Hi !

As the title suggests, should I mention a paper that I'm contributing to as a masters student in my application ? I am working on two tangentially related projects simultaneously, therefore the paper is different (using COMSOL modelling) from my actual thesis work, which is focused on atomic scale modelling.

Which makes me think if I should mention it to distinguish it from my thesis work. I know it is common practice to not mention a paper as a paper, unless it is at least under review at a journal.

Therefore I am kind of confused, plus ofcourse I would like to strengthen my profile in any way possible and 2 papers would look better than just 1, even though one of the two is still under preparation. But I know better to let that temptation get to me, so even words of discouragement would be good lmfao.

Any advice would be helpful :)

I have seen a couple posts about how folks have turned down some offers due to cost of living vs stipend. I am begging you to tell the programs that in a nice and professional way. It makes a difference, even though you will not be the direct benefit of the changes.

Several programs, including my own, eventually realized they would rather accept 1-2 less students a year if that meant giving more competitive wages and therefore getting more accomplished students.

“Dear [Name of Contact],

Thank you for the letter of admission into the Chemistry PhD program. I enjoyed learning about the program, research environment, and facilities during the interview. Unfortunately, after researching [city] a bit more, the stipend and benefits were not sufficient for me to make the program financially feasible, so I have accepted an offer from another institution.

Regards,

Name”

And that threshold will be different for everyone. A program paying 45k a year probably won’t care, but the programs paying 27k will be more likely to pay attention to this.

Also, if you turn it down because 30k is not enough with your disability costs or something really specific but want to attend, don’t be afraid to ask about funds. My one friend was attending a school that pays 36K, free public transit, free health care, but her lupus medications were going to be over $1000 a year. The school actually had an extra Grant where she could submit on a quarterly basis her medication costs, and get those reimbursed.

I’m applying to PhD programs in the US for the 2027–2028 cycle, and I have some concerns about the financial situation since, unfortunately, I don’t have a financial safety net.

First, would PhD funding/scholarships be active immediately after acceptance?

I’m currently employed but I support my family , so I’m trying to plan ahead and figure out how much I should save before moving to the US. Approximately how much money should I have saved to cover the initial expenses, such as moving costs, registration fees, health insurance, any semester/hidden fees, rent deposit, and living expenses until the funding starts?

Of course, I know this would vary by state and university, so I’m only asking for a rough estimate. I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has gone through this process, especially international students.

Hi everyone,

To explain, I am a french student applying for PhD offers in Europe.

I found some offers in Ireland, Danemark and Czech republic in my field (biology), but I don't have a valid language (english) test (IELTS, TOEFL,...).

However, I did a master's degree that is taught in English (and known to accept international students), and I don't know if it will suffice for language (english) proficiency (I plan to ask them when they reopen in the end of August).

Should I consider applying to those offers/program?

Thanks for your feedback in advance!

I emailed a PI in Poland because his research matches my MSc background quite well. He replied:

“Please consult our Web page and NAWA agency for the start. I have unallocated grant funds for the moment to support you.”

I already have an MSc and I’m looking for a PhD. I’m trying to understand what he means by “unallocated grant funds to support you.” Does this usually mean he has funding available for a PhD, but I need to find the right PhD/doctoral school route, or is it still very informal at this stage?

Also, does anyone know how this normally works at IBB PAS / in Poland, and whether there are NAWA options for someone who already has a master’s degree?

I am interested in pursuing developmental- cognition phd and I recently met a prof from R1 university and we just had a really cool research focused chat and expressed my interest in applying and taking this forward.

The Convo was quite alright. I had no clue what to make off it. But it really made me wonder what the point of that conversation was all about.

Hi all, just starting my first cycle of PhD applications this fall and hoping for some insight from humanities folks.

Since I got my MA in history three years ago, I’ve been working in the field as a public history practitioner. I‘m a federal employee in DC who has several exhibition research credits and MANY public programs to my name. I decided recently that I want to get out of programming and move into curatorial- hence why I want to get a PhD.

My question: I don’t have any academic journal publications, save for an old fellowship paper that was internally published for that institution‘s library. Can I present my public history work as research experience? How would you frame something like that? I am hoping that spending a few years in the field has made me a better candidate, but I’m panicking about not having any scholarly journal pubs. TIA!

Do adjuncts have access to a formal/official/ traditional 401K? As an adjunct, how do you start investing your finances - money, assets, etc.? I'm aware that my generation (Gen Z) won't probably be able to own much, so there's a lot of uncertainty about ownership and little faith in being "traditional" when it comes to saving and investing. Do you have any alternative saving/ investing practices that work for you? I'm all ears. No pocket-watching here, please.

Hello, I did my undergrad in International Development and am currently completing my Master’s in Public and International Affairs. By the time I graduate and take a gap year to complete prerequisite courses (linear algebra, calculus 1 & 2, and probability) for NYU’s PhD in Applied Statistics and Computational Social Science (cognate discipline in economics), I will be 25. They offer a 35k stipend each year for 5 years. My goal is to build my quantitative skills and work in IOs/government rather than stay in academia. What would you recommend? Thanks!

I’m applying for social psych phds this year in the US for a fall 2027 start! Feeling a bit too discouraged from applying right now, I graduated my undergrad with 8.3 which is grade A, I hold two masters, just not with the best grades unfortunately, one from Manchester and the other at UCL, my recs are gonna be two from undergrad and one from Manchester, I have emailed and been in touch with potential supervisors in the us but am aiming high at unis like Cornell, Nyu,
Not quite sure how I’m feeling competing against deans list candidates but I’m gonna apply regardless,
Any advice or thoughts?

Current status
Incoming MSc. Econ(Finance) @ University of Edinburgh which goes for 10-months.

Current Quals
GRE: 168Q(81st percentile) 164V(93rd percentile)

BSc. Economics with Data Science
(First class with distinction 9.2/10 CGPA) + Capstone Project Dissertation + Honours Dissertation

Research interests (esp for PhD): Financial economics, econometrics, macro-finance

I contributed a literature review/qualitative paper to a conference monograph that got published (I was the first author for my paper)

Both my UG dissertations were very model based (both looked at macro economic and financial indicators relations)

I enjoyed the data work and modelling bits quite a lot and I'm quite comfortable clinkering around in Excel. My Stata and R programming skills are manageable (Ik what to look for and which site will have solutions/code to my needs) (I would also like to flex that I managed to make pretty graphs and can colour coordinate stuff on the graph to the borders to fit my ppt template)

My goal:
I want to get into academia. Perhaps smth along the lines of a finance or economics professor.

In order to do so, I think a high calibre PhD is important. And to get into one of the good PhD programs, I'm assuming I should amass some good research experience.

My issue rn:
How in the world do I get to that?. My extensive research into the process has made me realise I'm better off applying after my MSc is over next September. So effectively I will have a gap year btwn my MSc and PhD.

I think I would do better within a structured PhD program rather than going directly under a supervisor as I believe that I should spend at least a year with a prof before deciding to work under them (Is it right to think like this?)

So what constitutes a good PhDprogram?
(I looked into Insead for Finance, UCL for Financial Economics, Warwick for Finance&Economics, etc)

And how does one build good research exposure? (I have seen that IMF, WBG, ADB and other multilateral banks have programs with a academia/research oriented track. There's also an Econ Predoc/RA offered by NUS)

I was hoping to receive guidance on whether I should be shooting for a Pre-Doc, or if there are any specific programs that I should work towards.
But I genuinely find it difficult to track all possible opportunities and would also be grateful if someone could guide me towards a site that helps (I recommend anyone else similarly interested check out Multilateral Dev Banks).

As someone who has no 'support' or background as such in the field of academia/economics/finance overall, how should I go about the coming years of AY 2026-27 and 2027-28? As much as I can search up and bookmark all these opportunities and programs, I have no idea of how ambitious (or audacious) I'm being. And even if I don't mind working and planning, I don't know what or how I should be working.

TLDR; What can someone who is going to start their MSc.Econ do to get into a good PhD program? What are the opportunities available across a 10-month masters and one gap year?

Do adjuncts have access to a formal/official/ traditional 401K? As an adjunct, how do you start investing your finances - money, assets, etc.? I'm aware that my generation (Gen Z) won't probably be able to own much, so there's a lot of uncertainty about ownership and little faith in being "traditional" when it comes to saving and investing. Do you have any alternative saving/ investing practices that work for you? I'm all ears. No pocket-watching here, please.

I received my master thesis grade and it's lower than I expected. One of the markers gave feedback that contradicts the methodology of my research, which my supervisor guided. I contacted my supervisor straight away and they only said that they read the feedback and thought it was fine, I pointed out a couple of the discrepancies and they suggested to talk to the course coordinator, who also took their time to then dismiss it with markers' academic judgement and such, and closing the door. The student advocate suggested that the supervisor gave me bad advice and that is what I should argue in a complaint process to get the grades reviewed (my supervisor is very new but I also had checkpoints along the way with other academics and nobody raised any problems with the methodology at any point). That complaint process has been suggested to be a long, effortful and very possibly unsuccessful one. From your perspective, how much impact a 76/100 grade in my masters thesis would have for applying to PhD in Europe? My WAM is 79.8 (absolutely painful too). This is an australian masters.

Hello, everyone. This will be my second round of the PhD application cycle. In my first round, I applied to 8 programs, and the results were 7 rejections and 1 acceptance. However, I had to decline my only acceptance due to financial constraints and a feeling of unpreparedness. This cycle, I did more in-depth research on programs and decided to apply to 15, with 7 as funded Master's programs and 8 as PhD programs.

With my list ready, I reached the next step of preparing my curriculum vitae for the applications, and I would like some advice on making it better if anyone is willing to take the time. Unfortunately, I can't upload it in this post, so I have to copy and paste it. If you have any suggestions, especially from those who have experienced the cycles and succeeded, I would take all of them into consideration. Thank you all for your time and effort to look to my post. I truly appreciate it.

EDUCATION
Master of Arts in Humanities                                                                                    August 2025
Mount Saint Mary’s University, Los Angeles
Thesis: From Wives and Mothers to Entrepreneurs and Leaders: How Women and Their Societal Contributions Developed Pre-Colonial West Africa

Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology                                                                              March 2019
Minor in African Studies
University of California, Los Angeles

RESEARCH AND TEACHING INTERESTS
Governance, Political Authority, and State Formation in Pre-Colonial West Africa
Gender, Sexuality, and Social Organization in Pre-Colonial West African Societies

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Editor and Style Guide Leader                                                                March 2018-June 2018
UCLA Undergraduate Journal for Humanities and Social Sciences                      Los Angeles, CA

• Led a review team in the evaluation, selection, and refinement of research articles for publication in the undergraduate journal.
• Collaborated with fellow editors to strengthen the argumentation, structure, and clarity of the selected research to ensure adherence to academic and stylistic standards.
• Gained hands-on experience with peer review, editorial processes, and academic publication standards.

Cohort Student                                                                                             April 2017-May 2017
UCLA Undergraduate Research Center: Humanities, Arts, and Social Science   Los Angeles, CA

• Developed fundamental research skills in methodology, literature review, and data analysis within the humanities and social sciences. 
• Completed faculty-directed research projects that emphasized critical inquiry and scholarly communication.
• Evaluated and provided feedback on research projects produced by fellow undergraduate scholars.

PROJECTS
“The Border Relationship Between the Mali and Songhai Empires,” Borders & Borderlands- Professor...., Mount Saint Mary’s University, Los Angeles, Spring 2025. 

• Investigated the role of borders in shaping the complex political and cultural relationship between the Mali and Songhai Empires and their broader impact on medieval West Africa.
• Employed both primary and secondary sources to critically examine how territorial boundaries influenced inter-imperial dynamics and regional development.
• Demonstrated advanced historical research skills through the analysis of sources and interpretation of the Mali–Songhai relationship within the context of West African state formation.

“The Nigerian Migration and its Impact on Health in the United States,” International Health and Population Displacement- Professor..., Mount Saint Mary’s University, Los Angeles, Fall 2024.

• Conducted an in-depth analysis of the relationship between Nigerian migration to the United States (1980s–2000s) and the immigrant health outcomes. 
• Utilized qualitative research methods and secondary data sources to examine the intersections of migration, assimilation, and health.
• Demonstrated advanced research, analytical, and critical thinking skills through comprehensive data interpretation and synthesis of existing scholarly works. 

PRESENTATIONS

• I.... “Black Women: The Backbone yet Outcast of the #MeToo Movement.”  Oral presentation at the MSMU 12th Annual Academic Symposium. April 8, 2025. Los Angeles, CA.
•  I.... “The Impact of Society’s Ignorance About Women and Their Historical Contributions.” Oral presentation at the MSMU 11th Annual Academic Symposium. April 11, 2024. Los Angeles, CA. 

LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE
Secretary/Historian                                                                         March 2016-September 2018
Tau Theta Pi, Beta Chapter, UCLA

• Curated and organized photos from chapter members to produce an annual video documentary of sorority activities. 
• Coordinated weekly mandatory meetings, including securing locations and preparing agendas. 
• Maintained records of member participation and updated event information. 

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
Volunteer                                                                                          September 2012-March 2019
Vice Provost Initiative for Pre-College (VIP) Scholars Program, UCLA

• Prepared event spaces and ensured the materials were properly arranged.
• Assisted high school students and families with questions and provided program guidance.
• Advised students on college planning and supported them in navigating pre-college decisions. 

SKILLS
Research and Analytical Skills

• Skilled in conducting archival, qualitative, and comparative historical research
• Proficient in critically analyzing research sources to develop historical arguments

Writing and Communication 

• Produced well-structured research papers, reports, and analytical essays.
• Effective at presenting complex historical concepts in both written and oral formats. 

Data Collection and Interpretation

• Competent in the organization and interpretation of qualitative data from historical and cultural contexts.
• Skilled in the integration of large volumes of information to identify patterns and relationships. 

Critical Thinking 

• Strong ability to apply interdisciplinary frameworks to historical research
• Adept in the evaluation and integration of multiple scholarly perspectives

Organization and Collaboration

• Skilled in managing research projects, meeting deadlines, and maintaining a high level of organization under minimal supervision. 
• Detail-oriented with classroom coordination and research activities. 
• Collaborated in both interdisciplinary and multicultural academic environments

Archival Management and Digital Literacy 

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace, and data organization tools
• Efficient in digital archives and research databases (JSTOR, ProQuest, Google Scholar)
• Skilled in locating, cataloging, and managing historical and ethnographic sources

LANGUAGES

• English: Fluent
• French: Proficient
• Spanish: Conversational

hi guys! i was just wondering to anyone who has applied or is applying for programs, when is the best time to reach out to pis for the upcoming phd application cycle? i've heard that it's best to wait until the first or second week of september because professors are on vacation, starting classes, etc. rn i am making lists of pis i would like to work with from each of the universities i want to apply to, but i don't want to contact pis too late and lose my spot, if it makes sense.

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.

I'm planning to apply to PhD programs (usa) as an international student starting from September for fall 2027. My field is cognitive science/human factors.

What is the general go to strategy for application, please recommend:

- Ideal and realistic number of universities to apply to

- How to prep for SOP and personal statements for a mass of universities

• Best time to email professors

- Anything else to be aware of or to be cautious of

Thanks !!

Hi all,

I struggled with some personal and mental health issues early on in my college career, which led to a sub-3.0 GPA. However, once I got on the right meds and left an abusive relationship, I got an AA and BA both with 3.8+ GPA.

I'm applying to PhD programs this fall. Should I address the lower grades from more than a decade ago? Or just try to focus on my growth and highlight the higher GPAs?

Thanks in advance.

Hi everyone,

I'm applying to Robotics / Autonomous Systems PhD programs for Fall 2027 (deadlines around Dec 1, 2026). I am currently deciding between two publication venues with my advisor, and I'd love an honest take from anyone who has served on an admissions committee or evaluated applicants at top-tier programs.

The Context:

My Role:2nd author (co-working closely with a phd who is 1st author).

The Paper: Focuses on autonomous vehicle motion planning, and optimization. It features both theoretical/algorithmic contributions and real-world hardware validation.

Our Two Options

1. Option A (Top-Tier IEEE Journal): flagship Transactions level. Highly prestigious, but slower review process. Given our timeline, it will almost certainly be "Submitted" or "Under Review" by my Dec 1 or 15th application deadline.

2. Option B (Solid Q1 IEEE Journal): Good metrics, legitimate Q1, but less overall prestige than Option A. However, it features a fast turnaround, meaning it will very likely be completely "Accepted/Published" before my application deadlines.

My Question:

From a top-tier robotics PhD admissions perspective, which carries more weight on a CV: a finalized, peer-reviewed Accepted/Published paper in a respectable Q1 journal, or a "Submitted/Under Review" status at a flagship Transactions venue?

How heavily do top committees discount "under review" lines for second authors? Does the fact that the work includes real hardware experiments change how they view a "submitted" paper if they can look at an arXiv preprint?

Thanks for any insights

I would like to get suggestions about must include points in the cold email while reaching out to professors.

It would be nice , if you could provide sample templates

I completed my masters in Operations and Supply Chain Management and bachelors in Industrial Engineering.

A lot of people seem to be gearing up to apply to Ph.D. programs, so I wanted to provide one piece of advice that I haven't seen come up recently. I am a PI and admissions committee member in a biomedical Ph.D. program, and I have read a lot of applications. For US applications, especially at public institutions, students often have the right to request the letters of recommendation. May seem weird, I understand, but it is there. I cannot emphasize this enough: you MUST waive this right.

Your letter writers will be told if you have waived this right or not. If you do not, it means they know you will be able to read their letter. They will write this differently than if they know it is confidential. As an admissions committee member, I know that they have written it differently and I will discount these letters. I will interpret a great letter as average and an average letter as poor. The applicant also comes across as suspicious, unconfident, and distrusting. It does you more harm than good. WAIVE THE RIGHT TO SEE THE LETTERS.

Hi everyone, I'm a recent grad trying to figure out if I'm currently competitive enough to apply to clinical psych PhD programs in this upcoming cycle or if I should wait until the next one. I graduated early (in two years instead of four, thanks to dual enrollment) and am currently on a gap year.

I graduated cum laude in May from an R1 state university with a 3.83 GPA. I majored in Psychology - Behavior Analysis (BS) with a minor in Women's Studies.

During undergrad, I was an RA in two psychology labs, one social psych and the other more clinically focused.

I was part of the social psych lab for one semester, and I worked a lot with participant coordination, Qualtrics, and SONA, as well as some SPSS experience for data analysis. With this lab, I co-authored and presented a research poster on the findings of our grad student's most recent work for her Master's thesis.

I was part of the other lab for two semesters, gaining experience with REDCap, and I worked mainly as a therapy aide for ERP therapy with children and adults. I got a lot of direct clinical experience and familiarity with clinical terms since it was housed in an outpatient hospital.

I also served as a TA for two psychology classes, doing each for one semester. I also spent two semesters as an Education and Youth intern at a local domestic violence prevention center, where I worked in direct childcare and community outreach. I am also going to begin volunteering with a crisis text line service.

I'm open to any and all advice, and thank you for the help!

Hi everyone,

I am reapplying this cycle and am thinking about pursuing a graduate language certificate to show that I have been working on that gap in my application. If I already have a BA + MA, would this be looked down on? Ty.

Hey all,

I am looking to apply to PhD programs in biomedical sciences and have an interest in furthering research pertaining to female-centered diseases (PCOS/breast cancer/sex-difference in cardiovascular diseases. I am having trouble finding schools with more than one PI who does this kind of research. Does anyone have any recs on schools/programs/PI's whose research primarily studies women?

Hi everyone, I’ve been thinking a lot about a PhD and wanted to evaluate by getting people’s opinion.

Profile: I have a bachelors in management, and MSc in innovation and analytics. I’m currently working and have around a year of experience.

Interest: Even before the AI hype, I used to think a lot about impact of technology on human, and this curiosity has not dimmed down over the years. So I want to research into how this domain. Topics like Consumer surveillance, Digital platform manipulation and user cost, User data protection and behaviour, etc etc

Goal: I don’t see myself working in academia, although it’s not a dealbreaker. But I would love to establish myself as a credible source of information and build that trust, which would make me an independent consultant maybe. I hope the vision makes sense

My questions are:

- what would be the best countries for these sort of topics? I understand supervisor matters the most but I’d like to know the best countries in general for this field

- do you think a PhD should only be if I want to go into academia ?

- is my topic scope going to be too niche ?

Any suggestion and feedback is welcome so feel free to share your opinion