PhD Admissions Live Q&A (January 2021 Edition)

Introduction

The speaker introduces themselves and the purpose of the live stream.

• The speaker greets the audience and mentions that they are from Colorado.

• They mention that this is their first time doing a live stream.

• The speaker asks if the audience can see and hear them before starting.

Live Stream Logistics

The speaker discusses how the live stream will work and encourages audience participation.

• The audience confirms that they can see and hear the speaker.

• The speaker mentions that they have never done a live stream before but has participated in some as an attendee.

• They suggest doing live writing sprints for grad students in future streams.

• Audience members are encouraged to ask questions or talk to each other in the chat.

Getting Research Experience as an Undergrad

The speaker answers a question about getting research experience as an undergraduate student.

• A viewer asks how to get accepted into a research group as a summer intern, what qualifications professors want to see, etc.

• In the US, there are programs called Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) sites where groups of faculty supervise undergraduate researchers for the summer, which are funded and require applications.

• If there aren't specific programs like REU sites available, students can reach out directly to faculty members whose research interests them by sending an email expressing interest in their work and asking if they ever supervise undergraduate research assistants.

• Students should consider reaching out early, even months before summer starts, since faculty members may have limited availability.

Identifying a Good Supervisor

In this section, Cordelia asks how to identify a good supervisor with authentic research projects. The speaker suggests starting by doing research in your area and seeing who is publishing the kinds of work that you want to do.

Researching Potential Advisors

• Start by researching in your area and see who is publishing the kinds of work that you want to do.

• Don't assume someone isn't doing certain kind of work just because they haven't published on it yet.

• You can approach figuring out where to apply for PhD programs in two ways: identify programs first or try to identify advisors first.

• Talk to faculty in your current department and get their advice. They often know which programs are strong in a particular area.

Reducing Anxiety About Admissions

In this section, Jorge asks how to reduce anxiety about admissions. The speaker suggests finding things to keep your mind off it, having a good support system, and not constantly refreshing grad cafe or admission subreddits.

Coping with Anxiety

• Try to find things to keep your mind off it.

• Make sure that you have a good support system.

• Don't constantly refresh grad cafe or admission subreddits as it will only make anxiety worse.

• Remember that if you aren't successful this round, it isn't the end of the world. There are many reasons why you might not be accepted into a PhD program that have nothing to do with you.

Preparing for a PhD Interview

In this section, the speaker provides advice on how to prepare for a PhD interview and what to expect during the interview.

What to Expect During a PhD Interview

• The speaker has no experience with formal PhD interviews but suggests looking up YouTube videos from PhD students who have gone through the process.

• If it's a group of faculty, they will likely ask specific questions such as why you applied for the program, what kind of research you see yourself doing, and what research you have done in the past.

• Prepare answers for common questions such as your research experience and why you applied for the program.

Likelihood of Acceptance After an Interview

• The speaker cannot say how likely it is that a small program will accept a prospective PhD student after interviewing them.

• Acceptance rates vary from year to year based on the specific batch of students who applied and the capacity of faculty in that particular year.

Choosing Between Multiple PhD Offers

In this section, the speaker discusses factors to consider when choosing between multiple offers for a PhD program.

Factors to Consider When Choosing Between Offers

• Location: Consider factors such as weather, cost of living relative to stipend, and whether you have family in the area.

• Community: Consider whether other students seem like people you could be friends with and if it seems like a supportive community.

• Prestige: The speaker is wary about answering this question since she is not at an Ivy League university herself. However, prestige may be something some people consider when making their decision.

Elitism in Admissions

In this section, the speaker discusses how elitism plays a role in admissions decisions.

Admissions and Elitism

• Judges who are hiring clerkships et cetera are incredibly elitist.

• It seems to be better to be at the bottom of your class at Yale than the top of your class at a low-ranked state school.

• There is research that shows people who get PhDs from higher-ranked universities have an easier time getting jobs.

Age and Admissions Decisions

In this section, the speaker talks about ageism in admissions decisions.

Age and Admissions

• Age plays zero role for the speaker in admissions decisions.

• The department has multiple PhD students who started when they were in their late 30s or over 40.

• There can be some ageism, but it's not entirely clear how it plays out.

Choosing Between University/Department and Advisor

In this section, the speaker discusses how to choose between university/department and advisor.

Choosing Between University/Department and Advisor

• Consider quality of life, community, advisor fit, culture, etc. when choosing between university/department and advisor.

• Students have taken offers at lower-ranked places because of advisor fit or good culture.

Choosing a PhD Topic

In this section, the speaker talks about how to choose a PhD topic.

Choosing a PhD Topic

• Choose something that excites you and something you want to do for possibly the rest of your career.

• You're not going to be stuck on that specific thing except for the general field.

Choosing a PhD Program

In this section, the speaker discusses how to narrow down your interests and choose a PhD program that aligns with them. They also touch on how much influence professors have in admissions decisions.

Narrowing Down Your Interests

• To narrow down your interests, consider what you're excited about, what you want to learn more about, and what knowledge you want to contribute to the world.

Professor Influence in Admissions Decisions

• The amount of influence a professor has in admissions decisions varies by department structure.

• For PhD programs in humanities, individual faculty members likely have little say in specific decisions.

• Decisions may be made by committees or based on funding structures.

• Departments may require multiple faculty members to vouch for a candidate before admitting them.

• Funding availability can also impact admissions decisions.

Master's Degree GPA and PhD Admissions

This section covers whether master's degree GPAs are more important than undergraduate GPAs when applying for PhD programs.

Importance of Master's Degree GPA

• Master's degree GPAs are typically more important than undergraduate GPAs when applying for PhD programs.

• An upward trajectory for a GPA is good, and having a master's degree in the field you're applying for can make up for a lower undergraduate GPA.

Finding an Advisor

In this section, the speaker talks about how to find an advisor for your PhD program and what to do if the professor you want to work with is at capacity.

Reaching out to Other Faculty Members

• If the professor you want as your advisor is at capacity, they may suggest other faculty members in the department that have availability.

• These faculty members may have a new research agenda or be able to take on more students.

• Mentioning these professors in your application materials can be helpful and show that you have done your research.

Following Up After Contacting Faculty Members

• It's not necessary to reach out after submitting your application, but it can still be helpful.

• Don't read too much into it if a faculty member doesn't reply back because they receive a large number of emails.

• It's always acceptable to follow up once after a couple of weeks if you haven't received a response.

Understanding PhD Funding Offers

In this section, the speaker discusses what students should do if their award letter only has one year of funding even though the school confirmed that they expect five years.

Expectations for PhD Funding

• Offer letters typically provide four years of funding, but students often take five years to graduate.

• The expectation is that students will have funding for the whole time, but some of it may come from research assistant lines from grants that don't exist yet because it's five years in the future.

What Students Should Do Before Accepting an Offer

• Talk to current students in the program to find out if they are being funded for the whole time or not.

• If an offer letter only has one year of funding, it's important to clarify with the school whether they expect to have funding for the full five years.

Preparing for a PhD Program

In this section, the speaker talks about what students can do during the summer before starting their PhD program.

Preparing for a PhD Program

• The speaker plans on doing a video about this topic later.

Starting a PhD Program

In this section, the speaker talks about what to do before starting a PhD program and how to prepare for it.

Preparing for a PhD Program

• It is acceptable to spend your last summer of freedom being free.

• There is no expectation that you come in as a PhD student knowing everything.

• If you are excited about your research area, start reading up on recent things by your prospective advisor or other students in the department.

• You could even ask your prospective advisor what is a likely kind of thing that you might be working on.

Reaching Out to an Advisor

In this section, the speaker talks about when it's appropriate to reach out to an advisor and how far in advance of application deadlines one should do so.

Timing for Reaching Out

• If you're going to be applying for PhD programs next fall, start reaching out a couple of months before the deadline.

• Don't reach out earlier than that.

GRE Requirements Waived Off

In this section, the speaker talks about whether waiving off GRE requirements will make admissions more competitive.

Impact of Waiving GRE Requirements

• The speaker thinks that waiving off GRE requirements is good because they personally think GRE scores are useless.

• Standardized tests as cutoffs for PhDs especially are just kind of garbage according to the speaker.

PhD Program Application Process

In this section, the speaker talks about the application process for their PhD program and provides insights on what makes a strong application.

Factors that Affect PhD Applications

• Applicants who apply to PhD programs without a clear reason for pursuing a PhD may not have strong applications.

• The applicant's major does not matter as much as the kind of research experience, classes, and research they have compared to the kind of work they want to do.

• Knowing how to code might not be necessary if someone is applying to do qualitative social computing work.

International Applicants

• International applicants should be able to apply in the same way as domestic applicants.

• International applicants are not at a disadvantage in most cases. However, some programs may not fly international applicants out due to budget constraints.

Overall, having a clear reason for pursuing a PhD and relevant research experience are important factors in making a strong application. The applicant's major does not matter as much as their skills and experiences related to their desired field of study.

Dealing with School Delays

In this section, the speaker talks about how to deal with schools delaying to reach out about app outcomes.

Possible Delays

• It's still early in January, so there aren't any delays yet.

• Different programs are on different timelines.

• This year, programs might take longer than usual due to not having to fly people out for interviews and other activities.

Preparing for Interviews

• If you haven't been asked to prepare a presentation, you probably don't need one.

• Asking if it's appropriate to prepare a short presentation based on your research is an option.

Convincing Schools You're Willing to Move

In this section, the speaker discusses how to convince schools that you're willing to move.

Moving for PhD Programs

• It's completely normal for students to go wherever they need to get their PhD.

• Mentioning family or being in a certain place can be useful but doesn't impact admissions.

Admissions Visits

• If you've already been admitted into a program and know that it's where you want to go, tell them as soon as possible.

Formal Answer Deadline

• In the United States, formal answers must be given by April 15th.

• Schools are not allowed to ask for a formal answer before that date.

Applying for PhD Programs and Preparing for Interviews

In this section, the speaker discusses the possibility of applying for a PhD program based on work experience, how to explain a lack of courses in a topic related to the target PhD program during an interview, and how to prepare for possible interview questions.

Applying for PhD Programs Based on Work Experience

• It is possible to apply for a PhD program based on work experience even if you graduated from your master's degree a long time ago.

• When applying, make sure you have a good answer as to why you want to get a PhD now and what led you to wanting to do research.

• Tie your past 15 years of experience with the field that you are applying for.

Explaining Lack of Courses in Target Topic During Interview

• The importance of classes may vary depending on the field and requisite experience needed.

• Focus on relevant classes taken that relate to the work that will be done in the PhD program.

• Explain how your research experience relates to this field.

Preparing for Possible Interview Questions

• Prepare by having an idea of what kinds of questions might be asked during an interview.

• Find someone who is currently enrolled in or has completed a similar program and ask them about their experiences with interviews.

• Be ready with answers regarding why you want to pursue a PhD, why you want to attend that particular program, what kind of research experience you have, and what kind of research you want to do.

Asking About Mastering Out

In this section, the speaker discusses when it is appropriate to ask about mastering out (leaving with a master's degree) during a PhD program.

Asking About Mastering Out

• Only ask about mastering out after being accepted into the program.

• Do not ask before being accepted.

• It is acceptable to ask if it is possible to leave the program with a master's degree.

Asking About PhD Programs and Research Areas

In this section, the speaker provides advice on how to ask about PhD programs and research areas without raising red flags. They also suggest ways to find out more about research areas of interest.

Asking About PhD Programs

• A good way to ask about PhD programs without raising red flags is by asking if PhD students get a master's degree along the way.

• This is a common requirement in some disciplines, so it wouldn't be as much of a red flag.

Finding Research Areas of Interest

• To find out more about research areas of interest, start by looking at coursework related to tech ethics at your university.

• Ask faculty in the computer science department which faculty members are doing work related to social impacts of technology or ethics.

• Look for scholarly work being published in that area using Google Scholar.

Resources for Learning About Tech Ethics

In this section, the speaker recommends resources for learning about tech ethics.

Recommended Books

• Design Justice, Race After Technology, and Automating Inequality are great books on tech ethics.

• The specific book you choose will depend on your interests.

Tips for Project Presentations During PhD Interviews

In this section, the speaker provides tips for project presentations during PhD interviews.

General Tips

• Know your audience and avoid using too much jargon.

• Make sure your presentation fits within the allotted time frame.

• If using slides, make sure they look nice and simple.

• Practice your presentation beforehand with another person if possible.

Not Receiving an Interview Invitation

In this section, the speaker addresses concerns about not receiving an interview invitation.

Timelines for Individual Programs

• It's impossible to know the timelines for individual programs.

• If you don't receive an interview invitation, it may mean you're not shortlisted, but it's impossible to say for sure.

Mentioning Unpublished Research Projects to Potential Advisors

In this section, the speaker advises on how to mention unpublished research projects to potential advisors.

Mentioning Research Projects

• It's worth mentioning any research project you've done regardless of whether it has turned into a publication or not.

• If your research project is likely to turn into a publication, then definitely mention it.

Choosing PhD Programs and Preparing for Postdocs

In this section, the speaker provides advice on how to choose a PhD program and prepare for postdocs.

Factors to Consider When Choosing an Advisor

• Research fit is important, but also consider if the advisor is a good person who treats their students well.

• Consider if the advisor cares about and respects things that are important to you.

• Advisors have different advising styles, so think about what kind of mentorship you need.

Applying to One School vs. Multiple Schools

• If there is only one school you want to go to and you would rather not pursue a PhD yet, then apply only to that school.

• If there are other schools that interest you, then apply to more than one program because there are reasons why you might not be accepted into a PhD program that have nothing to do with your qualifications.

GPA's Importance in Admissions

• PhD applicants are not admitted based solely on their GPA.

Preparing for Postdocs

• Read up on the new area that you will be working in.

• Make sure you know what your PI has been doing and what you will be doing.

Other Factors When Choosing a PhD Program

• Consider the students in the program and whether it's a good community where you can make friends.

English Timelines and Advice for PhD Programs

This section covers the timeline for hearing back from PhD programs, what to do if you don't hear back, and advice on how to handle rejection.

Hearing Back from PhD Programs

• Timelines for hearing back from PhD programs vary greatly between different departments.

• It's not a bad sign if you don't hear back after sending a question or email. Faculty are notorious for losing emails, so it's best to follow up after a couple of weeks.

What to Do If You Don't Get Into PhD Programs

• If you don't get into PhD programs this cycle and can't or don't want to get a master's degree, it's important to remember that everyone's situation is unique.

• Consider getting a job in your field that has research-like elements and applying for PhD programs later.

Handling Rejection

• When asked about weaknesses during an interview, avoid saying something like "I'm a workaholic" or "I have no work-life balance." Instead, point out areas where you can improve while still highlighting your strengths.

Weaknesses and Independent Research

In this section, the speaker discusses how to address weaknesses in your application and how to demonstrate independent research experience.

Addressing Weaknesses

• Acknowledge your weaknesses in your statement of purpose.

• Show that you are actively working on improving your weaknesses.

• Be genuine when discussing your weaknesses.

Independent Research

• Lack of research opportunities is understandable, but show passion for research.

• Take initiative to do independent research if mentorship is not available.

• Apply to different kinds of programs as some may require prior research experience.

Admissions Decisions and Financial Advice

This section covers admissions decisions and financial advice for graduate students.

Admissions Decisions

• Getting an invitation does not necessarily mean rejection.

• Constantly refreshing grad cafe will only make you anxious.

• It's not a rejection until you receive a rejection letter.

Financial Advice

• Consider getting a roommate or living with family to save money.

• Budgeting is important for managing finances.

Managing Finances and PhD Applications

In this section, the speaker provides advice on managing finances while pursuing a PhD and offers tips for preparing for a PhD program.

Managing Finances

• The speaker advises against accumulating credit card debt while pursuing a PhD.

• Budgeting properly is important to avoid financial difficulties during the program.

Preparing for a PhD Program

• The speaker recommends using "You Need A Budget" to manage finances.

• When asking for letters of recommendation, it's best to ask people who can speak to your potential capacity as a researcher.

• Letters of recommendation should be tailored to the specific field you are applying to.

• If you've been in the workforce for a while, it may not be appropriate to ask faculty members for letters of recommendation. Other people who can speak to your work ethic and leadership skills can also provide recommendations.

• Factors that affect acceptance into funded PhD programs vary depending on the program and field.

• For those preparing for an interview, it's important not to overprepare or psych oneself out. Spend some time answering questions about why you want to pursue a PhD but don't memorize everything.

• It's useful to spend some time researching faculty members before an interview so that you can ask thoughtful questions about their research.

• Recent graduates or postdocs from faculties of interest can be asked similar questions as current graduate students.

Advising Style and Research Interests

In this section, the speaker discusses advising styles and how to talk about research interests during interviews.

Advising Style

• The speaker cannot provide information on timelines for hearing back from programs.

• Timelines vary by program.

• The speaker acknowledges the anxiety of waiting for a response.

• Waiting is part of the process.

Research Interests

• Be specific when talking to a prospective advisor.

• Talk about your area of interest if you are not sure who will be interviewing you.

• Avoid proposing a dissertation in an interview.

• If you have specific ideas, phrase them as an interest in a particular area or faculty member's work.

Technical Questions in Computer Science Interviews

This section covers whether technical questions are asked during computer science interviews.

Technical Questions

• Technical questions may be asked in some computer science interviews, especially those related to applied machine learning.

• The speaker has never seen or heard of technical questions being asked in information science or other computer science programs they have been involved with.

• If you receive a technical question that you cannot answer, try to answer as much as possible and express eagerness to learn more.

Knowing Your Prospective Advisor

This section discusses what is expected of students meeting with prospective advisors.

Knowing Your Prospective Advisor

• Students are not expected to know everything about their prospective advisor.

• Visiting the advisor's website and skimming one paper would be helpful but not necessary.

Tips for Meeting with Prospective Advisors

In this section, the speaker provides tips on how to prepare for meetings with prospective advisors.

Researching Prospective Advisors

• Research the general kind of research that prospective advisors do.

• Check out their website and see what kind of research they do.

• Talk to current students as much as possible and ask them questions about what it's like to live there and what their interactions with the faculty are like.

Making a Decision

• It is okay to follow up with people via email or other means of communication.

• Talk to current students as much as possible before making a decision.

Admissions Process Questions

In this section, the speaker answers questions related to the admissions process.

Acceptance Rates and Interviews

• The acceptance rate varies by discipline, so it is difficult to say.

• Saying you're interested in an industry job over an academic one when asked about goals would not be considered a red flag. However, some academics may be concerned about their academic family tree or want more students that look like them.

Reasons for Rejection

• There are many reasons why PhD students are rejected. The speaker has a video on her channel titled "Why PhD Students Are Rejected" that goes into detail on this topic.

Leaving a PhD Program Early

In this section, the speaker discusses leaving a PhD program early.

Industry Jobs vs. PhD Programs

• Some people who have industry goals realize they don't need a PhD to do those goals.

• Mention that you want a research job and that you're not going to leave the program early.

Advisor Tips for Group Interview

In this section, the speaker provides tips for group interviews.

Tips for Group Interviews

• Good questions to ask in a group interview are things that are broadly applicable.

• Don't try to monopolize the conversation by talking about your own research.

• Read the room and have some general questions prepared.

• Talk to people in your department or field for more specific advice.

Faculty Email Address and Retirement

In this section, the speaker answers a question about faculty email addresses and retirement.

Faculty Email Address and Retirement

• The fact that a faculty member is retired or their email address shouldn't matter at all.