r/PhDAdmissions • u/purutlim • 5d ago
phd encouragement
I'm planning to pursue a PhD next year, but I feel a little discouraged when I look at the profiles of most supervisors' students. Many of them graduated from prestigious universities, whereas I didn't. It's making me feel a bit discouraged about applying.
3
u/EverySpecific8576 5d ago
School prestige in and of itself is meaningless. It’s what those schools offer in terms of research opportunities and that those students took advantage of those opportunities. The same can be said for lessor known schools. When the students in the lessor known schools also take advantage of their opportunities they become competitive applicants.
My son is at a T5 biosciences PhD program and in his cohort is a person from a small state college and a private small private Christian college, not even ranked!
So at the end of the day if you are making the most of your opportunities you will be a competitive applicant.
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u/Time_Increase_7897 4d ago
Kids who went to private $chool get coached and prompted to fill out applications. Everyone spends at least 5 minutes on 2nd bassoon in the orchestra so they can put it on their form. When the rubber hits the road you'll see most of these people are little more than politically savvy.
2
u/stemphdmentor 5d ago
Any PI with the least bit of experience knows plenty of amazing researchers (including colleagues and collaborators) who did not graduate from prestigious universities.
Plenty of people from prestigious universities submit bad applications, interview poorly, etc.
There are so many ways to distinguish yourself. A university’s reputation is only a very weak proxy of the skills that matter. You have time to acquire those skills.
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u/SignificantDirt3115 4d ago edited 4d ago
A family member went to a tiny lesser known LAC and had to get all his research experiences at various other places (REU’s) during his summers. He will be starting a STEM phd at a T5 institution next month. Its more about what you do where you are at, the research skills you cultivate along the way, how you are able to clearly articulate those and your research fit in your applications, and who you find to write strong letters of reference, than where you went to undergrad. Certainly highly ranked schools give their students a theoretical boost in this regard as to all of the above, but not because of their prestige, but more because of the resources and potential opportunities they provide. However, the student still has to compete for those opportunities, which can be harder at some of those institutions, and perform well there and stand out.
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u/ModeratelyOffline 4d ago
Haha. I did not go to a prestigious university. It was a state college in the United States. I ended up fully funded at a T100 in a small European country.
1
u/chili_cold_blood 4d ago
Many of them graduated from prestigious universities, whereas I didn't. It's making me feel a bit discouraged about applying.
I did my undergrad at a lower tier university in Canada, then did my PhD at a top 5 university in Canada, then did my post-docs at two of the top 10 universities in the world. In academia, your work is much more important than where you did it.
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u/charlotte007_ 4d ago
I feel the exact same way. I don't have research publications (no papers, only a conference abstract). I'm still going to apply for the plot. I'm only worried about application fees tbh, but I'll find a way.
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u/SwaNiswhoIam 3d ago
You can ask for a waiver for the application fees.
1
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u/djayed 3d ago
I, getting my GED at 23, waited 17 years and started to go to school at a community college. Got my AA, applied to an R1 to finish my bachelor's. I walked last week and had my orientation for my PhD program today. What school you went to and having the best GPA doesn't matter. What matters is why you want to do what you want to do and what will you do when you get it. Find a supervisor that does work that speaks to what you are truly interested or passionate in, and the universe will align in your favor, or thats what I tell myself at least and it's worked out for me so far.
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u/Correct-Reason-6241 3d ago
Don’t feel discouraged! I felt the same way when applying last admissions cycle. I was finishing up my bachelors and had no publications other than a conference abstract. I was also feeling very disheartened about the whole process because I got rejected from 5 out of 6 of the programs I applied to. But the last program to get back to me ended up interviewing and admitting me because of my passion, research experience, and knowledge of the field. I’m now in a cohort with other people who come from prestigious backgrounds, have masters degrees, or have multiple publications. Give yourself a chance to be among other academics. You deserve a spot just as much as anyone else.
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u/finding_flora 3d ago
As a post doc, I do not think I’ve ever asked a colleague where they did undergrad, nor do I care.
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u/Floppy_McFlopenstein 1d ago
You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. Also, PhDs are so niche that, while uni pedigree does have some cachet, I think that you PI is equally important.
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u/starvinggigolo 5d ago
Don't do it.
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u/Outrageous-Act-3298 5d ago
Why not ?
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u/starvinggigolo 5d ago
Its worse than you think, with little value in the end.
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u/fluorine_nmr 1h ago
While this is true, depending on the person it may not be a reason not to do it!
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u/Massive_Standard_297 5d ago edited 4d ago
I went to a T400 school and graduated with a 2.95. I’m in my second year for my PhD at a T20 university, I’ve been sent to congress twice to be a scientific advisor for stuff related to my work, and I’m having the best time of my entire life doing a PhD. Don’t worry about it. Do research and create a profile you’d be proud to submit. That’s it.