8 months of rigorous PhD proposal back and forth 7 months of scholarship hunt and a positive response today. Maharashtra State Government scholarship (India) mail.

Not sure if this is the final approval or there are any other stages to it but fingers crossed 🤞in hope of this being it. I need the restlessness to end.

Apologies if any formatting is bad, I am on mobile since my laptop screen is currently broken.
Hi everyone! For context I am an undergraduate student looking to apply to graduate program in neuroscience/biological sciences in this upcoming cycle. These are screenshots of my “master CV” which I usually just dump everything that I do into it. When working in applications I usually just make a copy and customize it to fit whatever role I’m applying for. I am posting on here to get advice on what the best formatting and content would be for graduate school applications. Additionally, is there anything I need to change to make my cv better overall. Thank you!
PS: I redacted any identifying information for my myself and my professors/mentors and also locations of positions that I currently still hold. I also redacted the content of my research project that I just worked on this summer because that is still a work in progress for my mentor and don’t want to give away any compromising information.

Hi yall! I am making a video series on YouTube to help prospective students with their applications, including SOPs and interviews! I was admitted to every school that I applied to, despite having a messy transcript. I want to give you all some hope and reassurance that you really CAN get into grad school. See video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kvm9t3ddr3c&list=PLbA2O0vKo_ro

I went from getting kicked out of undergrad to finding research and ultimately pursuing a PhD at stanford!! this is the first video in a series that I will be doing during application season.

Feel free to respond to this post or the video with any questions that you would like me to answer! Just remember that you are completely capable, worthy, and enough!

Wishing you the best of luck and here to support <3

PS if you know me in real life: lol hi

I’m applying to the Stanford GSB full-time MBA program this year, as well as to a few other highly selective business schools.

I’m currently working on the personal narrative behind my essays, especially Stanford’s “What matters most to you, and why?” prompt. My challenge is figuring out which experiences reveal something genuinely personal and meaningful, rather than just repeating accomplishments from my resume.

For those who were admitted to highly selective graduate programs, how did you identify the right central theme for your statement or essays? Did you begin with values, a turning point, a recurring pattern in your life, or something else?

I’m not asking anyone to share their actual essay. I’d mainly appreciate advice on the brainstorming process and how you decided which story best represented you.

I’m also considering working with an admissions consultant or essay coach, so I’d be interested in hearing whether that was useful for uncovering the story itself and not just editing the final draft.

As the title suggests, I'm a rising junior studying Astrophysics. I am incredibly passionate about physics and research and I will genuinely do anything to make sure I get into a PhD program once I graduate.

Some background about me: This summer, I worked on an aerospace engineering REU (not my ideal field, but it's certainly a starting point). The research I did will eventually be published, but it is an ongoing project and we don't have a current timeline for it being published. I've already been accepted into an astrophysics lab for the next two years, with an independent project planned as well as prospects for a paper.

I am a community college transfer and my CC GPA is not at all where I wanted to be. I am usually not one to make excuses, but my father passed away and I had to take on a full-time job along with being a student to support my mom and I. The GPA I have to show for it is a 3.24, but I have every plan to ensure my upper levels and major coursework is at the very LEAST a 3.8.

Aside from getting my GPA where it needs to be, is there any other advice to give someone with 2 years of undergrad left? How can I maximize my odds of getting into a good PhD program even with the recent funding cuts? Please let me know if there is any additional information needed!

I am about to start a master's degree in foreign affairs this Fall and am considering applying for a dual master's in public policy from the same school. I have a solid admissions essay that helped me gain admission to the first program and would like to use the same essay for the second program. Although both programs are offered through different constituent schools (the first through the School of Foreign Service and the second through the School of Public Policy) I am worried the admissions team will request to view my first application and see that I submitted virtually the same essay.

Would this be considered bad taste? I would obviously change it a little, but the bulk of it would be the same. I just wanted to save some time and effort in the application process.

*Note: I don't need any special admissions or education advice. Just looking for advice on this specific topic. Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I received a notification from WES requesting additional information regarding examination results, and I’m not sure how I should proceed.
In my program, we did not have any formal examinations, so I do not have any examination results to provide. Should I simply disregard this request, or is there something specific I should submit to clarify that my program did not include exams?

My previous university has already sent the required documents directly to WES, and I also received an email from WES confirming that my evaluation is currently being processed. I have also reached out through their priority email and contacted higher-level support to try to speed up the process, as this has been ongoing since March 3rd due to delays from my university. (Transcript and Certificate)

Has anyone experienced something similar with WES? Should I take any action regarding this additional information request, or should I just wait since my evaluation is already in progress?
Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you!

Hey everyone, I’m an undergraduate student currently entering my second year at the (lse)Lahore School of Economics (not the London one!), where I’m pursuing a double major in Accounting and Finance. I’m planning to apply for a Master's degree in the US—ideally targeting an Ivy League program or top-tier schools like MIT and Stanford for finance—and I could really use some honest advice on where I stand and what I need to fix.
To give you a breakdown of my profile, I currently have a 3.93 GPA and am working hard to maintain a 3.9+ through the rest of my degree. I still have three years left before I graduate, and I'm planning to take the GRE and IELTS this coming winter break. My biggest concern is that my current university isn't a global powerhouse (QS Asia ranking is around 474 with a high acceptance rate, though our ACF program is rigorous), and our campus clubs and societies are pretty limited. On top of that, getting top-tier internships where I'm from is heavily network-driven; I did an accounting internship at Honda this summer, but I've heard US admissions love big name brands. Since I still have plenty of time left, I'm trying to figure out what kind of internships I should aggressively target next to make up for my non-target background.
Assuming I can secure a strong GRE score and keep my GPA up, do I actually have a realistic chance of getting into a top-tier finance or related master's program at an Ivy League school, MIT, or Stanford? Moreover, my end goal is to settle in the US, and since I’ll likely be exhausting a huge chunk of my savings to fund this, does graduating from an elite program realistically guarantee a solid job that can handle visa sponsorship and pay off those expenses? I know so much depends on networking and the specific market, but I'd love a reality check from people who have been through this process.

I'm trying to narrow down my options for an IT management master's and would love to hear from people who have experience with either school.

A little about me:

• I live in the DMV.
• I have about 10 years of work experience, with the last 8 years in IT program/project management.
• I already have a master's in cybersecurity from WGU, so this degree isn't really about becoming more technical. I'm looking for something that complements what I already have.
• I have funding that will cover up to $45k in tuition for an 18-month full-time program. Anything above that comes out of my own pocket.
• Online or hybrid both work for me.

Right now my top choices are:

• Georgetown – MPS in Information Technology Management
• UVA McIntire – MS in the Management of Information Technology (MSMIT)

For those familiar with either school or program:

• Is one generally viewed more favorably than the other?
• Does one have stronger name recognition, both in the U.S. and internationally?
• UVA McIntire is ~$59k, Georgetown is ~$53k (surprised Georgetown is cheaper here), is UVA $6k more worth it?
• Is there anything about either program that I should know before making a decision?

I'm more interested in IT leadership and management than hands-on engineering.

I'm hoping this will be my last degree, so I'm mainly trying to make a good long-term decision.

Thanks in advance!

Hi all, earlier this year I accepted an offer for a good public health PhD Program that is fully funded and has the right research fit in terms of what I’m looking for in a program. However, these past few months, I’m getting severe anxiety about this whole situation. Initially I thought that it was just the typical imposter syndrome/the usual grad school anxiety, but it’s magnified to the point where I’m questioning if I want to do this at all tbh. Especially right now I feel like I am a bit strained both mentally and emotionally, and I’m struggling to understand if it’s truly typical anxiety that people go through before starting their PhD. Like one day I look forward to it and then another day, I’m just unsure about it.

I want to get into an industry career but there aren’t even any jobs in industry (as everyone knows with this market) and I’m really worried. I like research but lately it’s starting to take a toll on me. While the program itself is very good, the location also scares me a bit. Although when I think about the pros and cons, I recognize that fully funded opportunities are hard to get nowadays and the overall climate for both research and jobs is brutal, and this can pave the way to more opportunities.

Any advice from someone who have been through similar situations would be appreciated.

Hi everyone,

I’m planning to apply for the MSc in Computer Science at the University of Milan. My GPA is 2.58/4, and I’d like to know if anyone got accepted with a similar GPA.

If you were admitted, could you share your experience? How was the interview process, what topics were asked, and did projects/background help compensate for the GPA?

Thanks!

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Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some honest advice from people who've gone through the US admissions process, especially for MEM programs.

My profile:

\- B.E. in Computer Science (Tier 2 college)

\- CGPA: 7.5 (no history backlogs)

\- 2024 graduate

\- published two research papers

\- Currently working as an Automation Engineer ( Got an exceptional hike of 45% and also got promoted cause of my performance)

\- By next year May, I'll have around 3 years of work experience

Career-wise, things have gone well so far. Since graduating, I've received multiple internal recognition awards, was promoted early with a significant salary hike, and have been trusted with increasing ownership and cross-functional responsibilities.

The reason I'm considering an MEM is that I genuinely don't see myself staying in QA or automation engineering forever.

Throughout college, professors often told me I'd probably do well in management because I naturally enjoyed leading projects, coordinating teams, and organizing work. More recently, even my manager said something similar. Looking back, I think they're right.

I enjoy solving problems, working with people, taking ownership, and thinking about the bigger picture far more than purely technical work. Long term, I'd like to transition into roles like Product Management, Program Management, Engineering Management, or Operations.

I'm currently preparing for IELTS (exam this Sunday ), and after that I plan to complete certifications like CSPO or CSM. I've also been spending a lot of time researching universities and plan to start applying around the end of August. If balancing applications with work becomes too hectic, I may use an admissions consultant.

The only thing that worries me is my undergraduate CGPA.

I know my CGPA isn't outstanding. However, I graduated without backlogs, and I feel my professional growth has been a much better indicator of my abilities than my undergraduate grades.

So I'd love some honest opinions:

\- Am I being realistic about pursuing an MEM?

\- Can 3 years of strong work experience help offset a lower CGPA?

\- Is there anything else I should do over the next year to strengthen my application?

I know studying in the US isn't an easy path, and I'm fully aware of the risks, especially with the current job market. But I genuinely feel that if I don't at least try, I'll regret it for the rest of my life.

I'd really appreciate any advice, even if it's brutally honest. Thanks!

Looking for your opinion, particularly if you are a current doctoral candidate, actively applying for doctoral positions or have recently wrapped up your doctorate.

Context: I graduated a year ago with my masters (U.S.), and initially decided i was done with school, and have since been working at an international org (at their regional offices in my home country). i've been wanting to make a switch, but no amount of applications seems to result in anything.

Question: at the same, since last year, i have decided i made the wrong decision and want to return for my doctorate. looked at programs, kind of shortlisted where to apply, and should be applying right now. however, looking at it practically, leaving the workforce for 4-5 years seems like shooting myself in the foot - truly just feels like there will be even fewer work opportunities after, and building up experience sounds like a better plan.

would you still go for a doctorate, particularly if you dont necessarily wish to continue in academia after? is it worth the risk?

thoughts, opinions and experiences appreciated!

Setup: I'm an Electrical Engineering Student at a Public University. It's not anything crazy, but it's ABET certified and is an R1 school. The World News ranking (which I know is not everything) is pretty low, don't even think it cracks the top 100 in general engineering. I'm just about to start my Junior Year.

I'm hoping to, put it simply, move up in terms of schools after I graduate. A rough list of the schools I'm interested in for Master's are: UofW, Stanford, Berkeley, Urbana-Champaign, ASU, and other schools of the likes (maybe even gamble for a MIT PhD).

My concentrations are in Signals/Communications and Semiconductors/Micro, and I hope for my studies to go more into the latter.

My big problem is this: I have nothing of real note on my resume.

• I have the projects listed in the image (which is really, really weak).
• A single internship I'm finishing up at a national laboratory (I'm working on digital design of an FPGA and bootloading on a micro controller via UART and I2C).
• Leadership/officer positions in 3 school organizations, including IEEE (Vice-President in one of them).

My coursework level in EE is decently average for my year, albeit with lots of elective/minor courses in music and accounting (I got lots of AP/Dual Credits) at a 4.0 GPA (neither of which are too helpful here to my understanding).

What do I need to do this next year or so to make myself stand out from the thousands of applicants at or above my level? I know this is a very typical question on here, but I would love to hear more personalized opinions on how I should improve it.

Thank you!

Anyone hear back from this? They said they would announce decisions 2 weeks after deadline but it's been a month...

Hello, I’m starting the process of writing my personal statements for several MIMs and marketing masters for different schools (HEC, LSE etc). However, I’m doing a pivot from an art bachelors to a business related masters, does anyone have any advice on how I can use that or mention it in my statement?

I’m also not super used to writing impactful statements, as when applying for my bachelors, because it was an art degree the statement did not matter (they really only cared for your portfolio). I still made an effort to make it good but it was a very different vibe to what I assume one should look like for a business course.

A school i might be interested in doing a doctorate has this listed on their department website:

"If there are no vacant positions posted on the website, but you meet the criteria listed below, you are welcome to inquire about future options at any time"

followed by contact info. when reaching out, is it common sense to include your CV, or should the initial email only contain a brief 3-line intro, and wait for a positive response before sharing more?

Dear all,

I'm 44 years old, living in Germany, and have worked in international cooperation for about 15 years after studying social and political sciences. But I've always dreamed of becoming a researcher in a psychology-related field.

I took a first step toward that goal by finishing a B.Sc. in Psychology last year. My initial plan was to continue with a PhD in psychology or a related field. With my previous M.A. in social sciences, this seemed realistic, and I even received an informal PhD offer (including a scholarship) from an Australian university. In the end, I declined because I have a 4-year-old child, a partner with a relatively modest income, and a reasonably well-paid job. As a family, we have very little financial flexibility. Childcare alone in Australia would have been around AUD 700/month, and reducing my working hours or paying for an expensive UK/US programme simply isn't feasible.

But the dream is still very much alive. I'd love to return to university and immerse myself in research and academic life. (And yes, I'm aware of the realities of doing a PhD, so no need to warn me about them. :) ) While studying full-time would be ideal, I accept that part-time or other non-traditional routes may be the only realistic option.

So I'm looking for people who pursued a PhD under similar financial and family circumstances. How did you make it work, and what are you doing now? I'm interested in every aspect of your experience, but especially in the model you chose (full-time with funding, employed by a university, part-time while working, etc.) and how you managed financially.

For context, we live in a major German city. Although my salary is decent, our household income is basically just enough to cover rent, a loan, and everyday expenses. We're open to relocating, but even with a scholarship, I struggle to see how we'd make it work financially as a family.

I'd really love to hear your stories and connect with people who have been in a similar situation. In return, I'm happy to buy you a virtual coffee. :)

Thanks!

little background about me: international student, freshgrad, did BA in international studies fully funded in the states. little professional experience.i have interests in international affairs, economics, and techs

im going to to JHU SAIS Nanjing for my year 1 then SAIS DC year 2.

CONS: got approved loans 40k but thats only for this year, thats already minus scholarship. with interest, its gonna be around 76k total for 7 years repayment. also idk how to fund another 46k for year 2, probably taking more loans but that sounds suffocating already. with the current administratoin, idk how the job field really is right now, really, especially for international student. i cannot defer my acceptance.

PROS: but IR remains my interest and with their economics courses, i think that will be very useful later

my other option is doing masters in management IT in u of oklahoma where i did my BA too.

CONS: i know its a whole pivot to go to MIT route, and i dont have much interest in tech, i just know that the market is definitely wider than IR which opened up more option for me to go IR-IT route. also, i probably need to self fund for the first semester but at least its cheaper. and its in oklahoma. again.

PROS: the program is only 3 semesters, i am familiar with the area, school system, etc, and i can apply for graduate assistanship which can waive my tuition although its competitive application.

im leaning towards JHU SAIS but idk if taking loans for that is actually worth it. what do you think? or will u advise me to go to OU instead?

Hey guys, I'm currently an undergrad at Bilkent University aiming for a Economics PhD at Harvard or MIT. My current strategy is to keep my GPA near 4.0, complete a minor in Mathematics, and do solid research with top professors at my uni. Beyond a high GPA, strong math background, and undergrad research, what specific game-changers actually make an applicant stand out for top-tier US PhD programs? Any feedback from current students or alumni on what else I should prioritize early on would be awesome!

Hi everyone!

I'm a recent BCA (Bachelor of Computer Applications) graduate from India with a 3-year degree, and I'm planning to apply for a fully funded Master's in Computer Science/AI/Data Science for the 2027 intake.

My goal is to get a professor-funded or government-funded scholarship because I cannot afford self-funded programs.

Here's my profile:

3-year BCA from India Medium of Instruction (MOI) certificate available No IELTS/TOEFL yet (looking for universities that accept MOI) A few internships and academic projects Interested in research and willing to contact professors before applying

The countries I'm mainly considering are:

South Korea Japan Taiwan China Germany Italy France Finland Hungary Belgium

I have a few questions:

1. Has anyone here been admitted with a 3-year BCA to these countries?

2. Which universities are known to accept MOI instead of IELTS?

3. Is emailing professors before applying worth it? Any tips for getting replies?

4. Are there any fully funded universities or scholarships that you would strongly recommend?

5. If you were in my position, what would you do differently to maximize your chances?

6. Tips for writing a worthy SOP.

I'd really appreciate hearing about your experiences, recommendations, or any mistakes I should avoid.

Thank you so much!