[This is a guest post from Michael Fletcher, a Th.M. student at Western Seminary. Michael blogs regularly at The 3 in One.]

Now that I am halfway through my Master of Theology (Th.M.), I have learned a thing or two about being a productive postgraduate student. I would love to share some of the knowledge I have learned, so that you too can be a more productive postgraduate. But even more, I would also like to know what you would add or take away from this list. Here is some practical advice I have adopted which could possibly help save you hundreds of hours.

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One of the great joys and disappointments of directing the Th.M. program at Western Seminary is watching our students graduate. It’s always a joy to see them make it over the finish line and reflect on what God has done in their lives during the course of their program. But it’s also a disappointment because I know that it’s time for them to move on, and I won’t be able to connect with them as often. Though growing rapidly, our program is still small enough that I get to work closely with all of my students. Once graduation hits, though, the lunches, coffees, and office visits are somewhat more challenging – especially when they move overseas!

But that’s what happens when you have great students. And this year’s graduates are no exception. Between them, I think they really demonstrate the breadth and diversity of our program. In their coursework and theses, you can see their interests in Old Testament, New Testament, historical theology, and systematic theology. I’m always pleased to see the integrative nature of our students’ work. And they also exemplify the two main vocational trajectories of our students: teaching and pastoring. In general, half of our students plan to pursue doctoral programs and academic teaching, while the other half are using the program to provide more biblical/theological depth for their pastoral work. I love having that mix because it’s what helps our program maintain its emphasis on being rigorously academic while always keeping everything focused on the needs and purposes of the church.  And that’s exactly what you see in this year’s graduates.

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Every journey begins with the first step. But too many journeys end before the last one. Tragic.

I once knew someone who completed all but the last two classes of his bachelor’s degree. Two classes. The finish line not only in sight, but within reach. And he faltered.

That is the unfortunate reality for many postgrad students as well. According to a recent article in Inside HigherEd, as many as 37% of doctoral students never receive their degree. Somewhere between the first and last steps, they falter. Tragic.

I’ve recently written a couple of posts on the difficulties of the academic job market. (See How Bad Is the Job Market for PhDs? and More Bad News on the Ph.D. Job Market.) But I know that many will pursue postgrad programs anyway. And, to be honest, I can’t blame them. That’s precisely what I did. I knew the risks. And I took the blue pill anyway.

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I hate watching game shows where people have already won a certain amount of money, and then they’re asked to risk it all for the chance to win even more. No matter the odds they always seem to go for it. Idiots. I find myself torn between the desire to yell at the TV or go find my daughters and explain things like logic, odds, and financial management. Usually I just turn off the TV and get a book.

Unfortunately, pursuing a Ph.D. in today’s job market feels a lot like this. It’s not that you can’t win. But the odds are not in your favor.

Last month I posted some troubling statistics on the realities of the academic job market in the U.S. (see How Bad Is the Job Market for PhDs?). But those statistics covered doctoral programs across all fields of study. So, if you’re interested in the specifically Christian fields, those stats were a bit too broad.

Now I have better stats.

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Every now and then I hear people talking about the jobs that are the toughest, most dangerous, or most stressful  Interestingly, no one ever puts “postgrad student” on those lists. I suppose that’s because the actual death rate for postgrad students is relatively low.

But that doesn’t mean it’s easy.

If you’re thinking about pursuing a postgrad degree (e.g., Th.M. or Ph.D.), or even if you’re already in one, you really need to consider the challenges that you’re facing. Otherwise, it’s a bit like rock-climbing with a blindfold on. I suppose that’s good if you want to make it more challenging. But a postgrad program is challenging enough by itself. Trust me.

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Some time ago, I began writing a series that I called “Tips for the Th.M.,” in which I offered thoughts on things like whether you should even consider pursuing a postgrad degree, how to find and apply to a good program, how to research and write your thesis, among other things. And, along the way, I’ve had many requests to expand the series so that it covered even more issues of interest to Th.M. and Ph.D. students. So that’s what I’m going to do.

I’ve created a page on How to Survive & Thrive as a Postgrad Student. That page contains all of the posts that I’ve written in my Tips for the Th.M. series, as well as a number of others that relate to succeeding as a postgrad student. Over the next few months, I’m going to add some more posts to the series and revise some of the older posts so that they fit in the series a little more coherently.

If you have any specific issues that you’d like me to write on, let me know in the comments.

Good Reads

• Tim Tebow and the Worship of Darkness: “Here is a question: Why do some people get so upset by even fleeting displays of piety while they remain largely unbothered by all the filth that is being constantly spewed out by our culture?”

• MLK’s Philosophical and Theological Legacy: “the truth about King is that his primary motivations, his most fundamental commitments—the very core of his thought—were rooted in a worldview repugnant to many of those who now claim his legacy.”

• How to Influence a Younger Christian: “If I have learned anything in 35 or 40 years of teaching, it is that students don’t learn everything I teach them. What they learn is what I am excited about, the kinds of things I emphasize again and again and again and again.”