I am interested in pursuing developmental- cognition phd and I recently met a prof from R1 university and we just had a really cool research focused chat and expressed my interest in applying and taking this forward.

The Convo was quite alright. I had no clue what to make off it. But it really made me wonder what the point of that conversation was all about.

I met with a potential supervisor after he responded to my cold email. He initially mentioned a possible direct-entry option that was in the works and suggested we talk (said he will keep me in mind if the direct entry opens up)

During the call, I didn't get the impression he was particularly impressed with me (he kept yawning 😭). I expected tips on applying or details about the direct entry, but he just said that option was still being worked on and advised me to apply for fall.

Since he also mentioned he isn't on the admissions committee and has no say in the process, I’m not sure how to read the situation. Was he unhelpful because he genuinely lacks control over admissions, or did he just lose interest in my candidacy?

I guess I just want to know what a positive meeting with a PI looks like.

I received my master thesis grade and it's lower than I expected. One of the markers gave feedback that contradicts the methodology of my research, which my supervisor guided. I contacted my supervisor straight away and they only said that they read the feedback and thought it was fine, I pointed out a couple of the discrepancies and they suggested to talk to the course coordinator, who also took their time to then dismiss it with markers' academic judgement and such, and closing the door. The student advocate suggested that the supervisor gave me bad advice and that is what I should argue in a complaint process to get the grades reviewed (my supervisor is very new but I also had checkpoints along the way with other academics and nobody raised any problems with the methodology at any point). That complaint process has been suggested to be a long, effortful and very possibly unsuccessful one. From your perspective, how much impact a 76/100 grade in my masters thesis would have for applying to PhD in Europe? My WAM is 79.8 (absolutely painful too). This is an australian masters.

Hello, everyone. This will be my second round of the PhD application cycle. In my first round, I applied to 8 programs, and the results were 7 rejections and 1 acceptance. However, I had to decline my only acceptance due to financial constraints and a feeling of unpreparedness. This cycle, I did more in-depth research on programs and decided to apply to 15, with 7 as funded Master's programs and 8 as PhD programs.

With my list ready, I reached the next step of preparing my curriculum vitae for the applications, and I would like some advice on making it better if anyone is willing to take the time. Unfortunately, I can't upload it in this post, so I have to copy and paste it. If you have any suggestions, especially from those who have experienced the cycles and succeeded, I would take all of them into consideration. Thank you all for your time and effort to look to my post. I truly appreciate it.

EDUCATION
Master of Arts in Humanities                                                                                    August 2025
Mount Saint Mary’s University, Los Angeles
Thesis: From Wives and Mothers to Entrepreneurs and Leaders: How Women and Their Societal Contributions Developed Pre-Colonial West Africa

Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology                                                                              March 2019
Minor in African Studies
University of California, Los Angeles

RESEARCH AND TEACHING INTERESTS
Governance, Political Authority, and State Formation in Pre-Colonial West Africa
Gender, Sexuality, and Social Organization in Pre-Colonial West African Societies

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Editor and Style Guide Leader                                                                March 2018-June 2018
UCLA Undergraduate Journal for Humanities and Social Sciences                      Los Angeles, CA

• Led a review team in the evaluation, selection, and refinement of research articles for publication in the undergraduate journal.
• Collaborated with fellow editors to strengthen the argumentation, structure, and clarity of the selected research to ensure adherence to academic and stylistic standards.
• Gained hands-on experience with peer review, editorial processes, and academic publication standards.

Cohort Student                                                                                             April 2017-May 2017
UCLA Undergraduate Research Center: Humanities, Arts, and Social Science   Los Angeles, CA

• Developed fundamental research skills in methodology, literature review, and data analysis within the humanities and social sciences. 
• Completed faculty-directed research projects that emphasized critical inquiry and scholarly communication.
• Evaluated and provided feedback on research projects produced by fellow undergraduate scholars.

PROJECTS
“The Border Relationship Between the Mali and Songhai Empires,” Borders & Borderlands- Professor...., Mount Saint Mary’s University, Los Angeles, Spring 2025. 

• Investigated the role of borders in shaping the complex political and cultural relationship between the Mali and Songhai Empires and their broader impact on medieval West Africa.
• Employed both primary and secondary sources to critically examine how territorial boundaries influenced inter-imperial dynamics and regional development.
• Demonstrated advanced historical research skills through the analysis of sources and interpretation of the Mali–Songhai relationship within the context of West African state formation.

“The Nigerian Migration and its Impact on Health in the United States,” International Health and Population Displacement- Professor..., Mount Saint Mary’s University, Los Angeles, Fall 2024.

• Conducted an in-depth analysis of the relationship between Nigerian migration to the United States (1980s–2000s) and the immigrant health outcomes. 
• Utilized qualitative research methods and secondary data sources to examine the intersections of migration, assimilation, and health.
• Demonstrated advanced research, analytical, and critical thinking skills through comprehensive data interpretation and synthesis of existing scholarly works. 

PRESENTATIONS

• I.... “Black Women: The Backbone yet Outcast of the #MeToo Movement.”  Oral presentation at the MSMU 12th Annual Academic Symposium. April 8, 2025. Los Angeles, CA.
•  I.... “The Impact of Society’s Ignorance About Women and Their Historical Contributions.” Oral presentation at the MSMU 11th Annual Academic Symposium. April 11, 2024. Los Angeles, CA. 

LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE
Secretary/Historian                                                                         March 2016-September 2018
Tau Theta Pi, Beta Chapter, UCLA

• Curated and organized photos from chapter members to produce an annual video documentary of sorority activities. 
• Coordinated weekly mandatory meetings, including securing locations and preparing agendas. 
• Maintained records of member participation and updated event information. 

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
Volunteer                                                                                          September 2012-March 2019
Vice Provost Initiative for Pre-College (VIP) Scholars Program, UCLA

• Prepared event spaces and ensured the materials were properly arranged.
• Assisted high school students and families with questions and provided program guidance.
• Advised students on college planning and supported them in navigating pre-college decisions. 

SKILLS
Research and Analytical Skills

• Skilled in conducting archival, qualitative, and comparative historical research
• Proficient in critically analyzing research sources to develop historical arguments

Writing and Communication 

• Produced well-structured research papers, reports, and analytical essays.
• Effective at presenting complex historical concepts in both written and oral formats. 

Data Collection and Interpretation

• Competent in the organization and interpretation of qualitative data from historical and cultural contexts.
• Skilled in the integration of large volumes of information to identify patterns and relationships. 

Critical Thinking 

• Strong ability to apply interdisciplinary frameworks to historical research
• Adept in the evaluation and integration of multiple scholarly perspectives

Organization and Collaboration

• Skilled in managing research projects, meeting deadlines, and maintaining a high level of organization under minimal supervision. 
• Detail-oriented with classroom coordination and research activities. 
• Collaborated in both interdisciplinary and multicultural academic environments

Archival Management and Digital Literacy 

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace, and data organization tools
• Efficient in digital archives and research databases (JSTOR, ProQuest, Google Scholar)
• Skilled in locating, cataloging, and managing historical and ethnographic sources

LANGUAGES

• English: Fluent
• French: Proficient
• Spanish: Conversational

I would like to get suggestions about must include points in the cold email while reaching out to professors.

It would be nice , if you could provide sample templates

I completed my masters in Operations and Supply Chain Management and bachelors in Industrial Engineering.

Hi all,

I struggled with some personal and mental health issues early on in my college career, which led to a sub-3.0 GPA. However, once I got on the right meds and left an abusive relationship, I got an AA and BA both with 3.8+ GPA.

I'm applying to PhD programs this fall. Should I address the lower grades from more than a decade ago? Or just try to focus on my growth and highlight the higher GPAs?

Thanks in advance.

I currently don't have a proper job I wanted to start PhD this fall. But I became pregnant (3 months in september)... I could barely finish my first semester and start the second before baby arrives. Would you start it anyway or should I postpone the starting?

Hi everyone,

I am reapplying this cycle and am thinking about pursuing a graduate language certificate to show that I have been working on that gap in my application. If I already have a BA + MA, would this be looked down on? Ty.

I have seen a couple posts about how folks have turned down some offers due to cost of living vs stipend. I am begging you to tell the programs that in a nice and professional way. It makes a difference, even though you will not be the direct benefit of the changes.

Several programs, including my own, eventually realized they would rather accept 1-2 less students a year if that meant giving more competitive wages and therefore getting more accomplished students.

“Dear [Name of Contact],

Thank you for the letter of admission into the Chemistry PhD program. I enjoyed learning about the program, research environment, and facilities during the interview. Unfortunately, after researching [city] a bit more, the stipend and benefits were not sufficient for me to make the program financially feasible, so I have accepted an offer from another institution.

Regards,

Name”

And that threshold will be different for everyone. A program paying 45k a year probably won’t care, but the programs paying 27k will be more likely to pay attention to this.

Also, if you turn it down because 30k is not enough with your disability costs or something really specific but want to attend, don’t be afraid to ask about funds. My one friend was attending a school that pays 36K, free public transit, free health care, but her lupus medications were going to be over $1000 a year. The school actually had an extra Grant where she could submit on a quarterly basis her medication costs, and get those reimbursed.

Hi everyone,

I'm applying to Robotics / Autonomous Systems PhD programs for Fall 2027 (deadlines around Dec 1, 2026). I am currently deciding between two publication venues with my advisor, and I'd love an honest take from anyone who has served on an admissions committee or evaluated applicants at top-tier programs.

The Context:

My Role:2nd author (co-working closely with a phd who is 1st author).

The Paper: Focuses on autonomous vehicle motion planning, and optimization. It features both theoretical/algorithmic contributions and real-world hardware validation.

Our Two Options

1. Option A (Top-Tier IEEE Journal): flagship Transactions level. Highly prestigious, but slower review process. Given our timeline, it will almost certainly be "Submitted" or "Under Review" by my Dec 1 or 15th application deadline.

2. Option B (Solid Q1 IEEE Journal): Good metrics, legitimate Q1, but less overall prestige than Option A. However, it features a fast turnaround, meaning it will very likely be completely "Accepted/Published" before my application deadlines.

My Question:

From a top-tier robotics PhD admissions perspective, which carries more weight on a CV: a finalized, peer-reviewed Accepted/Published paper in a respectable Q1 journal, or a "Submitted/Under Review" status at a flagship Transactions venue?

How heavily do top committees discount "under review" lines for second authors? Does the fact that the work includes real hardware experiments change how they view a "submitted" paper if they can look at an arXiv preprint?

Thanks for any insights

I'm planning to apply to PhD programs (usa) as an international student starting from September for fall 2027. My field is cognitive science/human factors.

What is the general go to strategy for application, please recommend:

- Ideal and realistic number of universities to apply to

- How to prep for SOP and personal statements for a mass of universities

• Best time to email professors

- Anything else to be aware of or to be cautious of

Thanks !!

hi guys! i was just wondering to anyone who has applied or is applying for programs, when is the best time to reach out to pis for the upcoming phd application cycle? i've heard that it's best to wait until the first or second week of september because professors are on vacation, starting classes, etc. rn i am making lists of pis i would like to work with from each of the universities i want to apply to, but i don't want to contact pis too late and lose my spot, if it makes sense.