A national study was conducted to provide a snapshot of the experiences of doctoral students in the arts and sciences. The Survey on Doctoral Education and Career Preparation asked students why they pursued degrees, how effective they perceived programs to be, and their expectations and understandings of their programs. Students in 11 arts and sciences disciplines from 27 institutions and 1 cross-institutional program (the Compact for Faculty Diversity) were surveyed. Responses were received from 4,114 students, a response rate of 42.3%. Results suggest that the training doctoral students receive is not what they want, nor does it prepare them for the jobs they take. Many students do not understand what doctoral study entails, how the process works, and how to navigate it effectively. There is a mismatch among the purpose of doctoral education, the aspirations of the students, and the realities of their careers within and outside academia. Doctoral students persist in pursuing careers as faculty members, and graduate programs persist in preparing them for careers at research universities in spite of the scarcity of academic jobs and efforts to diversify the options available for doctorate holders. As a result, students are not well prepared to assume the faculty positions that are available, nor do they have a clear concept of their suitability for life outside of research. (Contains 15 tables and 24 references.) (SLD)