PhD Applications | How to get into MIT, Harvard, Stanford, Berkeley, Columbia, Yale, ...

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

⬇️ If you have any questions for me, feel free to ask them in separate comments below ⬇️

[@LeafFlyInSpace]

Hii , who are read the latter in MIT if we send plz tell mer

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

@@LeafFlyInSpace I don't work in the admissions department, so i don't know :)

[@LeafFlyInSpace]

Hi ; I have one more qus plz reply me my question is that It is compulsory that we are get addmison in mit after 12 means I have cleaned my 12 class in 2022 but till now I can't addmsion in any college . Can now I get addmsion in mit plz reply me

[@veeramani6323]

I am doing my masters in India which is 2 years courses + thesis oriented program. If join MIT for PhD, Can I finish it in 2 to 3 years? Cause I already did the course work for a year in Masters. Field: Environmental engineering

[@vishalpanday9607]

Hi , gr8 information ,😀 it will b a gr8 help for students, Kudos I want to do a PhD in "philosophy of physics" ... I have done extensive research in that field ..... Can you guide me how should I approach ?

[@felixkonrad6957]

Great video, as always. From what I've read and heard so far, letters of recommendation are the most important aspect of a PhD application, closely followed by research experience. And as you've said: The best way to get a good LOR is to do research with a professor; Killing two birds with one stone!

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Thank you Felix! Yeah, this is exactly true. I should have emphasized the letters of recommendation more. You do get them by doing good research with someone, but the LoR you get through your research may be as important as any possible publications you write in the end 🙂

[@johan_va3642]

I don't understand, when people say "good LOR" by good they mean that is has to be written by a top school/good connected professor? because that feels very unfair as a student from a third world country, or do they mean that the letter has to reflect the professor knows me well and is really convinced that I am PhD material?

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

@@johan_va3642 In practice, it's a combination of both. And yes, it is a bit unfair. Before I moved to Switzerland, I could also only get letters of recommendation from professors who may not be so famous, and therefore, they likely wound't have (on their own) gotten me into MIT. But at the same time, they were really positive and good, so they still helped me to get really far 🙂

[@Ineedhelppls-z5f]

What I always like about this KZbin channel is that it is always honest, there are no fake tricks or anything, just how things work in reality.

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Thank you 😊

[@Ineedhelppls-z5f]

@@SamuelBoschMIT hey , did you meet michael sipser during your phd?

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

@Ineedhelppls-z5f yes, he thought my Theory of Computation class

[@Ineedhelppls-z5f]

@@SamuelBoschMIT nice, he is a legend.

[@lokeshgnanasekar]

Hi Samuel, I have randomly found this video and it was very clear and precise. You just earned another subscriber !

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Thank you Lokesh, and thanks for the subscription!🙂

[@nakunam1256]

Hi there, Samuel. First and foremost, congratulations on your acceptance to MIT. I randomly found your video and became a subscriber of your channel, and the information you provided was so precise and so good at content that I just wanted to say thank so much for making such great insights about US universities and PhD programs for those like myself doing MS will definitely help a lot for those who plan to do Ph.D. in the future. I wish to see more of your future videos of Ph.D. (tips and advice for future Ph.D. applicants), AI and quantum-related contents. *PS:* It's also encouraging to see that you're taking the time to respond to all of the questions in the comments section; it has been extremely helpful. Thanks again!

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Thank you! I really appreciate your comment 🙂

[@ShubhamSinghYoutube]

Best way to connect with a PhD candidate is to comment on their KZbin channel :p

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Hhahahhahaha yes this may be true, although PhD candidates who have KZbin channels tend to get a lot more messages than the average professor 🙂

[@vaishnavigiri8766]

​@@SamuelBoschMIT hey hi.. I wanted to do PhD in maths ..n am from India.. so whats the process should I follow. Can you pls guide 🙏

[@abhart]

​@@vaishnavigiri8766 did u got in?

[@Bored_wreked]

​@@vaishnavigiri8766You joined it?

[@NazriB]

Lies again? Most Handsome Doctor Ugly

[@masonsloan7844]

Insightful video. I am a current MBA student, considering the Ph.D. route immediately after graduation. We have very similar extra-curriculars and interests ... glad to have stumbled across your platform Samuel. Cheers mon ami.

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Thank you Mason! Glad you like my videos 🙂

[@minkyulee8057]

Thank you so much for this wonderful tip! Much appreciated!!

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

You're very welcome Minkyu 🙂

[@anakr4667]

Awesome video, as usual! 😎 thanks so much for the insights - This will definitely be very useful next year 🙂

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Great to hear! 🙂

[@hiransarkar1236]

Amazing Video! I am currently a pre-final year undergraduate student aiming for a PhD. But sadly many universities in Europe especially in Germany require you to have a Masters degree as a qualification before applying to their PhD program.

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Yes, this is true. In the US, a master's degree is part of your PhD. In Europe, you directly start with a PhD after your master's degree. That's also why PhDs in Europe are usually shorter than in the US

[@MrLethalShots]

As a european Msc student, a masters is essential if you want to pursue a PhD here. European PhD's are typically completely research orientated so you are intended to have all of your course learning done in the masters. At least, that is my understanding.

[@Sam-kj9ui]

That's just common sense tho.

[@aandishahtehzeebsamara1867]

Unlike the US though, European Ph.Ds are more treated like a full time job and they will pay as such rather than a small barely livable stipend.

[@iranjackheelson]

This is by far the best PhD application advice on KZbin I seen. Most focus on application package, not enough on connection/compatibility with the potential PI. That said, would you mind answering a few more for clarification?: 1. 5:45 Any tips/trick on searching for research experience/positions paid by scholarships? 2. 5:55 80hr/wk sounds pretty insane. Did this include Sat+Sun? 3. 6:05 This is insane number of publications for pre-PhD. What do you think you did differently than others to have so many publications? Also 4:02, I'm trying to figure out whether I should write my masters thesis this way or work on it as a personal project after graduating (be I already fulfilled all other degree req)? -- do you think having that Harvard stamp of approval made your thesis look better for on your application? 4. 12:50 Any tips/tricks on networking?

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Thank you 😊 1. You’ll just have to invest a lot of time reaching out to research groups (don’t spam) until you find something. Also took me a while 2. Yes, I also worked on weekends. It’s not a must, but worked well for me

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

During some research internships I didn’t publish anything. And during some I was super productive. It really also depends a bit on outside factors

[@restevomfeste8180]

I am student at ETH Zürich, however I don’t know how to approach professors. thank you for your video however!😅

[@PronayKhan-xy2kc]

Can you give me advice 🙂🙂🙂

[@javonswong3686]

Thank you so much for sharing. It has been very useful to me.

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

You’re very welcome 😉

[@miro_gra2706]

Wunderbares Video und vielen Dank Samuel, dass ich es schon vor allen anderen sehen durfte 😁👍

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Sehr gerne! 🙂

[@AsifAhmadOfficial]

Thank you, Samuel! It was really helpful. Currently looking for a Ph. D. position in Mathematics with a specialization in Machine Learning (Deep Neural Networks).

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Glad it was helpful! Best of luck to you Asif! 🙂

[@AsifAhmadOfficial]

@@SamuelBoschMIT Thanks, Samuel!🤗

[@thelaststand8993]

I just want to let you know,I am currently doing my undergrad from a lesser known university rfrom a deeveloping country,I have the highest of ambitions but at this moment I don't really know how to make them a reallity,but I'll keep trying and one day I'll succeed for sure.

[@quantum5867]

Samuel, your videos, make me understand a lot. Thank you.

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

You’re very welcome ☺️

[@mu.makbarzadeh2831]

I always love your great channel. It's so informative.

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Thank you! 🙂

[@mohammadalkousa2856]

In connection to MIT, recently it was published a book about MIT integration bee, under the title " MIT Integration Bee, Solutions of Qualifying Tests from 2010 to 2023" You can simply find it!

[@ishratrhidita9393]

I have Benn waiting for this video for sometime. I will be applying for a Ph.D. in computer science programs in some of the tops schools in the USA and I really wanted to know the entire process from someone in the inside.

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Hi Ishrat, that's great! I really hope that this video will make your application process a bit easier 🙂

[@ishratrhidita9393]

@@SamuelBoschMIT Yeah it definitely helped a lot and it was really informative. Thank you so much for making this video.

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

@@ishratrhidita9393 You're very welcome 🙂

[@maximilian2782]

Great video! Maybe i'll come back to it in a few years...

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Thank you Maximilian, hopefully it will be useful for you at some point. Even if it is just for decided if it makes sense to do a PhD 🙂

[@cedricemmanuelkire8709]

Great tips as usual. Thanks for the video 💯

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

You're very welcome Cedric 🙂

[@aniketkedare8]

thank you very much. i was waiting for this video

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

You're very welcome Aniket! 🙂

[@hugokaktus3475]

Hey Samuel, I am also keen on getting into a US PhD program after my Masters at a German University. I wonder if it’s normal to not seem to have discovered my research interests yet. I am generally a curious person and once I really dive deep into something, I find some joy in it. That was even true for theoretical computer science lol. But that makes it hard to formulate concrete research proposals and find a supervisor that fits :(

[@kanamenoname210]

Lol me: 1. Live states away from MIT 2. Has been out of contact from professors for decades 3. Has limited research expirience My chances: I'll 100% get in!

[@leonhxrds5884]

Awesome video as always, Samuel! :) Did you get all of those undergrad-research opportunities through Studienstiftung or do you also have recommendations (for Europeans/Germans) apart from Studienstiftung on how to get into research during undergrad studies?

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Hey Leo, thanks for your comment 🙂 I only became member of the Studienstiftung in my 2nd or 3rd year, so before that I had to figure out my own funding. One time they agreed to pay for housing, so I just lived on a tight budget. Another time I could live with family friends, and (also) live on a tight budget. And yes, after that, I received money from Studienstiftung, which made everything much easier 🙂 I think the best strategy is just searching for good groups at universities and institutes, and reaching out to them. It's a slow and frustrating process which I also had to go through, but eventually it paid off!

[@anant_singh]

It was really a great video, and as soon as I finished watching it, I shared it to all my friends who plan on doing their PhD from the US. PS: I'm a freshman at college, majoring in Physics and minoring in Mathematics, planning for a PhD in Theoretical Physics. May meet you soon at MIT :)

[@healingbyqurannow]

Very valuable advice, thank you.

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

You’re very welcome! 🙂

[@violetgoesshopping]

Fantastic advice! Thanks so much

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

You are so welcome!

[@daniapd7530]

Great video! Have you thought on making a video on master degrees? Thank you!

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Hey Dania, great question! I've been thinking about this for a while. Master's degree application are just somewhere between undergrad application (I made a video about this - you can check it out) and PhD applications. So if you watch both videos, it will probably give you most of the info that you need. I never applied to master's degrees at US universities, so I may not be qualified to make a video specifically about this

[@alphonsuseyo1787]

Great video. It gives a significant insight into graduate admission process. I need your assistance on writing a strong SOP

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Thank you and Best of luck with your application! There are some great videos out there talking about writing a good SOP, so make sure to check out those 🙂

[@matheusmaica9098]

Hey, great content! I know this video is old and I'm probably not getting a response, but it's worth giving it a shot. I'm an undergraduate student in Canada majoring in Physics, I'm entering my second year and still have no research experience (really starting to look for it). How were you able to get research experience abroad, as a non-American? As I understand pretty much no professor will take a student who's not an US citizen for internships. Also, how were you able to get a first-author publication? In Physics it seems almost impossible for an undergraduate to write a publication-worthy paper.

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Universities can sponsor J visas with no problem - easy for them

[@riccardoformenti4332]

Great video and suggestions, keep it up! Do you have any advice on getting research internships as an undergrad? You could make a video about it

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Hey Riccardo, thanks for your comment. I would apply the same strategy with emails. Look for different institutes and research groups and reach out to them asking if you could do an internship with them. I did this too. Most groups either didn't respond or said that they cannot take me, but in the end always 1-2 would work out 🙂

[@nananou1687]

Hi Samuel, I came across this video way too late. This is a great resource. I have been trying to get in ocntact with professors but very few pf them seem to reply back and I am out of my wits as to how to approach them at this point. Any advice would be great

[@velvetrealitytv]

thank you, I submitted an application last night.

[@yi-nungtsao3981]

Thanks for the sharing It is very useful for me.

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

You're very welcome! :)

[@romeowong9374]

Hey thanks for sharing. I graduated at UCLA in 2017 with 3.9 and trying to gain research experience at Cambridge before the pandemic. I just got s master offer at Edinburgh but currently struggling to land into a PhD programs

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Congrats for your great GPA, and I wish you best of luck with your PhD applications :)

[@WannabePianistSurya]

I'm an undergrad with 3 papers (2 first-author) at the best ML conferences in the world, one of them with a group at Media Lab @ MIT. I have a very peculiar background (a bad undergrad university and bad GPA, 7.5/10). I am really insecure about my GPA. I currently work as an NLP Researcher in the industry in India. People who I co-authored with (from MIT) are so smart, I am actually intimidated by it. I can't imagine being in the same position as the Phd candidates there. I am aware that I probably have a severe case of inferiority complex, but I can't seem to be able to fix it.

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Hey Surya, wow this is really impressive. Having two first author publications at the best ML conferences in the world is really impressive. And really puts your (relatively average) GPA in the shadow, so you don't really have to worry about it. Especially if you already worked together with MIT PhDs. To be honest, being at MIT doesn't really feel like there is much competitions. Contrary to undergrads, during your PhD everyone is kinda working on their own research projects, so you won't really end up in the position where you need to compare yourself to others. During my undergrads, everything was really competitive as we were all taking the same exams. During your PhD, courses don't really matter. So I think you really don't have to worry about anything 🙂

[@hanklin2854]

Best in icml or neurips? 2 paper is impressive, I would say apply and let them decide, don't put yourself down

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

@@hanklin2854 I agree 🙂

[@WannabePianistSurya]

Thank you for your kind words :) I'll try to be a little easy on myself. I do have papers at NeurIPS, ICML (and another preprint).

[@hanklin2854]

@@WannabePianistSurya that's is incredible, as I know ML is super competitive but ppl having 2 of those papers have a very good chance of getting in, even PhD students might not have those first few years. Maybe mention your low gpa are due focusing on research. Anyway it's interesting high tier school like MIT might overlook low gpa compare to mid tier schools, when your research is really good. Go for it and good luck🤞

[@মোঃফাহিমআসহাব]

Hi Samuel! A great video you have made there. I am very curious to know that how did you manage to land research internships in your undergrad? I would love to hear the process and journey as I am also aspiring to do a PhD and currently at the senior year of my undergraduate program. It is very tough to find some early research experience .😓

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

It’s really just a matter of networking. Talk to your professors. They have many friends and colleagues with big networks. If you are on good terms with them, they should be able to help you. You can also reach out to institutions and professors elsewhere. That’s how I got my internship at the university of Copenhagen

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

But I agree it’s tough. Keep in mind though that 99 No’s and 1 Yes is enough for you

[@alyaksandrapetrakouskaya2417]

Thank you for a useful video! Can you please provide more detail on your publications during undergrad? Were the professors proposing you to publicate or was it a part of the program, like when everyone who present get a DOI?

[@safayet5415]

Hey, can you talk about how did you get these research internships? Great content, much appreciated. Thanks a lot

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

I think your best bet is applying the same principle that I explained about emailing professors. Have a look in the internet at universities and research institutes which groups or researches to something interesting. And then carefully craft emails to a few (not too many) of them, and ask if you could join them in some form. I also struggled a lot initially, but eventually the hard work payed off. I hope this help!

[@safayet5415]

@@SamuelBoschMIT Thanks a lot for the suggestion.

[@md.farhansadiquefarhan5963]

Informative video. If anyone wants to get a chance to do PhD in the top 20 universities, what to do in undergrad for 4 years? Would you mind making an in detail roadmap video on it?

[@f.c.6441]

the one topic that was completely overlooked in this video, is the fact that your field happens to be the sexiest in physics and tech the moment, which is a shoe-in for what MIT is interested in. MIT is not for everyone. if you want to do a PhD and you're interested in this a topic that is better suited at another university, you should go for it somewhere else. if you're a brilliant student, you should not pretend to be interested in a topic just to get into MIT. the worst thing that could happen is that you get into MIT, but you end up miserable and demotivated.

[@astro_penguin_]

I loved the video! I am a high school senior with dreams to get a PhD someday and this is a good overview of what i need to expect in the future. I'm starting 1st year uni soon, do you have any advice on how to stand out during undergrad? My uni isn't super highly ranked or anything, I doubt any of the professors have connections to top schools, but I want to get involved with as much research as I can.

[@niikurasu2855]

Danke für das Video obwohl ich wahrscheinlich keinen PhD machen werde

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Sehr gerne - ist wahrscheinlich keine schlechte Entscheidung 🙂

[@janithchethan6213]

Brother, when applying for undergraduate scholarship, plz make a video informing about the application process for international students. About SOP, LOM, PERSONAL STATEMENT...

[@janithchethan6213]

Also CSS profile

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Hey Janith, I already made a video about undergrad applications for internationals. Check it out on my KZbin channel 🙂

[@pinghe9532]

hey, Samuel Bosch. It is a great pleasure for me to have chances to watch your video. I am a medical student from China. I really want to pursue a PhD abroad. But I am poor. I really worried about that I cannot afford . Do you have some suggestions. thanks a ton

[@yvesmartin324]

EPFL in the top EU that made my day

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

It’s a great place 🙂

[@无言-z3r]

useful video! I am now pursuing a master's degree in business and management in China with the intention of applying for a PhD in the US. I believe the application would be challenging with poor connectivity. I'm simply curious as to whether US professors now accept remote internships and whether there are any platforms where full-time RA vacancies are shared in the US.

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Heyyyy thanks for your comment! I haven’t heard of any US professors having remote interns, nor do I think there exists a central portal for RA vacancies. Your best bet is reaching out to professors (the same way as described in the video) and asking them for internship positions 🙂

[@无言-z3r]

@@SamuelBoschMIT Thx a lot, I bet I should act as soon as possible

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Definitely 🙂

[@ハナ-h3k]

Your video helps me a lot. Thank you so much! I am an undergraduate student in Japan majored in electrical engineering. I want to join the quantum research program in singapore that you have mentioned, could you please tell me more about the research program?

[@namanbajpai2654]

absolutely loved it

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Thank you Naman! 🙂

[@DongWang-ci5dn]

Great video! It helps my a lot. I have a question. If I would like to work in industry for about two years after undergraduate degree, should I apply for PhD first and then discuss with my professor for gapping or should I apply for PhD when I have already work for two years?

[@danushprashad3577]

Great video as usual ! I finished my masters in IIT and am currently doing remote research internships both in Denmark and California. I just wanted to clarify the requirement for GRE in the top universities (both in US and Europe). I read somewhere that most of the universities don't require you to take a GRE test for Ph.D applications. Is it true ? Or are there specific universities that come to mind that requires a GRE score ? Thanks in advance. Keep up the good work :)

[@aniketkedare8]

due to COVID. GRE score were given excepted. Still have GRE and English proficiency score will have reflection in your application

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Thank you Danush. Yes, it is true that many/most universities don't require the GRE anymore. I applied before COVID, and I already wasn't required to take the GRE

[@flash_minato6636]

Dhanush can I get your insta handle I have some query to ask you plzz related to applying for PhD abroad.

[@Katie-iq2vw]

Thanks so much for this fantastic, informative video! I just had a quick question I was wondering if I might be able to ask you. I will be going to Oxford in September to study for a Master's degree in Mathematics and am interested in pursuing a PhD afterwards. I was wondering if you thought this would be an advantage to me if I chose to apply for a PhD at Oxford in a related field after my Master's? Have you met many PhD candidates at MIT who had previously studied there for their undergrad/Master's and would you say this helped them? Thank you!

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Thank you Katie! 🙂 Having a master's degree before starting a PhD at a US university doesn't make a big difference at all. For me the only difference is that I get paid a few hundred dollars more per month in the first 2 years, and have to spend a few days less writing up some report. But that's really it. When it comes to Oxford, I really don't know how they do it. If it is anything like in most European universities, then it probably does make a big difference 🙂

[@arthurchadwick1468]

Hi Samuel! I received my MEng from Cornell University in Aerospace Engineering this past May. I was doing spacecraft propulsion research in a lab there and my adviser did her post-doc at MIT. I am currently working as a Systems Engineer and has been on my mind for a while. I think you summarized the process very well. I’m thinking about 2023 or 2024 matriculation into a PhD. It sounds like I should ask my adviser sometime about if she knows of any labs looking for researchers at MIT. MIT is on my list for applying and I look forward to see what comes next. When do you think I should reach out to a few professors at each university if I wanted to start a PhD in Fall 2023?

[@iamchato]

That sounds amazing my guy, I’m inspired

[@spinzbydagamer111]

What was your GPA in your undergraduate years?

[@brianc.3609]

Great content!

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Thank you 😊

[@vishalpanday9607]

Hi , gr8 information ,😀 it will b a gr8 help for students, Kudos I want to do a PhD in "philosophy of physics" ... I have done extensive research in that field ..... Can you guide me how should I approach ?

[@kashifzaheer7631]

You published Seven Journal Articles before Application, I did one publication before considering Application, never know too much about application but got rejected by Average Institutes. Never thought about MIT. Did Try my best to go To ETH or EPFL but my Master Thesis supervisor is so mean that he never think about other when it come to PhD at good institute.

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

That's really unfortunate Kashif, sometimes these applications are also a bit random. I know quite a few brilliant people who also didn't get into great institutions (including myself for undergraduate applications). Have a look at my video about my life principles for success where I talk about that 🙂

[@kashifzaheer7631]

@@SamuelBoschMIT sure

[@bythewaterwithlove]

My dream PhD program is Harvard ❤

[@PBL-50]

Top Video! Zu den Noten: Denkst du, wenn man einen Master hat, wird dieser mehr gewertet als der Bachelor? (angenommen man war durchschnittlich bis gut im Bachelor, dafür aber sehr gut im Master)

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Danke Paul, ja Master zählt sicherlich viel mehr! 🙂

[@PBL-50]

@@SamuelBoschMIT Alles klar, danke 👍

[@devanhill2330]

I wanted to ask how one would approach the conversation with a Phd student in regard to assisting their research. I go to a lesser-known university, though I was accepted into better known schools the cost made it really hard for me to consider them as a valid option. I know that professors and candidates alike will typically choose from their own university, but do you have any tips to try and get into contact with someone that can be a connection or lead to a connection.

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Hey Devan, I would just start contacting people the way described in my email. Networking at conferences is also a good option, if you have that option 🙂

[@mdmuktar6692]

@@SamuelBoschMIT I am from Bangladesh. My family is Middle class family 😅😅😅. Can i think abou mit 🙂?

[@leonardgruner2181]

Hello Samuel, in your last video you mentioned that you were diagnosed with ADHD. I believe that I also suffer from this disease and I have enormous concentration problems. That's why I wanted to ask you if you take Adhs medication and if it helps enormously or if you might have a quick tip to help you deal with it better? Thank you very much! Have a nice Day!

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Hey Leonard, thanks for the suggestion. I put this on my list of future videos, so I will definitely make a video about this topic, as I think it is very relevant! It might take a few more months, simply because for such videos I do have to conduct very thorough research and preparation (to make sure everything I say is scientifically accurate). Usually, I also speak to some experts in the field first, to see if they have anything to add. So stay tuned for this video in a few months, and have a nice day too! 🙂

[@muyamuraya6623]

Hi Samuel, great video, real helpful. Just wondering how well does your guidance apply to a Social Science degree?

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

I don’t think it really applies to that. Also, I don’t recommend doing social science PhDs at all, but you’ll have to know for yourself :)

[@gerardourdaneta3063]

That was such a good and insightful video. I know this question may be a long shot but by any chance Samuel would you happen to know anybody at MiT AeroAstro? I have talked to different PhD/master students to know more about their labs/experiences but in those situations It was not pertinent for me to ask them if they could vouch for me with their professor. I am trying really hard to network but the opportunity for me to ask them if they can put a good word for me is fading away since the application deadline is closing up. My bad for this harsh and direct inquiry. I just felt like I needed to try ^^

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Thank you Gerardo 🙂 Sadly I don't know anyone at MIT in that program. But you can maybe reach out to some PhD candidates. You can find them either on MIT's websites or on LinkedIn. Best of luck!

[@gerardourdaneta3063]

@@SamuelBoschMIT awesome, thank you so much! I will. Best.

[@srikar2002]

Hey @samuel bosch What cgpa should i get in my bs-ms course in ohysics for my phd application to look good!?

[@stephanienwangwu9891]

Hi Samuel , thanks so much for the content you shared Do you have maybe any letter format I could see that's if you applied to be a research assistant

[@haor2864]

Awesome video, it helps me a lot! Towards building connection and emailing professors, I saw there are many professors from top-tier universities say on their personal websites to prospecitve students: don't email me/emailing me cannot bring any advantage to your application. From what I knew and heard, at least in top CS departments like MIT EECS, the committee decides who will be admitted not professors. So does reach out interested professors can may bring any slight advantages in these cases?

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

That's a great question! They say this because they don't want to receive so many emails. If they say this, it probably also doesn't make sense to reach out to them. It is true that a committee decides about who gets admitted. But this committee consists of a group of professors. So in the end, it is professors who decide. And if you have a professor at MIT who wants you to get admitted, then he/she can always reach out to the professors in the committee (assuming he/she isn't on the committee in a given year) and ask them to get you admitted 🙂

[@iranjackheelson]

@@SamuelBoschMIT To add to this, I think different schools and programs give varying amount of power to PIs in influencing admission decision -- some must pass the committee and admission committees' criteria first (e.g. GPA cutoff), at other programs the decision is almost entirely on the PI. Source: I emailed various schools

[@haor2864]

@@iranjackheelson @Samuel Bosch Thank you so much for telling some details in admission committee and emailing professors

[@kedarundale972]

Hi Samuel, thank you for making this video. It was quite helpful. Will a university accept a PhD student if they have not published any papers?

[@thesliceline1442]

This guy is so Swedish. It’s great!

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

I'm not from Sweden, but ok 😂

[@thesliceline1442]

I stand corrected

[@FatemeFeyzi]

Hey there, thank you for this awesome video ❤ I am a 24 year old Iranian girl , I'll be bachelor in computer engineering almost next year , with a high level of grade point average. My English level is about B1 . I need to get a full find scholarship, because our money value is very very low and I can't study aboard without it . Please tell me what I have to do to get a full fund for direct Ph.D . ❤🙏🏻

[@aesclamadoca]

Hi Samuel! Awesome Vid - Im going to be starting a PhD in Mechanical Engineering at Stanford this fall and I am seriously considering starting a KZbin channel going covering engineering education and life as a phd student. Whats your perspective on starting your KZbin channel recently while taking classes and doing research? Do you have nay thoughts on if I should do it?

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Congratulations for getting admitted Alex! It’s quite fun. Although also really a huge amount of work. So you’ve gotta decided if you want to dedicate 1-3 days per week to working on this 🙂

[@joshcosin3130]

Do you have any additional advice for an aspiring STEM PHD canidate who developed their seriousness about academics late--causing their undergraduate grades to be somewhat poor? I'm currently working in an academic lab post-graduation

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Focus on research 🙂

[@danilobraghini1515]

Thank you for the video Samuel. I wonder if arxiv preprints used to count as papers for one to list then as publications. May ypu answer that?

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

I always counter arxiv papers in my CV + their citations

[@zach_patzer]

Hey Samuel, love you videos!!! I have always had the dream of getting my phd. But I’m in my senior year of high school and I’m still deciding what I want to major in as an undergraduate student. I am thinking one of the following: Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Software engineering, double major in one of those engineering majors and physics, or double major in one of the engineering and computer science. Either way I would do my PhD in either engineering or physics but I don’t know if it’s worth it. I love the research part of both of these and I really would like to do that, but is it really worth the extra years and money. I don’t really want to be paying off student debt for my entire life and I don’t really want to be 30 years old when I finally get done with school. My absolute dream school is MIT or Caltech. Could you possibly give me some guidance on how to proceed with all of this and your tips on the whole thing? Thanks so much!!!

[@loganreidy7055]

Had a friend who applied to an IVY league and got accepted, thought I'd try for my PHD too

[@rako001]

Thank you for the video. Could you please give me some advice on how and where I can find research opportunities for free?

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Thanks for the comment! I personally just searched on the internet for different groups in different countries, and emailed a bunch of professors. You can use the same trick for this that I showed in the video. So make sure to send a few quality emails, instead of many copy-pasted emails. It took me a long time initially, but eventually I managed to get an internship in Copenhagen 🙂

[@Marco-bp8nh]

Hi, thanks for your video! I would be reallly interested in the financial details about a PhD at a top tier US uni. Do you have any fees to pay, how much is the salary and so on. So, in the end, can you afford your lifestyle or do you need parental support or sth similar? If these questions are to personal, I can understand it as well. :)

[@christianventurella3040]

All of these programs give stipends, so you do not need financial support from someone or take out loans. If you do need to go into debt for a STEM PhD, don’t bother with that program. How well you live depends on the cost of living of the area which varies a lot. California has highest COL, but the stipends are a bit more. Still, as a STEM person qualified for these programs, you can likely make much more money in industry over 5-6 years, which is itself money you “lose” if you care about your savings after a PhD.

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Salaries are really low, but enough to survive. You don’t have to pay for any fees given that being a PhD candidate is basically a job 🙂

[@paul_nguyen]

Thanks for you video. How about Master program? Is there any differences?

[@space_guy_04]

Im interested in applying, after I finish my masters in aerospace, I will try

[@econ_edge]

Hi thank you for posting this helpful video! Could you tell about how did you find the opportunities in Denmark, California and Singapore?

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Tbh, I just emailed a few people I found on the internet. I didn’t spam many people, and instead focused on a few people with custom written emails

[@econ_edge]

@@SamuelBoschMIT Thank you for the advice.

[@sugunavarshini2384]

Could you provide some insights on how we can search for research internships as a working professional?

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Hmmmm that might be tricky if you’re a working professional. Internships are usually full time, so it might be hard to do unless you take a break from your job or completely quit it?

[@sugunavarshini2384]

@@SamuelBoschMIT Thank you for that super quick response! I am willing to take some time off work but most of the research internships I’ve found usually look for undergraduate students to work for the summer. I am unsure on how to navigate searching for research internships as someone taking time off work

[@asterisco5597]

I am an international student and I would like to join a PhD program at MIT. I wanted to ask you two questions. The first one is: as an international student, do I have more or fewer chances of getting accepted compared to an American student? The second question is: since a master's degree is not mandatory for admission, if I have one, will it give me an advantage or does it not matter?

[@henryzhao4622]

Yup, spend 24 months studying, 40 hours a week on GRE

[@ChristianOrtiz-bv9oz]

I’m from the U.S. looking at Psych programs. a lot of programs don’t require GRE anymore and others aren’t considering it as important, but I want to set myself apart with a decent score. I know these programs are really competitive. I’m not particularly great with arithmetic/algebra, but I looked at the psychology GRE prep book and I’m confident I could practice and get a good grade on that. Could the psych GRE substitute for a general GRE on an application? Is it a better option for a psych program?

[@s.xurxbh]

Can you please make a specific video on how to get into us universities for indian students and a proper budget too!

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Hey Saurabh, thanks for the comment! I don’t really know anything additional that would apply to Indians students only, that doesn’t already apply to others 🙂

[@FatemeFeyzi]

Hey there, thank you for this awesome video ❤ I am a 24 year old Iranian girl , I'll be bachelor in computer engineering almost next year , with a high level of grade point average. My English level is about B1 . I need to get a full find scholarship, because our money value is very very low and I can't study aboard without it . Please tell me what I have to do to get a full fund for direct Ph.D . ❤🙏🏻 3:40

[@barisakdogan2274]

Hey I don't know if you will see this. I'm about to start my Masters in Germany. I want to get eventually do my PHD at one of the top tier schools (I know it's a bit ambitious). Would you give me some tips and clues on how you got started with your own research papers and published them? I still see myself as an intermediate programmer. However, I think with hard work, I can achieve this dream within 2 years. Thanks once again!

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

I might make a video about this in the near future :) best of luck yo you!

[@AgnimitraSutradhar]

Can you make a guide for Post-doc studies in the US and Europe top Universities?

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

Thanks for the comment! I never did a postdoc, so I am afraid that I am not qualified to make such a video

[@heyanwi]

Hey! Could you help me figure out how to apply for PhDs in US for Political Science.

[@ChroxD]

Not sure if intended, but there is a typo at 1:32 in the comment animation :)

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

ooooopssieeeee - we'll have to fix this for the next video. Thanks for letting us know 🙂

[@marinebiogeo]

Hi there! I’m just wondering whether it’s possible for me to receive co-supervision from MIT and my Canadian home institution (the Fisheries and Marine Institute at Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador) for a PhD program through a cotutelle agreement? I would like to specialize in ocean mapping, autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) development, marine biogeography, magnetoreception, and biomimetics research (potentially with the Lincoln Laboratory).

[@electra4454]

Hello Samuel, I have been working in industry in my field for a few years and interested in a phd. What things do I need to consider since I have not been in academia for a while? Just interested in how us non traditional candidates should handle this. Thanks!

[@MikeFuller-ok6ok]

I would like to do a degree in philosophy but I haven't got the brains. I just can't engage my mind in any analytical thinking.

[@austin5955]

When people say "your work" do they refer to your first author paper? What if the paper i'm interested only lists the prof as last or second to last author?

[@hrushikeshgouda4965]

I am an undergrad student in the Electrical & Electronics Engineering currently at the start of my 3rd year (4 Year program). I want to enter a Ph.D. program in Theoretical Physics. Should I first get a masters in Physics or directly apply for a doctoral program in the US? It would be really nice if you could answer me.

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

I personally regret not starting my PhD directly after my undergraduate studies, as my master’s degree cost me quite a lot of time. So if you can get admitted already after next year, I’d definitely consider it :)

[@hrushikeshgouda4965]

@@SamuelBoschMIT I see. Thank you very much for such a quick response. I am grateful you did:)

[@dili_m]

Hi Samuel! Did you go straight out of undergrad? Or did you do a masters and do you think that helps an application?

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

I don’t think that doing a masters first is a good strategy, as it would take you 1-3 years to do so, and may not work out in the end. In my case, I did get a masters degree first due to diffirent circumstances (I didn’t finish my undegrad studies - see my video about my life principles for success)

[@darkhuntereditz4738]

What is the scholership getting for you with tution ?

[@Elenamor314]

I’ll be graduating with a bachelor’s degree in computer science next year and im still 15, do you think is that likely to offer me a great advantage? (or even slightly)

[@nafisakabirrhyin2621]

For those who want to apply to PhD programs for fields that are different from their undergrad background, what is the best approach? Especially if their undergrad uni doesn't offer the required coursework and they do not have access to any such real life ongoing courses to earn accreditation? For me i don't have the required mathematical background so will self studying and attending the gre math subject test help?

[@SamuelBoschMIT]

I did my bachelor's and master's degree in Physics, but then wanted to do my PhD in Computer Science. Before applying, I spent a year doing research in CS-related areas, so it wasn't a problem at all 🙂

[@SabilaMoses-z9c]

Surely