Applying for your PhD is hard.
That's it. That's the post.
While I found applying to my PhD being a time-consuming, stressful, and a self-doubting process, I also found it extremely beneficial in answering one question: "What do I want to do?" If there's anything that will make you question whether you want to do a PhD, it's this; and not because you aren't passionate about doing one: because you have a hard time conveying why.
With this in mind, I've divided this post into four sections:
- Before you apply: How to find the right programs and potential advisors
- Applying: Including writing your statement of purpose and personal statement
- Interviewing: What to expect, how to prepare, and how to recover from it
- Deciding: How to decide on the right program, advisor, funding, and research focus
Kinda a "What do I wish I had known before I had applied?" of sorts.
The thing is, applying to your PhD isn't like applying your undergrad, or maybe even your masters. It's a whole other beast, and it can be a very different experience for everyone. There is going to be a lot of self-reflection, research, and planning. And it's not just about getting into a program: you want to find the right fit for you, your research interests, and (dare I say) your career goals. Since you've applied to undergrad/masters, you may have a better idea of what you want to do, but that doesn't mean you need everything figured out. In fact, I think one of the biggest mistakes you can make is to think that you need to have everything figured out before applying.
While this post is focused on human-computer interaction (HCI) PhDs, I think the advice here can be applied to other PhD programs as well. But I will preface this by saying that I can't speak to the specifics of those programs, and how the application process differs; but the core principles of self-reflection, research focus, and fit remain the same.
I hope that this post can be a helpful resource for you, and that it can help you navigate the application process with a bit more confidence and clarity.
Before you apply
The first step in applying to a PhD program is to figure out, "Do I really want to do a PhD?"
I reccomend reading the following posts to help you answer this question:
One of my professors sent me these (out of support), and I think they are a great starting point for thinking about whether or not you want to do a PhD. Notice how 100 > 7?
If you know you want to do a PhD, the second step is to do your research; which makes sense, given that you're applying to do research. But there's nuance to this, and it can be a bit overwhelming. I think there are three main areas to focus on:
- Finding your focus: What do you want to research? What are your interests? What are your strengths?
- Programs: What programs are out there? What are their strengths? What are their weaknesses?
- Advisors: Who are the potential advisors? What are their research interests? Do they align with yours?
Finding your focus
I think my own PhD advisor, Dr. Krzysztof Gajos, put it best:
...you also need to communicate what you are interested in. This is a little tricky. On the one hand, it really helps if you can include some specific examples of problems that fascinate you. On the other hand, you do not want to create an impression that the example problems are the only ones you are interested in. An effective strategy I’ve seen some applicants use is to say something like “I am broadly interested in problems [that have the following characteristics]. For example, …”. Also, remember that PhD research is about creating generalizable knowledge that does not yet exist (while most of undergraduate courses are about applying existing knowledge to solve specific problems). While you are not expected to translate your ideas into the technical vocabulary of your intended field, try to identify general challenges rather than specific products or solutions you’d like to create.
Maybe you've done some research in undergrad, or maybe you've worked on a project that you're really passionate about. Or maybe you want to go in a completely different direction. Whatever it is, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to research, and why. This will help you narrow down your search for programs and advisors, and it will also help you write your personal statement and research statement.
Some questions I found helpful to ask myself were:
- What do I want to learn more about?
- What problems do I want to solve?
- What do I want to create?
- insert more questions to ask yourself here
It's also okay if you can't specifically describe your research focus. I think it's more important to have a general idea of what you're interested in, and to be able to articulate that in a way that shows you're passionate about it. You can always refine your focus later on, but having a starting point is crucial.
Programs & Advisors
It's really easy to go to CSRankings and look at the top HCI programs. In fact, if you're content with just looking at rankings, you can stop reading this post now!
There's an easily-noticed correlation between the number of HCI faculty and the number of accepted HCI papers, which is why the top HCI programs are often the ones with the most faculty. But that doesn't mean they're the right fit for you. Rather than programs, I think it's more important to focus on finding the right advisors to apply to.
When I made my original list of programs to apply to, I made the mistake of choosing schools I had a connection to (UW, UMich, and CMU); but one of my undergrad advisors, very quickly pointed out that I should be looking at the faculty, not the programs. I would recommend:
- Looking at the conferences you would like to publish in, and seeing which faculty are publishing there
- Looking at the faculty's research interests and recent publications, and seeing if they align with yours
- Looking at their current students, seeing their research interests and recent publications
- Thinking about what you can bring to the table and what you can learn from them
Most programs will ask you to apply to three faculty members; but remember, the majority of HCI groups are small, and might only have one or two faculty members. So, if you're applying to a program with only one HCI faculty member, you should be sure that their research aligns with your interests. Don't just apply to the program because it's a top-ranked school; apply to it because you want to work with that faculty member. Many schools will ask you to write a brief description of why you'd like to work your selected advisors as well.
This person will be your advisor and part of your support system for the next 5 years, so determining if they are a good fit (research-wise) for you is crucial. In the Interviewing section, we'll discuss more about gauging advisor fit beyond just research interests, but for now, I think it's important to focus on finding the right advisors to apply to based on research fit.
Applying
Once you've done your research and found the right programs and advisors, it's time to start applying. I find this to be one of the more stressful and overwhelming parts of the process.
I got most of my applications written during Thanksgiving break, locked up in my apartment; I do not recommend this, and advise starting early (much earlier). I think the best way to approach this is to break it down into smaller tasks, and to start early. Use deadlines to your advantage, and set yourself a schedule to get everything done. At the end of my writing process, I had a few base essays, and swapped out paragraphs to fit each program.
It's also important to have others read your essays, and to get feedback. It's extremely easy to get caught up in your own writing, and to miss mistakes or areas that need improvement. I especially asked both research and non-research friends to read my essays, as they can provide different perspectives on your writing.
Also, don't be afraid to revise your statements throughout the process; the applications I submitted in early November were very different from the ones I submitted in December. I think it's important to keep revising and improving your statements until the very end, and to not be afraid to make big changes if necessary. (I rewrote one of my personal statements the night it was due, and I think it is one of my favorite pieces of writing I've ever done.)
If you're like me, word count can be a challenge: there is always have more to say. However, it's much easier to cut content than to add it, even if it feels like cutting is painful. I found that the best way to meet word counts was to focus on the core message I wanted to convey, and to deliberately cut out any content that didn't contribute to that message. This is hard to learn, and something I only really got good at towards the end of my application process, but I think it's a valuable skill to have.
My first application and last application had the same word counts, but I was able to fit a whole other paragraph/idea into the last one, and I think it was a much stronger application as a result. Cutting helps!
Letters of recommendation
Letters of recommendation are a crucial part of your application, and they can make or break your chances of getting into a program, as much as I hate to say it.
In the 2024 PhD in Technical HCI Office Hours, Dr. Michael Nebeling said:
...the first thing I open is the letters of recommendation...I'm looking for signals [from] trusted colleagues...
And I agree; when you ask someone to write you a letter of recommendation, you're asking them to vouch for you and your abilities. So be considerate and ask people who know you well, and who can speak to your abilities and potential as a researcher. Programs typically expect three letters of recommendation; I had chosen two research advisors from UW, a professor collaborator from UMich, and my REU advisor from CMU. Why four? I was applying to different programs (CS, HCI, Informatics), and wanted to have a variety of perspectives on my work and abilities. (You don't need four.)
It's important that you ask your reccommenders early, and give them enough time to write a good letter. It is also entirely okay if they say no; not everyone has the time or capacity to write a letter for you, and that's okay. I asked my recommenders in August, and they had time until November-ish to write their letters. This gave them plenty of time to write a good letter, and to ask me any questions they had. Some of the resources I sent them were:
- My CV/Resume
- A "brag sheet" with my accomplishments and experiences
- A list of programs I was applying to, and the deadlines
- My (draft) statement of purpose
I really appreciate my recommenders for taking the time to write me a letter, and I find it important to show your appreciation for their time and effort once you've made your decision, or when major moments happen.
Statement of purpose
Your statement of purpose is your chance to do a few things:
- Describe your research journey
- Explain your research interests
- Show your passion for research
- Demonstrate your fit for the program and advisor
It's hard to get started; what do you write about? How do you structure it? It's easy to relegate this to be listing off your publications, but I think it's more important to focus on your research journey. Personally, I found Dr. Lucy Lai's "All About PhD Applications" to be an amazingly helpful resource on the first draft of my statement of purpose.
My first draft was, (as most are) a mess. One of my recommenders, provided some amazing feedback on my first draft, and gave advice that I think is applicable to anyone writing their statement of purpose:
You want to demonstrate that you don't just have a general interest but also an idea for how to make a difference in that context. Show me how you're thinking about research and are breaking down a larger problem...add a reference/citation to [your claims], you want to showcase that you know how to substantiate your claims/statements by citing relevant sources/evidence...
These comments helped me focus on the core parts of my statement of purpose, and to really think about what I wanted to say. It's about building to your research focus, based on the experiences you've had and the research you've done.
One hack I found was to use footnotes to add additional context or citations without cluttering the main text. (It doesn't add to the word count, and it can be a great way to show your research depth without overwhelming the reader.) I believe I had eight footnotes in my final statement of purpose, which helped provide additional context and references without cluttering the main text.
Further than this, Florian also brought up a great point about writing towards programs, advisors, and their research groups:
...what will you bring to [their] group/projects? What's your value add?
And this is really important; you not only want to learn and take during your PhD, but you also want to contribute and add value to the research group. This is a two-way street, and it's important to show that you're not just looking for a place to do research, but help foster a collaborative and productive research environment for future students.
It's also really easy to get bogged down in word choice and sentence structure. I remember this stressing me out a lot, until one of my professors told me, "Ritesh, a word or sentence isn't going to make or break your application." And she's right; while it's important to have a well-written statement of purpose, it's more important to focus on the content and the message you're trying to convey.
(I did make a few tiny and not-so-tiny typos/mistakes in my final application, but I think the content and message were strong enough to outweigh those mistakes.)
Your personal statement
A statement of purpose and a personal statement are often conflated, but they are very different. Simply, a statement of purpose is "Why a PhD?" and a personal statement is "Who are you?". There's bound to be some overlap, but I think it's important to keep these two separate in your mind.
I used my personal statement to go more into myself, and talking about my background, my experiences, and how they shaped me as a person and a researcher. I also used it to talk about my values, my passions, and what drives me.
It's important to know that none of these statements exist in a vacuum; they are all interconnected, and they should all work together to tell a cohesive story about you as a researcher and a person. I think it's important to have a clear narrative that ties everything together, and to show how your experiences and values have shaped your research interests and goals.
Your diversity statement
Some schools might ask you for a diversity statement; depending on the program, this may be the same as your personal statement, or it may be a separate essay. For some programs, my diversity statement was a separate essay, while for others, it was part of my personal statement.
Nonetheless, the diversity statement is your chance to talk about how you might add to the diversity of the program and the field as a whole. This could include your background, experiences, and perspectives that you bring to the table. As mentioned, this sounds pretty similar to the personal statement, but has a more narrowed focus on diversity.
Your Resume/CV
Your CV should be a comprehensive list of your experiences, accomplishments, and skills. It should include your education, research experience, publications, presentations, awards, and any other relevant experiences. It's much different than applying for a job; you want your CV to be a historical record of what you have done. The existence of the CV is why your statement of purpose and personal statement should not be a list of your accomplishments.
Throughout college, I had started with a Word-based resume, but transitioned to the LaTeX-based Jake's Resume Template. And I found that the LaTeX format allows for much greater flexibility, especially with a CV being a bit different than a resume. But it is pretty easy to adapt the template to your needs, and I think it's a great starting point.
You can view my resume for reference, but I think it's important to focus on the content and the structure of your CV, rather than the specific format. You want to make sure that your CV is easy to read, and that it highlights your most relevant experiences and accomplishments.
It's also extremely important that you ensure that your CV is accessible. Some professors might ask you to submit your CV in an accessible format (or more specifically, screen reader-friendly), and personally, I don't find LaTeX-based PDFs to be very accessible. For these cases, I converted my resume into a linear, list-based Word document which is much more accessible.
Recovery
There are a few sections in this post about recovering from each part of the process, but I think it's important to take a step back and reflect on the process as a whole. By December 15th-ish, I had submitted all of my applications, and I was exhausted. Luckily, you have a few weeks to recover before you get into the next part of the process: interviewing. Recovery should be focused on taking a break, and reflecting on what you wrote (or not!). There's nothing more you can do at this point, and it's important to take a step back and relax.
Interviewing
Now that it's the new year, you're (hopefully) in the interview stage of the application process. This is an exciting time, but it can also be nerve-wracking. You'll be recieving emails from faculty who are interested in interviewing you, and these are just as important as the applications themselves. Recieving an interview means that you are a strong candidate, your application met the bar, and that faculty are interested in learning more about you. The shortest interview I had was 30 minutes, and the longest was around 3 hours.
Your application, letters of recommendation, and CV/supplemental conent have all been reviewed, and now it's time for you and them to get to know each other better.
Preparation
Some faculty might say, "Please read one of my papers before the interview," and some might tell you to come without any specific preparation. Either or, I found it really important to prepare deeply for the interview. I kept a notebook with each faculty member I was interviewing with, and wrote down the following:
- What I wrote about them in my application
- What their website and research interests were
- What their recent publications were
- A brief summary of a paper or two that I found interesting
- Questions I had about their papers, them, or their research group/program
This might seem like overkill, but it made it extremely helpful to read over my notes before the interview, and to have a clear idea of what I wanted to ask and talk about. I also took notes briefly during the interview, which helped me remember what we talked about and what I wanted to follow up on later, either at the end of interview or over email.
But as another point, I found this really helpful to learn about the breadth of HCI research in my specific-subfield, and to see how different faculty approached similar problems in different ways. This is a great way to learn about the field as a whole, and to see how your research interests fit into the larger picture.
I also reccomend having some research project ideas in mind, and being able to articulate them clearly. This doesn't mean you need to have a fully fleshed out research proposal, but having a few ideas that you're passionate about can help you stand out in the interview process. It also shows that you're thinking about your research interests and how they align with the faculty's work.
What to expect
The interview process can vary widely depending on the program and faculty, but I think there are a few common themes that I found in my interviews:
- Discussing your application and research interests
- Asking you to describe a project or paper you've worked on
- Describing a hypothetical research project or problem, and asking how you would approach it
- Asking you about your long-term research goals and interests
There are a lot more questions that you might be asked, but I think these are the most common ones. It's important to be prepared to talk about your research interests and experiences, and to be able to articulate your long-term goals and interests.
For one of my interviews, I had spoken with four current students and then the faculty member for about 3 hours total. While a lot, I appreciated the diversity of questions I was asked, and the opportunity to get to know the faculty member and their research group better.
In general, all of my interviews were very conversational, and I felt like I was able to get to know the faculty members and their research groups better. I wasn't particularly stressed or nervous in them, and they tended to be somewhat casual and informal. I think this is a good sign that the faculty are interested in getting to know you as a person and a researcher, and that they want to see if you're a good fit for their research group.
What to look for and ask
But being asked questions is only half of the interview; you should also be asking questions. Use this opporunity to ask questions about things you care about, and to learn more about the faculty member and their research group. Some questions I found helpful to ask were:
- Why did you choose to work at this university? Why have you stayed?
- What do you wish you could work on, but don't have the time or resources for?
- What is your advising style like? How has it changed?
- What are your expectations for your students?
- What is the culture of your research group like?
- What excites you about your current research?
There are dozens of questions you could ask, but I think it's important to focus on the ones that are most relevant to you and your research. This is your chance to learn more about the faculty member and their research group; you want to gauge their "vibe" (for lack of a better term), and to see if you would enjoy working with them for the next 5+ years. It's also important to not get your hopes up too high: you don't have an offer yet.
I had one interview that went extremely well, and I felt like I had a great connection with the faculty member. But I ended up not getting an offer from that program; it was disappointing. But the faculty member emailed me, saying that they enjoyed our conversation but believed they wouldn't be able to provide the support I needed, and referred me to another faculty member who they thought would be a better fit. This was a great example of how the interview process can be a two-way street, and how it's important to find the right fit for both you and the faculty member.
Recovery
Interviews are exhausting, especially when you interview with multiple faculty members in a single day, or across various time zones (I had 6am and 8pm interviews!). Again, it's important to take a step back and reflect on the process as a whole. After each interview, I wrote down my thoughts on the interview, for (hopefully) future reference. You will talk to many different faculty members, learn a lot, and get a lot of different perspectives on your research interests and goals. It's important to take the time to reflect on what you've learned, and to think about how it fits into your overall research journey.
Deciding
So. You've applied, interviewed, and now you're waiting for the decisions to come in. This section is about how to decide on the right program, advisor, funding, and research focus for you; especially if you have multiple offers.
First, congratulations! This is a huge accomplishment, and you should be proud of yourself for making it this far. But now comes the hard part: deciding on the right program for you. Over the next month or so, you'll hopefully have the opportunity to visit the programs you're interested in, and to meet with your prospective advisors and labmates. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the program, the faculty, and the research group, and to see if it's a good fit for you.
Talking to prospective advisors
If you have the chance to talk with the advisor(s) before you travel to learn about the program, I suggest taking it. You're now in a different position, and can ask more specific questions about them, and the program. While you will learn a lot from your time visiting campus(es), getting the basics down will help you immensely. Take notes! You will be juggling many terms, lingo, and documents, and staying organized is key when comparing offers.
In the current political climate, it is 100% safe to ask in-depth about current and future funding. I do not advise you to self-fund a PhD.
There's also the value of trust; one of these advisors will be yours. I personally was honest about this with all of my prospective advisors, but your mileage may vary. I appreciated that each advisor told me that while they wanted me to join their group, they also cared about me finding the best fit, even if not with them.
Questions to ask
There are a few things you should be considering when making your decision, and the questions you ask now are much different than the ones you asked during your interview. I really liked Andrew Kuznetsov's blog post on Questions to Ask a Prospective Ph.D. Advisor; I agree with every question here, and think if you can, try to get them all answered. You can also ask some of these questions to prospective labmates, who may give you a more objective answer in some cases.
Talk to as many people as possible! Talk to other prospective students, adjacent faculty, and other PhD students outside of your lab. Everyone has differing opinions, and can help inform yours best. (It might be a lot, but you'll appreciate it in the end.)
If such a case, try talking to students who had left the lab. You can ask prospective labmates to see if you can talk to the former labmate and learn what was the reason they left. It's not always the lab itself, but sometimes the student's research interests. The best thing you can do is try and get as broad of a perspective as possible during this experience.
Making the decision
Sometimes making the decision is dead simple. If it is, you're done!
But other times, it's tough. You have a few programs that are really tied up, and you're having a difficult time trying to decide. First of all, sometimes, there is no wrong choice. Multiple programs might make you a great researcher. But you need to start doing tiebreakers. Here are some factors to consider:
- Lab Culture
- Research
- Institution
- Funding/Cost of Living (extremely important)
- Location/Weather
- Vibes (for lack of a better term)
Once you've made your decision, you should email your accepted advisor to inform them of the decision. You should also email your rejected advisors to inform them as well. Be brief in this email, but considerate and appreciative. It may be bittersweet, but this doesn't mean your relationship is entirely over. You might see them again in the future at a conference, workshop, or event! (One of the programs I visited had a "How to reject offers" seminar which I found extremely helpful...)
My final results
I thought I'd share my own PhD application journey. I applied to 10 programs, and when it came down to my two offers, it truly was a difficult decision. I appreciated both programs, and I had a great connection with both faculty members. What I learned was that faculty are there to not only convince you to join their program, but also to help you find the right fit for you, even if it is not with them. Both faculty members were extremely supportive, and they both wanted what was best for me.
I had a rough time deciding between both of my offers; they were both phenomenal, and dream offers I never thought I would get. In the end, due to external factors, I made my decision.
At the end of the day, it is your decision; and as said, sometimes, there is no wrong choice.
Thank You
Phew! That was a lot of information, and I hope it was helpful. I know that applying to a PhD program can be a daunting process, but you have a lot of resources available to you, and I hope that this post can be a helpful starting point. I want to thank all of my professors and advisors who helped me through the application process, providing me with extremely helpful feedback and advice.
If you have any thoughts or questions, please feel free to reach out; I would be more than happy to help or update this post.