Grad School Series: Cornell University
The Scholars’ Avenue is proud to present our Grad School Series, where we get in touch with IIT Kharagpur Alumni who have been admitted into prestigious schools and universities in several countries and domains for both Masters and Ph.D. programs.
We got in touch with Adarsh Singh, who graduated from IIT Kharagpur with a dual degree in Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering in 2021. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering at Cornell University
Pre-application decisions
When did you decide to pursue a Ph.D., and what motivated that decision?
In my second year, I was quite motivated to go for higher studies. I used to watch interesting youtube videos, talk to people in the field and most importantly read some interesting research papers to understand the innovation going on in the field. Although I was quite motivated, I was more sure about going for a Ph.D. only until the end of my third year.
How did you decide on colleges to apply for?
My initial filter was QS ranking, of course, but then I tailored it according to the number of professors working in my field.
Can you apply for a Ph.D. directly after your bachelor's? Is a master's degree mandatory for the application?
For US applications, yes, but for European countries, they might ask for a master's degree.
Application Process
What does the application process comprise of?
The application generally requires a CV, SOP, Personal Statement (some universities don’t ask for it), a minimum of three recommendation letters, and GRE/TOEFL score (which many universities in my field do not require of late).
What is the difference in Ph.D. application procedures between US and European countries?
The US Ph.D. application is more structured than most European countries. In the US, you generally get into a department, rotate in a few labs in your first semester or first year, and decide which lab you want to join. Again, this is not true for all US universities but most of them. While for European countries, although there are some structured programs like in the US, most professors still advertise open positions, and you can then apply to each professor separately. I feel with the latter process; you end up applying more, which in itself is frustrating. There is a good chance you would miss many great positions since apart from different advertisement sites there is no specified time when labs advertise positions. But in the US, since there are centralized programs for each university, it is easier to navigate through the process.
What is the difference between pursuing a PhD in the US and UK/ other European countries?
Ph.D. in the US is more rigorous than in UK/other European countries. The duration of a US Ph.D. is longer (around 5.5 years) than in European countries (around 4 years), but you end up having more opportunities (either academia or industry), and in my opinion, better-trained in the US than in Europe.
When did you start preparing your application? What can be a suitable time to start for upcoming aspirants?
I started writing SOPs and personal statements around August. The most important part of a Ph.D. application is to be very sure whether you want to pursue it or not. Once you have decided, you can start as early as June or as late as October/November. SOPs and Personal Statements might take some time, so it varies from person to person depending on how good they are at it. You also have to get feedback from as many people as possible. I was very bad at it, that’s why I started a bit early.
How did you manage the time out of your course curricula and research work to prepare for the admission process and what are the major challenges you faced?
It’s tough, and that’s why it is recommended to start as early as possible. Since my last year of college was remote, I could cut some time from my classes and focus on my application. I would highly recommend giving GRE or TOEFL if required before the semester starts. One should also keep in mind that your last year's grades will not matter at all (seriously), so it’s better to prioritize your Ph.D. application over your academics.
When did you start preparing for GRE, TOEFL/IELTS? How much time did you set apart for this?
GRE was not required for all the programs I was applying to, so I did not give GRE. I set out one whole week for TOEFL and focused on TOEFL practice, and nothing else. You can do this before your semester starts.
Comment on the relative importance of CGPA, SOPs, TOEFL and GRE scores, and Letters of Recommendation.
In my opinion,
LORs>SOPs>>CGPA>>>>TOEFL/GRE.
What are the important factors according to you that make one’s application stand out from the rest of the crowd?
I think your LOR and SOP combined, and in case you have some publications, you are already in the top 100.
How did you go about choosing your advisor? Are there opportunities for funding once on campus?
I chose my advisor after rotating in two labs. Factors that were important for me were the lab culture, advisor’s way of feedback, project, and how much growth (both personal and career) you see in five years if you join that lab. You need to acquire funding beforehand for the US, which often already comes with the Ph.D. program itself, but I would advise not to join any program if it’s not fully funded. It becomes annoying in the long run.
Is it necessary to contact professors beforehand, while applying to Ph.D. programs in the US?
It varies from program to program. I would check on the website and see what is asked to do. For all the programs I applied to, there was no requirement to contact any professor beforehand. Having said that, some people recommend contacting professors of interest anyways, so it becomes a personal choice, but again, if contacting professors is a compulsion, then contact them for sure.
How do you acquire funding for your Ph.D.?
My program already had enough funds to support me, so I didn’t apply for any funding at all. The funding is enough to ensure all my expenses are covered.
Is it possible to pursue a Ph.D. in a program that is not your UG major? For instance, can an undergraduate majoring in biotechnology pursue a Ph.D. in computer science? If so, how do you go about this and compensate for coursework?
Yes, it’s totally possible and is very common. I would say in such a scenario; you can use your SOP to convey whatever you want to. Typically, if you have enough experience in that field, coursework is not required at all. Some programs might want you to do some coursework after joining the Ph.D., but I don’t think it will hinder the application.
Miscellaneous
Any parting words for current undergrads on how to approach the entire apping process?
If you are planning for Ph.D., start working on it in your second year. This will make your CV really strong. Also, explore as much as possible to understand what you like the most, but if you are still not sure which direction you want to take, take a gap year for 1–2 years, after completing your bachelors or masters, work as a research technician, etc to become more sure. Don’t directly jump to corporate jobs. Science is very beautiful, but it takes some time to understand, and Ph.D. life is all about that.
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Here are some other articles in the series
Grad School Series: University of Pennsylvania
