How I got into Stanford for a Physics PhD
TLDRJanet shares her comprehensive guide on applying for a Physics PhD in the U.S., focusing on her personal application experience. She discusses her GPA, GRE scores, research output, and how these factors influenced her application process. Janet emphasizes the importance of tailoring personal statements to each school and the significance of having strong letters of recommendation from those familiar with her research. She also highlights the benefits of attending relevant conferences and securing external funding. Her application results reveal her acceptances and rejections, providing insight into the competitive nature of the process. Janet offers practical tips, such as applying to a range of schools, focusing on research fit, and contacting faculty to gauge their interest in new students. She advises maintaining a balanced life post-application and not taking rejections personally due to the unpredictable nature of the process.
Takeaways
- 🎓 **Diversity of Reasons for a PhD**: Consider the various reasons for and against pursuing a PhD, as it's a significant commitment.
- 🇺🇸 **Focus on U.S. Programs**: The guide specifically targets applicants interested in U.S. PhD programs in physics.
- 📚 **Application Overview**: Janet shares her personal application statistics, including GPA, GRE scores, research output, and references.
- 🏫 **Results and School Selection**: She discusses the schools she applied to, which ones accepted her, and the importance of applying to a range of schools.
- 📈 **GRE Scores and Their Impact**: Janet's GRE scores were decent but not top-tier, highlighting that they're not the only factor in admissions.
- 🧑🔬 **Research Experience**: Having research experience and publications can significantly bolster an application.
- 📝 **Personal Statement**: Tailoring the personal statement to each school shows initiative and a good fit.
- 🏆 **Awards and Recognitions**: Academic awards and scholarships can add to an application but are not the only determining factors.
- 💡 **External Funding**: Having external funding like a Fulbright scholarship can be a bonus but isn't necessary for admission.
- 🤝 **References Matter**: Strong letters of recommendation, particularly those from individuals well-acquainted with the applicant's research, are crucial.
- 📧 **Emailing Faculty**: Contacting potential supervisors can provide insights into whether they're accepting students and strengthen the application.
- 📉 **Field of Study**: Some fields are more competitive than others, which can affect admission chances.
- 🧠 **Strategic Life Choices**: Choosing the right projects and opportunities can make an applicant stand out more than just hard work.
- 💭 **Mindset Post-Submission**: It's important not to let the application process consume you and to maintain a balanced perspective.
- 🚫 **Rejection Is Not Personal**: Grad school applications have many unpredictable factors, so rejections should not be taken personally.
Q & A
What is the primary focus of Janet's guide?
-Janet's guide primarily focuses on providing a detailed process for applying to U.S. PhD programs in Physics, including her personal experiences and tips for prospective applicants.
What is the significance of comparing one's application stats with past applicants?
-Comparing one's application stats with past applicants can help an applicant understand where they stand in comparison to those who have applied before, which can be particularly helpful when one does not personally know anyone who has gone through the same process.
What is Janet's GPA in the Australian system and its approximate equivalent in the U.S. system?
-Janet's GPA in the Australian system is 6.7 out of 7, which converts to roughly 3.7 out of 4 in the U.S. system.
How did Janet's GRE scores compare to her acceptance into different schools?
-Janet's General GRE score was decent, and her Physics GRE score was on the lower end for some schools she got into. Different schools may weigh the GRE differently, and her scores did not prevent her acceptance into certain programs.
What role did Janet's research experience play in her application?
-Janet's research experience, including her honors thesis and internship, along with a preprint publication, significantly helped her application. It demonstrated her investment in research and familiarity with the research process.
Why is it important to tailor the personal statement to each specific school?
-Tailoring the personal statement to each specific school shows that the applicant has done their research and knows why they are a good fit for that particular school. It also helps to list the faculty one wishes to work with, further demonstrating the applicant's interest and suitability.
What is the significance of having external funding when applying to a PhD program?
-While not necessary, having external funding like the Fulbright scholarship can be a bonus point for an application. However, most schools offer a stipend for PhD students, so the lack of external funding is not a deal-breaker.
What is the main criterion that PhD programs look for in their applicants?
-PhD programs primarily look for research fit, meaning they want applicants who appear ready to start contributing to their research labs from day one.
How can attending conferences help an applicant's chances?
-Attending relevant conferences can bolster an application by demonstrating the applicant's commitment to their field and providing networking opportunities with potential advisors or faculty members.
Why is it recommended to apply to a range of schools with different levels of competitiveness?
-Applying to a range of schools, including reach, match, and safety schools, increases the applicant's chances of acceptance and ensures they have options, considering the unpredictable nature of grad school applications.
What is Janet's advice regarding the importance of life choices in the context of PhD applications?
-Janet suggests that making judicious life choices, such as selecting projects and opportunities that align with one's goals and strengthen their application, is more important than just blind hard work.
How should one approach emailing faculty members before applying?
-One should approach emailing faculty members by keeping the message short and asking a direct yes or no question, such as whether they are accepting students the following year. This respects the faculty's time and increases the likelihood of a response.
What is Janet's advice for dealing with the waiting period after submitting a PhD application?
-Janet advises not to let the grad school application process consume one's life during the waiting period. She recommends staying engaged with friends, family, and hobbies, and not to tie self-worth to the application results.
Why shouldn't rejections from PhD programs be taken personally?
-Rejections should not be taken personally because there are many unpredictable factors in the application process, such as funding availability, the number of students a program can accept, and the specific interests of other applicants, which are beyond the control of the individual.
Outlines
📚 Applying for a Physics PhD: An Overview
Janet introduces her background and the purpose of the video, which is to guide viewers on how to apply for a Physics PhD, particularly in the U.S. She shares her personal experience, including her academic performance, GRE scores, research output, and the results of her applications. Janet emphasizes the importance of understanding one's application in comparison to others and provides a link to a forum where past applicants have shared their stats. She categorizes her application into GPA, GRE scores, research experience, personal statement, CV, awards, and references, and discusses the significance of each component.
🏫 Application Results and School Funding
Janet discusses the outcomes of her applications, noting the varying levels of funding offered by different schools, which can be influenced by the cost of living in the area. She reflects on her acceptances and rejections, highlighting that her applications in topological photonics were more successful than in quantum optics. She also mentions the unexpected revocation of her acceptance by Columbia University. Janet provides general tips for applying to a Physics PhD program, such as applying to a range of schools, focusing on research fit, aligning applications with scholarship mission statements, seeking extra funding opportunities, and considering the competitiveness of the field of study.
💡 General Tips for PhD Applications and Post-Submission Advice
Janet offers additional advice for those applying for a Physics PhD. She suggests contacting faculty at the schools of interest a few months before applying to inquire about their acceptance of new students, which can strengthen the application and prevent wasting time on groups not taking new students. After submitting applications, she advises not to let the process consume one's life and not to take rejections personally, as there are many unpredictable factors in the application process. She concludes by wishing viewers the best of luck in their PhD applications.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Physics PhD
💡Application Overview
💡Research Output
💡Personal Statement
💡Curriculum Vitae (CV)
💡References
💡Extracurriculars
💡Conferences
💡Funding
💡Application Range
💡Research Fit
Highlights
Janet provides a comprehensive guide for applying to a physics PhD program.
She assumes the audience has already decided on pursuing a PhD and focuses on U.S. programs.
Janet shares her personal application statistics, including GPA and GRE scores.
She discusses the importance of research output, mentioning her honors thesis and internship in topological photonics.
Publications are highlighted as beneficial for applications, showing investment in research.
Janet emphasizes tailoring personal statements to each school and listing desired faculty to work with.
She advises writing applications as if each school is the best fit, despite internal rankings.
Janet's CV includes academic awards and external Fulbright funding, which can bolster an application.
The importance of strong references, particularly those familiar with the applicant's research and academic abilities, is stressed.
She recommends thanking referees and nurturing mutually beneficial relationships with them.
Attending conferences can enhance an application, providing opportunities to meet potential advisors.
Janet shares her application results, including schools she was accepted to and those she wasn't.
She notes the variability in funding offers from different schools, which can depend on factors like location.
Janet advises applying to a range of schools — reach, match, and safety — to maximize chances of acceptance.
She stresses that PhD programs prioritize research fit and readiness to contribute to a lab from the start.
Aligning applications with the mission statements of external funding bodies can strengthen applications.
Janet encourages actively seeking extra funding opportunities that may be available.
The choice of field can impact competitiveness, with some areas being more competitive than others.
She suggests that making judicious life choices can be more impactful than just hard work.
Janet recommends contacting faculty before applying to ensure they are accepting students and to strengthen the application.
After submission, she advises not letting the application process consume you and to maintain a balanced life.
Rejections should not be taken personally due to the unpredictable nature of the application process.
Transcripts
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