If you're at the "reaching out to potential advisors" step, here is a sort of "template" for what you might want to mention in an initial email: twitter.com/cfiesler/status/1301907707579031555

I hate how gatekeepy academia is. Like you somehow are supposed to know all of this. But thank you for helping !!! :)

I have watched those videos long before it was my turn. Thank you for all the advice. I applied this cycle and while I am still waiting on the remaining decisions I already got into 3 super nice programs.

Wow, I really wish I'd had these videos last year when I was doing my applications! When I went looking for advice online, a lot of it didn't seem super relevant as most of what I could find was about programs in the hard sciences or subjects like psychology. Luckily, I was able to get into two really great programs, but there were more that I applied to but didn't get accepted to. I think I might have fallen into the trap of being too specific about the kind of research project I wanted to do. I didn't have any research experience as my master's was a professional degree rather than a research-based one, so I got caught up in the idea of showing that I had thought about research and had designed a study in one of my graduate classes as a way of proving that I would be a good PhD student. As for tips, I definitely second your suggestion of having people read your personal statement/statement of purpose. I had two professors in my graduate program who offered to read mine, and I think they both went through two or three drafts of it and gave me a lot of really good feedback. My other tip is to not assume that the application requirements listed on the website are set in stone. I had a huge panic when submitting one of my applications because the website said the research statement they required should be three pages, but when I got into the application itself, it said that the research statement should be a maximum of *two* pages. I had to cut an entire third of that statement with just a couple of days before the deadline. It was an absolute nightmare!

Came here from Reddit. You are such a great resource! Thank you :)

Casey, your videos are incredibly helpful. Your vibe is so positive and supportive. I am binging every video you have made. Thank you for sharing this content! I am a late-in-life applicant and trying to figure out if I need to be prepared to discuss this at the prospective student event that I will be attending in a couple of weeks for my dream program.

Thank you so much. Fantastic advice and videos. I wish more faculty published videos like these to inform and demystify the PhD.

Just the right time for me. Polishing my CV and trying to reach out to potential advisors right now. I'm so nervous cause I switched major post undergrad and had been rejected by all the programs I applied years ago. Would you please talk about PS/SOP and break down the key features professors/committee looking for in a strong candidate?

Would you ever consider doing a video where your critique a personal statement? I would find it incredibly helpful! Thank you!

Such a wonderful channel. Just subscribed! Thank you for these helpful videos. Even though I am from humanities background, applying to PhD programs in English literature, I found your suggestions very relevant and useful. Thanks a lot!

Thanks so much!, I have so many new ideas after seeing you cover passion and how to shape what matters to you and your field of study into your application.

very hands-on. Learned a ton. Great advice! Appreciate a lot

Thank you very much for this, Casey!

Thanks for the advice regarding the doctoral programme, Casey. Before this video, I had no idea how to prepare for a PhD application. Cheers, Christian

Thank you so much for sharing this amazing information. I am a Brazilian student who will apply for a Ph.D. position in the USA and to recognize the process is being easy and clear with you, in special because this process here in Brazil is very different in comparison to the USA.

Thank you Casey, I really enjoy listening to you. Please, I would like you to do a comprehensive video on personal statement, that is where I'm having more confusion and would like to understand the key aspects of it; to enable me write 'A' grade personal statements. thank you

I’d also like to add, don’t just ask for a strong letter, but ask for a strong positive letter. When I was in hs, my English teacher wrote someone a negative letter because they didn’t ask for a positive letter.

Thanks Casey, that video is really helpful

Great video Casey, thanks!

Thank you for the video, greatly appreciated.

Thanks a ton for doing this

Thank you very much Professor❤️

Hi Dr. Fiesler, I am actually applying to Critical tech/STS Ph.D. programs and your videos are extremely helpful! Could you possibly do some sample SOP reviews? Like maybe even a video of you drafting your own sample SOP as a potential Ph.D. applicant. Thank you so much! I subscribed and can't wait for more tips and advice.

thank you- so helpful! Suscribed :)

Can you also do a video on what goes into a Personal Statement? Some universities ask for both Personal Statement and SOP.

Thank you so much!

Such a fantastic video! Thanks a bunch. Wanted to ask, can I use my Master’s research paper as my writing sample?

Thank you so much.

I love you videos. They are realistic. Prof. I want to pursue a second PhD programs in a broader and multidisciplinary field in same department as the first, though in different countries. Please, will the Grad. Committee consider me for shortlisting, interview and admission? I need your view desperately. Thank you.

Hello! I'm young biology student (master degree) and I'm planning to apply for a PhD program in USA. Before I started studying biology, I was a famous actor in my country. Dear professor, my question is that having many national awards (and even the main national award for creativity that a child can have) is it worth mentioning in my CV and PhD application? Thanks for your videos, they opened my eyes on many dark sides of PhD and gave me confidence!!!

Bravo!

This is super helpful! So if the professor I am interested working with doesn't take new students in the year I apply for the program, does it mean I don't need to apply anymore because I won't get accepted anyway? Thank you for your insight, you have such a great personality :)

Amazing info, so shall we email one professor from one university or can we email more than one from one university

Thanks a lot for your videos! Is it better to apply for a masters before PhD if u have no research experience and low gpa??

I know it's been a while since this video uploaded but should I include writing about my research experience if I am just starting potential research in this upcoming semester? I'm going into my senior year of UG but I know that I want to continue with a PhD and do research. I don't know if I'll have a lot of experience by the time I begin my applications.

Thank you very much, I decided to apply for PhD and, I am trying to reach out to more potential supervisors but I can not find professors in my research interest...

Also I want to ask how to decide on the university as there are plenty of good ones in USA

Hi casey! This is awesome 👍 but I do have a worry, if your PhD program require to submit a writing sample and you present a recent published Article with a Professor, is it okay 😔.

Hi Casey! If your program requires both a personal statement and a statement of purpose, how would you recommend structuring each of those differently?

Hi Prof. Casey, really great video!! I was wondering what could be a good time to email professors asking if they would be willing to take a PhD student? For example if I want to apply this December, what would be a good time to send an email. Also, I am presently working under a professor at my dream school (in US), so would she feel bad if I email other professors in the same school as well, asking if they would be interested to take me in? Also is it acceptable to ask her if she could suggest some professors who could be a good fit? Thanks.

Is there a particular reason you should wait until about 2 months before application deadlines to contact potential advisors? I'm very anxious about my applications and would love to get something started sooner rather than later.

i am an employee where i can find advisor to follow my Phd distance degree can you advise on that because most advisor i have contact they do not have time or no seat available

Hie Professor Fiesler I recently graduated with a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from Zimbabwe. I desire to pursue a PhD in Nanoscience in the USA. I have been following your KZfaq posts on how to apply for a PhD. I found them helpful alot. I would to enquire if it's okay to have recommendation letters from non PhD lecturers,if I'm applying for a PhD. All my faculty lecturers don't possess a PhD degree. Does this affect my acceptance for a PhD program? Thank you for ur help Regards

nice!

Hello Dr. Fiesler, I’m glad that I can watch your video content at the time I need it the most so I already subscribed your channel. I’m actually preparing my application to the Biology PhD program. And I tried to reach out with lots of faculty, but none of them accepted me because my research interests were so limited. However, I took a week to calm myself down and had a look at the latest research of my favorite faculty (I’d prefer 2 professors). So I think I should broaden my interest and those research interests might be suitable with my 2 favorite faculty. Unfortunately, my most favorite one totally suggested me looking the more suitable professors. Should I email her again and tell her my broadened interests which may probably suit her current research? Or should I move on to the others professors? I have emailed lots of faculty and just about 5-6 professors answered me back. It’s so hard to reach out with them during this season :(((((

Dear professor, Your videos are very helpful. I would like to seek your advice regarding switiching to a different research area and graduate program. I am currently in the third year of my graduate program. Because of multiple unforseen circumstances we had to change the project direction into a completely different area that is not of my interest and expertise. I am looking to change my reasearch area back to biosciences, in which I am a post graduate in. I am feeling extremely stuck in my career as I did some research and found negative thoughts about switching a PhD program after two years. Is it impossible to start afresh with a new PhD program?? I really want to do a PhD in the area of biosciences. I have never been more motivated but finding a position seems difficult and I feel very depressed with the possibility that my PhD dreams might come to an end. Kindly guide on this.

I have sent about 50 emails to apply for PhD (Remote Sensing Geology) until now, but I did not receive any positive answer from professors (some of them reply No Fund, and others do not reply). I am tired and most of the times I feel I am not on the right track... If you could let me know at your earliest convenience, I’d really appreciate it

Hi teacher .I come to USA from 8 months .I have a bachelor degree in biotechnology from Tunisia and I wanna ask about the research experience. I did project in the last year of bachelor about endocrinology. Also, I did another project with an association about biodiversity. As you see the two projects are different and they are not published in journals. I did them in my country. Does that work ? Can that be great as research experience on account that my . Topic of interest is different ( autoimmune diseases) Also I have an experience in teaching for two years in my country. Can that be an advantage for me to be accepted. I need your advice please

I sometimes worry that I will come off as too enthusiastic to programs that I’m really interested in. Is there such a thing as being too interested, or too aggressive in my application/dealings with faculty?

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