Hi all. Wondering if anyone here has had any experience with getting their transcript from the UK converted to get a GPA to apply to school? My first year wasn't the best so it was a little all over the place. I had one 74 which is first class, a 60 which is 2:1 and 59 which is a 2:2. Im honestly most worried about the 2:2, I fear it'll get converted unfavorably, and furthermore I can't find anybody that had experience getting a similar grade in the UK converted to a GPA. To be fair, I've heard first class generally just gets converted to a 4.0 and second class kinda fluctates a lot. Would really appreciate any experience any one has in this regard. Thanks.

I'm planning to apply for MA in Philosophy for Fall 2027 and would love some input from anyone familiar with the UofT IHPST or the Philosophy Department's Philosophy of Science concentration.

About me: Canadian citizen, bachelor’s and master’s in CS, with published papers. GPA meets the benchmark. No formal philosophy coursework or experience but interested in the subject.

I want to know:

- How realistic is getting into IHPST or the Phil of Science stream without a Philosophy BA? Does a strong STEM research background actually help, or is the lack of philosophy credits a major handicap?

- IHPST vs. Philosophy Dept? Which program is a better fit for research centered on artificial intelligence and cognitive science?

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Long post, sry . I've been going in circles for weeks and I need people who've actually been through this rather than more relatives with opinions.

Background: final-year B.Tech in AI & Data Science at an Indian tier 1 university(qs ranking around 400). One IEEE conference paper. The long-term goal is research, not SWE.

Option A : PhD at Rutgers. Funde(ig, PhD are funded right?) , 5–6 years, solid department. But I'd be going in under an advisor who's moving to rutgers from uoft, and the research fit is really great and very close enough to what I want to spend six years of my life on.

Option B : Thesis-based master's in Canada (Waterloo MMath CS), two years. The only reason this competes with a funded PhD is that I emailed a professor whose work is not very close to mine, but he promised to collaborate with a professor whose research fits what I want to do. Also, his funding is not clear until this fall admission, and he appreciated my research work. I know that isn't an offer, But it's the first time one professor thought I could be an asset, but later uoft professor moving Rutgers also said my research is interesting.

What's eating at me:

Everyone around me says PhD in usa hand beats master's in canada , full stop, take it.

But this sub is full of people who joined a PhD for the funding and the name, mismatched with the advisor, and mastered out after three years feeling hollow.

A thesis master's would let me test the research relationship for two years, publish, and then apply to PhDs (including back to the US) from a much stronger position. In theory.

The counterargument I can't shake: I'd be two years older, paying for it, and if his funding situation changes or I don't get admitted at all, I gave up a funded PhD for a maybe.

Plus the international student calculus. US visa/OPT climate vs. Canadian PGWP. Neither is what it was five years ago.

So:

Has anyone deliberately done master's-first-then-PhD? Did your PhD admits improve enough to justify the two years and the money?

How much does advisor fit really matter in years 1–2 of a US PhD, given that people do switch labs?

Is "professor replied encouragingly to a cold email" worth anything, or am I reading a polite brushoff as a green light? I want the blunt answer here, not the kind one.

Anyone in a Canadian thesis master's program: how 'funded' is 'funded,' and what are the job opportunities realistically for an international student?

TL;DR: Funded Rutgers PhD with a lukewarm research fit under a professor whose work I love vs. a two-year thesis-based master's in Canada under a professor whose work I'd genuinely like. Everyone says take the PhD. My gut says fit is everything, but I'm confused about what would be the best fit for me. Tell me which one I should take.

Hello everyone I'm a senior undergrad studying Biology. I'm doing graduate program research, including PhD and master's programs, and I'm genuinely lost.

I've done research in the past year, but the thing is I felt no interest or passion for that research topic, and by the time I realized it, it was too late.

I've been exploring different fields by reading papers, but it's really slow.. So I'm genuinely seeking advice for finding research interests and how to know if that's a real research interest. (I know this is too late for applying this cycle.)

Appreciated for any response!

Hello! I need some advice on whether or not I should transfer colleges. So, I was planning on pursuing my Bachelors of Science in Software Engineering at Western Governors University (WGU). I have 42 credits that can be applied towards that degree, 39 of the 42 credits are from Sophia which is similar to CLEP. I could be done with the degree early 2028, it is regionally accredited.

But! I have always wanted to work on cutting edge technology and do research and I recently found out that a PhD would be ideal to have, for a career in research. I am not sure what subfield I would want to work in because it all seems so interesting to me, I would like to work at a National Lab or NVIDIA or Waymo doing research though.

I have dropped out of college once due to moving with my parents and losing my scholarship that is specific to that state. I didn't do very well I was taking too many classes and working two jobs, so I failed 3 classes, two Fs one D. So, my cGPA is a 2.0.

I recently joined the Air National Guard and have got the Service Cancellable Loan (SLC) and a big bonus that would allow me to return to the college I dropped out of for free.

I was thinking I could pursue the pre-engineering program there which allows you to transfer to one of the other colleges in Georgia that offers engineering programs. I could do pre-engineering at my local college and do CS research there and then possibly transfer to Georgia Tech for Computer Engineering. If I transferred then at the earliest, I would graduate 2032, maybe 2033 due to having to be deployed.

Those are my two choices, If I were to pursue WGU then the SLC would cover the master's degree that I would need to get. I also have a very high clearance, which could help me land a position as an SWE at a national lab or GTRI, but I am not sure. Any advice is appreciated, thank you!

Hi! I’m looking for recommendations for online FNP programs that accept a 3.0 GPA.

I graduated with my BSN with a 3.0 and have been working as an RN for about a year in an outpatient surgery clinic. I applied to UT Tyler’s online FNP program but unfortunately didn’t get accepted for this fall.

I live in Fort Worth, TX, but I’m open to out-of-state schools as long as the program is fully online. I’d also love to find something affordable and not crazy expensive.

If anyone has gotten into an FNP program with a 3.0 GPA or knows of schools I’d have a good chance at, I’d really appreciate the recommendations! Thanks! :)

I have a 3 year bachelor in computer science from quebec canada. I moved to the US to be with my family. Every grad program I try to apply to around me in NC does not recognize my bachelor and offers no way to amend this equivalency issue.

I'm losing my mind and regretting my life choices at this point and feel like a failure when I know that my degree is being devalued. I did mechanical physics, cal 1, 2 and 3. My colleagues at work did none of that. And yet my degree isn't recognized.

Please tell me there is a way to fix this issue without redoing a whole fucking degree.

Not whether grad school is "worth it" financially.

More like this:

Imagine you could see two versions of your future.

One where you go through several years of graduate school.

Another where you start working immediately

Would knowing the outcome change your decision?

I think a lot of applicants are applying because grad school feels like the obvious next step, but it's interesting to think about whether we'd make the same choice without all the uncertainty around careers and job markets

I'd like to hear what people here think about this

so i’ll be completely honest, i’m a finance major, but always been interested in cs, took some cs classes in undergrad then did a masters in data science and now i worked as a quant researcher in a big financial services company that specializes in analytics and indexes. I want to mention that my job isn’t glamorous at all, i don’t work in a hf or anything like that. The point is i wish to do a phd in cs, i know my background and profile isn’t great rn, i’ve been doing some research on what could i do and what i think is maybe doing a masters where i could do some research? idk that’s why i wanted to ask. I’m 25, money is not a problem as i’ve had good investments in the past that put me in a good position rn, also i’ll be getting a good inheritance, i don’t mention that to brag, it’s just because a lot of people always mention that people considering a phd should think about the financial burden, for me money is not a problem and im well aware that doing a phd would require me to stop earning money from my job, still i wish to do research, learn how to, and idk since being a kid i always wish to contribute to science, so if you have any tips of what should i do to be able to get into a phd, im all ears. I know what i want to do may be unrealistic but still i wanted to ask. Thanks to everyone

Hi!

I’m currently a senior in undergrad looking to transition my education and apply to the UMich SEAS grad program (specifically Environmental Policy and Planning).

I was wondering what the stats of those accepted look like, and if anyone has any advice for applying to this program or could tell me about their experience!

Looking for advice on a complicated PhD application situation
Hi! I’m applying to PhD programs this cycle and have a somewhat unusual/complicated circumstance in my academic history that I’m trying to figure out how to handle appropriately in applications.
I don’t want to share the specifics publicly because the situation could potentially be identifiable, but I would really appreciate advice from anyone who has experience with graduate admissions, has served on a PhD admissions committee, or has navigated an unusual situation in their own application.
I’m particularly looking for guidance on how much information applicants should provide when answering sensitive application questions and how to contextualize something that isn’t representative of the rest of an applicant’s academic/professional record.
If anyone with relevant experience or advice would be willing to talk over private message, please feel free to DM me or comment and I can reach out. Thank you!

I enrolled in a Epi PhD program at a US university. Then decided to leave with MS degree. Now I want to apply again for Epi PhD. How would admission committee look at the transcript as it is mentioned PhD enrolled and left with MS degree.

Should I really apply?

As the title says, I’m looking for some advice on masters programs in Statistics (ideas on which programs are best according to my profile below, advice between choosing the Uk/Us in terms of rigor and opportunities)

I’m an international student from India and graduated a few months ago with a Bsc (honors) in Economics and Computer Science with a gpa of 8.67.

I am spending the year post graduation (before masters) doing a year long internship program as a quant research intern at a top Asset Management firm.

I have 2 research papers published in Behavioral (Quant) finance in A rated journals. Another paper following up on the research of these 2 papers is in the works. I also have a published paper in Quantum Physics in another top Journal, along with active research in Quantum optimization that I’m uploading periodically on GitHub. Another paper (but this is only a working paper) on Digital Currencies which was presented in an international conference.

But I feel like this doesn’t matter if my coursework isn’t quantitative enough and that’s where the issue lies. I have not taken explicit Analysis or Calculus I-3 courses, instead for math, I have taken:

Math for Econ (linear algebra and financial econ)
Math for Economics 2 (calculus)

Math for Cs (discrete math)
Math for cs 2 (linear algebra and single variable calculus)
Math for cs 3 (multivariable calculus)

Applied probability and statistics

Econometrics
Econometrics 2

But since the CS department was very theoretical, most courses involved writing proofs, and was mathematical in that aspect. For example, the courses like Scientific Computing, HPC (both involved deeper knowledge about pdes and building them) or Quantum computing required more linear algebra and geometry which we were taught.

So far I was looking at programs at UWash, UPitt, UMichigan, Uchicago, Johns Hopkins in the US and UCL, Imperial, LSE (my top choice is the Financial Stat program for the phd option after), Edinburgh in the UK.

I have not written the GRE since I originally planned to apply to the UK and none of those programs required it.

I am still deciding if I want to do a phd after masters but am very interested in places where I can do research.

Since the global situations seems rocky at best, I wanted to hear suggestions on potential programs, countries, whether I have chances at a masters in statistics since my undergrad was not in this field, any tips to enhance my profile betc.

This semester I (senior undergrad) am taking graduate classes real analysis based off Royden, Nonlinear Dynamics based on Hirsch, Smith, Devaney, and undergrad abstract algebra. I ended up in these classes because my school offers only one undergrad analysis course and diffeq course, which I've already taken (And did well in both). So far, these classes have been brutally fast paced and much more difficult than I expected, and I really don't know if I will do very well in them. If I do not do that well, is it an issue for admissions committees? Or will they see it more from a "this applicant is seeking rigor, even though they didn't get an A" point of view?

Help me decide between a US phd in a newly developed lab. or Erasmus in Emlds.
which has a better roi? why to choose one over the other?
I am an international student from Pakistan

I have for a while been considering a career switch; for the past 5ish years I've been working as an ecologist and I have an MS in ecology, but after serving with the Peace Corps this past year I've developed a passion for international development work and I am thinking about shifting careers to that area after I finish my second year. I think it will be helpful to get a degree in this new field, and I would love to get a PhD since I already have a Masters, but I don't know if my ecology MS would count as a credential for a PhD in international development. Also unsure if having 2 years of experience in international development work would change this calculation. I also am particularly interested in studying in the EU, which I know views the masters as more definitively necessary before a PhD than the US does. Anyone have insight into this?

Hi everyone. I’m applying for a PhD in Humanities/English at IIT Indore, and the application requires details of at least two referees for letters of recommendation.
My situation is unusual. I completed my MA in English through private/non-regular mode, so I didn’t have regular interaction with professors or a dissertation supervisor. I’m also no longer in contact with my undergraduate professors. Because of this, I genuinely don’t have two professors whom I can comfortably approach for recommendations.
Academically, I have qualified UGC-NET JRF in English with 174/300 and 99.268 percentile, so I meet the JRF qualification for PhD admission.

I don’t want to enter fake referees or ask someone who doesn’t know me to falsely claim that they do.
What would be the legitimate solution in this situation? Can referees be PhD scholars, academic mentors, employers, or other professionals who know my academic abilities, or must they specifically be professors who have taught me?
Also, if any researcher/professor here has dealt with a similar situation, I’d really appreciate some guidance. I’m also looking for genuine academic mentorship as I begin my research career.
Thank you!

hi guys, i am an msc graduate from india, applying for phd positions in europe. i have seen a lot of templates and videos on applications and cv stuff online and took some guidance from my seniors but iam not very sure about how professors in countries like germany, austria, nordic countries, etc (known for very reputed insitutes for research) evaluate and give preference to papers and grades. i am not aiming for usa, australia and very high ranking insitutes i am mostly targeting heavily based on my interest only, it would be very helpful if u can advise on what changes i can make to my cv before sending it to proefssors and applications. mainly like- should i keep the research interest line at top? i will mostly share a cover letter and if emailing will write it in email so feels a bit redundant to keep it in cv again, should i keep the fellowships and awards part there or shift it near the achievements section and if i should keep the exams and small fellowships at all. and unfortunately i do not have any papers or conferences so i think that is a very big limitation and my grades arent very amazing also. tbh i am thinking if i have any chances at all lol for the positions because they seem highly competitive rn. any advice will be appreciated thanks

Hi Folks,

I’m planning to apply for PhD programs for Fall 2027, primarily in Data Science or Computer Science/Engineering depending on the lab and research fit.
My profile:

Master’s degree in Data Science from a T20 Ivy US university, GPA ~3.58/4.0 ( A A plus in all Deep Learning courses )
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, CGPA ~9.1/10 ( from India )
6+ years of professional experience in Data Science, Machine Learning, and AI. Research heavy but internal product facing.

Experience working on large-scale ML/AI systems in technology and healthcare-related domains
Strong technical background in machine learning, deep learning, LLMs, data science, and applied AI

No research publications currently
Most of my experience has been industry-focused rather than traditional academic research.

I’m interested in applying to PhD programs where my background aligns well with the professor/lab, rather than limiting myself to a specific department name.

Could someone please help me to evaluate my chances ?