So ... what's a Ph.D? I remember that when someone asked me this question, it was kind of challenging to explain it. Not because is rocket science, but because you need to have a clear idea and few words. The concept is so simple that if you can´t make a 5 years old kid to fully understand it, you are probably doing something wrong.
Some days ago I have found The Illustrated Guide to a Ph.D a great job done by Matt Might of Utah´s University.
I think that it is very important helping all the pre-grade students understand what is a Ph.D. The knowledge and understanding are the only tools that can be used to stop some private universities in "our poor countries" that are transforming the Ph.D degree into something that has no research nor personal contribution to the human knowledge involved and are just a huge business.