Hacking PhD applications

(USA specific)
Anshul Kamboj
Contents
• What is a PhD?
• Why would anyone want to do a PhD?
• How and where to apply for a PhD?
• PhD application requirements
• Ensure your admission
What is a PhD?
• PhD is degree awarded to a candidate who has submitted a thesis or
dissertation, based on extensive and original research in their chosen
field.
• Research is the creation of new knowledge and/or the use of existing
knowledge in a new and creative way to generate new concepts,
methodologies and understandings.
Why would anyone want to do a PhD?
• If you want to do research/discoveries/inventions.
• If you want to become a professor/scientist/high-tech R&D jobs.
• Because they are funded - Surprise!!!!!!!!!!!!
• You get paid to cover your living expenses (1300$-3000$ monthly).
How and where to apply for a PhD?
• Look for rankings of institutes based on subject.
(
https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-engineering-schools/en
g-rankings
)
• Look for professors you would want to work with.
(https://mse.engin.umich.edu/people/fac)
• Find the application portal and look for the deadlines.
(https://mse.engin.umich.edu/graduate/admissions)
• Either the professor or the graduate committee decides on new admissions.
PhD application requirements
• GPA/CGPA/Percentage
• Statement of Purpose (SoP)
• CV/Resume
• Research experience (Internships/Projects/B.Tech Project)
• Letter of recommendation (LoR)
• GRE score
• TOEFL score
CV/Resume
• 2-3 pages document summarizing your career so far.
• Only include information that makes a difference form selectors
perspective.

(
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/resume-
for-phd-application
)
GPA/CGPA/Percentage
• Top 10% of your program.
• Institute reputation matters.
• Important deciding criterion.
GRE/TOEFL
• GRE score >320/340
• Toefl score >100
Statement of Purpose (SoP)
• A document that answers:
1) Why do you want to do PhD and how it aligns with your future goals?
2) Why do you want to join the specific institute in USA?
3) What skills/achievements make you a fit candidate for the program?

Resources on how to write good SoPs

(https://grad.berkeley.edu/admissions/apply/statement-purpose/)
(https://crunchprep.com/gre/powerful-statement-of-purpose)
 Research experience
• Not required by any program but essential.
• 2-3 good projects/problem statement with professors/companies/coursework.
• Defined a problem
• Literature review
• Did relevant experiments
• Interpreted your results
• Have a story (how your results are relevant)
Letter of Recommendations (LoRs)
• Experts who are willing to recommend you.
• Academic is given more preference than industry.
• At least three.
Ensure your admission
• Email professors before applying.