Recently had a pre-application meeting with a potential PI for a PhD in Biochemistry and I'm a bit confused on how to read it.

So I had requested an application fee waiver from the grad program and got rejected twice. The program coordinator told me that a PI can cover the fee from their lab if they want to.

I had cold emailed this PI back in May and she gave positive feedback on my profile and said it was a good fit. So I recently asked if she could cover the fee waiver through her lab. She replied that she usually only does interviews after the deadline (in January), but in this case she would need a formal meeting before I apply.

The meeting actually went really well. She was happy to know about the work I've done, and she mentioned that she only interviews serious applicants. She said she gets so many cold emails and many people don't even read her work properly, so she filters them out and only interviews the ones she finds serious.

At the end she agreed to pay my application fee and yesterday I received the waiver code from the program. After the meeting she emailed:

"It was nice meeting you earlier, I enjoyed our discussion. To follow up on the application fee waiver- we have generated this code that will waive the fee: ######## When you submit your application there should be some place for you to enter that. Let me know if you have any issues. I look forward to reviewing your application."

My question is - is this a good sign? She didn't explicitly say she will accept me into her lab. Does paying the fee mean she is seriously considering me, or is this pretty normal and I am overthinking it?

Would love to hear if anyone has had a similar experience.

Thanks!

Hi everyone! This may be a long shot, but I had severe writer's block when writing my essays for the PDS Soros Fellowship and just got them done. I have sent them to my undergrad department of scholarships and alumni affairs, but with the deadline being so close (October 29), I was wondering if I could get more sets of eyes on them from now until then. I would really appreciate someone who is familiar with this fellowship or has some experience with admissions in general! Thank you guys!!

I’m so nervous. I’m trying to relax, but I’m extra nervous since my advisor said he is going to call me with my decision. 🙂‍↕️

Hi guys, I am about to apply to CS PhD program in US this fall cycle 2027.

I am a master student, not in the US.

I got 1 ICLR (co-first) and 2 under submission now.

I want to focus on graphics so Utah is my dream school.

Extremely Reach: UW

Target: Utah, UC Davis

What do you guys think about my chances?

For context, I'm a senior at my current college studying civil engineering (transportation engineering track), and I was admitted to the direct master's program at my undergrad university, although without assistantship. I'm looking to apply to other colleges to see if I can get an assistantship.

I do have a good rapport with other professors in my university who could write me a rec letter, but I feel like I should ask professors who teach my major and are in my desired discipline, who I also have a very good rapport with. However, the same transportation professors who I have in mind also were the same ones who admitted me to the master's program.

Would it be a bad look if I ask them for a rec letter? I don't want them to think I'm "ditching" the program at my own college

I cancelled my GRE and was told my refund had been processed on August 18. It’s October 27, and I haven’t received a single rupee.

I’ve visited the bank multiple times, sent ETS endless emails, and called them. Still nothing. Just the same useless replies over and over.

The most ridiculous part? They claim they’ve sent the refund but refuse to give me a transaction reference so I can track it.

I’ve spent months chasing my own money. At this point, I don’t know if they’re incompetent or just rapacious(atleast let me use a gre word :/) . I have attached few ss of mails just to show

Think twice before trusting them fully.

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Hi all,

I have spent the last ~4 years as a backend software engineer. My degree is in CompE, but almost all my work has been software. Worked on some interesting things like designing large-scale systems, Query optimization, etc

I realized I don't like SWE work and want to do research in Operations Research/optimization. I've talked with other friends who have done research extensively to make sure this is what I want.

However, I have zero research experience (Other than research-ish projects at work). I'm also currently brushing up on undergrad Math and thinking of taking a class or two at a nearby college related to OR/optimization.

My questions:

1. With no research background, what are my realistic options for a masters? Does industry experience count for much in admissions?
2. Are there funded or low-cost thesis-based master's programs worth looking at (in-state public schools, Canada, Europe, etc.)? Chances of getting a TA/RA position?
3. What can I do while still working to build research experience before I apply? (Emailing professors, reproducing papers, open source, etc.)

I'd appreciate advice or stories from anyone who made a similar jump. Thanks!

Hiii, I'm very new to the Graduate process and am currently experiencing a lot of anxiety about applying. I've never really cared about school until I got into college and found my passion in sociology and writing. Throughout my time in college, I really excelled and completed an extremely successful individual research study that's gotten me a lot of awards in the department -- even earning me a service to the department award, and I pioneered a student-led research lab. I've also been the president of a club on campus and presented my writing at other conferences as well. I've written an article already which is pending publication and have lots of ideas and soooo many things I cannot wait to do with this research and expand upon. I'm applying to a lot of schools (some are Ivy League), and I'm just extremely worried I'm not going to get into any school at all. I have a mediocre GPA from college due to a class that I struggled with greatly that truly doesn't represent my capabilities nor my drive for education and I've just never been great at standardized testing so I'm afraid my score from the GRE (which I'm scheduled to take in a couple of weeks) may not accurately represent myself nor my hard work either. I guess I'm just looking for some reassurance that there's hope for me getting in LOL.

hi everyone. i'm applying to grad school and would love some tips on my SoI. Is there anything I can improve? Is there anything that's confusing or doesn’t make sense ? thank u!

Hi, I am an MS student and planning to apply for a PhD. This post is just me ranting. My main worry is my research experience and how it will be viewed by the committees.

I have been a member of a laboratory since my 3rd year in undergrad. I was one of the first students in our new lab since my PI is young, so I also had the privilege to mentor someone. The thing is, my thesis wasn’t really my professor’s expertise, so we had to learn it together which made it harder than it needed to be, and I had to be the one to teach the trainee. It was fun nevertheless; I learned a lot and got to present my research.

However, I am rather insecure of my experiences given my university is really a “nothing university” in the grand scheme of things (it is the top university in my country but it’s third world/developing.) Like, imagine high school students in China have better access to equipment than us, literal graduate students. One time, my professor in electronics had to take a week off to do an experiment in Japan because we don’t have the materials… it’s so bad that our physics department is mostly theorists! They’re really good theorists though, don’t get me wrong; we just lack the money for the expensive equipment.

People here yap about the importance of research experience, but I just can’t help but think they are talking about working in real established labs in the richer countries. Even the conference papers I have are just in local conferences. I acknowledge it is terribly elitist of me to think they are “just” that. My adviser and I are currently working on publishing my thesis, and literally I am clinging to that one sole salvation as the real indicator of my research experience.

I know I have the skill and knowledge to somewhat keep up with other applicants, but I just feel so “geographically” nerfed, like no matter what my achievements are they are always two tiers lower because of where I was born. I am scared to apply to the larger universities that probably have better chalkboards than we do lol. My adviser once visited Europe as an associate researcher. When we were working on our paper, they printed a figure and I was gagged at how shiny and clear the print was. Even their printers and ink are better than ours!

I am seriously considering an international research internship this summer and even take the damn expensive Physics GRE just so I can further pad my CV. I feel like I am losing my mind and I need to take a chill pill. Please tell me I am going crazy and it is going to be fine.

My one calming thought is I probably am not the first person in my country to ever think this, and I do know people now studying/working in big shots like America, Canada, Germany and Australia. Hopefully I manifest the same fate for me.

Okay rant over, apologies if it’s too long. Thanks.

Could anyone who's applying or was successfuly admitted share his CV with me!

Another story I'm sure you've heard a million times, but I currently have a 3.6 and am worried about getting into the programs that I want. I currently go to Emory University and at the least want to shoot for a program at a school higher or similarly ranked. Stats are below.

• Double major in Chemistry and Biology
• 3.6 GPA, but currently worried it might dip after this semester
• 2 years of research experience in chemistry 1 semester in biology
• Executive board for my sorority
• Hold 3 prestigious scholarships (1 for specifically for ppl wanting to pursue Ph.D programs)
• Will have good letters of rec
• Planning to do an honors thesis

I'm just worried bc of the grades situations and the kinds of programs I want to get into. Have been considering a gap year, but unsure about it and have previously been against it. Just feeling overall lost and unsure about everything any advice appreciated.

I submitted my applicaiton on October 7th 2026. The deadline for the program for international students is November 1. I am still awaiting a response and I just wanted to know if there is any specific timeline that is followed? I am eager to get my decision so I know if I got accepted or not so I can move forward to applying my study permit.

Any advices on how longer should I wait?

I am planning to get into a fully funded PhD program by Fall '28 in USA. Currently I am working as a software engineer and I completed my undergrad in 2024. Back in my undergrad days, I didn't build any research profile since I was not considering pursuing hire studies as an option in future. But now I changed my mind. Some informations about me.

- My research interest is LLMs. I have a conference paper published. I aim to publish 2-3 more conference paper and a journal paper by the time I start applying. I know it might be challenging. But I aim to do so.

- I have CGPA of 3.6.

- I worked as an Adjunct Lecturer at a University for a semester where I taught Data Structure and Algorithms related courses. This is not related to my research interests.

I know my profile is not good enough. So, I need some advice.

- Does taking GRE will be any meaningful addition to my profile that will help me to increase my chances? Or it doesn't matter much?

- Since I did not do any research during my undergrad, I will probably not be able to manage any professors to issue LoR for me. I can get LoRs from the professors that I took some courses with during my undergrad. But they didn't took the courses regarding my research interests. Will that be an issue?

- Since I have some time in hand, is there any way to connect with the researchers or professors that might be willing to review my work and eventually provide me a strong LoR? I am searching for a way to get some strong LoRs from the professors/researchers with whom I have matching research domain.

Thanks for reading my long post.

Hi everyone! I'm hoping to get some honest advice about my chances of getting into a Clinical Psychology PhD/PsyD programs for Fall 2027. I graduated in January 2026 with a B.A. in Psychology, summa cum laude, with a 3.96 GPA. I'm currently a first-year M.A. Clinical Mental Health Counseling student, but I've been reevaluating my long-term goals and realized that a Clinical Psychology PhD is more aligned with my interests in research, psychological assessment, and clinical work.

I'm planning to apply to a mix of Clinical Psychology PhD and PsyD programs, primarily in NJ, NY, and PA, although I'm open to other locations for the right program.

My academic and research experience includes:

• Senior honors thesis: Conducted an experimental study examining whether relationship threats from a past partner influence retroactive jealousy. The study used a two-group, between-subjects vignette design and an adapted retroactive jealousy measure. The results were not statistically significant, but I gained experience with research design and conducting an independent study.
• Research assistant: Worked as a research assistant under multiple psychology professors on different projects. Worked on projects involving identity, stigma, and mental health, including birth order and sibling relationships, neurodivergence, perceptions of misattributed parentage experiences, and mental health professionals' attitudes toward clients with dissociative identity disorder (DID).
• Teaching assistant: Served as a teaching assistant for Research Methods I.
• Clinical experience: Worked as a behavioral therapist providing one-on-one ABA services to autistic children, implementing behavior plans, collecting data, and documenting progress under BCBA supervision.
• Administrative experience in ABA: Helped coordinate care among BCBAs, therapists, and families, and supported staff onboarding and communication.

My main research interests are trauma, sexual and interpersonal violence, women's mental health, romantic relationships and attachment, and how interpersonal experiences affect identity and self-worth.

I'm trying to be realistic about my chances without automatically ruling myself out because I don't have publications. I'd really appreciate honest advice from current students, applicants, and people who have served on admissions committees. Thank you!

Hi, I am a senior will graduate this May 2027. I am wondering if I should take a master degree in business analytics/data analytics.

For context, I am an international student, non-target school for undergrad, and had 1 internship in my junior year at J.P.Morgan Chase but not really liked it. I want to pursue a career that combines finance and more tech.

My question is, do you think getting a master’s degree is actually worth it? For those who have pursued one, did it give you a significant advantage in your career? And looking back, do you think the benefits justified the cost, especially for someone with my background? I’d love to hear your experiences and thoughts. Tysm!!!

SO IM DUMB. I APPLIED TO 2 UNIVERSITIES IN UK. ONE IS EXETER OTHER IS HULL, ( I HV APPLIED TO OTHERS AS WELL). THEY BOTH HAVE ACCEPTED ME AND OFFERED ME PLACE. BUT THE FEES IS TOO HIGH.
IN EXETER.... MY TOTAL FEES IS 31K SO AFTER 10K REDUCTION BY SCHOLARSHIP, ITS 21K. I HV TO DEPOSIT 2.5K TO SECURE MY POSITION. ( 9 LACS PKR)
IN HULL..... MY TOTAL IS 20K SO AFTER 5K SCHOLARSHIP REDUCTION, ITS 15K AND I HAVE TO DEPOSIT 10K TO SECURE MY ADM

THE THING IS ALL I HAVE IS A FUCKING CV AND GRADES WHICH AINT ENOUGH. I DONT EVEN HAVE THE FINANCE. MY STUPID ASS THOUGHT ILL GET A SCHOLARSHIP OR SOMETHING ELSE BCZ WHEN I WAS SEARCHING THE WEBSITES. IT LOOKED LIKE PIECE OF CAKE.
THE EXTENT OF HELPLESSNESS IM FEELING CANT BE EXPLAINED
😢