<br />
* Get research going with faculty. Take your ideas to them and take initiative so you have the opportunity to have co-authored work in progress. <br />
<br />
* Seek the advice of current professors and doctoral students so you know which schools you should apply to. <br />
<br />
* Apply to programs that fit your needs and interests. This is critical as those Ph.D. prep students who have not finished their Ph.D. did not fit well at the schools where they began studying. <br />
<br />
* Your statement of purpose is very important. Make sure you spend a lot of time crafting this document and have several individuals read it and comment on it.<br />
<br />
* Get good letters of recommendation. Although you cannot control what is written about you, you should be professional in your interactions with faculty. A good letter of recommendation can go a long way, and a mediocre letter can shut doors very quickly.</div>Asayshttp://www.byuaccounting.net/mediawiki/index.php?title=How_do_I_get_into_a_research_intensive_PhD_program%3F&diff=1838How do I get into a research intensive PhD program?2008-02-23T16:56:23Z<p>Asays: New page: * Take your PhD Prep-track courses seriously and learn as much as possible. * Study for the GMAT and get a good score. * Get research going with faculty. Take your ideas to them and take ...</p>
<hr />
<div>* Take your PhD Prep-track courses seriously and learn as much as possible.<br />
* Study for the GMAT and get a good score.<br />
* Get research going with faculty. Take your ideas to them and take initiative so you have the opportunity to have co-authored work in progress.<br />
* Seek the advice of current professors and doctoral students so you know which schools you should apply to.<br />
* Apply to programs that fit your needs and interests.</div>Asayshttp://www.byuaccounting.net/mediawiki/index.php?title=Main_Page&diff=1123Main Page2007-12-04T17:51:53Z<p>Asays: /* Ph.D. Prep Track Student Resources */</p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:Tanner_Building.jpg |right|Tanner Building]]<br />
<br />
== Announcements ==<br />
* If you have a biographical page that contains the information that would be placed on the wiki biography page, please only provide the link to your biographical page. This way we will avoid having to update two places when the information changes.<br />
* The IAAER Executive Committee is very pleased to announce that the Association is providing a limited time offer to doctoral students in accounting and accounting related programs. Students completing the membership form provided on our website (http://www.iaaer.org/doc/2007doctoral.doc) and returning it no later than May 31, 2008 will have their fee for a three-year membership waived.<br />
* Current and past Ph.D. Prep Track students may obtain they own user name by sending an email to phdprep.byu@gmail.com. Please include your desired user name and graduation date.<br />
* Please make [[suggestions for next years conference]].<br />
* [[What else do you want to see on the site?]] - List questions you have, information you want, or other things that we should put on the website on this page.<br />
* Please help out! Not sure what to do? See the page [[Things that need to be done]].<br />
<br />
== Featured Articles ==<br />
* Under construction<br />
<br />
== Should I get a Ph.D.? ==<br />
* [[Should I work in industry before getting a Ph.D.?]]<br />
* [[Research Interests|What do accounting professors research?]]<br />
* [[What is life like as a doctoral student?]]<br />
* [[What is life like as an accounting professor?]]<br />
* [[Why I didn't get a Ph.D.]]<br />
* [http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/doctoral/admissions/selecting.cfm Am I ready for a PhD Program? And, which program is right for me?]<br />
<br />
== People == <br />
* [[Accomplishments and Successes]]<br />
=== Students ===<br />
* [[Current Ph.D. Prep Track Students]]<br />
* [[Past Ph.D. Prep Track Students]]<br />
<br />
=== Other Students or Faculty who are Friends of BYU ===<br />
* [http://marriottschool.byu.edu/emp/dept.cfm?dept=17&pid=3650 Current BYU Faculty]<br />
* [[Non Ph.D. Prep Track Students who are Friends of BYU]]<br />
* [[Non Ph.D. Prep Track Faculty who are Friends of BYU]]<br />
<br />
== Resources ==<br />
=== Researching Resources ===<br />
* [https://marriottschool.byu.edu/emp/tc259/accframework/ Financial Accounting Framework Database]<br />
* [http://phdprep.byu.edu/images/2/2f/Journal_rankings.pdf List of Journals in Business, with impact factor, etc.]<br />
* [[Research Ideas]]<br />
* [[Research Interests]]<br />
* [[SAS Coding Help]]<br />
<br />
=== Teaching Resources ===<br />
* [[Accounting Humor]] - Great for the classroom<br />
* [[Accounting Quotes]] - Great for the classroom<br />
<br />
=== Keys to Success in a PhD Program ===<br />
* [[Understanding the Accounting Industry]]<br />
<br />
=== Ph.D. Prep Track Student Resources ===<br />
* [[Course Requirements]]<br />
* [[GMAT Suggestions]]<br />
* [[Should I get my CPA?]]<br />
* [[Suggestions From Students]]<br />
<br />
=== Other Resources ===<br />
* [[BYU Accounting Symposium]]<br />
* [http://marriottschool.byu.edu/emp/GloverPrawittWood/ Publication Requirements for Tenure]<br />
* [[University Information]]<br />
<br />
== Getting started ==<br />
<br />
* [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:Configuration_settings Configuration settings list]<br />
* [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:FAQ MediaWiki FAQ]<br />
* [http://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/mediawiki-announce MediaWiki release mailing list]<br />
Consult the [http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Help:Contents User's Guide] for information on using the wiki software.</div>Asayshttp://www.byuaccounting.net/mediawiki/index.php?title=Main_Page&diff=1122Main Page2007-12-04T17:51:31Z<p>Asays: /* Ph.D. Prep Track Student Resources */</p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:Tanner_Building.jpg |right|Tanner Building]]<br />
<br />
== Announcements ==<br />
* If you have a biographical page that contains the information that would be placed on the wiki biography page, please only provide the link to your biographical page. This way we will avoid having to update two places when the information changes.<br />
* The IAAER Executive Committee is very pleased to announce that the Association is providing a limited time offer to doctoral students in accounting and accounting related programs. Students completing the membership form provided on our website (http://www.iaaer.org/doc/2007doctoral.doc) and returning it no later than May 31, 2008 will have their fee for a three-year membership waived.<br />
* Current and past Ph.D. Prep Track students may obtain they own user name by sending an email to phdprep.byu@gmail.com. Please include your desired user name and graduation date.<br />
* Please make [[suggestions for next years conference]].<br />
* [[What else do you want to see on the site?]] - List questions you have, information you want, or other things that we should put on the website on this page.<br />
* Please help out! Not sure what to do? See the page [[Things that need to be done]].<br />
<br />
== Featured Articles ==<br />
* Under construction<br />
<br />
== Should I get a Ph.D.? ==<br />
* [[Should I work in industry before getting a Ph.D.?]]<br />
* [[Research Interests|What do accounting professors research?]]<br />
* [[What is life like as a doctoral student?]]<br />
* [[What is life like as an accounting professor?]]<br />
* [[Why I didn't get a Ph.D.]]<br />
* [http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/doctoral/admissions/selecting.cfm Am I ready for a PhD Program? And, which program is right for me?]<br />
<br />
== People == <br />
* [[Accomplishments and Successes]]<br />
=== Students ===<br />
* [[Current Ph.D. Prep Track Students]]<br />
* [[Past Ph.D. Prep Track Students]]<br />
<br />
=== Other Students or Faculty who are Friends of BYU ===<br />
* [http://marriottschool.byu.edu/emp/dept.cfm?dept=17&pid=3650 Current BYU Faculty]<br />
* [[Non Ph.D. Prep Track Students who are Friends of BYU]]<br />
* [[Non Ph.D. Prep Track Faculty who are Friends of BYU]]<br />
<br />
== Resources ==<br />
=== Researching Resources ===<br />
* [https://marriottschool.byu.edu/emp/tc259/accframework/ Financial Accounting Framework Database]<br />
* [http://phdprep.byu.edu/images/2/2f/Journal_rankings.pdf List of Journals in Business, with impact factor, etc.]<br />
* [[Research Ideas]]<br />
* [[Research Interests]]<br />
* [[SAS Coding Help]]<br />
<br />
=== Teaching Resources ===<br />
* [[Accounting Humor]] - Great for the classroom<br />
* [[Accounting Quotes]] - Great for the classroom<br />
<br />
=== Keys to Success in a PhD Program ===<br />
* [[Understanding the Accounting Industry]]<br />
<br />
=== Ph.D. Prep Track Student Resources ===<br />
* [[Course Requirements]]<br />
* [[GMAT Suggestions]]<br />
* [[Should I get my CPA?]<br />
* [[Suggestions From Students]]<br />
<br />
=== Other Resources ===<br />
* [[BYU Accounting Symposium]]<br />
* [http://marriottschool.byu.edu/emp/GloverPrawittWood/ Publication Requirements for Tenure]<br />
* [[University Information]]<br />
<br />
== Getting started ==<br />
<br />
* [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:Configuration_settings Configuration settings list]<br />
* [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:FAQ MediaWiki FAQ]<br />
* [http://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/mediawiki-announce MediaWiki release mailing list]<br />
Consult the [http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Help:Contents User's Guide] for information on using the wiki software.</div>Asayshttp://www.byuaccounting.net/mediawiki/index.php?title=How_to_gain_an_in-depth_understanding_of_institutional_characteristics_as_a_Ph.D._student_without_prior_work_experience&diff=1120How to gain an in-depth understanding of institutional characteristics as a Ph.D. student without prior work experience2007-12-04T17:43:27Z<p>Asays: </p>
<hr />
<div>'''·''' Do an internship at one of the Big 4 firms while at BYU. Be honest with the firms you intern with and tell them you might continue school and get a PhD. You should try to do an internship to gain some exposure to the firms and what they are like.<br />
<br />
'''·''' You can also work part-time at a local company in their accounting department while at BYU, and gain some good experience. <br />
<br />
'''·''' During the PhD program, buy a subscription to the WSJ and read it regularly. Of course you can't read all the articles every day, but try hard to read as many articles related to accounting as you can. <br />
<br />
'''·''' Another fantastic resource is CFO.com. With no charge at all, you can go to CFO.com and sign up for email news alerts related to “accounting.” I think CFO.com’s articles are the best content available for keeping up on current accounting issues—and the best part is it’s free. <br />
<br />
'''·''' Make an effort during your time at a PhD program to stay connected with the firms. In preparation for my dissertation, I met with employees of a large national consulting firm and teleconferenced with a national partner in the Chicago office to discuss my dissertation idea and see what insights they had about my idea. The firm had done some of its own research in my dissertation area, so their thoughts were helpful. That meeting was possible because of a connection I made when I interned. <br />
<br />
'''·''' Universities often invite people at the top of the accounting field (e.g., chair of the PCAOB, etc.) to come speak to their students. When your schedule permits, volunteer to be part of the group that takes those kinds of speakers to dinner. Those were great opportunities to meet with people high up in the accounting world and hear their insights. <br />
<br />
'''·''' Your ward is likely full of people who are working in financial reporting at several public companies. Ask them often for their insights about different reporting issues that you are interested in researching. That’s a simple thing to do, but most people love sharing their insights about how things work, and you'll always learn from what they share.<br />
<br />
'''·''' My dissertation chair did a two-year sabbatical my first two years at where he worked in research at Goldman Sachs in New York. When he returned, he and I brainstormed about research ideas, and I participated in several conference calls with his contacts back in New York where we were able to ask for insights about how financial analysts do things “in the real world.” Those experiences were helpful because they provide insights you can’t get from staring at IBES data.<br />
<br />
'''·''' The bottom line is that you have to stay as connected as possible with the world of accounting. If you look for opportunities to connect, there will be plenty of them. Reading WSJ and CFO help a lot, but direct contact with the industry is also very helpful.</div>Asayshttp://www.byuaccounting.net/mediawiki/index.php?title=How_to_gain_an_in-depth_understanding_of_institutional_characteristics_as_a_Ph.D._student_without_prior_work_experience&diff=1119How to gain an in-depth understanding of institutional characteristics as a Ph.D. student without prior work experience2007-12-04T17:42:45Z<p>Asays: </p>
<hr />
<div>'''·''' Do an internship at one of the Big 4 firms while at BYU. Be honest with the firms you intern with and tell them you might continue school and get a PhD. You should try to do an internship to gain some exposure to the firms and what they are like.<br />
<br />
'''·''' You can also work part-time at a local company in their accounting department while at BYU, and gain some good experience. <br />
<br />
'''·''' During the PhD program, buy a subscription to the WSJ and read it regularly. Of course you can't read all the articles every day, but try hard to read as many articles related to accounting as you can. <br />
<br />
'''·''' Another fantastic resource is CFO.com. With no charge at all, you can go to CFO.com and sign up for email news alerts related to “accounting.” I think CFO.com’s articles are the best content available for keeping up on current accounting issues—and the best part is it’s free. <br />
<br />
'''·''' Make an effort during your time at a PhD program to stay connected with the firms. In preparation for my dissertation, I met with employees of a large national consulting firm and teleconferenced with a national partner in the Chicago office to discuss my dissertation idea and see what insights they had about my idea. The firm had done some of its own research in my dissertation area, so their thoughts were helpful. That meeting was possible because of a connection I made when I interned. <br />
<br />
'''·''' Universities often invite people at the top of the accounting field (e.g., chair of the PCAOB, etc.) to come speak to their students. When your schedule permits, volunteer to be part of the group that takes those kinds of speakers to dinner. Those were great opportunities to meet with people high up in the accounting world and hear their insights. <br />
<br />
'''·''' Your ward is likely full of people who are working in financial reporting at several public companies. Ask them often for their insights about different reporting issues that you are interested in researching. That’s a simple thing to do, but most people love sharing their insights about how things work, and you'll always learn from what they share.<br />
<br />
'''·''' My dissertation chair did a two-year sabbatical my first two years at where he worked in research at Goldman Sachs in New York. When he returned, he and I brainstormed about research ideas, and I participated in several conference calls with his contacts back in New York where we were able to ask for insights about how financial analysts do things “in the real world.” Those experiences were helpful because they provide insights you can’t get from staring at IBES data.<br />
<br />
<br />
The bottom line is that you have to stay as connected as possible with the world of accounting. If you look for opportunities to connect, there will be plenty of them. Reading WSJ and CFO help a lot, but direct contact with the industry when possible is also very helpful.</div>Asayshttp://www.byuaccounting.net/mediawiki/index.php?title=How_to_gain_an_in-depth_understanding_of_institutional_characteristics_as_a_Ph.D._student_without_prior_work_experience&diff=1118How to gain an in-depth understanding of institutional characteristics as a Ph.D. student without prior work experience2007-12-04T17:42:01Z<p>Asays: New page: · Do an internship at one of the Big 4 firms while at BYU. Be honest with the firms you intern with and tell them you might continue school and get a PhD. You should try to do an intern...</p>
<hr />
<div>· Do an internship at one of the Big 4 firms while at BYU. Be honest with the firms you intern with and tell them you might continue school and get a PhD. You should try to do an internship to gain some exposure to the firms and what they are like.<br />
<br />
· You can also work part-time at a local company in their accounting department while at BYU, and gain some good experience. <br />
<br />
· During the PhD program, buy a subscription to the WSJ and read it regularly. Of course you can't read all the articles every day, but try hard to read as many articles related to accounting as you can. <br />
<br />
· Another fantastic resource is CFO.com. With no charge at all, you can go to CFO.com and sign up for email news alerts related to “accounting.” I think CFO.com’s articles are the best content available for keeping up on current accounting issues—and the best part is it’s free. <br />
<br />
· Make an effort during your time at a PhD program to stay connected with the firms. In preparation for my dissertation, I met with employees of a large national consulting firm and teleconferenced with a national partner in the Chicago office to discuss my dissertation idea and see what insights they had about my idea. The firm had done some of its own research in my dissertation area, so their thoughts were helpful. That meeting was possible because of a connection I made when I interned. <br />
<br />
· Universities often invite people at the top of the accounting field (e.g., chair of the PCAOB, etc.) to come speak to their students. When your schedule permits, volunteer to be part of the group that takes those kinds of speakers to dinner. Those were great opportunities to meet with people high up in the accounting world and hear their insights. <br />
<br />
· Your ward is likely full of people who are working in financial reporting at several public companies. Ask them often for their insights about different reporting issues that you are interested in researching. That’s a simple thing to do, but most people love sharing their insights about how things work, and you'll always learn from what they share.<br />
<br />
· My dissertation chair did a two-year sabbatical my first two years at where he worked in research at Goldman Sachs in New York. When he returned, he and I brainstormed about research ideas, and I participated in several conference calls with his contacts back in New York where we were able to ask for insights about how financial analysts do things “in the real world.” Those experiences were helpful because they provide insights you can’t get from staring at IBES data.<br />
<br />
<br />
The bottom line is that you have to stay as connected as possible with the world of accounting. If you look for opportunities to connect, there will be plenty of them. Reading WSJ and CFO help a lot, but direct contact with the industry when possible is also very helpful.</div>Asayshttp://www.byuaccounting.net/mediawiki/index.php?title=Main_Page&diff=1117Main Page2007-12-04T17:30:30Z<p>Asays: /* Resources */</p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:Tanner_Building.jpg |right|Tanner Building]]<br />
<br />
== Announcements ==<br />
* If you have a biographical page that contains the information that would be placed on the wiki biography page, please only provide the link to your biographical page. This way we will avoid having to update two places when the information changes.<br />
* The IAAER Executive Committee is very pleased to announce that the Association is providing a limited time offer to doctoral students in accounting and accounting related programs. Students completing the membership form provided on our website (http://www.iaaer.org/doc/2007doctoral.doc) and returning it no later than May 31, 2008 will have their fee for a three-year membership waived.<br />
* Current and past Ph.D. Prep Track students may obtain they own user name by sending an email to phdprep.byu@gmail.com. Please include your desired user name and graduation date.<br />
* Please make [[suggestions for next years conference]].<br />
* [[What else do you want to see on the site?]] - List questions you have, information you want, or other things that we should put on the website on this page.<br />
* Please help out! Not sure what to do? See the page [[Things that need to be done]].<br />
<br />
== Featured Articles ==<br />
* Under construction<br />
<br />
== Should I get a Ph.D.? ==<br />
* [[Should I work in industry before getting a Ph.D.?]]<br />
* [[Research Interests|What do accounting professors research?]]<br />
* [[What is life like as a doctoral student?]]<br />
* [[What is life like as an accounting professor?]]<br />
* [[Why I didn't get a Ph.D.]]<br />
* [http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/doctoral/admissions/selecting.cfm Am I ready for a PhD Program? And, which program is right for me?]<br />
<br />
== People == <br />
* [[Accomplishments and Successes]]<br />
=== Students ===<br />
* [[Current Ph.D. Prep Track Students]]<br />
* [[Past Ph.D. Prep Track Students]]<br />
<br />
=== Other Students or Faculty who are Friends of BYU ===<br />
* [http://marriottschool.byu.edu/emp/dept.cfm?dept=17&pid=3650 Current BYU Faculty]<br />
* [[Non Ph.D. Prep Track Students who are Friends of BYU]]<br />
* [[Non Ph.D. Prep Track Faculty who are Friends of BYU]]<br />
<br />
== Resources ==<br />
=== Researching Resources ===<br />
* [https://marriottschool.byu.edu/emp/tc259/accframework/ Financial Accounting Framework Database]<br />
* [http://phdprep.byu.edu/images/2/2f/Journal_rankings.pdf List of Journals in Business, with impact factor, etc.]<br />
* [[Research Ideas]]<br />
* [[Research Interests]]<br />
* [[SAS Coding Help]]<br />
<br />
=== Teaching Resources ===<br />
* [[Accounting Humor]] - Great for the classroom<br />
* [[Accounting Quotes]] - Great for the classroom<br />
<br />
=== Keys to Success in a PhD Program ===<br />
* [[Understanding the Accounting Industry]]<br />
<br />
=== Ph.D. Prep Track Student Resources ===<br />
* [[Course Requirements]]<br />
* [[GMAT Suggestions]]<br />
* [[Suggestions From Students]]<br />
<br />
=== Other Resources ===<br />
* [[BYU Accounting Symposium]]<br />
* [http://marriottschool.byu.edu/emp/GloverPrawittWood/ Publication Requirements for Tenure]<br />
* [[University Information]]<br />
<br />
== Getting started ==<br />
<br />
* [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:Configuration_settings Configuration settings list]<br />
* [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:FAQ MediaWiki FAQ]<br />
* [http://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/mediawiki-announce MediaWiki release mailing list]<br />
Consult the [http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Help:Contents User's Guide] for information on using the wiki software.</div>Asays