Hi there! First and foremost, congratulations once again! I hope you're doing well. Would you mind assisting me by answering a few questions? Your insights would be greatly appreciated: 1) Did you happen to take the GRE Exam? If not, may I ask why? If you did, would you be comfortable sharing your results? Additionally, could you shed some light on what range of scores is considered competitive for the GRE? 2) Also, may I inquire about your IELTS Score? 3) Is it advisable to reach out to professors before applying for a PhD program, and should we submit applications through the portal afterward? 4) In the event that we are not accepted into the PhD program, will we automatically be considered for a Master's degree? I recall that this option was available previously. 5) I am lacking in publications. When you were applying, did you have any publications? Thank you so much for your time and consideration. Your guidance on these matters would be incredibly valuable to me!!! U r the best!!!
Hello!!! That is so amazing!!! and incredible! You deserve and earned it! My sincere congratulations! Also, I am so sorry for disturbing you but may I ask a few questions you please I have 4 questions regarding Ph.D., please would you be so kind to assist me in answering these questions; If I am not mistaken you did not straightly apply for a Ph.D. after your master's degree and u took a gap year; however, how did you make sure that your referees from UPenn did not forget you? I am currently studying at UPenn (Penn GSE) but I want to get work experience first since I was accepted to a master's straight after my BS degree; However, I am worried that all my referees (professors at Penn) will forget me after 3 years when I start to apply for Ph.D... Another question is I have 3 free electives; what courses do you recommend me to take to increase my chance to get accepted to good PhD programs? also how important it is to communicate with your professors more during your time at Masters... here I am not sure how to build a network and communicate with professors... (ps. I am still struggling to find the American definition of networking;) My last question is I have 3 free months for summer and I am trying my best to apply for internships; however, I got accepted to one job (Residential counselor) at Yale University's Summer program; What do you think could be the best options for me when it comes to spending summer productively? I really want to do smth that can increase my chances of getting to TOP PhD programs; but not sure whether being a Residential Assistant/ะกounselor/Residential Dean can help me and can be valued by the admission committee; Thank you sooooo much in advance! I highly appreciate it!
@soojung7 ะฐะน ะฑาฑััะฝ
Hi! Attached are my answers to your questions: 1. I graduated from Penn GSE in August 2021 and applied for Ph.D. programs in November 2021. My situation would differ from yours as I don't have any work experience after my master's program. Still, it is beneficial to continuously share your interest in a Ph.D. program while you are attending Penn GSE. I frequently had office hours with professors, sharing my research interests and checking their availability to write my letters. If you can make a solid relationship, you can keep in touch with them after graduation. 2. I highly recommend taking methodology courses if you are interested in applying for Ph.D. programs. Either quantitative or qualitative is fine! When writing your SOP, having experience with either methodology will be of great merit. 3. Networking is really challenging for me as well. I much prefer building one-to-one relationships to exposing myself to a crowded event. Office hours are an excellent first step to being connected with professors. Don't hesitate to schedule office hours with professors whose research interests align with yours! Also, talk with current Ph.D. students at Penn GSE. They can share their resources, such as research opportunities. 4. There is no gold standard here. We cannot predict how the admission committee will be composed and what priorities they will bring when discussing potential Ph.D. students. What matters is how well you connect your experience to the Ph.D. program. Even if you have a very attractive work experience, it will only increase your chance of acceptance if you make a strong case that it can be related to your academic goal. In other words, you have to be a really good storyteller. A residential counselor position would be a good opportunity if you are interested in higher education or college admission, for example, because you can then use it as a relevant example, creating a persuasive narrative. Therefore, first think of your research interest and in what ways your summer experience can contribute to it. FYI, I didn't do anything for my summer!
@meruyertbizhanova41727 ะฐะน ะฑาฑััะฝ
You are awesome! Thank you so much for taking the time to provide such a detailed response! So kind of you! And best of luck to your PhD! Can't wait to call you with Dr. Title!!! Hopefully, I can meet you in person in the future!!!@@soojung