Frequently asked questions
Our mission is two-fold:
To provide doctoral candidates with an ethical, affordable, and empowering coaching community that gives them entire support ecosystem to finish their dissertation faster and to design an impactful, yet feasible study that will advance science, society, and/or practice.
To hold non-traditional doctoral education to a higher standard. So many doctoral candidates fall victim to systemic issues that results in ineffective supervision from their chair and committee and a sense of disillusionment stemming from being rushed through the process or getting stuck in a vicious cycle of revisions.
These three words are at the heart of everything we do:
Ethical: We are not a predatory dissertation mill that uses aggressive sales techniques to convince you to pay upwards of five figures to outsource the writing of your dissertation to exploited writers.
Affordable: Membership in our community costs less than a semester of tuition at many universities and includes unlimited office hours, seminars, and community engagement.
Empowering: Rather than doing the work for you, we give you the tools, feedback, and community to build the skills, confidence, and scholarly agency to finish your dissertation or doctoral project on your own terms. You’ll learn to take ownership of your study, make informed decisions, and navigate committee expectations as an emerging expert in your field.
Dissertation Demystified was created by Ryan Kotowski, a dissertation coach and research expert with over 15 years of experience in academia and research consulting.
After being a freelance dissertation coach for several years, Ryan leveraged his expertise and experience to create Dissertation Demystified for two key reasons: (1) to counter the proliferation of predatory “dissertation mills” that pressure doctoral candidates into paying thousands to outsource their work to exploited writers, and (2) to hold non-traditional doctoral education to a higher standard by offering ethical, affordable, and empowering guidance. Through his mentorship, members learn to design and implement feasible yet impactful studies that advance practice, science, and society.
Click here to connect with Ryan on Linkedin!
Simply put: it is unethical and a form of academic dishonesty. If you have ever googled "dissertation help," a litany of dissertation mills pitching "approval guaranteed" will come up. The reality is that these companies prey on doctoral candidates' fears and anxieties rather than providing them with actual consulting services that give them scholarly agency.
Your doctorate and dissertation should be one of the crown jewels of your life and Dissertation Demystified is designed to help you take ownership of this crowing achievement. Do not fall victim to aggressive sales techniques and marketing buzzwords.
Most freelance dissertation coaches provide excellent support—but only within their specific niche. You might get help with statistics but not topic development, or great writing advice but no guidance on research design or the IRB process. You ultimately will end up piecing together multiple specialists and paying hourly, with no cohesive roadmap or community.
Other so-called “coaching programs” often lure candidates with promises like “Finish your dissertation in four months” or “Guaranteed approval.” These claims are rarely realistic and can leave you frustrated, out of money, and still without a completed dissertation.
Dissertation Demystified is different. We offer a complete support ecosystem: our 12-Module course, weekly office hours, monthly seminars, and an intellectually-stimulating Skool community. You get step-by-step guidance, personalized and on-demand feedback from PhD coaches, and a scholarly community to keep you accountable—all for a predictable, affordable cost and without gimmicks.
Best of all, once you’ve finished paying for the program, you’re a member for life with unlimited access to our office hours, seminars, and community—even after you graduate—so you can continue to network, publish, and advance your career.