How Much Personal Info To Share On A PhD Application   It feels like a trap. How much personal information should you share on your PhD application? A recent client brought up this question, and said “I know there is an official anti-discrimination policy, but I can’t shake the feeling that the admission committee might see it as a liability”. Gut punch. This really rings true with anyone who has gone through some shit. And most people applying to do their PhD have gone through some shit. So how do you talk about it, if at all? Check out the main points below to chart your path forward, s ..read more

First, I’m going to answer this question through the lens of U.S. Universities, so if you’re applying in the EU or abroad the answer may differ.   The short answer is “No, you don’t need a masters to get into PhD programs”. But, that’s not the entire answer. While PhD programs don’t require a masters, it may make you more competitive – depending on what type of masters you get. Check out this video where I break it down, and read on.   The Arms Race In Education More and more of the U.S. population is gaining higher education. Over the past 10 years, those with a bachelors degree hav ..read more

Rejected from PhD programs, now what? Getting rejected sucks. There’s no way around that. And getting rejected with no feedback is the worst. When you’ve worked hard for months preparing your PhD applications, wracking your brain to write the perfect statement of purpose (SOP) essay, and paying hundreds in application fees – all to be rejected – you start to wonder, is it me?   PhD programs give no feedback on these rejections, and it can be maddening trying to figure out what little tiny thing led them to say “nope, next”. Answer these 8 questions to diagnose exactly what went wrong in y ..read more

First, congratu-f*ckin-lations on your PhD offers! Remember when just a few weeks ago you were all stressed and wondering if anyone was going to make you an offer?   Well, they did!  And now, just a few days later you’re wondering if you can get a bigger stipend because, well yea, cost of living. Check out this short video where I explain this a bit further, and read below for more details.   What is a PhD Offer and what’s included? A PhD offer letter is usually a pdf they send you via email with your official admission letter to the University PhD program. This means you are of ..read more

Everyone is checking out everyone else’s resume, profile, online socials just to understand if they are really competitive enough to be admitted to prestigious PhD programs. Frankly, comparing yourself to others never ends well, and I know people who go down the rabbit hole on GradCafe freaking themselves out. There is no one perfect applicant, but here are some general guidelines to see if you’re a competitive PhD candidate.   What are the requirements to apply to a PhD?   Your Undergrad should loosely align with your PhD field    You must have your undergraduate degree in ..read more

If you listen to every pundit out there, you’ll hear the loud voices all say that you shouldn’t do a PhD. You don’t need it. It’s not worth it.   Is that true?   First, the numbers.   According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the more education you have the higher your salary is.    Additionally, those with more education tend to have lower unemployment. Those with a doctorate have an unemployment rate of 1.5%, while those with a bachelors are at 3%. This is a significant change.   The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reports that roughly 70 ..read more

How much time do I need for PhD applications?   You’re probably wondering how much time this PhD application is going to take you, so you can block off the time on your calendar and get it done.   I hate to break it to ya, but the PhD application can be a bit iterative and not always a linear thing. I’ll outline the big things you need to do to be successful, and share a time range most people use. Remember, there is no single right amount of time, so do what works for you. It’s better to have a done application than a perfect application. It should take you a few months to find the ..read more

The timeline you need to 3X your chances of getting into top PhD programs   If you want to do your PhD, and get that fully funded position, you’re going to want to plan it out.  After all, this isn't something you just wake up one morning and say “hey, I think it would be really fun to go back to school for 4 more years, why not get a PhD?”. So, if you didn’t come to the decision to pursue your PhD lightly, why would you leave your application up to chance? Successful PhDs follow a timeline and execute key tasks that make them 3X more successful than the 20% national average. If you ..read more

You’ve decided it’s time to apply to PhD programs.  This is a big step, and you’re in the right place.  While the application process can be overwhelming, we’ll help you take it one step at a time.  One of the first steps is creating your short list of schools.     The Short List: What does this mean? Your short list includes only programs you are positive you would be happy applying to and attending.   Why Do You Need a Short List Of PhD Programs? You need a short list because you don’t have the time, money or brain capacity to apply to 20 schools. By ..read more

It can be scary signing on for 3-5 years of being a student.   More often than not, something that scares people away from advanced degrees is the time commitment to the program.     For some, that involves walking away from a job and into an unknown academic landscape.     For some, it’s hard to imagine becoming a student again.     Why do PhD programs take so much more time than MS/MA programs?  There are many answers to this question.     A PhD is a commitment to become a scholar and researcher.   A PhD is a co ..read more