Before I started this, I visited other blogs and sites on higher education for inspiration. I hoped this would help me focus on what I wanted to write about. There were some that were really impressive, with links, and interviews, and even funny merchandise. Others had stories about individuals who accomplished something amazing from humble beginnings- a lot of engine-that-never-could stories. What they all had in common is that they all served a particular purpose: they were banks of information for anyone interested in applying for PhD programs.

This blog is not that, nor is it in competition with them.

Some of those are very successful at what they do (a few can be seen in my Good Reads Page), but this blog is not intended to serve that purpose.

What this blog actually is (and the answer to the question I pose) is a live chronicle of my experience as I apply to PhD programs. I went through this last application season and remember how brutal the process was. I wanted to write about this, but I didn’t want to saturate my social media feeds with it, and sharing sob stories isn’t always appealing to readers.  Instead, I decided to write a blog that will share my experience with anyone who wishes to hear about it.

As mentioned, I went through this already, and will tell you something in advanced now: there will be a lot of ups, downs, verticals, and spirals all throughout this episode.

I don’t wish to pass on wisdom or sugar-coat this experience. Instead, you will see the unadulterated story of a guy who is trying to accomplish something. I’m going to tell my story, honestly and proudly, and maybe joke about it, too. If you wish to witness this, my only promise is that I will try to write it well. If I write something and it makes you want to keep reading, I think that means I accomplished that.

I hope you enjoy reading this. I don’t know where this will take me or where I’ll end up. Wherever it is, I hope it’s nice there.