Grad School Application Frequently Asked Questions... from TikTok

[@erios8687]

"I was very skeptical" LOL. I love you said that as a Ph.D. Keep up the great work. Your videos are funny, helpful, and super informative.

[@bethward2195]

I found you first on my for your page on tik tok. Thank you for helping me through my anxiety. Your videos have helped me so much.

[@CaseyFieslerPhD]

Oh I'm so glad, thank you for saying that! Good luck :)

[@m.t1446]

That's freaking awesome. As a person that was looking to an MD and then last year became really motivated to be part of the women innovating in stem it was really hard. People explaining PhD stuff without sounding like no one is able to make it is really hard to come by.

[@CaseyFieslerPhD]

Oh I'm so glad this helped! Good luck!

[@ckannie]

Hi Dr. Fiesler, I just wanted to let you know that I'm so grateful for your channel and how it has been helping me through my application process, I'm just at the beginning but it's been 8 years since my graduation and I feel I'm not good enough 3 times a day. I don't know if this comment will make to you, but thank you so much for all the PhD application series.

[@CaseyFieslerPhD]

Oh that’s wonderful, good luck to you!

[@sugals]

Found you on tiktok and so glad I did! Your videos on both platforms have helped me feel so much better about the application I submitted mid-November. Thank you for sharing!

[@CaseyFieslerPhD]

Oh I'm so glad!! Good luck!

[@shreyadas4107]

Hello Casey! I have watched all of your videos on PhD applications. And I love them! You're so original, funny, intelligent and kind! The counselling on imposter syndrome is exactly what I needed today, while writing my SOP. Thank you so much!

[@bobbierathjens]

Great video! Thanks for sharing your advice, it’s so helpful .

[@CaseyFieslerPhD]

I'm so glad, good luck!

[@lennylew]

Thank you so much for your videos! I’m wanting to apply for a PhD in 2022 and your videos have made me feel better about not having much research experience. I also want to be in information science so I’m so excited I found your channel!!✨ can’t wait for more videos! Oh and I am also too old for tik tok but yours are so cute lol!

[@CaseyFieslerPhD]

You're welcome! And I mean, if I'm not too old for tiktok... haha

[@t.iheneye]

Cool Professor, thank you for motivating those who want to apply for phd

[@phyllisholl]

thank you for all your advice! it really helped me craft my phd application!

[@CaseyFieslerPhD]

Oh I'm so glad, good luck!!!

[@dancegreen333]

Lady viewer here! It is really valuable to see things from the admissions reviewer's perspective that is a series and not from 10 years ago. I think girls tend to watch a lot of lifestyle type videos that kind of shows what research/grad school is like rather than telling them. For example, a vlog on what your day schedule looks, personal anecdotes that connect to the content, etc. Not only could this help boost your viewership, but it would give viewers a more tangible idea of the things you are talking about and what a career in research looks like. I also notice a lot of successful KZbinrs with content intended for women tend to talk kind of fast??

[@CaseyFieslerPhD]

My guess is that this kind of thing would actually be better coming from a PhD student than a professor! But I might give it a shot. :)

[@jacopobilotto9221]

Thanks for your videos! You share positivity and great advice. It's really appreciated 👍

[@theproseoflife]

I've never been more tempted to join TikTok than at this moment.

[@CaseyFieslerPhD]

I am kind of amazed how fast it sucked me in.

[@KWHo-gg8ec]

Thanks for your advice!! Can you please make a video about ‘what is a good research topic?’. How do you make sure the topic is not too wide/ narrow? And can you also talk about academic working environment? Some youtubers said it was toxic and filled with politics. What is your view on these? Thank you

[@CaseyFieslerPhD]

For your first question, I talk about that in my statement of purpose video, giving some examples of too wide and too narrow - but it's going to be really dependent on your particular subject area! And I also think that academic working environments are highly variable. Mine is lovely.

[@niharikamishra4767]

Your videos are helpful! Thank you! :D

[@CaseyFieslerPhD]

You're very welcome, good luck to you!

[@KendallKnaus]

Thank you- Your work is amazingly helpful and encouraging :) Happy New Year!!

[@CaseyFieslerPhD]

Oh I'm so glad! Good luck to you. :)

[@dichotomoussnail]

Thank you for sharing your advice! Are you planning to make any videos with advice about the interviews? I am not sure if I should expect a typical job interview type of thing, or something different. For instance, do they ask questions specific to your field to test your knowledge? Are the interviewers usually people you mentioned wanting to work with, or just people in the department/related departments? How do you formally introduce yourself on zoom in a not weird way? Do you have examples of questions we should consider asking them?

[@CaseyFieslerPhD]

So I actually don't have experience with formal "interviews" like I know they do in some fields. But it is common for applicants to talk to faculty, and we have open house/site visits, so I'll certainly do some videos about that, probably in January!

[@MK-13337]

Having a masters to get accepted to a PhD program is also country specific. In my country you can't even apply to get a PhD without a masters or equivalent degree.

[@CaseyFieslerPhD]

yes this varies by both location and discipline!

[@20thcenturytunes]

Hello! Well done - I may have an answer to the "No MA" dilemma - Depends on the school, depends on the program - most Humanities like the MA in hand, some have combo MA/PhD programs, some if you ask will tell you nah, just apply - so, just ask/research the school

[@CaseyFieslerPhD]

Yes I think it's definitely a disciplinary thing!

[@louiealkasmikha9546]

Hello, My name is Louie and I was just admitted into the MA program in the humanities (English). I am disabled with MS and have been filled with bias against the humanities and for the sciences due to the fact that I am Middle Eastern. There have been a number of times that I was told not to go to Graduate School because my writing is shaky at times. In fact, I was a Biochemistry major long before a Science major. However, I went with my inner gut and tried out to Graduate School a plethora of times (4 times) until an acceptance into two Graduate programs. In my mind, I want to try out for the PhD in the future, but I am slowly trying to gain a focus on research and a work ethic in the humanities (Writing Center in English). The thoughts of faculty telling me to quit or steer away from advanced level English still lingers, but I still want to try out for the PhD program in a few years to try to make this change in society and academia. Do you think I should listen to these words or stay away from them as my writing improves with time and time?

[@CaseyFieslerPhD]

Hi Louie - Congratulations on the MA acceptance and best of luck to you there! Pursuing an MA is the perfect opportunity for you to determine whether academia is right for you, and also for you to improve your credentials to the extent that you need to. So no, don't listen to those words yet - see how things go and then decide. Also, please don't think that a disability has to hold you back. I was recently diagnosed with MS myself. It is early days, and I know what I've been through so far is nothing compared to those who've dealt with this for longer, but know that there is a lot of support in academia in the right circles, and I really hope you find it.

[@louiealkasmikha9546]

​@@CaseyFieslerPhD Thank you! After getting some pros and cons with faculty and imposter syndrome, I need more time and space to develop my writing into a more concrete, academic, and authoritative stance with academia. It is seen as powerful to some and weak to other. That mainly occurred with the illiterate knowledge I acquired when I was young. It is slowly maturing at the age of 31 and becoming more fluid for the reader to analyze my enigmatic thoughts.

[@katarinakaneff7640]

I really want to go to grad school but I am terrified as my grades toward the end weren't great. My dad became very sick, and died the year before I graduated. It was incredibly difficult and I'm afraid they'll think I was being lazy.

[@CaseyFieslerPhD]

Grades are only one part of your application, and if there's a significant issue then you can always write about it in your statement or ask a letter writer to mention it.

[@jcm5229]

Question: I got a master’s degree this past year and did very well relative to my undergrad. How should I (or even should I at all) explain some of my bad undergrad grades on PhD apps?

[@CaseyFieslerPhD]

I suppose that depends on the explanation. Though if it's something big you might see if one of your letter writers can explain rather than you.

[@xzhao3888]

I have an uncommon question about the recommendation letter: my advisor is a junior faculty and she hasn't written a RL before. So she asked me to list something I would like her to talk about in the letter. I'm working on multiple projects with this professor and I believe she is generally satisfied with my contribution. So what points should I ask her to include? Should it be about my personality/traits or the exact mathematical theory and algorithm we used in the research? I waived my rights so sadly cannot learn from other references.

[@CaseyFieslerPhD]

I'm not sure who wrote this but our PhD application actually has some guidance on this! "The most compelling letters will provide specific observations about the candidate’s promise in analytical thinking, scientific communication (both oral and written), research and teaching, as well as demonstration of teamwork and collegiality."

[@hernansilva2359]

Thank you for the valuable insights of all of your videos. A few questions for you from an international student: I meet the minimum Toefl score requiered. Do admissions care about it? or maybe they will lean to candidates with higher scores? Do admissions officials care about the prominence of your international undergrad/grad institution? they will look for it in international rankings? should I mention the ranking of my previous university in the SoP? Will add points in your application if you're member of any association, like IISE and is mentioned in the CV? Thanks a lot.

[@CaseyFieslerPhD]

So all of the things you mention will vary greatly by department and maybe even individual advisor. But I recommend that if your TOEFL score is low, make sure you write a excellent statement of purpose because it will show that your communication skills are fine! Some people care about prestige and some don't. And it wouldn't *hurt* to mention involvement in professional organizations at least!

[@shaffroncity]

Hi Casey! Thank you SO much for making these videos. I have been wanting to get my PhD in chemistry for a long time. My undergrad degree was English because I didn't have confidence to study science. I decided to go back to school to study Chemistry, and got my AS in chemistry, then got my masters in education with a chemistry focus (I know it's quite a few different things 😅) i have one summer of chem research at a national lab from my associates in chemistry. And I have been working as an adjunct faculty member at a community college teaching chemistry since my K-12 teaching degree helped prepare me to teach intro level classes. But I want to delve into research and be able to teach chemistry full-time, tenure track at college or university. Do you think my lack of much research experience and an undergrad degree in the field would bar me from getting into PhD programs? And if so, do you have any recommendations to make my application stronger? Thank you for any advice you can give!!

[@CaseyFieslerPhD]

My answer to this question is always that no sing thing bars you from getting into PhD programs! If you haven't seen, this video is part of an entire playlist of PhD admissions videos, which basically collectively have all of the advice I have to offer. Good luck!

[@auxomox]

I am going to be applying this fall (🤞) to Sociology PhDs. I am trans and am currently transitioning, however, I have been out of school for several years and my references are not aware of the situation. At what point of the process should I out myself to the school I'm applying to, if any. Also general tips for this would be appreciated, if possible 💕. Thank you!

[@CaseyFieslerPhD]

I think that this is entirely up to you and what you're comfortable with. Though I'll note some things that you might want to take into account. First, if your letter writers don't know, they're likely to misgender/deadname you. :( This might be confusing to admissions committees, so for this reason you may want to either tell your letter writers or note it in your application, even if not both. Also sometimes universities/programs have special scholarships/programs targeted towards diversity for which trans folks might qualify. But again, I really think this is what you're comfortable with! But if you want to disclose, it is totally fine for you you to do so - especially in a field like sociology where your life experience might be relevant to your work. Good luck to you!!

[@auxomox]

@@CaseyFieslerPhD Thank you so much!!!

[@bonnasheehan293]

Thank you for making such helpful videos! 🌟 On several applications, there has been a section asking about outside funding/grants/fellowships. Are we expected to be applying for these opportunities as well/will our status in this section affect our admission?

[@CaseyFieslerPhD]

Maybe this varies by field? But usually not. The one exception is the NSF GRFP (which only people straight out of undergrad are eligible for) since sometimes people apply while still in undergrad.

[@kartikjoshi772]

Do the Letters of Recommendations needs to be program-specific (University specific) as well? That might bother busy Profs. Or a generic one could do just well? This is also important when one has left the institution for a while now and contacting Profs after a long time! Your views on this? Thanks for informative video.

[@CaseyFieslerPhD]

This is a great question! Letters of rec definitely don't have to be tailored, unless the prof really wants to (e.g., maybe it's the school they attended and want to mention that). They don't even HAVE to mention the specific program in the letter, but many profs do. e.g., it might start out "I am writing to strongly recommend X for admission into the X department at X university" but it's also fine if it's "I am writing to strongly recommend X for admission into your PhD program."

[@sagarhugar6903]

Hey Casey, can I hint on my interest to pursue Phd in my grad school motivation letter? To what extent would that help/not help? Thank you. PS: LOVVVVEEE YOUR TALKS, they're informative.

[@CaseyFieslerPhD]

I assume that you're currently applying for masters programs? I don't see why it would hurt, but it's probably most helpful for a research vs professional masters. And you're welcome, good luck!!

[@amoahamankwah7975]

Happy Christmas Prof. Please I would like to find out if names of references or referees , gender and date of birth should be included in academic cv for a PhD application. Thank you

[@CaseyFieslerPhD]

Sometimes referees are at the bottom of a CV, though the other things are not relevant. Regardless, all of these things will be in your application itself.

[@amoahamankwah7975]

@@CaseyFieslerPhD Happy New year Prof. Is it good to say active interest in research projects, academic writing, reading, and data analysis are your motivations to do a PhD. Thank you

[@susutun8422]

Thank you for your insightful advises. You are very generous and your videos are encouraging. Could you please help me my problem? I am anxious about my research experiences if they are enough for applying a PhD program or not. My master was non-thesis master (with coursework research project) and my bachelor also did not include thesis as it was physiotherapy which normally more focus on practical things. I could say I have some research-related experiences such as involving in research project at my workplace, 2 small research papers for my two post-grad diplomas, and my master research project. Also I did take research subjects like approaches to research, and design and ethics in conducting research on vulnerable population. But I do not have any publications or thesis. Do you think I necessarily need to do another master with research focus for applying PhD programs or can I try with my current one? Or is there any other alternative ways I can try? Thank you very much for your help.

[@CaseyFieslerPhD]

It seems as if you have some experience to talk about! But there's really no way to know how any particular application will be received. I think it would probably be unusual to do a masters in the same field you already have a masters in though. Good luck!

[@jibranparacha7260]

I have 3.34/4.00 gpa in BS but in master I improved them upto 3.94/4.00. how will admission committee consider it?

[@CaseyFieslerPhD]

No way to know, but in my opinion an upward trajectory is good.

[@VladyslavKL]

🕊

[@CesarMartinez-bj2nr]

What if I am an international applicant and my English test score is a bit below the minimum required, should I send my application anyway?

[@CaseyFieslerPhD]

When you don't meet requirements I recommend contacting them first and asking. Sometimes they'll tell you it's fine - but if it's a hard requirement you don't want to waste the application fee!

[@sagarhugar6903]

Hey Casey, this is a specific question, I'd be grateful if you could help me out. I've got a BA in Journalism (Honours) and recently completed my MA in New Media Studies. Of late, I've gotten super interested in HCI & Interaction Design as fields and have been meaning to apply for MSc HCI grad programmes, but, as is, both my degrees are exclusively media related and I've got no psychology/CS/Design background to qualify for HCI studies. I want to somehow convince the grad school members that I'm extremely willing to learn psychology-based research methods and HCI as a topic to combine my background in journalism and research under the broader intersection of journalism and technology. what in your opinion would be the best way to do this?

[@CaseyFieslerPhD]

Since there aren't really undergraduate degrees in HCI, no one has those qualifications coming in. :) And HCI is a very broad field, of which new media is certainly relevant. In fact, unless it's changed a lot since I was there, digital media is a specific track of the HCI MS at Georgia Tech. So I think that exactly what you described here is correct!

[@matildahung227]

Woman here 😂😂😂

[@sinabanasaz3311]

As male, I should confess the KZbin algorithm suggested me your video and I believe it thought a female video is more interesting for me. I don't know actually, but may be it's not us, it's algorithm.

[@SloppyRocky]

No girls cuz there’s no girls in STEM. We’re alone here, Casey😢. Nah for real I ended up here cuz I had a 2.7 undergrad gpa (and that’s only cuz my gen ed was holding me up) but that was 8 years ago and I’m a rock star and all these PhD programs would be lucky to have me. 🫠 So I whisper to myself so I don’t cry while waiting for rejection.