Why hire an independent coach?

The academic dissertation or thesis is a massive undertaking, one that you've likely not taken on before and most likely won't do again. Faculty advisors often have absurd dissertation loads and are juggling you along with up to 30 other students, their own research, teaching responsibilities, and family lives. 

There are many reasons why bringing in an external dissertation coach might make sense for you. 

• Dedicated attention. An independent coach is not trying to meet with you and the 15 other members of your course at the same time. Our coaches work one-on-one with our clients, have separate and dedicated calendars focusing on YOUR goals and deadlines, and take the time to understand what the underlying barriers to completion may be. 
• No campus politics. At this point in your graduate studies, I'm sure you've heard the horror stories of the two committee members who can't be in the same room. With an independent coach, on-campus politics aren't an issue. We're not vying for the same parking spot or window office, so you're not going to be used as a pawn. YOU are our focus. 
• 24/7 availability. Our coaches work the same hours you do. We don't clock out at 5pm and call it a night, as many of our clients are evening and weekend students. We schedule our work hours around your availability. If your best time to chat is 10:30 at night when the kids are in bed, that's when we'll be available. Likewise, if you're an early bird, we have coaches that can be available beginning at 6:30am. 
• Increased access. In addition to the flexible hours, our coaches encourage you to email, call, or text if you get stuck or have a question instead of waiting for previously scheduled and rigid office hours. 

Finisher Friday! Dr. Brian Thomas, North Carolina State University

A big congrats to our client, Dr. Brian Thomas, who successfully defended his dissertation titled "Examining Perceptions of Qualities Desired in University Public Safety Directors: A Q Method Examination" in which he looked at what academic qualities, behavioral traits, and personal characteristics were most sought after when institutions of higher education seek to fill their police chief roles. 

Using Q Method, a research methodology in which participants sort and rank statements reflective of their own personal feelings towards a given topic, Dr. Thomas found that there are five distinct categories of hiring personality in regards to the type of police chief would be most effective at a given institution. 

Brian joined our coaching and editing program late fall of 2016, and successfully defended on March 20, 2017. He had this to say in regards to our services: 

"A heartfelt thank you to Dr. Kat, who once told me that she was going to make sure I finished my program even if she had to drag me kicking and screaming to the finish line. While it didn't quite come to that, her assistance and persistence were greatly appreciated." 

Reader Question: Can I participate in Bootcamp privately?

We received an excellent question today over on the facebook page. A reader sent us the following private message:

"I want to participate in the Bootcamp next month, but I don't want my classmates to know I wanted the extra help. Can I still be a part of the program?" 

ANSWER: Absolutely! We understand completely that some grad school programs are cut-throat, while others are far more collegial (I was lucky enough to be part of one where we all felt like we were on the same team). It's not unusual at all for a student to want to keep their participation private. The only people who will know you're a member of the Bootcamp cohort will be you, your coach, and our system admin (he's the one who sets up the passwords). None of the aforementioned individuals are currently enrolled in a graduate program or sit on any hiring committees, so your secret is safe with us! 

Do you miss out on anything by being a private participant? Well, that all depends on what you were going to put into it. A private participant will get all the same resources, attention from their coach, and materials that a non-private cohort member receives. The only difference will be that you simply do not set up your profile on our client forum. This means you won't get the conversation, community interaction, or cross-cohort networking, but you can join at any later time. 

Seats in the upcoming cohort are filling up, but there's still a couple of spots open. Submit your application today!