The transition to independent scholar is part and parcel of the doctoral education process (Council of Graduate Schools, 2005) as well as an integral part of the socialization process that occurs while in graduate school (Weidman, Twale, & Stein, 2001). This article details the journey toward independence, rooted in the socialization process of graduate school, as experienced by 40 doctoral students in the disciplines of chemistry and history at two institutions. The author begins with an overview of the process of independence as experienced by students, including a discussion of socialization in graduate school, the guiding framework for the study and its analysis. She then discusses the methods of the study, followed by the study's findings, conclusions, and implications for policy, practice, and research. (Contains 3 tables.)