Health And Wellness

Episode 10. Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Thousands of people start graduate programs every year – and over time, many come to question their choice. Is the program right for me? Do I have too much going on in my life? Is this degree worth it? We asked five people how they dealt with these questions, and, in the end, found answers that worked for them.

Suman Varghese and Rob Desjardins - 16 May 2025

A student is listening to podcast alone

Access this episode via Simplecast
Listen on Spotify / Apple Podcasts

Resources

Helpful References

A Psychologist’s Survival Guide to Graduate School (University of Alberta)
“How Do I Know When It Is Time to Quit Graduate School?” HSS Graduate and Early Career Caucus (2018)

Articles

DeClou, L. (2016). Who Stays and for How Long: Examining Attrition in Canadian Graduate Programs. Canadian Journal of Higher Education. 46(4), 174 - 198.
Devos, C et al. (2017). Doctoral students’ experiences leading to completion or attrition: a matter of sense, progress and distress. European Journal of Psychology of Education. 32, 61 - 77. DOI 10.1007/s10212-016-0290-0
Fernandez, M., Sturts, J., Duffy, L. N., Larson, L. R., Gray, J., & Powell, G. M. (2019). Surviving and Thriving in Graduate School. SCHOLE: A Journal of Leisure Studies and Recreation Education, 34(1), 3–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/1937156X.2019.1589791
Golding, J. (2023). Supporting Doctoral Students in Crisis. Encyclopedia. 3, 1197–1207. https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia3040087
Hardré, P. & Pan, R. (2017). The Best and Worst of Graduate School: Graduate Students’ Self-Report Narratives of What Helps and Hurts Their Success. The Journal of Faculty Development. 31(2). 5-19.