Transcript: Vanessa’s experience with Grad Coach

My name is Vanessa, and I am getting my doctorate in education and organizational leadership. So I have a job — a full-time job — on top of going to school full-time, and I’m an empty nester. So I’m not your traditional student at this age.

Before I started with Grad Coach, some of my main challenges were understanding the format of the dissertation, as well as understanding how to research my topic, what to look for. I was overwhelmed with a lot of information because I didn’t know how to dissect the articles. Where I go to school, we only get like little bits and pieces, and that may be fine for some people. But for me, I like to get the whole view of the mountain before I start the journey. It just makes more sense to me.

Having these challenges, they made me feel like I’m not ready. They made me feel like I was inadequate, not smart enough. And I made a 4.0 in my master’s program, okay? But the thoughts I was having after entering this program made me feel like that didn’t mean anything, and that I had made a big mistake. So for me, it was a process of inner work — realizing that I could do it, but that I couldn’t do it alone. That’s when I found Grad Coach.

I decided to join Grad Coach because I had already been in school maybe for six months or so. At the beginning of the year, I made a promise that I would build my village. I wasn’t really realizing that the village would include school — I was just thinking of personal stuff. But the reason I really decided was because of the video that I saw. I think it was Dr. E that I saw. I like his philosophy. I like his aura. And he knows what he’s talking about. So I got hooked the first time. I couldn’t tell you what video that was. But it’s not really like me to hop on board with something so quickly. I’m usually reserved, especially when I spend money. But then when I’m all in, I don’t mind, because I know it’s really not all about money. It’s about what I’m going to be gaining in the process. And I’m going to be able to sleep at night, you know, having peace of mind.

Working with Grad Coach has helped me to believe in myself, for one. And it’s also helped me realize that the goal I set out to attain with the doctorate degree is attainable, that it’s possible, and that I didn’t make a mistake. Everybody learns differently, and I think Grad Coach has helped me understand the bigger picture, but then also put goals in place for me to accomplish — tasks for me to achieve little by little — and just kind of hold me accountable for the work that I need to do.

My favorite thing in working with Grad Coach is my coach, Dr. E. And really, that’s what keeps me coming back. I believe that some people — because I experienced this with professors — some have it and some don’t. But Dr. E is very down to earth. He’s very friendly. He’s upbeat. He’s positive. Just all those things you wish you could put in a pill and take one a day. But he has a way of taking complicated things and making them really simple. And I like that. That’s what I need. Because once I get it, I get it.

I wish I would have signed up with Grad Coach earlier, just for the simple fact of getting the foundation of knowing what the journey would look like and the true identity of what a dissertation is. Because that was my whole challenge in the beginning — going into the program, I thought this whole idea of a dissertation was one way, and that I should have all of this figured out. But then to get in there and figure out it was a whole different way… So I know if I would have had Grad Coach, I could have had a better mindset going into the program, instead of going in with a strong mindset and then literally having that mindset just torn down and shattered.

For anyone thinking about joining Grad Coach, I would say: procrastination is the enemy of progress. So if you want to make progress, you need to just stop thinking, stop overthinking it, stop overanalyzing it, and just do it. I don’t think you would be regretful that you did. I think you’d be just like me and say, “Why didn’t I join sooner?” The hesitation is what’s going to kill you. So make the sacrifice — because we all need community. We all need help. We all need people behind us rooting us on and helping us on our journey.