As admissions consultants, we talk a lot about writing great statements of purpose, putting together an impressive curriculum vitae (CV), and approaching potential recommenders. However, we don’t always discuss what sort of contact applicants should try to make with potential advisors and professors at their desired schools. If you get one thing out of this…
Seeking Employment with Your New PhD
Congratulations! You’ve worked hard and are now the proud holder of a PhD. Now what? In today’s job market, PhDs are hired not only as professors, but also as: Researchers in STEM fields, plus many other academic and non-academic areas Directors of nonprofits or government agencies A wide array of positions within business and consulting…
Everything Graduate Applicants Need to Know About the Curriculum Vitae (CV)
If you’re applying to an academic graduate program (MA, PhD), no doubt you’ll be asked to submit a CV or resume. While “resume” is the term most often used in common parlance, there is a huge difference between CVs and resumes, and there are important reasons for choosing the CV instead of the resume. Let’s…
Reapplying to PhD Programs
What if you did apply and were unsuccessful? How can you strengthen your candidacy for PhD reapplication? Step #1: Conduct an honest assessment of your candidacy. Did you apply to too few programs? To the wrong programs? (Applying only to Harvard is not a great strategy!) Consider broadening your list of schools. Were there weaknesses…
Fully-Funded PhD Program at Harvard University: How I Got In
Harvard is one of those places that people often talk about with admiration but rarely as an aspiration. “Could I ever get into Harvard?” is usually a question asked with a great deal of doubt and trepidation. However, thousands have graduated from Harvard over its lengthy and illustrious history, and those people are real people….
Obtaining Graduate Assistantships
Assistantships are a way of funding your graduate education. They are more often awarded to PhD students than to master’s students (though a department may sometimes have funding available for exceptional master’s students). You may be awarded a Teaching Assistantship (meaning you help teach a class, teach a section of a larger class, teach a…
Acing Your PhD Interview
While not all PhD programs require interviews, some do (including many overseas). If you’re invited to a PhD interview, take full advantage of the opportunity you’ve been given by preparing effectively – review your research on the department, prepare to talk about your PhD research goals, etc. (P.S. A mock interview can be helpful!). PhD…
Deciding Who Should Write Your Letters of Recommendation
Letters of recommendation are a key part of your application. Strong ones provide meaningful support, and a lukewarm one can really hurt you. In this post we’ll answer two questions: Who should write in support of your PhD application? And how can you make sure your letters are as good as they can be? How…
All About the Grenoble DBA (Doctorate in Business Administration) [Episode 315]
Exploring the DBA (Doctorate in Business Administration) program at Grenoble Ecole de Management [Show Summary] Would you like to be the kind of business leader who wants to define problems and design solution based on rigorous research? Are you seeking a global, part-time program that goes beyond the masters? Do you like the idea of…
Minimizing Technical Jargon in Your SOP
Frequently, applicants in STEM fields are working on projects that are quite technical in nature. Field-specific jargon might show that you know the language of your field – which is important – but using too much of it can also make your SOP very hard to read. Aim for the middle road: you want to…
Choosing the Right PhD Program
Choosing the right PhD program is key to your success – not just in getting admitted, but in having a successful grad school experience. What makes a PhD program the right one? There are two things you need to be on the lookout for when choosing the best program for you. First, it needs to…
PhD Applicants: Strengthening Your Candidacy
Once you’ve made the decision to apply for a PhD, how can you prepare effectively and strengthen your candidacy? The importance of pre-PhD research Your research is a vital part of your PhD application – you need to have clear reasons for pursuing advanced research in your field, and you need to be able to…
Life on a PhD Waitlist: Is There Anything You Can Do?
Anyone who’s been on an admission waitlist can tell you that it’s a frustrating place to be! On the other hand, the fact that the committee has waitlisted you shows that you’re very close to the top of their admit list. If you’ve been waitlisted by a PhD program, what should you know, and what…
How to Write About Your Research Interests
“How to Write about Your Research Interests” is taken from our free guide, Get Your Game On: Prepping for Your Grad School Application. To download the complete guide, click here. The most common challenge that my clients face when writing a statement of purpose (SOP) for a Master’s or PhD application is how to describe,…
Choosing Graduate Programs to Apply To
“Choosing Graduate Programs to Apply To” is taken from Get Your Game On. To download the complete guide, click here. As you bring your interests into focus, start to create a list of target programs. Many factors will influence your decision-making process. Here are some things to think about when choosing which graduate programs to…
The Personal Statement That Got Me a Large Scholarship to Cambridge
In October 2008, I submitted an application for a Masters program in Latin American Studies at Cambridge University. At the time, I was a bit lost in life; I was what they call a “super-senior” at UCLA, taking my last three General Education requirements during Fall quarter of a fifth year. I had already walked…
Awards! Grants! Scholarships! Oh My! [Episode 286]
Interview with Rebecca Lippman, Accepted Admissions Consultant [Show Summary] Accepted’s own Rebecca Lippman is a veritable fountain of knowledge when it comes to scholarships and grants, and in this podcast she shares tips on how to find scholarship opportunities and how to position yourself to win them. Everything You Need to Know About Grad School…
The Ford Foundation Pre-Doctoral Fellowship Application Essay Tips
This post focuses on application strategies for pre-doctoral students and graduate student applicants to apply for three years of funding from the Ford Foundation through The National Academies of Sciences. What to Know About the Ford Foundation Fellowship Since 1936 The Ford Foundation, created by members of the Ford family, has turned what started as…
PsyD vs. PhD – Making the Choice
To borrow from Shakespeare, “To PsyD or PhD that is the question.” That is, in fact, a question that many undergraduate psychology majors contemplate as they approach graduation. Without doubt, after over twenty years in higher education and over five years as an Accepted graduate admissions consultant, I have seen and heard almost everything. But…
Statement of Purpose Must-Haves: 4 Tips to Get You Started
You’re ready to sit down and write your statement of purpose. You’ve got a cup of coffee and a chunk of time to think and write. Now, how do you get started? Here are 4 things you need to write a great statement of purpose: A clearly thought out goal This is the most important…
