Hi yall. I have been lurking here a while and I have seen a lot of people making the same mistakes I made last year. “Am I qualified for this school” “is my GPA enough” “how to cold email” etc

I was accepted to every school I applied to, including multiple top5/top10 programs. My honest advice is to stop trying to compete with everyone and focus on what you have. You can’t change what you’ve done, so own it and apply. Stop worrying about things you cannot control. There’s no point asking Reddit if your transcript is good enough, because Reddit doesn’t know. I never took any upper division biology and actually zero chemistry, and I applied to only biosciences programs (and it was fine). Talk to the people who know you. I know the relationship with this subreddit all too well- simultaneously waiting for someone to build you up while you are breaking yourself down.

Just be a sincere and likable person (ie not competitive/pretentious/ ungrateful). Show your passion and why you are a good investment for the program.

I did not have perfect transcripts nor did I cold email profs before interviews (AND I WAS FINE!)

Also, look for schools that connect with your interests and values, not just because you like the name or the weight it carries. If you want to do a PhD, you want to do something you love. And that is the kind of passion that matters.

So stop sweating the small stuff, stop comparing to strangers on the internet, touch some grass or hug a tree, and remember you’ve got this <3

This year was rough. Funding cuts hit many biomedical sciences programs hard. Fewer spots were available, and competition was brutal. A lot of strong applicants got turned away.

If you’re applying next year, here are a few tips:

• Apply broadly. Don’t rely on just a few schools.
• Contact PIs early. Show interest and ask if they expect funding for students.
• Highlight research fit. Programs are prioritizing students who align closely with labs.
• Look outside the big names. Smaller programs may have more flexibility.
• Be realistic. Admissions may be tighter than usual for another cycle.

Don’t get discouraged. Many who didn’t get in this year are planning to reapply. Stay proactive, keep building your skills, and strengthen your application.

Hello,

I’m devastated right now, because after checking the faculty website of the program I planned on applying to, the PI that I believe was almost the perfect fit for me, (in terms of research interests, methodology used, and more), is not accepting a student for fall 2026.

I had a cold email ready to send, and even though it’s just a cold email, I spent so much time on it and put everything I could into it, because this person was my top choice.

The other PIs/programs on my list are AMAZING, and I believe they are good fits for me, too. This PIs fit though was almost perfect, and I can’t imagine not applying to work with them.

Should I wait until next cycle? I graduated in 2024, so this would be gap year 3 if I do. Problem is: I don’t know if the persons not taking someone this cycle due to funding, or because they don’t have the bandwidth, or both. Has anyone else experienced this? This is all really devastating.

Hello guys!

I had been facing the dilemma of going to grad school vs industry, and since the market is not well suited for me to join the industry, I have decided to pursue grad school. I was under the impression that GRE wouldn't take much effort for me to crack in 1-2 months max. Now, I am realizing that it is way tougher than I thought.

I haven't prepared any SOPs, or anything else except shortlisting MCS universities this summer. What do you think are my chances of getting into good schools if I start now? I am currently doing Bachelor in CS in fairly rated uni in USA, but I am tired of these low-ranked/mid-ranked unis. I will rather do nothing than go to these universities for my masters. I also have internships as research interns, and SWE internships. I hope to have 2 papers by the end of this year.

I can dedicate good number of hours and maybe target for late-September GRE test. As cliche as it may sound, do I have enough time to do everything and still get into top unis?

Edit:
added more info

Hi everyone,

Last cycle I received several interviews but was ultimately rejected from all programs post-interview. Since then, I’ve made progress in my research, including a publication, so I know I need to revise (or possibly rewrite) most of my research statement. My main question is about the introduction: is it acceptable to keep a similar opening—perhaps just changing the hook and a few details—or should reapplicants aim to rewrite everything from scratch?

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some honest guidance about my PhD applications. I want to be straightforward and not create emotional drama, but I also think my background and challenges are part of my story, so I’ll explain them briefly.

Academic Background: • Bachelor’s in Forensic Science & Criminology — 67.17%. My undergrad grades were affected by serious issues in Kashmir (Militancy, internet-blackouts, lack of opportunities, instability), but I still completed it.

• Master’s in Forensic Science (specialization in Cyber Forensics) — CGPA 8.4/10.

  • IELTS 8 bands

• Certifications: Document, Fingerprint, and Handwriting Analysis.

Research Work: • Dissertation submitted for publication (submitted not published yet). • Another paper (forensic analysis-based) also submitted ( not published yet)

Research Direction / SOP Angle: Since the U.S. doesn’t offer direct PhDs in Forensic Science, I am shifting toward Information Studies where I can connect my background in forensics and technology to broader interdisciplinary problems.

My SOP will include my personal story like growing up in Kashmir, facing blackouts and instability, and the challenges that affected my education, but I will present it professionally, as motivation and resilience, not as emotional drama.

Current Situation: • I’ve cold-emailed professors. Some gave positive early responses but later stopped replying.(their final response was not something negative. They just ghosted me out of nowhere.) • Others responded neutrally (generic acknowledgments, no follow-up). • I’m unsure whether this is normal or reflects a weakness in my profile.

My Real Concern: The PhD applications I’m preparing for are extremely expensive for me, given my personal background and financial situation as an international student. I can’t afford to waste chances on programs where I realistically don’t stand a chance.

What I Need Guidance On: 1. Where does my application realistically stand, given my background? 2. Is it worth applying and taking the financial risk, or should I reconsider my direction? 3. Do applicants with profiles like mine (stronger Master’s, weaker Bachelor’s, some publications under review) usually get considered seriously in Information Studies?

Universities that I’m planning to Apply 1. UMD 2.UCLA 3.University of Michigan 4.University of Washington

I’d really appreciate honest advice from people who’ve been through this process.

Currently a warwick maths student with 69.3% in first year and 73.4% in second year. Im planning on taking mostly applied maths courses in my 3rd year (mainly PDEs and numerical/matrix analysis) and had written a second year essay on PDEs. Didnt do too well on my pure modules like multivariable analysis but got firsts in my algebra modules. What would my chances be at getting an offer from cambridge?

Hey all,

I'm a novice to the grad admissions scene. Have just started looking around on the requirements for admits. Any of your opinions would be of great help.

UG GPA: 9.46/10 SRMIST (T15 college as per NIRF which is a national ranking system in india)

online converters show me 3.78/4 in US scale

Work experience: Approx 2 years at EY as a data analyst/engineer

No research experience.

I have no particularly notable extracurricular achievements. I've been the management lead at college club. Presented final college project at IFERP conference. Also have around 3-4 projects that i've did during my UG if that counts. Have worked as a content writer for a tech blog during college.

Haven't taken TOEFL yet. Planning to take it by oct. I have not taken GRE yet as most of the colleges seem to have waived it off or it is optional.

I will have to start with my SOP's if i feel like i have a solid chance at top colleges for MEM and similar courses. I'm trying to target top colleges as I will have to take a complete loan to fund my studies and trying to maximize career outcomes for the repayment.

I have looked at duke and northwestern atm. Do i have a shot at cornell, dartmouth etc. Please advice me on which colleges i might have a chance at.

I scored 67.1 % in my Bachelor’s and 8.5/10 CGPA in my Master’s . I’m applying for PhD in the US as an International student. What will the admissions faculty consider more? Master’s Grade or Bachelor’s Grade?

Hi everyone,

I’m new to this space and need some guidance. I’m an Indian student completing my Bachelor’s in Information Technology (B.Tech), and I’ll be getting my provisional degree around March/April 2026.

I’ve been reading a lot of current news about student visa policies, immigration rules, PR pathways, and tuition costs — but honestly it’s getting confusing. Some people say USA is best for career but visa problem currently happening there, others say Canada/Australia are more PR-friendly, and then Germany/Europe are cheaper but strict with documents, and I am personally interested in New Zealand but don't the reality of getting in there.

Since all my expenses will be through education loans, I also want to ask:

What’s the minimal cost option that still has good placements & PR scope?

What formalities and documentation should I prepare early (transcripts, equivalence checks, APS/WES, etc.)?

What factors should I consider when choosing a country or university (placements, tuition, visa rules, post-study work permits)?

Which countries are currently the most PR-friendly for Indians?

For IT students, what’s the placement/job market status abroad right now?

I don’t have a very high CGPA (<7.0), but I have projects and internships. My plan is to start applying for Fall 2026 intake (Aug–Sept 2026).

Would love to hear from seniors who have already gone through this — which country did you choose and why, what were the real costs, and what do you wish you had known earlier?

Thanks a lot 🙏

What should I do

I am done with my bsc from biomedical science with Cgpa of 9.08. Now what should I do I don't want to start my msc without even knowing of I want to do it or not. My friend suggested me how I should do mc in public health and during this I should think what I want to do and start learning but I don't know. I am thinking of enrolling into any fellowship but that's just way too hard my university professor are not even giving me an lor forget about any help. What do u guys think I should do I am done at this point.

I recently reached out to a prospective PI whose work I was incredibly interested in. They let me know that their recent and projected research doesn't necessarily align with my interests (great info). I went back to research other PIs at the university, only to realize that I could likely fit better with a different lab. (Although in all honesty, part of the reason for reaching out to this specific PI was my interest in them as a mentor more than anything.) I've seen multiple threads on here about the taboo of reaching out to multiple PIs at one school, and honestly I wouldn't dream of doing that in the first place. However, now I wonder if I've blown my chance to get my name across the right desk. Should I instead attempt to contact grad admissions? Or should I just apply as usual and specify the other lab on the application?

I was admitted to a U.S. PhD program this year (one of my top choices), and in total got into three schools that are all decently good. I decided to defer because I received a fellowship in Europe for next year (non-deferrable), so I’ll be abroad in 2025–26.

What worries me is that my official deferral letter from the grad school says “re-enrollment is contingent upon funding availability.” When I asked, they said it’s a mandatory clause they have to include and reassured me they’re doing fine financially. But who really knows — I wouldn’t blame them if cuts happen, and I’d hate to be left without options.

I’m in a theory area (not applied), which usually isn’t funded well. I’m planning to apply for fellowships this year, but I’m also debating if I should apply to European PhD programs (shorter, 3–4 years) and then return to US for postdoc.

So my questions are: • Has anyone actually heard of a deferral being rescinded due to funding? • Would it make sense to apply to EU PhDs as given the current climate? • Should I also apply to a few comparable U.S. programs, since I have a stronger background this year, or is funding unlikely to be much better elsewhere? • If the answer is yes for the previous two points: would this look bad to the school I deferred from, or to professors in the field?

Thank you guys — mostly I just want to weigh my options and I’m getting a little anxious about this. Any perspective would be really appreciated.

My BS is in computational biology and I’m interested in computational, drug discovery, protein modeling, ML in biology, and computational pharmacology. My chemistry background is limited (only through Orgo 1) but I want to apply to Pharmacology PhDs to do computational work.

Should I go for it if there are professors in the department I’d like to work with or apply to a comp bio program and try to work with that professor?

I read the general consensus is a couple weeks before it’s due to send a reminder, and then another once it’s the week of. I sent my prof my reference request, and they agreed, 3 months in advance (note that it’s from a prof who’s course I did well in, unfortunately I didn’t make any connections in undergrad), and it’s been a month.

Would it be appropriate to follow up in case they forgot, even though they don’t actually need to until end of October? I’m in Canada and found a PI willing to accept me as a grad student, and this reference is all I’m missing. I think the anxiety is kind of kicking in. Does anyone have any advice on if it’d be appropriate to follow up a month later despite being so far away from the deadline?

Hi, I will be applying for the Fall 2026 admission cycle as a graduate student and I was going through the multiple formats of emailing professors before application but almost all of these are catered towards PhD applicants over Masters applicants.

I want to understand whether there is any merit in emailing professors from targeted labs I want to attend? Does this weigh into the acceptance chances? Can someone guide me on this? Also what is the probability of getting a response when you email a professor as a prospective graduate student?

For some context, since I am going to graduate school I don’t have a specific research topic in my head yet but there are specific modules and labs I am interested in from the course I am applying to. So if I do have to email a professor what should be my main point of discussion in this case?

I am writing a Statement of Purpose for grad school and was wondering if a small joke would be ok. Essentially I am writing about a project I did and I named the project BS-1. B and S are my first and last initials so I was thinking about including something like, “…the project was named BS-1 (yes, those are my initials)…” Obviously I could just not include that line but I am wondering if that would be a positive or a negative. If it matters my major is aerospace engineering.

Hello there! I hope this is the right sub to ask this question! A little about me; I'm a third-year orthopedic surgery resident interested in eventually pursuing a master's in history. I have a BS in psychology and an M.D, but have always adored history. I had wanted to pursue it in college and pursue some history-related career, but my parents weren't too happy about the prospect ("useless career/degree," "learn it in your own time," yada yada). They ended up pressuring me into medicine, and while I've grown to genuinely love every aspect (except the 80-hour work weeks lol) of being a physician, it's not my passion; history is. Since it has always been my dream to learn history in-depth, in a structured academic setting, I've been seriously considering an MA. Over the last decade I haven't had much time to sleep, let alone to think about an MA but given that I've got just two years of residency left, after which I'll have considerably more free time, I've started to kind of try and plan out how I can make this happen soon. The problem is, from my limited knowledge, one needs to have some kind of background in history to be able to pursue a Master's in it. And even if it's not a hard requirement, it still makes it more difficult if your background is in an unrelated field. Not to mention that all my research and work experience--obviously--is completely unrelated to history. I'd just like to hear more from people in a similar situation as mine and what they've done. Or just receive any general advice on how to go forward and how the process would look like for someone like me. Thank you very much!! :)

Profile: Actuarial Science graduate 3.5 CGPA (Malaysian) Work experience: data analysis, risk management and actuarial work for around 3+ years Targetting a passable GMAT score to get into Oxford (probs 760) Cleared CFA Level I and on my way to Level 2

What are my chances of getting in the MFE?

Need advice!

Hey yall!

Currently prepping a MSCS app for this cycle, wondering if I'm competitive for the schools I’m considering with my current background or if there are any other schools I should consider.

Degree: Major in Neuroscience, Minor in computer Science from UT Austin

Cumulative GPA: 3.82 (No GRE)

Research Experience: Unfortunately no relevant research experience, but technically have some related to neuroscience, but not sure if thats worthwhile to list out since its not CS related

Work Experience: I have worked at a reputable bank tech company as a SWE for a year since I graduated college, and I also worked as a TA for a year and a half while in college for an introduction to computer science class.

Letters of Rec: I was thinking of asking my Professor that I TA’d for, my manager from work, a Professor I did a lot of volunteering for the CS department, and two of my professors from my minor in computer science classes where I was relatively active in their office hours

Extra Stuff: 1). I have tons of self projects that I completed throughout my time in college to showcase my programming abilities, attended multiple hackathons/competitions at the club/org level from my school and won some awards. Did a bunch of volunteering for the CS department, was part of the CS department instructional hiring student committee where I interviewed potential candidates to teach for the CS department.

School List: UCLA, UT Austin online masters, UT Austin in person masters, USC, Georgia tech OMSCS, Columbia CVN. (My dream school is UCLA but not quite sure If I’m competitive enough since I come from a non traditional background)

Hi everyone! I'm a college sophomore and intend to apply to immunology, molecular biology, and/or cancer biology PhD programs, and wanted to see how highly pursuing an applied statistics minor would be valued (or not). I'm prioritizing time in a research lab (~10 hours/week right now) as well as an undergraduate teaching assistant role and will have other difficult STEM classes like orgo, physics, and biochem, as well as immunology and virology as electives, and the minor requires 4 additional statistics courses beyond what's required for my major, so I'm debating whether it's worth that many extra STEM classes that may be difficult too. I was thinking I might just take two additional stat courses to develop a basic understanding of programming languages like R & RStudio and Python and maybe some general statistical analysis beyond the intro-level course without doing the whole minor, but would this not be as well received as completing the whole minor, or do grad programs mostly not care about the specific credentials/minors/certificates and more about the specific coursework? If anyone has advice on this, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks!

Can I get into MS CS programs in
1. Purdue
2. UCSD
3. UMass
4. USC
5. UT Dallas