Preparing for Higher Education Studies: Survey of Doctoral Students, January - April, 2017

The purpose of the study: to investigate the attitude of doctoral students studying in Lithuanian higher education institutions towards the preparation for the study and to identify the factors influencing the preparation.
Major investigated questions: respondents were asked to indicate when they started studying for a PhD and what their field of study was (science, arts). They were asked if they had obtained a Master's degree in the same field of study and at the same university. Respondents were asked if their choice of doctoral study changed their city of living and if there was a break between master's and doctoral study. Respondents were asked to assess whether the decision to study for a doctorate had been easy for them and to indicate what had motivated them to pursue a doctorate. It was clarified whether anyone from the institution of science and studies offered to take up doctoral studies. It was further asked whether they chose the topic of the dissertation, whether they found it easy to choose the topic and whether they were satisfied with the topic of their dissertation. It was inquired whether they belong to the scientific community (society, forum, association, etc.) in Lithuania and internationally. It was clarified whether the graduates intend to work in an institution of science and study. Further, it was asked what components are most important for preparation for doctoral studies and how they assess their own and other doctoral students' readiness for this study. Respondents were asked whether the motivation of first-year students assessed at the time of admission to doctoral studies helped to select the most motivated students and how they felt ready for their studies compared to other doctoral students. Respondents were asked if they felt "in the sled" during their doctoral studies. After a block of questions, the aim was to find out how much effort the respondents put into preparing for the PhD. Next, they wanted to know how confident they were that they would successfully complete their PhD - that is, defend their dissertation. After another block of questions, they were asked what they needed to do differently to be better prepared for their studies. Respondents were asked if they had heard about the possibility of receiving state support (scholarship, loan, grant, compensation, etc.) for students studying in non-state funded places (VNF) in Lithuanian higher education institutions. Those who knew about such a possibility were asked what kind of state support students studying in VNF places can apply for. Respondents were asked what financial difficulties they would face if they chose a VNF place. Furthermore, respondents commented on current and planned changes to higher education. They were asked whether the motivation of first-year students should be assessed when entering higher education and how this should be assessed. The aim was to find out if respondents' motivation was assessed when they entered their current course and whether this helped to select the most motivated students. It also explains what the minimum score for a state matriculation examination should be and how many state matriculation examinations graduates should pass in order to be admitted to a university. Opinions were asked about how to be admitted to study art and who should receive funding for the study. Respondents were then asked to indicate the subject area of their previous degree, what their approximate overall average was for the master's degree, and how they felt they were prepared for the degree compared to group students during the master's program. Asked to indicate in which Lithuanian city, municipality or rural settlement respondents obtained their secondary education. Respondents were further asked whether they had participated in at least one Olympiad in middle and vocational schools in grades 11-12 or high schools III - IV and how many subjects were studied at higher level in the last school year. The purpose was to find out how much time, on average, the respondents spent on homework each day and how many books the respondents' family had at home during the last school year. It was asked whether the respondent's family received support from the municipal social services at the time of enrolment in the bachelor's program and whether there was at least one tutor in the school to help prepare for the exams in the final year. After a block of questions, they were asked to rate the learning environment in the completed school. The approximate yearly average of the respondents in the school in the last year was explained.
Socio-demographic characteristics: age, gender, education of parents (guardians), whether parents (guardians) held a managerial position in the last school year, financial situation of parents (guardians) in the last school year, number of hours spent on dissertation preparation per week, educational activities regularly performed during the doctoral studies without remuneration, work status, number of hours worked per week, reasons for work, connections with work, study, income.