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Section 1 Foundations of Doctoral Study / Chapter 1 Welcome to the Doctoral Journey

4. Conclusion

 

Making the preparations outlined in this chapter can be done now or later, but learners will need to do them. It will be much easier to address these preparations before course work starts. Learners' preparations should include

 

• looking at their calendar to find a place for 20 hours of doctoral studies each week;

 

• lining up their support groups;

 

• refreshing their reading and writing skills;

 

• refreshing their APA knowledge and application to scholarly writing; and

 

• checking out their ability to use technology, particularly with Microsoft Word.

 

Each doctoral journey is unique; however, this much is certain, the next three to four years will be filled—filled with reading, thinking, reflecting, and writing.

 

There are people at GCU who are ready to  guide, support, and encourage doctoral learners through the difficult parts of their journeys, as well as share in the times of joy.

 

When those times are in learners' rear view mirrors, and they walk across the stage and are called doctor for the first time, everything will have been worthwhile.