Embarking on the journey of applying for PhD programs in the United States is a significant undertaking, and having recently navigated this process myself, I’d like to share insights that might prove valuable to prospective applicants. I won’t go into detail about what happens during a PhD and if one should do a PhD since that requires a separate discussion. I also assume you have decided to apply to PhD programs and want to know more about the application process.
There are various aspects to an application, each influencing the final decision. They are as follows:
Letters of Recommendations (LoR): In my opinion, this is the most crucial part of the application. Usually, most schools require 3 LoR from people who know you and can write about your ability or your potential to do research. These people are generally professors with whom you may have taken a few courses or worked on projects over a semester. It’s also possible to have a letter of recommendation from someone in the industry. Still, the letter’s relevance depends mainly on the writer’s qualifications. If the person in the industry has a PhD in a related subject, the letter would carry some value. Otherwise, it might not be helpful. The strength of LoRs is determined mainly by the writer’s qualifications and their network. If the writer is a well-known professor, then it’s likely that the professors on the admission committee will know that person and are likely to trust their words about you. In my own case, one of the professors who gave me a LoR was known to a professor on the admission committee, which helped my application significantly.
Grades: Grades from Bachelor’s and Master’s matter to some extent. Overall, excellent grades cannot get you admitted to a program. Still, poor grades might leave a bad impression if not supplemented by other parts of the application (good LoRs or some publications). In particular, the admissions committee looks for grades in courses relevant to the PhD program. If you have taken advanced courses in your field of study and got good grades, it will be a plus in your application. The overall grade also matters, but it’s okay if it’s not very high as long as the grades in important courses are good. Suppose you do not have good grades but have excellent letters of recommendation. In that case, there will still be a reasonable possibility of getting admitted to a few places.
Statement of Purpose (SoP): SoP is a 2-3 page document where you summarize information about yourself, your research interests and why you should be admitted; the exact influence of SoP on admission decisions is unclear. For instance, an admissions committee reviews around 300-400 applications, and it’s unlikely they’ll go through each one’s SoP in detail. I feel like SoPs are reviewed for people shortlisted on some criteria. Then, the applicant’s fit for the department and the program are tested through the SoP. After shortlisting and reviewing the SOP, if the committee finds that your research interests align with those of the department and you’ll be a good fit, then it’s likely your application will be highly ranked. So, I would suggest having a decent SoP that effectively conveys your research interests and how they align with the department. I would also suggest getting your SoP reviewed well in advance by friends and professors to remove any glaring grammatical mistakes before final submission.
GRE/TOEFL: GRE and TOEFL/IELTS are two exams most international students must take as part of the application process. GRE tests your verbal and quantitative ability, while the TOEFL/IELTS focus on your English language skills. The GRE score is more critical than the TOEFL/IELTS because it also focuses on your quantitative skills. However, neither of these tests is very influential on the final decision. I feel these tests are mainly used for shortlisting candidates, and as long as you have a decent score on both of these tests, you’ll be good. Scoring well on these tests is unlikely to get you admitted to any PhD program; however, a bad performance may result in your application not passing the shortlisting stage. I didn’t spend much time preparing for these tests and had slightly above-average scores (GRE: 317/340 and TOEFL: 107/120).
Beyond the things listed above, there might be some factors that can significantly impact the decision. For instance, if an applicant has a couple of research papers published in a reputable journal, it can substantially improve the odds of admission as it shows potential for doing research. However, an applicant doesn’t need to have a research paper published before applying for a PhD. I didn’t have any published articles, and many of my friends doing PhDs now also didn’t have any publications in 2021. However, it’s strongly recommended to have some experience where one was exposed to doing research in some fashion. In my case, I did a 6-month research internship with Pfizer in 2021, which resulted in a research project report and, ultimately, a paper published in 2023. The internship with Pfizer greatly influenced my decision to apply for a PhD and helped my application.
PS: This is my opinion and should not be considered the ‘ground truth. Take my opinion with a pinch of salt if it suits you! Also, feel free to ask any more questions about the application process.
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