Applying to a PhD program? Read this. If you’re planning to apply to a PhD program, you’ve probably received tons of advice from professors, family, and fellow students. You’re also probably uncertain whether the information and suggestions you’ve received are accurate or not. It’s hard to know which advice will help you in your future endeavors and which ones should be ignored. As a study abroad consultant, I regularly work with PhD applicants from all fields, and there are some important factors for you to consider as you embark down the path of a PhD. It is my hope that this article will help you avoid unnecessary challenges and guide you to make strong decisions as you prepare for your advanced degree. This article is specifically for students intending to apply for a PhD program - not other graduate programs. Application expectations are very different for PhD applicants and other graduate program applicants. Why? Because master’s, business, law, and medical school applicants pay to advance their studies and, as such, need to show they have the ability to be a strong learner and specialist in their respective fields. PhD applicants, on the other hand, are applying for a paid research position - a position that also happens to include graduate courses. This is an important distinction that shapes how applicants should prepare themselves and their materials. Further, the advice presented in this article is likely best for students who have time to develop their applicant profiles (freshmen, sophomores, and juniors); however, if you are applying soon, this article will help you craft an application that emphasizes the traits admissions committees look for in candidates. So without further ado, here are my 3 most important pieces of advice: 1. A PhD application should be viewed as a job application. Again, unlike other graduate programs, PhD applicants are essentially applying for hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding and 4+ years of mentorship in exchange for producing publishable research. As such, PhD applications should be seen as job applications. Your job is to show admissions committees that you have what it takes to be a strong researcher and are thus worthy of the university’s investment. Because the best predictor of future success is past success, admissions committees and professors consider your previous research experience to be the primary factor in determining whether or not you are admitted into a PhD program. This is very important to understand. Contrary to what you may hear from other sources, your GPA, GRE, and extracurricular involvement are not anywhere near as important as your research experience. At the end of the day, universities are looking for research assistants, so showing that you have successfully conducted research in your chosen field or have the capability of doing so is of the utmost importance. For students who are in the process of applying to PhD programs (or will be very shortly), this means utilizing every application requirement to highlight the research you have conducted up to this point. Even if you don’t feel your research is not relevant to the program you are applying to, it’s still research and important to your application. I have worked with students in the past who have insisted they leave research off of their application because they: a) don’t feel it’s relevant to the program they’re applying to, or b) don’t feel their research was successful (i.e. didn’t culminate in publication). This is a big mistake. Remember, you need to show admissions officers and professors that you have either completed successful research or have the capability of doing so. By completing research in a different field, you show that you have the ability to conduct research and, most likely, have skills that will transfer into your new area of interest. Further, it is understood that undergraduate students usually end up doing undesirable “grunt-work” rather than advanced research, so don’t worry if you are not given the chance to publish. Of course undergraduate publications are great, but it’s okay if you don’t have them. If you have a year or more before you submit PhD applications, you need to focus on developing your applicant profile by contributing to research projects - even if they aren’t in the field you end up applying for. Ideally, you will work on projects during the school year as well as the summer to show commitment to your research. This will also help you move up the ladder from menial tasks to contributing in more impactful ways (possibly leading to publication). For these same reasons, if you are only able to work during the summer, try to work on the same project for two or more summers. 2. The strongest applications are research-heavy. All of your application materials should focus on your research experience - from your CV and letters of recommendation to your statement of purpose. When done correctly, each of these documents will highlight your experience from different angles. Curriculum Vitae Concisely emphasize research by detailing project-specific responsibilities, results, and impact. Include any funding secured in your name, relevant publications (including poster presentations, undergraduate research journal submissions, and papers awaiting review), and associated patents owned by your university or employer. Letters of Recommendation (LORs) It is best to secure recommendations from your research advisors or supervisors, as they will corroborate your research results and speak to your skills and qualities as a researcher. If you cannot find at least three LORs from people you have researched under, you can turn to professors who know you well, but these letters won’t be as impactful. Undergraduate freshmen, sophomores, and juniors can mitigate this by seeking out research opportunities for final class projects, as these experiences establish similar skills required for PhD research. Students who have some time before application submission can also take graduate-level courses. LORs from these professors indicate an ability to handle the academic rigor of graduate school. Statement of Purpose (SOP) While many graduate programs favor application essays that are in narrative form, professors screening applicants for PhD programs expect you to focus your writing on your research experience and your reasons for pursuing a PhD. Avoid being creative or writing about your personal life. Instead, explain your research experience, using examples to support your claims. You must show (rather than tell) the reader that you have what it takes to be a successful researcher and PhD candidate. As you explain your research experience, include your motivation for each project. I often read first drafts that list off research experiences without including the WHY behind them. If a professor wanted to know only about your responsibilities or achievements, they would read your CV. Your statement of purpose, on the other hand, is meant to illuminate your reasons for pursuing a PhD through the lens of your past research. You accomplish this by explaining your reasons for taking on past research projects and how, through those projects, your reasons for seeking a PhD developed and matured. Even if your actual research contributions were minimal (again, professors know undergraduate students get little opportunity to meaningfully assist in research), you can add strength to your experience by describing the overall impact you had on the project. Don’t over-exaggerate (professors know their stuff and can easily spot bullshit) but also don’t sell yourself short by only focusing on a list of your responsibilities. Finally, use your statement of purpose to demonstrate interest for the program. List professors you would like to work with or projects you would like to work on. Don’t forget to explain your motivations behind these goals, and please, please don’t suck up. I see it all the time: “I want to work with Professor X because s/he is the best in the world.” It’s cringe-worthy and will cause those reading your SOP to take your writing less-seriously. (Do you want to know how to get in touch with professors before submitting applications? Check out this article: Contacting Professors - For Graduate Applicants) 3. Do not focus exclusively on your GPA or test scores At this point in the article, you’re probably sensing my insistence that research is the most important part of a PhD application. But you might be thinking to yourself, sure, I get it, but my GPA or standardized test scores are terrible and I need to improve those first. Here’s the thing: unless your GPA or test scores are egregiously bad, admissions committees don’t really care. They are much more interested in your ability to contribute as a research assistant; so long as you demonstrate a history of successful research experience and describe your future research goals, you will be fine. A great GPA or amazing test scores will not get you into a PhD program alone, but research experience very well might. That’s it! I hope this article is of help to you. If you are lost in your PhD journey and would like some assistance, let me know. You might not know exactly what you want to study in the future, or how to find undergraduate research projects, or how to apply for research projects, or how to strategize your research experience, or how to wow a professor with your background. Let me help.

Mistake #1 - Starting the essay by introducing oneself rather than the story Many students have the perception they must introduce themselves immediately. After all, it’s a personal statement, right? Well, by starting with something like, “I have always wanted to be a computer scientist…” or “I am a Chinese high school student with big goals…” you not only fail to grab the reader’s attention with something interesting or surprising, but you start too broad. Instead use an individual story (an anecdote) to represent something larger about yourself. This is what is meant by the ever-common advice to “show don’t tell”. Mistake #2 - Failing to add a proper thesis statement (or paragraph) In the writing world, this is called a billboard statement (or paragraph), and it tells the reader what the piece is about. This statement is an important transition from the attention-grabbing introduction to the theme(s) you will address in the rest of the essay. If you are struggling to find your thesis statement, look for your first declarative sentence, then flush it out. Mistake #3 - Forgetting to demonstrate a personal value or lesson (or making it unclear) Tasked with assembling classes of students who are likely to succeed yet unique in every other way, admissions officers look for distinctive demonstrations of character. By infusing a personal value (or two or four) and/or an important lesson learned into your essay, you exhibit being the type of student they want on their campuses. Include this in your outline to ensure it is included in your personal statement. If you read through your essay and find your personal value or lesson missing, go back to the outlining stage of writing. Mistake #4 - Missing topic sentences When writing a personal statement - which is radically different from academic writing - it’s easy to let the point get lost in the details. Start each paragraph with a topic sentence to make your writing cohesive and to guide the reader through your writing. Because Chinese students are taught a different writing style in school, I find missing topic sentences to be an extremely common mistake. To avoid this blunder, write a reverse outline. Mistake #5 - Sounding too formal or too casual You don’t want to sound like a thesaurus, and you don’t want to sound like you’re texting your friends. Instead, write as you would to an older relative - polished but conversational. Are you looking for help with your personal statement or other application materials? World Awaits is here to help. We’ll make sure your application is polished, school-specific, and strong. You can submit with confidence. Contact us to set up FREE advisory session, and let's get started!

The “Why University X” supplemental essay is NOT a “Why University X is great” essay. Instead, it’s a “Why University X and I are perfect for each other” essay. A very common mistake applicants make is explaining only the things they love about a school while ignoring the value they can add to a campus through their background, personal characteristics, or perspective. So here’s what you can do to make connections between the things you love about a university and yourself: Grab a piece of paper and draw a line down the middle. Label the left-hand column “Me” and the right-hand column “University X”. Then add 8 to 12 bullet points why you and the school are a perfect match. Be specific. For example, if you want to learn photography in your spare time, write it in the left-hand column. In the right-hand column, write down any photography classes or clubs University X offers. If you love that University X has a double major in Environmental Science and Russian, put it in the right-hand column. In the left, explain why that’s important to you. This exercise not only shows you exactly how you and the college fit together, but your points can be quickly chunked into categories (e.g. academics, experiential learning opportunities, extracurriculars, location, etc.) and turned into an outline for the “Why University X” essay. This exercise also turns common, boring writing into strong, specific writing. Here’s an example from a recent client: Draft 1 The University of Michigan is a world famous university with strong pedagogical resources. The school provides a learning-friendly and supportive environment for high-quality teaching and research, and academic staffs are actively engaged in cutting-edge research. The programme of Electrical Engineering will enable me to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems through learning to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice. This draft doesn’t say anything the school doesn’t already know about itself, and it doesn’t say anything unique to the University of Michigan. In other words, this paragraph could apply to NYU or Stanford just as easily as it applies to U of M. Additionally, this paragraph doesn’t connect to the applicant whatsoever; the reader knows nothing about the applicant’s interests or talents. Draft 2 Beyond attending the elite Electrical Engineering and Computer Science program, the University of Michigan will provide me with a wealth of opportunities to pursue my long-term goal of generating clean power for my home communities (and hopefully the world at large). I have carefully reviewed the Electrical Engineering Program Guide and am excited to take classes such as Introduction to Circuits, Signals and Systems, and Power System Design and Operation. If admitted, I also plan to join BlueLab’s Living Building Challenge team to apply my knowledge to developing eco-friendly communities. And, if possible, I would love the opportunity to work under Professor Ian A Hiskens. I find his research on renewable resources and their potential to improve the behavior of the grid intriguing. This paragraph cites specific classes and an experiential learning opportunity that will benefit the applicant. This paragraph also shows the motivation behind the applicant’s choice of major, giving the reader insight into the applicant’s interests and his potential to add to Michigan’s campus. That’s it! Find out how your interests and talents connect to the school you are applying to, then provide the reader with concrete examples of how you and the school are a perfect match. If we can help you with your “Why University X” essays - whether that be brainstorming, editing, or proofreading - please don’t hesitate to reach out. That’s what we're here for. Good luck, applicants!

Tear your essay apart to make it better. This doesn’t sound like solid writing advice, but it’s a technique advanced writers use all the time to ensure their drafts follow a logical structure. Reverse outlines help writers produce successful pieces. Just as redoing a math problem verifies the solution, reverse outlines work because they force writers to look at how well they executed their writing plan, or outline. How to create a reverse outline Step 1 - Begin with a completed draft Step 2 - Summarize the main ideas - Write a summary sentence for every one of your paragraphs. If a paragraph contains more than one idea, it does not follow English writing expectations and must be broken down into two or more paragraphs. If you cannot identify a main idea, the paragraph is either unnecessary or needs clarity. Step 3 - Construct a sentence set - Put each of the summary sentences into a new document in the order in which they appear in your paper. When you are done, your document will look like this: I have always been attracted to novelty. In Kindergarten, I chose to learn the accordion because I found it to be a “curious instrument”. But that wasn’t enough excitement, so I added piano and vocal lessons to my repertoire. The way I taught myself new musical skills was novel, as I shirked mechanical repetition for rhythm games. In high school, I introduced more novelty into my life; I moved beyond my school's core curriculum to teach myself coding, take off-campus art classes, and enroll in a writing class. I love sharing my appreciation for novelty with others. One way I do this is through game design. Game design brings all of my seemingly disparate skills (music, story-telling, art, and coding) together into one medium. Now I am ready to take my interests further with a bachelor’s degree in game design, which will not only challenge me in a multitude of ways but bring novelty to my players. Step 4 - Assess the sentence set for the big picture - Ask yourself: Has the writing prompt been fully addressed? Is the thesis supported? Step 5 - Assess the sentence set for organization - Review the order in which you present your points. Ask yourself: Is the order logical? Does it make sense for the reader? If not, reorder the sentence set so that the organization is coherent and compelling.

With most Early Decision (ED) and Early Action (EA) results released last month, some applicants may find themselves in the challenging position of being deferred - meaning their application will be re-reviewed during the Regular Decision (RD) applicant assessment process. If you are one of those applicants, do not despair. Naturally, being deferred is tough. But it isn’t all doom-and-gloom. Some applicants do move from deferral to the admissions pile. If you’re hoping to be one of them, you can improve your chances by following my guide. Follow the directions Some schools ask that you update them with any new information about your grades or experience, while others explicitly tell you not to. Be sure you follow directions. Not doing so will likely get you rejected. Call the university If it isn’t already reported in your deferral letter or the university website, it can help to find out your chances of being accepted as a regular decision applicant. By calling the school, you also show interest. Ask these questions: 1. How many applicants have been deferred? 2. How many people tend to be accepted following a deferral? 3. Do you rank the applicants who have been deferred? And, if you can share that information, where do I fall? Then you should email the person you spoke with a quick thank you. This is an important but often overlooked step; common courtesy encourages others to act favorably on your behalf. Then you can reference the person you connected with in the next step, the LOCI. Write a letter of continued interest (LOCI) Let’s start by addressing who you should email. Universities get many letters from interested applicants, and if you want yours to really stand out, you should email your regional admissions counselor. Sometimes finding your regional representative is easy, and sometimes it is difficult. Here’s what you do: 1. Start with the university website. If you can’t find the regional counselors quickly on the admissions page, you can do an internet search for “[university name] admissions counselor by region”. 2. If that only turns up the representative’s name, you will need to find their email. Go to the faculty directory on the university website for that. 3. If you are still unable to find the email of your regional counselor, download hunter.io. Then go to Linkedin and search for “University Name admissions.” Scroll through the individuals who come up until you find your representative. If you are still unsuccessful, email the dean or another person in the admissions office. When it comes to writing the LOCI, the more personal, the better. I have two templates that you can look over, but they must be personalized. Template 1 Dear (regional admissions counselor), Thank you for taking the time to review my early application for the (year) school year and for offering me another chance at admission. I am writing to reiterate my interest in University Name and to assure you that, should I be offered admission, I will immediately accept it. Aside from (one thing you love about the school), University Name perfectly aligns with my (academic/personal) interests. Specifically, I am interested in (course / professor’s work / program / club / campus tradition) because (why). In addition to (above-mentioned factor(s)), I am confident that I will bring a unique perspective to University Name. Due to my (relevant background/experiences/interests), I will bring (something no one else has) to the school community. I also want to take this opportunity to update my application. Since my submission in (month), I have (completed a research project / earned perfect fall semester grades / started volunteering in my community / accepted an internship / started working part-time / won an award / raised X for my club/something NEW, and INTERESTING about you). (Why is this important and interesting?) University Name remains my top choice. The (major) program aligns perfectly with my (career) goals, and I can see myself fitting in on campus because (why).From the campus tour I took in the fall, to the alumni interview I had with (name), to my most recent conversation with (name) in the admissions office, every interaction I have had with University Name has been enjoyable, and I look forward to continuing these positive experiences should I be offered a spot on campus. Thank you very much for your time. Sincerely, Eager Applicant Template 2 Dear (regional admissions counselor), Last week I (talked with a current student / interviewed with an alum / found a new program that interests me / discovered a new campus tradition/something NEW that excites you about the school). I was impressed with (why). Now I love University Name even more. Although I have been deferred, I am excited to have the opportunity to prove University Name is my first choice and that I would be a good contribution to its (descriptor) campus. As my favorite university, I will immediately commit to enrolling if I am accepted. Since submitting my application in (month), I have (completed a research project / earned perfect fall semester grades / started volunteering in my community / accepted an internship / started working part-time / won an award / raised $X for my club/something NEW and INTERESTING about you). (Why is this important and interesting?) Thank you very much for your time. I am excited to have the chance to attend University Name, and I wish you a restful holiday. Sincerely, Eager Applicant In all honesty, being deferred is difficult. But if you don’t at least try to improve your chances by contacting the admissions office and sending in a LOCI, you will never gain admission. But here’s the catch: You need to do this RIGHT AWAY. Universities will be reviewing the RD applications at the beginning of January. Don’t give up! My agency regularly moves students from deferral to admission using this exact strategy. If you want help contacting your representative or writing your letter of interest, send me an email at kvanderweert@worldawaits.net or contact me here. Best of luck, applicants!

If you’re interested in studying in the United States, you’ve probably already heard the big news — CollegeBoard is dropping the SAT essay and the SAT subject tests. These changes are effective immediately for US applicants, and will occur after June for international students. The shift away from standardized testing has been happening for several years now, and Covid-19 has only expedited the process. Accordingly, this may not come as a shock for applicants and families, but it does impact how students can (and should) demonstrate their academic prowess. IMPROVE COURSE RIGOR To illustrate their academic strengths — which are the most important factors in college admissions — applicants must commit themselves to taking the most rigorous course load available to them. To do this, students should take additional AP, IB, or college-level classes, particularly if the courses support their major interests. For international students in particular, this may mean finding ways to self-teach and test for AP courses as an independent. Registration for AP exams is March 12, so sign up immediately if you haven’t already done so. You can visit the CollegeBoard website for information on signing up for AP exams as an independent. If college-level courses are not available in your community, take classes through Massive Online Open Courses (MOOC). These courses are free for students and will demonstrate a readiness for rigorous work. MOOCs are a very good option for international students who often need to bulk up their academics due to lack of access to APs. GET INVOLVED Year-after-year, college admissions counselors espouse the importance of civic engagement. Future applicants should use SAT subject test study time to get involved in their communities in ways that tap into their unique skill sets and allow them to develop as leaders.

Interview season is upon us, folks. I want to share a well-known but oft-forgotten approach to answering any interview question: The STARR Method. Okay, it’s really the STAR method, but I’ve added another R to emphasize the importance of reflection. What is it, you ask? Let’s get started. The STARR Method is a technique you can use to properly and straightforwardly answer almost all interview questions. It’s used frequently in the world of recruiting, but for some reason it hasn’t caught on with regards to college interviews yet. STARR stands for: Situation, Task, Action, Result, and Reflection. If you’ve read any of my past posts on college interviewing, you may have noticed that I regularly emphasize the importance of adding anecdotes and examples as support for your claims. Interviews are rooted in stories; in order to lend credence to your points and to connect with your interviewer, you must share personal stories. It’s easy, however, to let yourself get lost in the story — to jump around, ramble, and lose sight of your point. This is where STARR comes in. STARR will serve as your guide through each interview question. Let’s give it a try with a common college interview question: Tell me about a time you overcame a challenge. S - Situation Present the “situation” by giving the interviewer necessary background information. For example: “I am the student body vice president. I am responsible for working with school administrators to organize school events, such as the prom.” T - Task Explain the problem or responsibility you had to overcome. “Most years, we would begin planning prom in February or March and hold the event in late May. Because of Covid last year, we had to plan a virtual prom. As you might imagine, this took creative thinking, an understanding of technology, and buy-in from both students and administrators. Overall, we were extremely worried about how (or whether) we would be able to pull it off.” A - Action Detail the steps you took to address the task. “I called a student body meeting and broke everyone into small teams. One group was in charge of recruiting students, one was in charge of liaising between students and admin, and one group was in charge of finding and managing an online system. The president and myself were responsible for managing these teams and ensuring effective communication between all parties.” R - Results Tell what came of the actions you took. “Although it was completely different from any other prom we’ve held, it was a success. 90% of the student body attended our online prom, which included breakout rooms for dates and small groups, music, “food”, games, and crowning of Prom King and Prom Queen.” R - Reflection WIth regards to college interviews, this is the “bread-and-butter” of your response. To be honest, admissions committees are far less interested in the “what happened” than in your ability to show maturity and introspection by reflecting on what you learned from the experience. This is where you demonstrate personal growth. Discuss how your experience changed your worldview, relationships, personal values, trajectory, etc. “This was the first time in my leadership experience where I was really forced to let go and trust in my team. Even though I was responsible for communicating between the different project-teams and administration, many crucial decisions were made that I was unable to participate in due to the unique circumstances and timeframe. It helped me become more trusting of the people I work with, and I think that lesson really helped me move forward in my academics this year with school being virtual. Trusting others to complete assignments well and efficiently has helped the work go smoothly. I suspect this experience has also made me a better leader because I am able to let my teammates work on their own and I don’t feel the need to micro-manage.” 💗💗💗 If you want help from an expert, contact World Awaits to set up mock-interview practice. The feedback and advice will set you up for an amazing, enjoyable experience and get you one step closer to admission. And if you feel the information in this post could benefit others, please share it. Our goal at World Awaits is to make the admissions process as transparent and smooth as possible for all students. Good luck, applicants!

Here is the complete list of questions I use to help my graduate school applicants ace their interviews. If you would like guidance on how to answer these questions, as well as practice through mock interviews, please reach out to World Awaits directly. I promise, preparation is immensely useful - it will increase your confidence and allow you to connect with your interviewer rather than struggle to find answers. Motivations What motivated you to apply to grad school? Why do you feel prepared to start graduate school? What areas of research interest you? Why do you want to pursue a PhD in your area of interest? Do you have any reservations/worries about entering a PhD program? What are you looking to gain from your graduate school experience? Why do you need a PhD to achieve your career goal? Where do you see your field going in the next 5-10 years? Where do you see yourself in 15 years? What is unique about you that gives you a competitive edge over other applicants? The Program/Institution Why are you specifically drawn to this program? Why do you think this program would be a good fit for you? What specific resources does this institution offer to enhance your scientific/research trajectory? How do you think your interests will fit in with the program? What do you think you will contribute to the program? Which faculty members’ work particularly interests you and why? Have you established a relationship with one or more faculty members within the program? What interests you about the city the institution is in? What would make you choose this institution over other programs? Previous Research Please list the different research experiences you have had. How many total years of research experience do you have? How has your research experience prepared you for graduate school? What questions did your research help answer? What was your role in developing research ideas? How did you manage your research project? What was innovative about your research? What was your favorite technique that you used in your undergraduate research? What was the biggest challenge you encountered in your undergraduate research, and how did you deal with it? How is your work distinct from your supervisor’s/principal investigator’s? What do you think are your most significant research accomplishments? What do you consider to be your best paper/work and why? What has been the impact of your research? Do you expect to publish before starting graduate school? If you were starting your project again today, what would you do differently? Current/Future Research What are your research interests? What are the big picture questions you want to investigate? What are the biggest challenges/questions in your field of research? How do you plan to approach your questions? How do you see this work impacting the field? How does the work you propose follow on from what you are already doing? What skills do you want to develop at this institution? Do you plan to apply for additional funding? What funding opportunities are you aware of, or what would you like to apply for? How would you convince a funding body that they should fund your research? How would you fit with the existing activities in the department? If we gave you unlimited resources, what would you do with them? Who would you expect to collaborate with in the institution? Why do you want to collaborate with them? What is an interesting paper you have read lately? If you have a specific project in mind… What is the overall importance of this project? Can you see any of your research proposals failing? What will you do if your hypothesis is proved wrong? What resources will you need? What opportunities for multi-disciplinary work does your research offer? Potential Advisors What do you want to work on in my lab? What interests you about my research? What do you know about my research? Who are you interested in working with? What techniques have you learned that you could use in my lab? Teaching Do you have any teaching experience? How do you feel about teaching? How do you feel about mentoring undergraduates? How would you deal with any conflict/disagreement within the research group? Do you have an example of when you have had to deal with a disagreement? Personal What do you do in your free time (not in the lab)? What motivates you? What drives you as a scientist? Who has influenced you the most? How do you work best – independently, or with a team, at home? How do your interests fit with the strengths and goals of the program? What do you expect to be challenging about graduate school? What are your plans for managing those challenges? Graduate school often involves a combination of intense days, long nights, and high expectations. What strategies will you use to manage this combination of demands? What are your strengths and weaknesses? Tell us about a time when things didn’t go the way you wanted. How did you handle it, and what did you learn from the experience? Tell us about your most successful or interesting research experience in a lab environment. Which of your qualities helped facilitate this success? Describe a time that you encountered a significant personal obstacle? How did you handle it? Is there any information pertinent to your application that you would like to add? In what ways, other than research and teaching could you contribute to this department? Questions for you to ask current grad students Does the environment feel more collaborative or competitive? What is the funding structure/guarantee for students? Is it an inclusive environment? Where do you (and students in general) live? What is the area around campus like? Do you think the stipend reflects the cost of living? Is the university helpful with finding housing? How easy/difficult was the process of joining a lab? Do most people join their first choice lab? How much time are you expected to spend in the lab? How would you describe your PI's advising style? How do you maintain a successful relationship with your advisor? How regularly/quickly does your advisor publish? What research are you working on? How quickly were you able to start your research? Is the project you're working on what you thought you'd be doing, or has the project you're working on gone in any unexpected directions? Who is on your committee and why? Would you choose this advisor if you were doing it over? Do you get to attend conferences? What do you think of the courses - useful content, well taught, relevant to your research/goals? How easy/hard is it to customize the program? What would you change about the program? What kind of schedule do you work? What do grad students do in their free time? Do most students have a good work/life balance? Do grad students in this program hang out with each other? Do you know many people in grad school who regret starting it? Do you know people who have left the graduate program? What kind of resources does the program offer (e.g. for mental health, career development, learning new skills, etc.)? Is there anything you wish you had taken into consideration when making your decision about where to attend? Questions for you to to ask potential PIs I read your paper/book X. Can you tell me about your future research goals related to X? What are your current projects? What research projects do you have that would be looking for graduate students? What advice would you give to a student who wants to be successful in your program? Are there any specific pitfalls to be avoided? What are the expectations for a graduate student in your lab? Do students create their own projects or work on something already developed/in progress? How is your lab organized? Do you have a lab manager, or do other members of the lab take on this role? Do you have lab/group meetings, and what is the format of those meetings? How much collaboration is there within the lab? How much do your students publish? How often do you send students to conferences? How long do students in your lab take to complete their PhD? What do students from your lab typically do after graduation? What is the big picture/goal/focus/priority of the department? Questions for you to ask other interviewers (like program or admissions directors) Will I have the opportunity to teach/present/publish? Is the university or department likely to host any events or associated projects during the time I will be pursuing a PhD? What are the responsibilities of grad students in this program? What are the supervision arrangements for this research project? What kind of training or skills sessions are offered in this PhD program? Do grad students TA? How many terms do students TA? Are students generally collaborative or competitive? Is there likely to be any changes in funding arrangements for this research/project? How big is the program? What's the biggest strength of the program? What professional development services are available? How/when are students paired with advisors? What does the program do if someone doesn't find a lab to join by the deadline? What percentage of students complete the PhD? How would you compare this program to X and Y? Is there funding available for attending things like conferences or summer schools? What are the career outcomes for students in this program?

You are facing a big decision. It is completely natural to question whether this is the right step for you - change is hard. Although society expects you to make difficult decisions (such as where or what to study) quickly and correctly, this isn't how it often works in reality. Don't beat yourself up about it. Whether or not you end up studying in a new school is not a decision you have to make today or tomorrow; you have a few months to consider it. And being offered admission by a university doesn't mean you have to accept. When I work with transfer students, I ask them to consider a few things: their personal values, the expectations they had for their university and major when they started, how those expectations and/or personal values aren't being met in their current program, and how those expectations and/or personal values will be met in a new university. Let me give you an example: Personal values: Challenges; intellectual stimulation; growth; collaboration The expectations you had for your current program: I wanted to study marketing at University X because it has a strong business reputation, and I looked forward to working under Professor Y. I expected a challenging and comprehensive education along with hands-on experience. How are those expectations are NOT being met: The program is very easy for me, and I don't feel intellectually stimulated. While I thought I would be able to study under Professor Y and gain practical experience, he isn't able to work with undergraduate students. In fact, most of my marketing education has been book- and test-oriented, which doesn't align with my learning preferences. How studying at University X will be better for me: Because University X offers Program Z, I will be able to work with my peers and professors in an experiential learning environment. I have reviewed the course load for marketing majors, and I know it will challenge me academically. 85% of students at University X are placed in business-related internships, so I know I will be able to grow my skills outside of the school setting. Although I use this information to help my clients craft a strong transfer application, it's also a good process for self-discovery. I suggest you consider these questions yourself. Think over your reasons for wanting to transfer. Be patient with yourself. And then wait for your offers of admission to come in. Once you have received your offers, then you can review the universities alongside your needs and goals. Ask yourself: Is this university a good fit for me? Why? Is the timing right for me? Dig deep on the university websites and http://niche.com to see if the school excites and inspires you. And remember there is no wrong decision. Although it might not feel like it now, whether or not you study in a different school is NOT going to completely determine the rest of your life. Your time as an undergraduate is merely one chapter in your life story. I wish you the best of luck! Feel free to contact me if you need help.

The college admissions process is exhaustive. In the whirl of studying for standardized admission tests, writing 20+ application essays, and developing a strong profile (all while keeping up with ongoing school assignments), it’s no wonder that students and families bypass the importance of school visits. However, university and program visits play a big role in the admissions process because they help students envision themselves on campus. Of course, some applicants are spot-on with their “sense” for a school, but it’s always best to be sure that a school you intend to invest a lot of years and money on is a good fit. While visiting campuses in-person is ideal, it isn’t always feasible — especially in the time of Covid-19 — which is why CampusReel is one of my favorite resources for prospective applicants. They offer thousands of student-created videos of campus life for hundreds of schools across the U.S. These are videos created by actual students — they’re not the marketing videos you find on college and university websites — and they show future students what the school is really like. To take this resource further, I suggest taking notes on each of the schools you “visit”. Doing so will help you create a school list that fits you and can serve as material for your personal statement or Why Universty X essays. If you are looking for expert advice, reach out to me directly on WeChat at kvanderweert. My team and I are available to help at any point in the application process — whether you are creating your college list or already preparing your application materials. Contact us for personalized assistance.

Will all of your extracurricular activities (or complete lack thereof) impact your graduate school applications? In short, it depends. While undergraduate programs put a lot of emphasis on extracurricular involvement, largely because high school students are expected to explore their interests and demonstrate civic-mindedness, graduate schools expect applicants already have a strong idea of their career trajectory. As such, extracurricular activities do not matter much. But there are two large caveats to this claim. 1) Some universities really prefer students who are active participants on their undergraduate campuses. Not only does this demonstrate the student’s commitment to “the greater good” but it shows that they can handle a large amount of responsibility. 2) Some extracurricular activities develop skills or offer experiences that are valuable to graduate studies. Activities such as working for a club in your field of study, learning a relevant language, or tutoring your peers could all show potential admissions faculty that you are serious about your academic and career development. The activities you include in your application should align with your future studies and future responsibilities as a graduate student and/or demonstrate important soft skills, such as leadership. Do you want help developing your graduate school profile, including extracurricular-based skills and experiences? Reach out to us at World Awaits (WeChat: kvanderweert) to arrange a free 20 minute advisory session. The graduate school admissions process is competitive, and every year schools receive far more qualified applicants than there are spaces. You must take action to differentiate your application from the competition, and we are here to help you do just that.

It is so, so upsetting to get “the small envelope”. You have put in a tremendous amount of energy, effort, and time to give yourself a chance at the top-tier. Everyone sees that. But please remember that’s all it was — a chance. Top-tier schools accept 4-15% of their applicants, which means that 75-96% of applicants don’t get in. You did not get in, and many, many others did not get in. This is not because you are not good enough, nor because you aren’t worthy of attending the top tier; it’s because the numbers weren’t on your side. A fact that is completely out of your control. So, no, you didn’t receive “the big envelope”. You’re allowed to be upset. But look at it from a different perspective: As you reached for the top, you made yourself an unbelievable person. You spent hours studying, learning new languages, leading your fellow students, playing the violin, programming video games, volunteering with vulnerable children, collecting Covid supplies, cleaning beaches, etc. And you know what? That matters. You’re still in the top percentile of highschoolers around the world. You will still get into schools that millions of other students only dream of. Heck, you may even find some financial aid because of it. But most importantly, you’ve developed skills, qualities, and an outlook that is beyond your peers — skills, qualities, and outlook that will make you successful in life, no matter where you attend school. So: 1) Be proud of yourself. You have every reason to be. And 2) What are you going to do now so that you win next time?