PhD application mistakes and top tips!

Summary

This video script offers crucial advice for PhD applicants, highlighting three major mistakes to avoid: not clearly justifying the need for a PhD, not demonstrating a fit with the chosen institution or supervisor, and not providing a compelling reason for the timing of their application. It emphasizes the importance of showcasing relevant experience, securing strong recommendations, and presenting recent evidence of the field's relevance. The script also advises on building relationships with potential supervisors, proofreading applications for professionalism, and strategically formatting the application to make it stand out.

Takeaways

• 📝 Make it clear why you should be doing the PhD, highlighting your skills and experiences relevant to the research.
• 🏫 Explain why the chosen institution and supervisor are the perfect fit for your research goals, possibly due to specific resources or expertise.
• ⏰ Justify why it should be done now, citing recent developments or gaps in the field that your research could address.
• 🔍 Include lab experience in your application to demonstrate your ability to contribute to peer-reviewed research.
• 💌 Obtain strong letters of recommendation to bolster your application and establish credibility within the academic community.
• 🏆 Highlight your previous academic and research successes to showcase your potential as a productive PhD candidate.
• 🔗 Make a compelling case for the combination of your skills, the institution's resources, and the supervisor's expertise, using visual aids like Venn diagrams if helpful.
• 🔍 Use Google Scholar and other sources to find recent publications and media coverage that underscore the timeliness and relevance of your research topic.
• 🤝 Build a relationship with potential supervisors before applying to ensure they are enthusiastic about your candidacy.
• 👀 Ensure your application is professionally proofread to avoid grammatical errors and is formatted to make a strong first impression.
• 🔝 Prioritize your most impressive qualifications and achievements at the beginning of each section to capture the reader's attention immediately.

Q & A

What are the three major aspects that PhD applicants often fail to address clearly in their applications?

The three major aspects are: the reason why the applicant should be doing the PhD, the reason why the chosen institution or supervisor is the best fit, and the reason why the PhD should be done now.

Why is it important for a PhD applicant to have lab experience?

Lab experience is important because it shows that the applicant has foundational knowledge about how to work in a lab or conduct research, which increases the likelihood of producing good science that can result in peer-reviewed papers.

How can volunteering in a lab help a PhD applicant stand out?

Volunteering in a lab can provide the applicant with practical experience, which is beneficial for demonstrating their ability to contribute to research and potentially stand out among other applicants.

Why are letters of recommendation significant in a PhD application process?

Letters of recommendation are significant because they provide personal endorsements from known figures in the field, which can help the applicant gain credibility and increase their chances of being accepted.

What should a PhD applicant do to make their previous successes clear in their application?

The applicant should highlight their previous successes, such as high grades or notable achievements, right at the top of their application to showcase their qualifications and strengths.

How can a PhD applicant demonstrate that the chosen institution and supervisor are the perfect fit for their research?

The applicant can create a Venn diagram or use other visual aids to illustrate the overlap of skills, instruments, or capabilities that make the institution and supervisor an ideal match for their research.

What is the importance of showing urgency in a PhD application?

Showing urgency helps to convey that the research is timely and relevant, which can make the application more compelling and increase the chances of being accepted.

How can a PhD applicant use Google Scholar and other resources to support their application's urgency?

By searching for recent publications and popular science articles related to their research field, applicants can demonstrate that their topic is currently a hot topic and gaining attention in the academic community and media.

What is the common mistake that PhD applicants make regarding their relationship with potential supervisors?

A common mistake is not speaking with the professor before applying or not building a strong enough relationship, which is crucial as the professor's enthusiasm can positively influence the admissions office's decision.

Why is proofreading a PhD application important and what can applicants do if they can't afford a professional proofreader?

Proofreading is important to ensure the application is free of grammatical errors and presents a professional image. If unable to afford a proofreader, applicants can use tools like Grammarly to help produce well-structured sentences and paragraphs.

What is the advice given for the formatting and presentation of a PhD application to make it stand out?

The advice includes using background colors to highlight achievements, placing important information at the top in bullet points, and ensuring the application is easy to interpret and visually appealing to make a strong first impression.

What should a PhD applicant do to ensure their application starts with an impactful introduction?

The applicant should bring all the 'awesome stuff' to the front, starting each section with their most impressive achievements or qualifications to make a strong initial impact on the reader.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Importance of Clarity in PhD Applications

The first paragraph emphasizes the significance of addressing three key aspects in a PhD application: the applicant's suitability for the PhD, the rationale for choosing a particular institution or supervisor, and the timing of the application. It stresses the importance of showcasing relevant skills, experiences, and recent developments in the field. The speaker also suggests that sometimes minor formatting adjustments can significantly enhance the application's impact. The video promises to provide tips on how to make these elements clear and compelling.

05:01

🔍 Demonstrating Fit and Urgency in PhD Applications

The second paragraph focuses on the need to demonstrate why a specific institution or supervisor is the best fit for the applicant's research. It advises using visual aids like Venn diagrams to illustrate the alignment of skills, resources, and research interests. The paragraph also highlights the importance of showing urgency by referencing recent publications and media coverage to argue that the proposed research is timely and relevant. Additionally, it touches on the common mistake of not engaging with potential supervisors before applying and the necessity of proofreading to ensure professionalism.

10:03

🏆 Prioritizing Achievements in PhD Applications

The third paragraph discusses the common oversight of not prioritizing one's achievements in a PhD application. It encourages applicants to bring their most impressive qualifications and experiences to the forefront of each section. The speaker suggests seeking feedback from others to identify which aspects of the application are most compelling. The paragraph concludes by advocating for bold and clear formatting to make the application stand out and to capture the reader's attention from the start.

Keywords

💡PhD Application

A PhD application refers to the process and materials submitted by individuals seeking admission to a doctoral program. In the video, it is the central theme around which the advice is given, emphasizing the importance of clarity and specificity in the application to stand out to potential supervisors and institutions.

💡Lab Experience

Lab experience denotes any practical work done in a laboratory setting, often crucial for PhD applicants in scientific fields. The script highlights the value of such experience in demonstrating a candidate's ability to conduct research and contribute to peer-reviewed publications, advising applicants to include any relevant lab work in their applications.

💡Recommendation Letters

Recommendation letters are documents from referees attesting to an applicant's qualifications and character. The video underscores their significance in PhD applications, as they can validate a candidate's suitability for a research role and enhance their credibility among academic peers.

💡Institution Fit

Institution fit refers to the alignment between an applicant's research interests and the capabilities or resources of a university or research institution. The script advises applicants to articulate why a particular institution is ideal for their proposed research, potentially citing specific tools, instruments, or faculty expertise.

💡Supervisor

A supervisor in the context of a PhD program is the professor or researcher who guides and oversees a student's research. The video emphasizes the importance of choosing the right supervisor and establishing a relationship with them before applying, as they are key decision-makers in the admissions process.

💡Urgency

Urgency in a PhD application implies the timeliness and relevance of the proposed research. The script suggests using recent publications and media coverage to demonstrate that the research topic is current and pressing, thereby justifying the need to start the PhD program immediately.

💡Formatting

Formatting pertains to the layout and presentation of the application content. The video stresses the importance of professional formatting to make a strong first impression, advising applicants to use tools like Grammarly and to ensure their documents are free from errors and visually appealing.

💡Personal Achievements

Personal achievements refer to an individual's notable accomplishments, such as high grades or significant projects. The script encourages applicants to prominently feature their achievements in the application to showcase their potential as a PhD candidate and to stand out among other applicants.

💡Proofreading

Proofreading is the process of reviewing and correcting a document for errors. The video advises applicants to have their PhD applications proofread to ensure they are free from grammatical mistakes and typos, which can detract from the overall professionalism of the application.

💡Research Field

A research field is the specific area of study or investigation that a PhD candidate intends to explore. The script mentions using tools like Google Scholar to stay current with developments in one's research field and to demonstrate the topicality and significance of the proposed research.

💡Venn Diagram

A Venn diagram is a visual tool used to show the relationships between different sets of information. In the context of the video, it is suggested as a method for applicants to illustrate the overlap between their skills, the institution's resources, and the research topic to make a compelling case for their admission.

Highlights

Three major mistakes in PhD applications are not addressing why they should do the PhD, why a particular institution or supervisor, and why now.

Clarifying why you should be doing the PhD by showcasing skills and experience.

Importance of lab experience and how it contributes to becoming a productive PhD student.

Advocating for volunteering in labs to stand out in PhD applications.

The value of letters of recommendation in supporting PhD applications.

The influence of personal recommendations in academic fields.

Making previous successes obvious and not being bashful about accomplishments.

The necessity of explaining why a particular institution or supervisor is the right choice for the PhD.

Using diagrams like Venn diagrams to illustrate the perfect fit between the candidate and the institution.

Injecting urgency into the PhD application by referencing recent developments in the field.

Utilizing Google Scholar and other science alerts to demonstrate the relevance of the research topic.

The common mistake of not speaking with a professor before applying for a PhD.

The importance of building a relationship with a potential PhD supervisor.

Proofreading applications to ensure a professional first impression.

Using formatting to make the application stand out and be easy to interpret.

Placing the most impressive achievements at the forefront of the application.

Seeking feedback from PhD students or others to identify the most impactful parts of the application.

The overall strategy for creating a compelling and error-free PhD application.

Transcripts

the three massive phd application

mistakes that i see people make is that

they don't address three major things

first of all they don't make it clear

why you why is it that you should be

doing this phd what skills what

experience do you bring we'll be going

through that the second thing is why

them why the institution or the

supervisor that you want to work with is

there an awesome combination of skills

is there an instrument or an application

or something in this institution that

makes it a perfect fit for what you want

to do and the third thing is why now

why is it that you need to be doing your

phd now is there something in the field

that's recently changed have you noticed

a gap has your supervisor recently made

a discovery that you want to help sort

of explore all of those things need to

be made crystal clear in your phd

application and sometimes it is just um

like a few

simple formatting changes or bumping up

a paragraph to the top of a section that

can make a huge difference and we'll be

going through all of the tips and how

you make those three things awesomely

clear in this video

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up okay so the first thing that people

don't make absolutely crystal clear in

their application is why they should be

doing the phd that they're proposing so

have you got any lab experience now lab

experience goes a really long way

because in undergraduate you know you do

normal labs labs that everyone else has

done in the past but if you've got a

little bit of summer lab experience or

if you've done something in your

master's or if you've done any sort of

research experience that should go into

the application because remember these

supervisors right let's be perfectly

clear and honest about what they want

they want productive phd students who

are going to produce peer-reviewed

papers to further their career and the

more experience you have in the lab the

more likely you're going to create good

science that's going to end up in

peer-reviewed papers quicker because you

have that kind of foundation knowledge

about how to work in a lab or how to do

research if you're doing humanities

and you know

that is really what they want so lab

experience goes a really long way and if

you haven't already volunteered in a lab

consider doing it now i'm not a big fan

of volunteering in general but if it can

help you just stand out a little bit a

little bit of volunteering will do a

great thing so letters of recommendation

also go a really long way into helping

them say yes this is the person for me

all scientific fields are relatively

insular like i remember once uh walking

through a conference and people like oh

my god it's that famous scientist and i

was like who the hell are they they were

famous only to a handful of people and

that should tell you that if you get

into the click if

a certain phd

professor or a researcher says yeah i

know this person and they're great it

goes a long way personal recommendations

really work so if you can get a letter

of recommendation from wherever you have

worked even if it's say an undergraduate

even if you're coming in with no lab

experience speak to your lecturers and

ask for a letter of recommendation if

you've done particularly well in that

course and ask them to describe how you

would fit into that research group and

why you're an awesome candidate

and the last thing is any previous

success should be made super obvious and

this isn't a time to be sort of bashful

about your previous accomplishments so

make it absolutely clear have you got

high grades have you got something that

you can boast about like write down

immediately right at the top like your

highlights and i think that is something

that not a lot of people do because they

feel a little bit like cringe-worthy

about talking about themselves in a

really kind of

boastful way but it is a very important

skill to get over in australia we have

this tall poppy syndrome where someone

stands up and puts their head above the

rest and go i'm great they love to cut

them down but an application is where

you want to be that tall poppy

the second mistake that people make is

they do not make it absolutely crystal

clear why the institution or the

supervisor should be involved make it

clear why them why is it that this

university is perfect for helping you do

this research why is it that that

professor is going to be the person that

to help you through your

candidature and help you really sort of

understand your research area um it may

be a collection of scientific

instruments that are at this uh

institution it may be a combination of

skills or what i like to do is sort of

like pick and choose and sort of create

a venn diagram right of saying well

we've got this these skills we've got

these instruments or these capabilities

we've got this kind of uh situation it

maybe it's like oh you know i moved to

australia to do solar cell research that

was a win um but you know if there is

something else an environmental factor

of why it needs to be in that city that

country wherever put that in a nice venn

diagram and say this is where my

research sits use diagrams as well they

you know a picture tells a thousand

words and a venn diagram tells even more

i'm sure but you know why them what is

it what is it about the overlap of these

skills these capabilities that make it a

no-brainer to be admitted into that

university to do a phd the third thing

that should be really obvious and people

don't do this enough is why now you need

to inject some urgency into this kind of

application by looking at google scholar

go to google scholar type in your

research field and look for recent

publications that support your phd

application and say look these people

have just published this this is a hot

topic another really interesting thing

and something that i don't see enough of

scientists do or even phd applications

involve is head over to eureka alert and

science alert and look for popular

science articles on your topic what this

will do is help demonstrate to the

people who are looking at your

application that this is a hot topic you

know this is making its way into media

this is making its way into news so um

getting really hot topic things from

your field and say this is emerging

because i've got this evidence this

evidence this recent paper and these

students have just graduated look at

other theses from the supervisor that

you want to

get involved with and

that makes it sound a little bit weird

doesn't it that you want to to be part

of their research group um and you know

just

bring together a case for why now why is

it that within the next six months you

should start this and by bringing in

google scholar by bringing in eureka

alert science alert and also any other

students that have recently graduated

once again you're creating a nice body

of evidence to say not only it should be

me not only should it be them but it

should be as soon as humanly possible

because it is happening you know the

field is evolving quickly and i think

those three things coming together are

an absolute winner for any phd

application

so general mistakes that people make is

the biggest first one is that they do

not speak with the professor before

applying or they don't build enough of a

relationship because really the

professors are going to be the person

the final uh gatekeeper to this

application and you want them to be

excited when the admissions office says

oh we just had this application from so

and so and you want them to go yes

i want them like it's a no-brainer so

build up a relationship with a phd

supervisor beforehand and there's no

harm in showing them your application

and in some places you have to show your

phd application to the person that you

actually want to end up with but it

varies from place to place but uh yeah

making sure that they're excited so that

the admissions office can be like okay

yeah this must be a good thing that's

the sort of uh impact you want to have

once those two talk okay also get it

proofread there's another thing that uh

is just annoying which is you know your

first uh sort of appearances or your

first thoughts about a phd application

should be wow this is professional this

is great there should be no distracting

elements there should be no uh

grammatical errors so you know you if

you can't afford a proofreader you've

got no one to proofread it just download

grammarly download something that will

just help you produce good

sentences

and just good sentences and good

paragraphs and good formatting goes a

huge way in making people pick up your

uh application and go oh this one is uh

substantial it feels professional like

that's how you want the first

impressions to be

and also don't be scared of formatting

make sure that what you're saying is

easy to interpret remember these people

have to look at a whole range of

different applications every day every

week so you want yours to stand out so

there is no harm in using background

colors you know just to highlight like

your achievements in a box put stuff

right at the very top in a bullet point

and say these are the awesome features

about me i've got research experience

i've got these letters of recommendation

i've got this

this grade mark

and all of these things will come

together and that's the final bit the

final thing is that we do not put the

best things up front

so the way that we tend to write if

we're just doing it normally and

naturally is that we hide the good stuff

under just sort of like background

information that is incorrect a

supervisor of mine once said bring all

of the awesome stuff that for some

reason we want to bury bring it to the

front you want the first paragraph that

they read under each section that they

give you of the application for them to

go well this is impactful so start big

and then talk about your other

achievements but

if you're not sure which one is your

biggest achievements get someone who's

familiar like a phd student and ask them

which one impresses you most is it my

research experience is it my letters of

recommendation is it my grades is there

something else is there something else

about my application that makes me stand

out and then bring that boom right to

the very top because they're probably

not going to read or remember much but

you want them to feel as soon as they

read each section and be like oh this is

another rush this is another thing that

i should definitely take

notice of and doing that feed section

will definitely help you build up that

confidence in your application

those are the biggest mistakes that phd

applicants make in their application so

let me know in the comments which ones

you would add and if you have enjoyed

this video remember to go check out

academiainsider.com

where i have got my new website my new

ebook my new insider community all of

these things are helping phd students

and academics become the best versions

of their academic selves so go check it

out because i've spent a lot of time

writing the ebook and stuff and i think

you'll like it so i'll see you over

there and i shall see you in the next

video