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I was finally accepted to a PhD program after several *years* of applying and being rejected. I want to share my tips for dealing with rejection and finding the courage to re-apply. 
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#AcademicTwitter #phdchat @AcademicChatter
#AcademicTwitter #phdchat @AcademicChatter
1st application cycle:
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🔎" title="Nach rechts zeigende Lupe" aria-label="Emoji: Nach rechts zeigende Lupe">3 interviews
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="❌" title="Kreuzzeichen" aria-label="Emoji: Kreuzzeichen">4 rejections
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✅" title="Fettes weißes Häkchen" aria-label="Emoji: Fettes weißes Häkchen">1 acceptance -- which I declined.
Why?https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤨" title="Gesicht mit hochgezogener Augenbraue" aria-label="Emoji: Gesicht mit hochgezogener Augenbraue">
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Why?
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I rcvd an offer from a prestigious uni (guarantee you have heard of it), w/ a huge endowment, yet they didnt offer much funding. No one should go into debt for a PhD, and I was going to owe over $90,000 in student loans. So I reluctantly walked away. https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🚶♀️" title="Gehende Frau" aria-label="Emoji: Gehende Frau">
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2nd app cycle:
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🔎" title="Nach rechts zeigende Lupe" aria-label="Emoji: Nach rechts zeigende Lupe">0 interviews
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="❌" title="Kreuzzeichen" aria-label="Emoji: Kreuzzeichen">6 rejections
0 acceptances
Not. even. one. damn. university. wanted. me.
I was devastated.
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0 acceptances
Not. even. one. damn. university. wanted. me.
I was devastated.
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I used the same graduate admission exam scores from last yr, had gained more research experience, and *thought* I was an even better applicant. I FELT LIKE A COMPLETE FAILURE.
Then, I kept hearing the negativity from family..& #39;friends& #39;...
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Then, I kept hearing the negativity from family..& #39;friends& #39;...
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"You are too old to keep trying for a PhD"
"You need to just get married"
"why are you wasting your time?"
"get serious with your life and get a & #39;real job& #39; w the degree you have"https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="💩" title="Dreckshaufen" aria-label="Emoji: Dreckshaufen">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="💩" title="Dreckshaufen" aria-label="Emoji: Dreckshaufen">
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"You need to just get married"
"why are you wasting your time?"
"get serious with your life and get a & #39;real job& #39; w the degree you have"
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Tip #1: OWN YOUR FEELINGS
I needed self-healing.https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🥀" title="Verwelkte Blume" aria-label="Emoji: Verwelkte Blume">I spent time in nature. I listened to guided meditations. I cried…a lot. I didn& #39;t run from the pain. I sat with it.
The time I took for my own self-introspection would set the groundwork for my final application cycle.
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I needed self-healing.
The time I took for my own self-introspection would set the groundwork for my final application cycle.
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Tip #2: RE ENGAGE W/ YOUR FIELD
I joined twitter. I followed academics in my field, and was inspired by their stories esp those who took non-traditional paths to a PhD. I listened to journal club podcasts. I still found my field fun. I decided to apply 1 last time.
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I joined twitter. I followed academics in my field, and was inspired by their stories esp those who took non-traditional paths to a PhD. I listened to journal club podcasts. I still found my field fun. I decided to apply 1 last time.
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Tip #3: GET FEEDBACK ON YOUR APPS
I emailed/phoned every single school to get specific feedback on my application. The way I saw it was, I paid ya& #39;ll the app fee. You happily chewed my money. Least you can do is tell me why you didn’t make me an offer of admission.https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤷♀️" title="Achselzuckende Frau" aria-label="Emoji: Achselzuckende Frau">
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I emailed/phoned every single school to get specific feedback on my application. The way I saw it was, I paid ya& #39;ll the app fee. You happily chewed my money. Least you can do is tell me why you didn’t make me an offer of admission.
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Some admission committee members gave me very generic feedback about what GPA + exam scores + # first-author publications they wanted. Others took the time to have a phone call w me and give me personalized feedback on my apps. Those are the profs I was truly grateful for. https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😎" title="Lächelndes Gesicht mit Sonnenbrille" aria-label="Emoji: Lächelndes Gesicht mit Sonnenbrille">
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TIP #4: RE-TAKE ENTRANCE EXAM - (MAYBE)
Several profs said my entrance exam scores were a bit low, so I retook the exam to improve my quant score. Took leave from work, bought a test prep book, and Ya& #39;ll… my quantitative score actually *dropped* 2 percentiles.
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Several profs said my entrance exam scores were a bit low, so I retook the exam to improve my quant score. Took leave from work, bought a test prep book, and Ya& #39;ll… my quantitative score actually *dropped* 2 percentiles.
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BUT
I got a perfect score on the verbal.
Does that mean I can read, but can& #39;t do math? NO!
At some point, you have to roll with the score you have.https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🎢" title="Achterbahn" aria-label="Emoji: Achterbahn">
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I got a perfect score on the verbal.
Does that mean I can read, but can& #39;t do math? NO!
At some point, you have to roll with the score you have.
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TIP #5: RE-ASSESS YOUR SCHOOLS
I kept applying to the same highly-ranked schools, and I finally realized that I didn& #39;t *need* to go to those schools to be a capable scientist in my field. I started looking at smaller programs, and slightly lower-ranked programs.
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I kept applying to the same highly-ranked schools, and I finally realized that I didn& #39;t *need* to go to those schools to be a capable scientist in my field. I started looking at smaller programs, and slightly lower-ranked programs.
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TIP #6 REVAMP YOUR RECOMMENDATION LETTERShttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="📨" title="Eingehender Umschlag" aria-label="Emoji: Eingehender Umschlag">
This is where that personalized feedback helps a lot. When you understand what an admissions committees *perceive* as your weakness, you can launch an interference campaign.
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This is where that personalized feedback helps a lot. When you understand what an admissions committees *perceive* as your weakness, you can launch an interference campaign.
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Ask your recommenders to speak to those perceived weaknesses. https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🍬" title="Bonbon" aria-label="Emoji: Bonbon">
Eg:
I got weak quant scoreshttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="➡️" title="Pfeil nach rechts" aria-label="Emoji: Pfeil nach rechts">can you tell them abt advanced analyses I am working on now?
I have no 1st author pubshttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="➡️" title="Pfeil nach rechts" aria-label="Emoji: Pfeil nach rechts">can you tell them abt the manuscripts I am leading on which are not yet published?
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Eg:
I got weak quant scores
I have no 1st author pubs
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TIP #7: LEVERAGE YOUR NETWORK https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🗣️" title="Silhouette eines sprechenden Kopfes" aria-label="Emoji: Silhouette eines sprechenden Kopfes">
I hit up LinkedIn, former college mates, and people I met at conferences and international meetings. I tried to get my network to put me in touch with ANYONE from any department in the university I wanted to go to.
WHY?
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I hit up LinkedIn, former college mates, and people I met at conferences and international meetings. I tried to get my network to put me in touch with ANYONE from any department in the university I wanted to go to.
WHY?
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Because faculty are busy and are infinitely more likely to respond to you if someone from the same @university.edu email address is introducing you. I prioritized my applications to programs where faculty actually took the time to speak to me before putting in my apps.
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3rd application cycle:
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✅" title="Fettes weißes Häkchen" aria-label="Emoji: Fettes weißes Häkchen">4 acceptances -- each with funding!
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🙌" title="Raising hands" aria-label="Emoji: Raising hands"> https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🪙" title="Coin" aria-label="Emoji: Coin"> https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🙌" title="Raising hands" aria-label="Emoji: Raising hands"> https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🪙" title="Coin" aria-label="Emoji: Coin"> https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🙌" title="Raising hands" aria-label="Emoji: Raising hands"> https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🪙" title="Coin" aria-label="Emoji: Coin"> https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🙌" title="Raising hands" aria-label="Emoji: Raising hands">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🪙" title="Coin" aria-label="Emoji: Coin">
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If you were rejected from PhD programs this yr, know that rejection is an opportunity to become self-aware, & reconnect with your soul& #39;s purpose. Gift yourself time for introspection, self-healing, & self-love. When you are ready, the universe will conspire in your favor. https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="💫" title="Symbol für Benommenheit" aria-label="Emoji: Symbol für Benommenheit">/end
