how hard to get into phd program

How difficult is it to get a PhD? The real doctorate struggles.

There is no doubt that getting a PhD is no small feat. It requires dedication, hard work, and plenty of motivation to stay on track.

Getting a PhD can be a very challenging process that requires several years of intensive research, coursework, and writing. However, the difficulty of obtaining a PhD can vary depending on factors such as the specific program and field of study.

Also, I have witnessed that the individual student’s background and preparation, and the level of commitment and effort they are willing to invest also highly influence how hard a PhD is for an individual candidate.

In order to complete in a timely fashion PhD candidates must also be prepared to invest a significant amount of time into their studies in order to complete the necessary coursework (US-based PhDs) and research.

The process can be especially difficult if the student is attempting to balance work or family life while completing their studies.

Quite often younger PhD students find it easier than mature age students due to the fact that they have fewer adult commitments and responsibilities in their private life – but this isn’t always the case.

However, with proper planning and perseverance, it is certainly possible for anyone to reach this educational achievement.

It was something I was very proud to have completed and it certainly opened doors to other opportunities.

Why is a PhD so difficult?

A PhD is an advanced academic degree that requires a huge amount of dedication and hard work.

Ask any PhD graduate and they are likely to say that it is one of the most challenging parts of their life in academia.

That is because it is a lengthy process that involves several years of research, writing, and, at the end, defending a dissertation in front of other experts in the field in order to be awarded the degree.

Typically, a PhD student will:

• have completed a Masters degree to a high standard for acceptance into the PhD program
• conduct a literature review of a field to find research gaps
• generate a research question and hypothesis
• work over multiple years to explore their research question and answer it fully
• fail multiple times and have their work critiqued continuously by experts in their field and that PhD supervisor.
• Write up their work in peer-reviewed journals and their thesis
• defend their peer-reviewed papers and their thesis
• continually stay up-to-date with the literature throughout their entire course
• some students may also have teaching and other administrative requirements at the University in which they are studying.

The entire process can be quite challenging and overwhelming, as students must stay up-to-date with new developments in their area of study while also meeting stringent academic standards.

They must also be able to effectively communicate complex concepts to their peers in things like peer-reviewed papers as well as at conferences and symposia.

All these factors make obtaining a PhD an incredibly difficult task but one that is ultimately rewarding for those who are successful.

It can be confronting when you look at a PhD in one whole chunk. However, by splitting down the tasks involved in a PhD it can become much more manageable and less detrimental on your mental health.

If you want to know more about how doing a PhD part-time you can check out my other articles:

• How long does it take to get a PhD part time? Complete a PhD on your own time.
• Is a PhD worth it now in 2023? [the data]  

What is the hardest part of getting a PhD?

One of the most challenging aspects of obtaining a PhD is that it takes a great deal of time and dedication.

You shouldn’t underestimate how easily your brain plays tricks on you over a multi-year project. Staying on course and ignoring your internal monologue is one of the most challenging parts again a PhD.

It can take anywhere from five to seven years of rigorous study and research to complete all the requirements for a PhD.

During this time, students must master complex topics in their field, conduct independent research projects, write lengthy dissertation papers, and navigate any number of other challenges along the way.

Working with your supervisor

Working with your PhD supervisor can, for some, be one of the most difficult aspects of doing a PhD.

Your PhD supervisor will dictate the outcome of your PhD and therefore it is worth spending a lot of time making sure you select the right PhD supervisor for you.

Some supervisors want to completely micromanage whilst others are happy to allow their students to explore freely.

Taking the time to make sure you can fully nurture this relationship will also ensure a less stressful PhD.

If you want to know more about great ways to build a relationship with your supervisor check out my YouTube video:

I also have a lot of content on my YouTube channel on choosing and working with academic supervisors.

Is it worth getting a PhD?

Whether or not it is worth getting a PhD depends on a few different factors.

For some people, having a PhD is important for career advancement and provides an opportunity to pursue higher-level positions in their field.

It may also be beneficial for those that wish to teach at the university level or conduct research in their field of interest.

On the other hand, pursuing a PhD can be time consuming and expensive, and the long years of study may not ultimately result in any tangible rewards.

I also have a YouTube video where I talk about whether getting a PhD is worth the effort:

There are a load of juicy secrets in this one.

Whether or not it is worth getting a PhD will depend on the individual’s goals and objectives. If they are looking for career advancement opportunities or want to pursue teaching or research opportunities, then getting a PhD may be worth the cost and effort involved.

How hard is it to manage the PhD workload?

You may have heard that a PhD is a massive task because of the workload.

If you are doing your PhD in the United States of America you may find that there are three years of coursework to complete before you start the research component of the degree. This workload can be huge.

No matter where you do your PhD the amount of work and effort it takes to complete a PhD is much greater than what was required for an undergraduate degree.

No longer do you have set deadlines and a structured course – you will need to figure out the pathway through your PhD on your own.

Furthermore, given that most U.S.-based PhD programs are structured like traditional college courses, it can be difficult to stay on top of all the readings and material without falling behind.

If you decide to pursue a doctoral degree you must make sure you are prepared for the increased workload and dedication required in order to be successful.

Speak to your support networks and your family to ensure that they will be able to support you when things get tough.

Is a PhD intellectually difficult?

You may be surprised to hear that PhD isn’t necessarily intellectually difficult. But it does require dedication and effort to work through some challenging intellectual problems.

I often say that a PhD is 80% dedication, 10% smarts and 10% luck.

A PhD can be an extremely intellectually challenging experience for any student because it requires a great deal of dedication and hard work to complete, and it is regarded as the highest level of education available.

The expectations of a PhD student are far greater than those of an undergraduate, and the research process can take years to complete.

Nonetheless, it is your ability to persevere through problems and stick to your research plan by improving on your research little by little day after day that will really dictate how successful your PhD is.

I have seen incredibly smart people fail a PhD whilst others, who have not done so well in undergraduate, have flourished in the research environment.

How long are PhD programs?

Research shows that the average amount of time to complete a PhD across disciplines is 4.4 years. Depending on the country, a PhD will take anywhere between two and seven years to complete depending on whether there is a coursework component (US universities).

The majority of students taking anywhere from five to seven years to complete their degree.

This is due to the nature of PhD programs, which require significant research and fieldwork experience in addition to coursework.

Depending on a student’s chosen field of study, some PhD programs may last longer than others.

Here is data from a study that looks at Australian university PhD completion  published in 1994 .

Some PhD programs may have requirements that must be met before graduation, such as publishing research or completing an internship. It is important for prospective students to understand what is expected of them in order to ensure they will be able to complete their program within the allotted timeframe.

If you want to know more about how long a PhD takes check out my other article:

• How long does it take to get a PhD? Complete a PhD quickly
• How long is a PhD dissertation? [Data by field]

How many hours do PhD students work?

Although PhD students often have to put in long hours of work to complete their degree is not necessary that a student puts in an insane number of hours as long as they were continuously and diligently towards the end goal of getting a PhD.

The amount of hours that a PhD student work will depend on the culture of the labs that they are currently researching in.

Some supervisors require students to be in the lab for many hours every day whilst others are happy from a 9-to-5 “work schedule”.

On average, PhD students work around 40-50 hours per week.

This includes time spent in:

• independent study
• researching
• and much more

Researching and writing a dissertation can require even more hours of work.

In addition to this, many PhD students also teach classes or take on other roles within the university that add to their workload.

All of this means that PhD students can often find themselves putting in long hours and having little free time outside of the academic demands of their program.

Wrapping up

This article has been through all of the difficult components that people may face if they decide to get a PhD.

I was able to complete my PhD in three years and I somewhat enjoyed the process. Of course it had its challenges but overall it was a worthwhile and rewarding experience for me.

However, some people’s experiences are also very different due to different pressures outside of academia and the culture in the research group in which they are working.

The ultimate difficulty depends very much on the individual circumstances and dedication of the PhD student but always involves dedicating yourself to the pursuit of knowledge over many years. This, in itself, can be a very challenging aspect to overcome.

Dr Andrew Stapleton has a Masters and PhD in Chemistry from the UK and Australia. He has many years of research experience and has worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow and Associate at a number of Universities. Although having secured funding for his own research, he left academia to help others with his YouTube channel all about the inner workings of academia and how to make it work for you.

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Guide on Getting Into Grad School

Helpful information and exercises for prospective graduate students

Graduate Degrees Awarded at Stanford 2020-21

• 1,822 MA/MS
• 817 PhD, DMA, JSD

If you’re considering grad school for your future, you are probably asking yourself many questions:

• Is grad school the best option for me now? 
• What are the benefits and challenges? 
• What’s the difference between undergrad and grad school? 
• Should I seek a master’s or doctoral program? 
• Which grad programs should I apply for? 
• What’s involved in an application to grad school? 
• What are admissions committees looking for? 
• Who can help me? What resources are available? 
• What are some alternatives to grad school?

These are all important questions to consider, and they should be considered carefully. This guide is organized around the main aspects of the decision-making process and application, which can help address many of your questions. 

Because these decisions and your application for graduate school are complex and time-consuming, this guide was prepared to provide critical information and advice. This guide  also contains questions to ask yourself and exercises to help you prepare your application for graduate programs. Be as honest as possible with yourself, and talk about your answers with close friends and family. You may need to adjust the wording of your answers for your application, but it’s important to begin with an honest self-assessment as you prepare your application.

Using this guide and working on these exercises can help you get started in the right direction. Additional resources and tools are incorporated within this guide. However, remember to also seek help from other people: faculty, advisors, grad students, postdocs, peers, and career counselors. This guide is meant to provide an overview and does not cover everything. Your specific situation can only be addressed by close friends and mentors who know you personally. 

As you address multiple decisions, this can be a stressful time period. But it may help to realize that you are not alone, and that many others have approached these decisions and have  successfully embarked on new adventures. So, remember to find friends to encourage you in this process. We wish you the best in these new adventures.

Undergraduate vs Graduate (PhD) Programs

The experiences of an undergraduate and graduate student can appear deceptively similar. They are both at a university doing coursework and research. However, there are significant differences. Not understanding the depth of these differences can hinder your chances of being admitted and succeeding in grad school.

Undergraduate Programs You are a student “at school X” • Focus on courses and grades  • More objective evaluations of performance from exams and homework • Feedback is relatively frequent • Most activities and performance evaluations are individualistic

You apply to a university or college • Your interests can be very broad • You apply to a discipline or major • Extracurricular activities are valued

Graduate (PhD) Programs You are a student of “Dr. Z” (research advisor) •  Focus on research •  More subjective evaluations and longer periods without concrete feedback •  Collaboration and independence are valued together, which will likely appear to be counter-intuitive— most activities and performance evaluations are individualistic •  Relationship-driven

You apply into a specific graduate program •  Your interests need to be much more specific •  You apply into a specific field within a discipline •  Some programs require you to apply to work directly with a specific professor •  Extracurricular activities are valued less, unless they demonstrate critical skills related to your field

Master’s vs Doctoral Programs

While a typical 4-year undergraduate program refers to pursuing a bachelor’s degree (often a BS or BA degree), a graduate program can refer to pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree.

Master’s Programs (MS or MA) •  Master’s programs usually provide much less financial support.  •  Master’s programs usually last about 2 years, but there are shorter and longer programs, with the range usually between 1 to 3 years. •  All master’s programs require coursework, and only some require research that leads to a thesis (a write-up of your research). •  Requirements for master’s programs are usually less than those for doctoral programs.

Doctoral Programs (PhD) •  Doctoral programs usually provide financial support. •  Doctoral programs have a wide range of typical lengths, from 4 to 8 years. The length of the program is very specific to the field. •  In some doctoral programs (e.g. some engineering programs), you earn a master’s degree before earning a PhD. But in many other programs, the master’s degree is not required before pursuing a PhD. •  All doctoral programs require research that leads to a dissertation (longer than a master’s thesis, a write-up of multiple years of research). •  For some doctoral programs, if you are not able to complete all of the requirements, you might be allowed to exit with a master’s degree.

© Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305

Advice on Applying to Graduate School

We asked Duke students, faculty and professors for the tips and tricks they have picked up throughout their academic careers.

Dionna Gamble, Ph.D.

An Excel document keeping track of all the documents required for each school can be very helpful.

Dionna Gamble

Ph.D Graduate, Genetics and Genomics

How do you start researching PhD programs? 

Your research interests along with any geographical preferences you have can be great starting points for researching PhD programs. Also speaking with a college advisor or mentor can provide great insight and add additional programs to your list. 

What should you look for in a PhD program? 

The following are a few of the important things to look for in a PhD program: 1. Caliber/breadth of research, 2. Engaging faculty, 3. Presence of community and resources for graduate students.

What questions should you ask in your campus visits? 

Be sure to ask about resources the program has to support students through the various stages and milestones of their graduate school career. 

What are some common pitfalls to avoid in the application process? 

Avoid sending documents to the wrong program or omitting pertinent information from your applications by remaining organized during the application process. An excel document keeping track of all the documents required for each school can be very helpful.

Jarvis C. McInnis, Ph.D.

Reviewers are far more interested in your ability to think creatively and solve complex problems than what moves you.

Jarvis C. McInnis

Assistant Professor, English 

How do you start researching PhD programs?

The most important factors to consider are your research question(s), preferred discipline and/or methods, and faculty mentors. Ask yourself: What is the question or problem you want to address in your graduate studies? Then, you’ll want to consider which discipline(s) and/or methods will best equip you to answer or address said question or problem. Finally, identify faculty members who are either doing similar work, or whose research will equip you with the necessary training to answer your unique research question or problem. 

What should you look for in a PhD program?

The answer to this question depends on what you plan to do with the PhD. Ideally, you should select a program that can support you in reaching your research and career goals, and where you can thrive both professionally and personally. Make sure that there are at least 2-3 faculty members with whom you can work within the department or at the university. It is often the case that students’ research interests change or their relationship with their primary advisor is less than optimal. So being in a place with multiple potential advisors/mentors is ideal. Additional factors to consider include: supportive mentorship and advising; funding for graduate student research; and opportunities to cultivate the skills needed for career success (e.g., opportunities to teach, if you plan to enter academia). 

One of the most important factors to consider is whether the university’s  location  is conducive to your life and work. Are there opportunities to engage in your hobbies or the various activities or communities that sustain you beyond your research? Try to imagine your personal and professional goals over the next 5-7 years (or however long it typically takes to complete the program), and ask yourself if the university/location under consideration will enable you to achieve them. 

If you are a woman, person of color, queer person, or another underrepresented minority, consider the university’s and department’s track record with people whose identities are similar to yours. Do they tend to thrive there, or do they tend to leave the program prematurely? You should also inquire into the department’s job placement rate and the average time to degree. This information  can  speak volumes about how well the department prepares and supports its students (the economy and the changing landscape of the academic job market notwithstanding). 

What questions should you ask in your campus visits?

You should always ask current graduate students at different stages of the process (from course work to dissertation writing) if they are happy and feel supported in the program  and  at the university. Ask about all forms of healthcare (physical and mental) and whether the living stipend is sufficient to cover expenses. Current students’ experiences are often the best indication of whether the program will be a good fit for you. You should also ask faculty members about their approach to graduate advising and mentorship to determine if their style matches your needs. You might also ask them if they plan to leave the university during your tenure there; losing an advisor can be most disruptive. Time to degree and job placement rates are important factors to consider as well. If your work is interdisciplinary, ask about the possibility of taking courses in other departments and including outside faculty members on your committee.

What are some common pitfalls to avoid in the application process?

Be sure to articulate your research question, problem, or intervention clearly, as well as why the faculty, department, and/or university are the right fit for your proposed project. Refrain from writing about your “passion” and instead focus on your intellectual contribution. Reviewers are far more interested in your ability to think creatively and solve complex problems than what moves you. If you have a blemish on your transcript or below average test scores, address it in your personal statement (e.g., perhaps you had a family crisis that semester, or you have test anxiety), but don’t belabor it. Simply acknowledge it and assure readers that it has no bearing on your intellectual ability or future success in the program. Make sure to ask recommenders to write a  strong  or  favorable  letter of recommendation; even lukewarm letters can be a red flag to admissions committee members. Finally, please be considerate of reviewers. They are often reading hundreds of applications, so please adhere to application guidelines regarding the length of materials such as writing samples and research statements. 

Amanda E. Hargrove, Ph.D.

Research is tough and often fails - what challenges, however small, have you overcome that could show how you overcome setbacks and failures?

Amanda E. Hargrove

Assistant Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry

Think about what types of research you are most interested in, and then look for programs that offer those options. You want to identify places that have multiple PI’s asking questions that fascinate you and you’d love to work on. Research mentors and professors at your current institution are great resources for ideas of places to look. Ask as many people as possible!

In addition to multiple research groups of interest (mentioned above), you’ll want to make sure the culture is one that will allow you to be as productive as possible. For most people, this means specific programs to help first year graduate students acclimate, rotations, etc. as well as career and support resources. Look at the students who are there and who you meet - are they people who you want to be?

Ask about research! See how people talk about it, what they are excited about, and how they respond to questions. Ask graduate students what they love and what they would change. Ask what they do outside of lab (just to make sure there is something). What department and university resources exist to help you succeed? What have students taken advantage of?

Your personal statement should be a balance of personal and research experience. What draws you to research? Research is tough and often fails - what challenges, however small, have you overcome that could show how you overcome setbacks and failures?Common pitfalls include being entirely personal or entirely research-based. Personalize them as possible, but remember the worst is when a student personalizes for the wrong university! Make sure you have as many people read your statement and provide feedback as possible. If it feels like no one else has read it or it was hastily put together, it will appear that you do not care.

Gustavo M. Silva, Ph.D.

Your PhD in sciences will be less about becoming an expert in a field and more about learning how to think science, how to do science, and how to broadly thrive in this field.

Gustavo D. Silva

Assistant Professor, Biology

Start by checking out the institutions where the authors of your favorite articles are located. Also, search for umbrella programs that could provide you with a variety of lab options to explore. Investigate the best departments in your area of interest and always, ALWAYS ask for advice and suggestions from your network (mentors, colleagues, professors). 

Look for the best learning opportunity. Your PhD in sciences will be less about becoming an expert in a field and more about learning how to think science, how to do science, and how to broadly thrive in this field. Look for programs that also offer opportunities for career development. Find a department where you could have multiple choices of advisors who have great track records as scientists and mentors.

Ask your potential advisors what their current and potential research projects are (the website might be outdated); if they are interested in taking students on that particular cycle; about their mentoring style (and whether it matches your needs); and what one needs to do to be successful under their mentorship. Also, talk to people working in their laboratories and read between the lines. Remember, it is your chance to interview the professors as well, and assess your fit in their lab.

Your undergraduate research experience is important, but do not forget to connect the skills you’ve learned to your research vision and future goals in graduate school. We are recruiting YOU and not the work you did in the past. Also, make clear the reasons why you are applying for that particular program/institution. Write a tailored statement. The committee will always look more favorably if you have a legitimate interest in joining their program.

Melyssa Minto

Once you have vetted the program content wise, you want to also want to make sure that it is somewhere you can feel safe, build a community, and have fun!

Ph.D. Student, Computational Biology and Bioinformatics

At the beginning of senior year, I started looking into PhD programs. You have to prioritize what is important to you whether it is the faculty, research focus, location, etc. For me, location and research focus were really important. I looked at the PhD programs that fit my research interest in the Triangle and from there I identified faculty within the programs that I wanted to work with by reading through their current research. For the faculty that I felt strongly about, I emailed them about my interest, attached my CV and asked them for recommendations for my application. While most of them did not offer any hard advice, it was good opportunity to ask more questions about their research and to get my name floating around.

Graduate school is a huge commitment so you want to make sure you choose an environment where you will be happy in and have opportunity to grow. Most times programs that satisfy that are flexible to requirements and milestones, diverse both culturally and intellectually, and highly collaborative both within the institution and with surrounding institutions. You should also look into the course requirements and prerequisites and the average time a student spends in the program. Most programs have pre-requisites and it’s okay if you have not completed them. If you haven’t, reach out to the program coordinator and ask if there is any flexibility in the prerequisites.

Once you have vetted the program content wise, you want to also want to make sure that it is somewhere you can feel safe, build a community, and have fun! You should ask about housing conditions and affordability, how the current graduate students feel about the program and their lab, and about the social aspects of the surrounding area. Then depending on your personality, determine if the “vibe” of the institution and its location is a good fit for you. 

When I was applying I spent months revising my personal statement. In your personal statement, you want to make a huge effort in writing about why the specific program is the next step in your career. Spend some time talking about your qualifications but don’t forget to mention some of the faculty that you would want to work with. This will show that you have researched the program well and you are confident in what your interests are. 

Bryce Gessell, Ph.D.

Don't connect your self-worth to your admissions results—there are more important things in your life than getting into the graduate program you think you love.

Bryce Gessell

Ph.D. Graduate, Philosophy

Ask current PhD Students in your field. They have already done the work you need to do; you don't need to do it all again. Learn from their successes and mistakes.

Look for a program that will allow you to become an independent researcher; you should also look for a place where your personality fits, and where you'll have enough money to live on (it is not as easy as you think to figure this last one out).

(a) How many students have quit the program? Why did they quit? (b) Do the faculty support the efforts of graduate students toward professionalization in their discipline? How do they do this, specifically? (c) What is the actual placement record like—not just the placement record reported on the department website?

(a) Don't check websites where students self-report their admissions results; you'll only drive yourself crazy. (b) Don't not have a backup plan: in other words, have a backup plan. (c) Don't connect your self-worth to your admissions results—there are more important things in your life than getting into the graduate program you think you love.

Thomas P. Witelski, Ph.D.

Campus visits are great for forming impressions of quality of life issues, some things that might be intangible and don’t translate directly into email questions or web searches.

Thomas P. Witelski

Professor, Mathematics and Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

US News and World Report's lists of top graduate programs can be a good starting point. Everyone needs to filter lists like these to suit their own interests and priorities, but it identifies some strong programs and shows what are active areas for current study. Digging further is done by looking at department and faculty websites, and even downloading recent papers that look interesting.

Ideally programs should have sets of faculty that cover a spread of current research topics, but share some interests and produce students that are well-versed in broad areas and could potentially do interesting research in several directions. Look for the recent productivity of faculty and the career placement of students.

Campus visits are great for forming impressions of quality of life issues, some things that might be intangible and don’t translate directly into email questions or web searches. Cost of living, housing and neighbors around the school can be an important consideration, just like department culture, office space, campus culture, and typical working week duties.

Start the process early, and leave a lot of time for revising essays, getting letters of recommendation, submitting materials and preparing for GRE's.

Consider carefully who you get recommendation letters from—it's more impactful to get letters from professors that know you in the context of more advanced courses, or more individualized research projects. Make them aware of your goals for graduate school and your broader background (share your CV, essay and other application materials with them so they can write more holistically informed letters).

Write personal statement essays that give concrete and specific examples illustrating your experience moving toward research in the area. Knowledge of the field, contact with advanced topics in courses and showing commitment to struggling with challenging problems can carry more weight than narratives about early motivation and general formative experiences. Readers of your essay will be expert researchers—don't hold back on detail, seek to present your knowledge at a professional level.

Sinja K Küppers

The most important questions in your campus visits are the ones you ask yourself: whom can you imagine working with?

Ph.D. Student, Classical Studies

Browse the departmental websites of different universities. You may want to apply to a university that offers the resources and experts you are interested in and that allows you to build the professional profile you are seeking. You can also reach out to graduate students and faculty in universities before applying to find out more about how the program and the faculty’s research intersects with your interests. 

For a US PhD program check whether the program and faculty reflect your interests, but make sure that the program also allows you to broaden your expertise, in particular in the humanities and social sciences.

The most important questions in your campus visits are the ones you ask yourself: whom can you imagine working with? A good advisor – student relationship is sometimes more valuable than sticking to a topic idea. Consider, too, how much guidance in your research you are looking for. The amount and kind of support an advisor can offer may differ depending on how busy your advisor is. Also important: Do you appreciate the graduate community among whom you will spend the next years? 

Make sure to personalize your application. Address the questions how you fit into the department and how you can benefit from the resources provided. You may also want to include in your application what fascinates you about the research you have done so far or you are interested in. 

Eladio Bobadilla

Metrics might be a worthwhile consideration, but students should also look beyond numbers (such as rankings).

Ph.D. Student, History 

Obviously, a simple web search is the simplest and first step. There is a lot of valuable information publicly available for almost any program in the country. It’s important to look at each program’s strengths and weaknesses, to assess student outcomes, and to reach out to faculty members that students may want to work with. 

Metrics might be a worthwhile consideration, but students should also look beyond numbers (such as rankings). Above all, “fit” should be a priority. Students should focus on finding potential faculty they would like to work with and institutions that serve their unique needs and priorities. There are lots of issues to consider, from teaching expectations to geographic location to whether a program is family-friendly. There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to graduate school. Different students will have different priorities and needs, and there is no sense in spending money, time, and effort to apply to programs that may not be good fits. 

Again, I would recommend asking questions that will help determine whether a given university is a good fit: What are the funding policies? What are the teaching/work expectations? What interdisciplinary opportunities are there? How diverse are faculty and cohorts? 

Faculty that do not respond to emails or that are not helpful are red flags. If a professor can’t be bothered to answer a quick question, will s/he be available when you need them as an advisor or mentor? Relationships are crucial in graduate school, and first impressions matter. You want to be in a program that values you, your dignity, and your experience. Look for universities, faculty, and programs that appear open, transparent, and welcoming. Trust your instincts.

Roxanne Springer

In the end, which university you attend is not as important as the person you work with.

Professor, Physics

I would talk to people who are in my field of interest. If you don't personally know such a person you can generally find one within a few degrees of separation. (For example, a work colleague of my brother has a daughter interested in astronomy and they sent her to me because I would know where to send her.) I think it is not so helpful to look at web sites or rankings. These are fickle and often out-of-date and/or misleading. Some great research groups don't maintain web sites and other research groups care way more about selling themselves than doing great work. In the end, which university you attend is not as important as the person you work with. It is your advisor and his/her support, mentorship, and contacts, that will determine your experience and your opportunities. And finding a good advisor match is best done by obtaining information from people who know that advisor—people already in the field.

You want to go to a program that is both challenging and supportive.

You want to be surrounded by a cohort of students and faculty who are excited about research, excited about working on hard problems, and want to see everyone around them succeed at solving those hard problems.                     

You want data, such as time to PhD and placement after PhD. These may be very different for different research groups within the same department. Senior students in the group and the director of graduate studies of the department may know this information. Before joining any research group you will want to discuss with as many students as possible what their experience has been like, both positive and negative. That is because you can read research papers to see if the research interests you, but the only way to know what it feels like to be working until 2am on something due in the morning is to ask someone who has already done so in that group.

(1) Sending a generic statement without doing your research. You will want to know enough about the research done in the department to which you are applying so that you can make an argument for why they should want to admit you. 

(2) Saying that you are interested in a specific group or professor without any back-up. Professors go on sabbatical, switch universities, lose funding, have too many students already, etc. If your statement indicates you have only one person in mind to work with and that person is not able/willing to take you, you won't be admitted. So be sure to be able to speak knowledgeably about more than one group.

Plus it is never a good idea to matriculate to a department that has only one group or one professor who is a good match for you. Personalities clash, life happens, and you want to go to a university where you have more than one option.

Elliot Mamet

Graduate school is difficult in a variety of ways, both expected and unexpected, and you want to live in a place that gives you joy amid these challenges.

Ph.D. Student, Political Science

I would begin researching PhD programs by speaking with your college advisors and mentors and asking them what programs to consider. They often will have specialized knowledge about particular programs—their pedagogy, research areas, strengths and weaknesses—which can help you begin the research process. 

Next, make a list of the senior scholars in your area whose work you most admire. Find out where their institutional home is, and whether they supervise PhD Students. You can also research the editors of the major journals in your subfield, the officers of major disciplinary associations, recent disciplinary award winners, or people who have themselves advised scholars you admire. 

Lastly, acquire data. Consult rankings, but be careful to note the limits of those rankings. Schools specializing in a particular, specialized area of research may not be as highly ranked overall, but still worthy of consideration; highly ranked programs may nonetheless falter at graduate education. Find statistics for placement record, the average time to completion, and the average debt load of PhD graduates. Duke’s Graduate School does a marvelous job of posting this data online, and if other programs don’t have it readily available, email them for it.

First, think carefully about finances. The decision to go into debt for education is a deeply personal one, but at least in the humanities and humanistic social science, I would strongly recommend only attending a fully funded PhD program, which generally includes tuition, fees, as well as compensatory package of some kind. 

You should also look for a PhD program in a location where you will be happy to live for five years or more. Graduate school is difficult in a variety of ways, both expected and unexpected, and you want to live in a place that gives you joy amid these challenges.

You can’t predict exactly how your own interests will evolve over your time in graduate school. You will inevitably pick a school with depth in your own research area—but make sure that program also has the breadth to allow you to explore a range of other questions and puzzles. 

Dig beyond the website and program brochure to find out what a program is really like. Ask if it would be possible to sit-in on a class or workshop, and schedule meetings with as many faculty and students as possible, both within and beyond your research area.

For the graduate students, I would ask: what is life like in that city? How competitive is the program, and how much collaboration is there? What is your favorite part of the graduate program, and what is one thing you wish you could change?

For faculty: how do you advise graduate students? Is co-authoring with graduate students common? What makes your school’s program different from other programs? What kind of research projects are you working on currently?

One pitfall to avoid is to apply for graduate programs without also applying for fellowships, scholarships and grants. These awards can help offset the cost of graduate school—and, in turn, open up new intellectual networks while serving as a signaling device to future employers. A second pitfall to avoid is the assumption the application process works objectively. The vicissitudes of applying are many—and whether or not you are accepted to a given program is not an evaluation of your worth as a person or scholar.

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Gre prep online guides and tips, graduate school acceptance rates: can you get in.

Even the most qualified and confident applicants worry about getting into grad school. But don’t panic! Graduate school acceptance rates, which give the percentage of applicants that were admitted to a particular school or program in an academic year, can help you determine how likely you are to get into a given program.  But where can you find grad school admissions statistics?

In this article, we’ll first investigate the trends and factors associated with graduate school acceptance rates. Then, we’ll take a look at some of the current acceptance rates and give you expert tips on how to find acceptance rates for your programs. Finally, we’ll show you how to determine your odds of getting into grad school.

Graduate School Acceptance Rates: Factors and Trends

Grad school acceptance rates are the same as any other acceptance rate: the lower the acceptance rate, the more selective the school or program is. Similarly, the higher the acceptance rate, the less selective the school or program is. As with undergrad acceptance rates, grad school acceptance rates vary widely, from extraordinarily selective (less than 5 percent) to incredibly lenient (nearly 100 percent).

Unlike undergrad rates, though, grad school acceptance rates are usually calculated for specific programs or departments and  not for entire universities. This is because with grad school, you are essentially applying to an individual program rather than an overall institution (as you did for undergrad).

Now that we’ve covered all of the basics, let’s look at a few key trends. Our research indicates there are three major factors that help determine grad school acceptance rates:

• School or program prestige
• Degree type
• Amount of funding

Let’s look at how each of these factors influences grad school acceptance rates.

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#1: School or Program Prestige

How prestigious a particular grad school or program is can affect its overall competitiveness and selectivity. In general, the more prestigious a program is, the more competitive it’ll be and thus the lower acceptance rate it’ll have.

An easy way to determine school or program prestige is to consult official rankings, such as those listed on  U.S. News . (Grad schools are typically ranked by field or program and   not by overall institution.)

For example, a 2017  U.S. News  list of the best political science grad programs  ranked Duke’s political science program at #7 and Northwestern’s at #23. Because both of the programs have fairly high rankings, it’s safe to assume they’re probably quite selective.

And this is true: in 2016,  Duke  reported a mere 10 percent acceptance rate to its political science doctoral program, while  Northwestern  reported a 12 percent acceptance rate.

#2: Degree Type

Another major factor is degree type. Generally,  doctoral programs tend to be more selective than master’s programs (though this isn’t always the case as I’ll explain in a moment). This trend is likely due to the fact that doctoral programs often look for higher-quality applicants with proven academic track records and more relevant experience in their fields.

For example, in 2016  University of Michigan’s math doctoral program  had a 17.2 percent acceptance rate, whereas its master’s program  had a much higher 31.8 percent rate. In this case, the doctoral program is clearly tougher to get into than the master’s program.

Still,   master’s programs can have lower acceptance rates than doctoral programs. If we were to take the University of Michigan’s grad programs in computer science and engineering, we’d find that the doctoral program has  a 15 percent acceptance rate  and the master’s  an even lower 8 percent acceptance rate .

Additionally, M.F.A. programs are particularly cutthroat. In 2015, the creative writing M.F.A. program at UT Austin’s James A. Michener Center for Writers only admitted 12 out of 678 applicants — that’s a mere 1.8 percent acceptance rate !

#3: Amount of Funding

Funding, too, plays a big role in how selective a grad program is.

Well-funded  programs typically receive more applications than those offering little to no aid, thereby raising their selectivity. Competition is especially fierce for fully funded programs — possibly because fewer people are willing to go into debt for grad school.

Compared to fully funded doctoral programs, fully funded master’s programs are somewhat rare and thus pretty competitive. UT Austin’s Creative Writing M.F.A. program, for instance, is not only a prestigious program but also one of the most well-funded Creative Writing M.F.A. programs in the country: it  offers full tuition remission and a $27,500 stipend per academic year . It’s no wonder, then, that its acceptance rate is below 2 percent!

What Are the Current Graduate School Acceptance Rates?

For this section, we’ve scoured the internet to bring you a robust assortment of acceptance rates for popular U.S. grad schools.

Before we dive in, note that not all institutions calculate grad school acceptance rates using the same methodologies. Some offer only a single acceptance rate for all of their grad schools put together, while others offer individual rates by school, field, or program.

Now, let’s see how selective these schools really are!

*Statistics for NYU are based on the number of enrolled students and not the number of admitted students. Therefore, expect actual acceptance rates to be slightly higher.

How to Find Graduate School Acceptance Rates: 4 Methods

Unfortunately, grad school admissions statistics tend to be more difficult to find than undergrad acceptance rates.  But there are ways to search for them — you just have to do a lot of digging and possibly a little reaching out.

Below are our top four methods for finding grad school acceptance rates for the programs you’re applying to.

#1: Consult School Websites

By far the most reliable resources for grad school admissions statistics are  school websites.

Start your search by consulting program and departmental pages, particularly admissions and FAQ pages. Look out for any statistics-related keywords or phrases, such as “admission(s) rates,” “acceptance rates,” “enrollment,” “facts and figures,” etc. Use ctrl+F to move swiftly through large chunks of text.

Not all schools publish grad admissions information online, and those that do don’t always report it in the same way as others. For example, Princeton offers a handy PDF  containing acceptance rates for all academic fields of study. On the other hand,  Notre Dame  gives separate admissions charts for each of its grad programs (which you can access by selecting a program and then clicking “Admissions Statistics”).

Additionally, many schools release admissions statistics without explicitly publishing acceptance rates.  In this case, it’s your job to take the statistics provided and use them to calculate an acceptance rate. To find the acceptance rate of a school or program, you’ll need the following information:

• The total number of applicants in a year
• The total number of applicants granted admission  that year

The acceptance rate equals the total number of applicants offered admission divided by the total number of applicants and then multiplied by 100, or:

$$\acceptance \rate = {\number \of \applicants \offered \admission}/{\total \number \of \applicants}100$$

Be sure to  avoid conflating the number of students who were  offered admission   with the number of students who accepted their offers of admission. These two concepts sound alike but are actually different. What you’re looking for is the first statistic — that is, the number of admitted students (regardless of whether they decided to enroll).

If you’re having trouble finding admissions statistics by browsing school websites, search on Google for “[Your School] graduate acceptance rate” and see if any relevant school pages appear. While searching for acceptance rates to use in the table above, I consistently swapped “acceptance rate” with similar phrases, such as “admission(s) rate,” “facts and figures,” “student statistics,” “admittance rates,” and “admission(s) statistics.”

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Don’t be afraid to get creative! You can also use phrases like “Ph.D. admissions statistics” or “master’s admissions statistics” to narrow your search even further. Try to think outside the box as you do your research. What are other ways people talk about acceptance rates?

#2: Check  U.S. News

If your school or program doesn’t offer any admissions statistics on its website, go to  U.S. News . This website offers official rankings of grad programs as well as lists of the most (and least) selective programs in various fields.

For example, I found a 2016 list of the most competitive online M.B.A. programs  and a 2015 list of the most competitive online graduate engineering programs .

If U.S. News doesn’t offer any relevant lists for you to use, try skimming the current grad school rankings to gauge how competitive your program is compared with others in the same field.

#3: Search Other Websites

One less reliable method for looking up grad school admissions statistics is to  look for (unofficial) websites discussing acceptance rates for your school or program.

The Grad Cafe’s  admissions results  section is a solid place to start. Here, applicants post whether they’ve been accepted, rejected, or waitlisted for grad programs.

Search for your program to get a rough feel for how many acceptances and rejections go out each year. You might notice that certain types of applicants are more active than others. Creative Writing M.F.A. applicants, for example, are prolific posters in winter and spring (during admissions season).

Occasionally, Google itself will provide you with grad school acceptance rates, but this only appears to work consistently for well-known law schools, medical schools, and business schools.

Additionally, while using Google, don’t assume that any acceptance rates that pop up are directly connected to your search terms. For example, when I searched “stanford graduate acceptance rate,” Google gave me this result:

This 4.8 percent acceptance rate is  not  the acceptance rate for Stanford’s grad programs (what I searched for) but rather the acceptance rate for undergrads. So always cross-check any statistics Google gives you.

You can also consult grad school data websites such as  Peterson’s and StartClass . Take their grad school acceptance rates with a grain of salt, though — their data isn’t always verifiable online. If possible, try to compare any data you find on these types of websites with the school websites themselves or U.S. News .

#4: Contact Schools

If the internet isn’t giving you the help you need, call or email your schools. Be polite but upfront: ask whether the school calculates acceptance rates for grad programs and where you can find this information online (if available).

If a school refuses to divulge admissions statistics or simply doesn’t report acceptance rates, see if they can give you estimates for how many applications they receive each year, or for how many acceptances they usually extend to applicants in your program.

Graduate School Acceptance: What Are Your Odds?

By this point, you might be wondering how likely it is you’ll actually get into the grad program you wish to attend. After all, acceptance rates are pretty broad — they tell you what everyone’s odds are but not your odds specifically.

Below are three easy steps for determining your odds of getting into grad school, including advice on when it’s better to go for it or choose another program.

Step 1: Check Program Requirements

First, go to your program’s website and pinpoint the admissions requirements page. Now, ask yourself:  do you meet all of the program’s basic requirements? If not, you’ll likely wind up with a rejection (and might not even be able to apply).

However, if you’re still interested in applying, contact the program and ask if they’ll make an exception for you. Your chance of getting accepted is still low, but you’ll at least have your application considered.

If your program strongly recommends qualities you lack, don’t interpret this as an automatic rejection. Sometimes, applicants can make up for deficiencies in other ways. For example, if your undergrad GPA is 3.1 and your program recommends applicants have a minimum 3.2, don’t write off the program — you might still have a shot at getting in as long as the rest of your application is solid.

On the other hand, even if you meet all of a program’s requirements, you’re not necessarily a shoo-in. Remember, all other applicants have met these requirements, too, so you’ll need to find a unique way to make your application stand out.

Step 2: Find Average GRE Scores and GPAs

Your next step is to look up your program’s average GRE scores and GPA  to see how your own scores and GPA compare with those of previously admitted applicants.

You can usually find GRE score information on admissions requirements or FAQ pages. You can also search on Google for “[Your School] [Your Program] average GRE scores.” For step-by-step instructions on how to find average GRE scores, check out  my article on average GRE scores by school .

For GPAs, you can use the same basic methodology. Check admissions requirements and FAQ pages and use ctrl+F to search for “GPA.” If GPA information is available, you’ll most likely come across minimum GPAs or average GPAs (or both). For more tips on how to find GPA information for your grad schools, read our guide .

Now, compare your own GRE scores and GPA with the averages you’ve found. Below are all possible scenarios and what they mean for you and your odds of getting into the program:

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• Your GRE scores and GPA are both  higher than your program’s averages:  Congratulations! You have an excellent chance of getting accepted, especially if the rest of your application is equally impressive. Keep up the great work!
• Your GRE scores and GPA are both  about the same as your program’s averages:  You’re doing pretty well! You are just the type of applicant your program is looking for. The only drawback is that you probably won’t stand out as much from other applicants who have similar GRE scores and GPAs. So take time to make your application sparkle (I’m looking at you, statement of purpose).
• Your GRE scores and GPA are both lower than your program’s averages (or just one of the two is lower):  It ain’t over ’til it’s over! You can still make up for your deficiencies in other ways. While you can’t change your GPA, you can retake the GRE . If your GPA is low, a great strategy for combating this is to discuss it in your statement of purpose, taking care to highlight any external factors that contributed to the low GPA as well as any attributes of yours that prove you’re indeed ready for grad school.

Step 3: Decide Whether to Apply

Now, we get to the final question: do you apply to the program or not?  This is a vague question that’s difficult to answer as is. The real questions you should be asking yourself are as follows:

• Do I meet all of the program’s basic requirements?
• Do I meet most or all of the program’s expectations of applicants (in terms of GRE scores, GPA, etc.)?
• Is the program’s acceptance rate extremely low?
• Do I really like this program?

Although acceptance rates and GRE/GPA comparisons are helpful, don’t base your decision to apply solely on how difficult the program is to get into. We can’t know for sure what kind of applicant a grad program is looking for or who they’re willing to make an exception for.

Take a moment to think deeply about how interested you are in this particular program. Be realistic about your chances of getting in — but don’t cross the line into pessimism. If you don’t meet most or all of a program’s expectations and you’re not super invested in it, consider applying elsewhere.

But if you meet some, most, or all of a program’s expectations and you’re extremely interested in enrolling, give the application a go. Remember, it’s totally normal (and even encouraged) to have a few reach schools. Plus, you’ll never get in if you don’t apply!

Key Takeaways: Graduate School Acceptance Rates

Grad school acceptance rates quantify for us the selectivity of grad schools and programs. More specifically, acceptance rates tell us  what percentage of applicants were offered admission to a particular grad school or program. 

With grad school, acceptance rates are often reported for individual schools or programs,  not  entire universities. Acceptance rates can vary widely depending on program prestige, the type of degree you’re seeking, and how much (or how little) funding a program offers.

Unlike undergrad acceptance rates, grad school acceptance rates are somewhat difficult to locate online. You can look for them using any of the following four methods:

• Peruse school websites
• Check grad school facts and lists on  U.S. News
• Browse other websites and forums such as The Grad Cafe
• Call or email your schools

When trying to determine your  odds of getting into a program, look at your program’s requirements as well as the average GPA and GRE scores of previously admitted applicants to your program. If your GRE scores and GPA are comparable to those of your program, you have a decent shot at getting accepted. If one or both are lower than your program’s averages, however, you can always try to  raise your GRE score  with a retake or address your GPA in your statement of purpose.

At the end of the day, what ultimately matters isn’t that you get accepted to a highly competitive grad program but that you make the right decision for you and you alone!

What’s Next?

Need help with your grad school application?  Learn about the most common grad school requirements  and get tips on how to write a grad school CV or resume !

Is your GPA good enough for grad school ?  Read our in-depth guide to learn how you can make up for a less-than-stellar GPA and ultimately raise your chances of getting into the school of your dreams.

Do you have to take the GRE for grad school ? When are grad school deadlines ?  Check out our guides for answers to these questions and more.

Ready to improve your GRE score by 7 points?

Author: Hannah Muniz

Hannah graduated summa cum laude from the University of Southern California with a bachelor’s degree in English and East Asian languages and cultures. After graduation, she taught English in Japan for two years via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel. View all posts by Hannah Muniz

How Long Does It Take to Get a Ph.D. Degree?

Earning a Ph.D. from a U.S. grad school typically requires nearly six years, federal statistics show.

How Long It Takes to Get a Ph.D. Degree

Caiaimage | Tom Merton | Getty Images

A Ph.D. is most appropriate for someone who is a "lifelong learner."

Students who have excelled within a specific academic discipline and who have a strong interest in that field may choose to pursue a Ph.D. degree. However, Ph.D. degree-holders urge prospective students to think carefully about whether they truly want or need a doctoral degree, since Ph.D. programs last for multiple years.

According to the Survey of Earned Doctorates, a census of recent research doctorate recipients who earned their degree from U.S. institutions, the median amount of time it took individuals who received their doctorates in 2017 to complete their program was 5.8 years. However, there are many types of programs that typically take longer than six years to complete, such as humanities and arts doctorates, where the median time for individuals to earn their degree was 7.1 years, according to the survey.

Some Ph.D. candidates begin doctoral programs after they have already obtained master's degrees, which means the time spent in grad school is a combination of the time spent pursuing a master's and the years invested in a doctorate. In order to receive a Ph.D. degree, a student must produce and successfully defend an original academic dissertation, which must be approved by a dissertation committtee. Writing and defending a dissertation is so difficult that many Ph.D. students drop out of their Ph.D. programs having done most of the work necessary for degree without completing the dissertation component. These Ph.D. program dropouts often use the phrase " all but dissertation " or the abbreviation "ABD" on their resumes.

According to a comprehensive study of Ph.D. completion rates published by The Council of Graduate Schools in 2008, only 56.6% of people who begin Ph.D. programs earn Ph.D. degrees.

Ian Curtis, a founding partner with H&C Education, an educational and admissions consulting firm, who is pursuing a Ph.D. degree in French at Yale University , says there are several steps involved in the process of obtaining a Ph.D. Students typically need to fulfill course requirements and pass comprehensive exams, Curtis warns. "Once these obligations have been completed, how long it takes you to write your dissertation depends on who you are, how you work, what field you're in and what other responsibilities you have in life," he wrote in an email. Though some Ph.D. students can write a dissertation in a single year, that is rare, and the dissertation writing process may last for several years, Curtis says.

Curtis adds that the level of support a Ph.D. student receives from an academic advisor or faculty mentor can be a key factor in determining the length of time it takes to complete a Ph.D. program. "Before you decide to enroll at a specific program, you’ll want to meet your future advisor," Curtis advises. "Also, reach out to his or her current and former students to get a sense of what he or she is like to work with."

Curtis also notes that if there is a gap between the amount of time it takes to complete a Ph.D. and the amount of time a student's funding lasts, this can slow down the Ph.D. completion process. "Keep in mind that if you run out of funding at some point during your doctorate, you will need to find paid work, and this will leave you even less time to focus on writing your dissertation," he says. "If one of the programs you’re looking at has a record of significantly longer – or shorter – times to competition, this is good information to take into consideration."

He adds that prospective Ph.D. students who already have master's degrees in the field they intend to focus their Ph.D. on should investigate whether the courses they took in their master's program would count toward the requirements of a Ph.D. program. "You’ll want to discuss your particular situation with your program to see whether this will be possible, and how many credits you are likely to receive as the result of your master’s work," he says.

How to Write M.D.-Ph.D. Application Essays

Ilana Kowarski May 15, 2018

Emmanuel C. Nwaodua, who has a Ph.D. degree in geology, says some Ph.D. programs require candidates to publish a paper in a first-rate, peer-reviewed academic journal. "This could extend your stay by a couple of years," he warns.

Pierre Huguet, the CEO and co-founder of H&C Education, says prospective Ph.D. students should be aware that a Ph.D. is designed to prepare a person for a career as a scholar. "Most of the jobs available to Ph.D. students upon graduation are academic in nature and directly related to their fields of study: professor, researcher, etc.," Huguet wrote in an email. "The truth is that more specialization can mean fewer job opportunities. Before starting a Ph.D., students should be sure that they want to pursue a career in academia, or in research. If not, they should make time during the Ph.D. to show recruiters that they’ve traveled beyond their labs and libraries to gain some professional hands-on experience."

Jack Appleman, a business writing instructor, published author and Ph.D. candidate focusing on organizational communication with the University at Albany—SUNY , says Ph.D. programs require a level of commitment and focus that goes beyond what is necessary for a typical corporate job. A program with flexible course requirements that allow a student to customize his or her curriculum based on academic interests and personal obligations is ideal, he says.

Joan Kee, a professor at the University of Michigan with the university's history of art department, says that the length of time required for a Ph.D. varies widely depending on what subject the Ph.D. focuses on. "Ph.D. program length is very discipline and even field-specific; for example, you can and are expected to finish a Ph.D, in economics in under five years, but that would be impossible in art history (or most of the humanities)," she wrote in an email.

Kee adds that humanities Ph.D. programs often require someone to learn a foreign language, and "fields like anthropology and art history require extensive field research." Kee says funding for a humanities Ph.D. program typically only lasts five years, even though it is uncommon for someone to obtain a Ph.D. degree in a humanities field within that time frame. "Because of this, many if not most Ph.D. students must work to make ends meet, thus further prolonging the time of completion," she says.

Jean Marie Carey, who earned her Ph.D. degree in art history and German from the University of Otago in New Zealand, encourages prospective Ph.D. students to check whether their potential Ph.D. program has published a timeline of how long it takes a Ph.D. student to complete their program. She says it is also prudent to speak with Ph.D. graduates of the school and ask about their experience.

Online Doctoral Programs: What to Expect

Ronald Wellman March 23, 2018

Kristin Redington Bennett, the founder of the Illumii educational consulting firm in North Carolina, encourages Ph.D. hopefuls to think carefully about whether they want to become a scholar. Bennett, who has a Ph.D. in curriculum and assessment and who previously worked as an assistant professor at Wake Forest University , says a Ph.D. is most appropriate for someone who is a "lifelong learner." She says someone contemplating a Ph.D. should ask themselves the following questions "Are you a very curious person... and are you persistent?"

Bennett urges prospective Ph.D. students to visit the campuses of their target graduate programs since a Ph.D. program takes so much time that it is important to find a school that feels comfortable. She adds that aspiring Ph.D. students who prefer a collaborative learning environment should be wary of graduate programs that have a cut-throat and competitive atmosphere, since such students may not thrive in that type of setting.

Alumni of Ph.D. programs note that the process of obtaining a Ph.D. is arduous, regardless of the type of Ph.D. program. "A Ph.D. is a long commitment of your time, energy and financial resources, so it'll be easier on you if you are passionate about research," says Grace Lee, who has a Ph.D. in neuroscience and is the founder and CEO of Mastery Insights, an education and career coaching company, and the host of the Career Revisionist podcast.

"A Ph.D. isn't about rehashing years of knowledge that is already out there, but rather it is about your ability to generate new knowledge. Your intellectual masterpiece (which is your dissertation) takes a lot of time, intellectual creativity and innovation to put together, so you have to be truly passionate about that," Lee says.

Curtis says a prospective Ph.D. student's enthusiasm for academic work, teaching and research are the key criteria they should use to decide whether to obtain a Ph.D. degree. "While the time it takes to complete a doctorate is an understandable concern for many, my personal belief is that time is not the most important factor to consider," he says. "Good Ph.D. programs provide their students with generous stipends, health care and sometimes even subsidized housing."

Erin Skelly, a graduate admissions counselor at the IvyWise admissions consulting firm, says when a Ph.D. students struggles to complete his or her Ph.D. degree, it may have more to do with the student's academic interests or personal circumstances than his or her program.

"The time to complete a Ph.D. can depend on a number of variables, but the specific discipline or school would only account for a year or two's difference," she wrote in an email. "When a student takes significantly longer to complete a Ph.D. (degree), it's usually related to the student's coursework and research – they need to take additional coursework to complete their comprehensive exams; they change the focus of their program or dissertation, requiring extra coursework or research; or their research doesn't yield the results they hoped for, and they need to generate a new theory and conduct more research."

Skelly warns that the average completion time of a Ph.D. program may be misleading in some cases, if the average is skewed based on one or two outliers. She suggests that instead of focusing on the duration of a particular Ph.D. program, prospective students should investigate the program's attritition and graduation rates.

"It is worthwhile to look at the program requirements and the school's proposed timeline for completion, and meet current students to get their input on how realistic these expectations for completion are," Skelly says. "That can give you an honest idea of how long it will really take to complete the program."

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Tags: graduate schools , education , students

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PhD Admission FAQ

General Information

When is the application due and how do i apply .

NOW CLOSED- The application is due on  November 30, 2023  at 11:59 PM Pacific Time. 

Apply using the  application portal .

How long does it take to get a PhD in Psychology at Stanford?

The PhD program is designed to be completed in five years of full-time study. Actual time will depend on students' prior background, progress, and research requirements. The minimum residency requirement for the PhD degree is 135 units of completed coursework and research units.

What are the requirements for the PhD degree in Psychology?

Please consult the  PhD Requirements page .

What are the different subfields within the graduate program in Psychology?

• Affective Science
• Cognitive Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Social Psychology

What is the Department's teaching requirement?

PhD students must complete at least five quarters of teaching assistantship (TA) under the supervision of a faculty member. Students are required to attend a TA training workshop in their second year. In addition, students are encouraged to take advantage of department and university teacher training programs. Students for whom English is a second language are expected to acquire sufficient fluency in English. All international students must be approved by  Stanford’s EFS department . 

How many students apply to the Stanford Psychology PhD? How many are admitted? What are the demographics?

Stanford provides public reports with summary data about graduate programs and graduate admissions. Please consult the public dashboards published by Stanford's office of Institutional Research & Decision Support on  doctoral admissions ,  doctoral enrollment and demographics , and  doctoral completion and time-to-degree . 

Is there a standalone Master of Arts program in Psychology?

The Department of Psychology does not offer a terminal Master’s degree program. Current doctoral students within the Department or in another Stanford graduate program may apply to be awarded a Master of Arts in Psychology during the course of their PhD program.

Does your department have a program in Clinical Psychology? Are you accredited by the APA?

No. Our department does not have a program in Clinical Psychology. As such, we are not accredited by the APA.

Do you have any advice about getting into grad school?

The Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences offers an online resource for prospective graduate school applicants:  Guide on Getting Into Grad School . We encourage applicants to take advantage of this resource.

Financial Support

What is the annual cost of attending your program.

All students admitted to the Psychology PhD program receive five years of 12-month funding. Financial support is provided through a combination of fellowship stipend and salary, and assistantship salary and tuition allowance. Information about the cost of attendance and funding options are available from the  Financial Aid Office .

What type of financial support do you offer?

All students admitted to the Psychology PhD program receive five years of 12-month funding. Financial support is provided through a combination of fellowship stipend and salary, and assistantship salary and tuition allowance. Funding is contingent upon satisfactory academic progress. Students are encouraged to pursue fellowships offered by the University and by national organizations, such as the National Science Foundation.

Stanford University also offers the  Knight-Hennessy Scholars  program, designed to build a multidisciplinary community of Stanford graduate students dedicated to finding creative solutions to the world's greatest challenges. The program awards up to 100 high-achieving students every year with full funding to pursue graduate education at Stanford, including the PhD in Psychology. To be considered, you must apply to Knight-Hennessy Scholars and separately apply to the Psychology Department. Note that the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program application deadline is in the spring  before  the autumn application cycle.

Do you offer support for the summer months?

Yes, funding is offered for 12 months a year for 5 full years, including 5 summers.

Preparing for Admission

Am i eligible to apply if my undergraduate major is not in psychology.

An undergraduate major in Psychology is not required; applicants from other backgrounds can apply and be admitted. All applicants should have sufficient foundational knowledge and research experience prior to the program to allow them to go straight into graduate-level coursework and conduct research.

My undergraduate degree was completed outside the United States. Is my degree eligible? 

Please refer to the Stanford Graduate Admission Office's table of  minimum level requirements for international academic credentials . These credential requirements are set by the University and nonnegotiable.

If I have prior graduate work, can it be transferred to the PhD program?

No, the Department of Psychology does not allow the transfer of unit credits from your previous program.

How competitive is admission to the PhD program?

Admission to our program is highly competitive. About 10-15 admits enter the program each year and are chosen from a pool of over 600 applicants. These students are selected on the basis of a strong academic background as demonstrated by previous coursework, research experience, and letters of recommendation. Please be assured that the Department reviews each application very carefully and makes decisions on an individual basis.

The Application Process

How do i apply.

Please visit the  PhD Admissions page  for instructions on how to apply to the Psychology PhD Program, graduate application requirements, and the link to the online application. 

Is there an application fee? If so, can I apply for a fee waiver?

The fee to apply for graduate study at Stanford is $125, see  Application Fee . Fee waivers are available for some applicants. Please visit Graduate Admissions for information on applying for an  Application Fee Waiver .

Can I submit another application to a different department within the University?

You may only apply to one degree program per academic year. However, you may apply concurrently to one departmental program and to a professional school program (law, medicine, or business).

I'm interested in the joint JD/PhD in Law and Psychology - how does it work?

Students interested in the JD/Ph.D. joint degree must apply and gain entrance separately to the School of Law and the Psychology Ph.D. program. Additionally, students must secure permission from each degree program to pursue the joint degree. Interest in both degrees should be noted on the student’s admissions applications and may be considered by the admissions committee of each program. Alternatively, an enrolled student in either the Law School or the Psychology department may apply to add the other degree and undertake the joint degree program, preferably during their first year of study. Students participating in the JD/Ph.D. joint degree program are not eligible to transfer and receive credit for a masters, or other degree, towards the Psychology Ph.D.

Students interested in the MPP/Ph.D. joint degree must apply and gain entrance to the Public Policy program’s MPP degree and the Psychology Ph.D. program. Students should note their interest in both degrees on their graduate admissions applications. Additionally, students must secure permission from each degree program to pursue the joint degree

Which faculty are accepting new students this year?

All active faculty are potentially accepting new students each year. In your application, we ask you to list the top 3 faculty you are most interested in working with. Multiple readers will review your application in full regardless of who you list. 

My institution does not report GPAs on a 4.0 grading scale. How should I report my GPA on the application?

Please do not convert your GPA to a 4.0 grading scale. You should enter “0.00” for the GPA and use the “Unconverted GPA” and “Unconverted GPA System” fields instead. A link to detailed instructions for reporting GPA is located near these fields on the application.

I attended multiple undergraduate institutions. In what order should I list them on the application?

The institution where you earned or expect to earn your Bachelor's degree should be listed as "Post-Secondary Institution 1." The remaining institutions don’t have to follow a particular order. List all institutions that were attended for at least one full academic year. Please note that you must submit a transcript for all courses taken towards your undergraduate degree, including those from your nonprimary institutions.

When should I submit my transcripts if my degree will still be in progress at the time of the application deadline?

The most current version of your unofficial transcript must be submitted as part of your electronic application, even if the grades from your fall term are not available. The absence of these grades will have no impact on the review of your application. If you are admitted and enrolled, we will ask you to submit your final transcript showing all grades and proof of degree conferral.

Should I submit official transcripts?

At the time of your initial application, please only submit your unofficial transcripts. Submit the unofficial transcripts as part of your electronic application, per the instructions in the application portal. A short list of applicants who move forward to the next stage of the review process will be contacted with instructions for submitting official transcripts at a later stage. 

It may be helpful to understand the difference.  Unofficial transcripts  are transcripts issued by your college or university directly to you, the student, which you then submit to Stanford for review. Official transcripts  are transcripts issued by your college or university directly to Stanford University, usually by secure electronic transfer and sometimes in hard copy in signed and sealed envelopes. The key difference is that an  official transcript  has never been directly handled by the applicant.

Do you have a minimum GPA score?

We do not require applicants to have a minimum GPA for consideration, and we do not release information about the average GPAs of accepted students. As a guideline, successful applicants typically earn undergraduate cumulative GPAs among the top of their class. However, please keep in mind that admission to our graduate program depends on a combination of factors, and all areas of a student’s application are weighed similarly when applications are reviewed. If our research areas meet your educational goals, we encourage you to submit an application. 

May I contact the faculty directly during the application process?

Applicants are not prohibited from reaching out to faculty directly during the application cycle. However, please understand that our faculty are extremely busy, and it is quite possible that you will receive either a very short response or no response at all. This does not mean the faculty are not interested in your application. All applications will be read and reviewed in full during the formal review process. Note that per Department policy, all faculty are potentially accepting graduate students in any given cycle, so you do not need to contact faculty in advance to see if that specific mentor is accepting students for the coming year.

Can I meet with Department staff either by phone or email before I apply to discuss my application materials or ask general questions about the program?

No, the Department staff do not have meetings with or provide individualized advising for prospective applicants. Please understand that this is a matter of bandwidth and equity. We do not have the ability to offer personalized service to all interested applicants, so we do not offer them at all. By Department policy, our staff do not provide any evaluative feedback on prospective applicants' materials, so please do not contact us with CVs, academic histories, etc to request feedback or ask about odds for acceptance. For support in crafting your application, we recommend that you turn to your existing network of mentors (e.g., your letter writers) and/or the resources offered by your current or prior academic institution(s).

TOEFL and GRE

Is the general gre required is the subject gre required.

No, the Stanford Psychology PhD program does not require the general GRE or the subject GRE. We will not be collecting any information related to GRE exam scores on the application. Please do not submit GRE scores to Stanford for our program.

What is the TOEFL exam, and am I required to take it?

The TOEFL is a standardized test of English language proficiency. Per University policy, the TOEFL exam is required for international, non-native English speakers who apply to any Stanford graduate program. 

The TOEFL score requirements are waived for international non-native English speakers who have received a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree from an institution in the United States or another English-speaking country. Therefore, applicants with these degrees from the U.S., Australia, Canada (except Quebec), New Zealand, Singapore, Ireland, and the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales) are exempt from taking the TOEFL and do not need to submit the TOEFL waiver request form.

When should I take the TOEFL?

The TOEFL must be taken by the published application deadline. 

What is the minimum TOEFL score required for admission?

Please visit the website of  Stanford's Office of Graduate Admissions  for more information on the University’s minimum requirements.

If my TOEFL score falls below the University’s minimum, am I still eligible to apply?

Yes, you may still apply. If your TOEFL scores fall below the University's minimum requirements and you are admitted, Stanford may require you to take an English placement exam and/or English classes.

May I submit the IELTS instead of the TOEFL to demonstrate English proficiency?

The IELTS is not accepted at Stanford University; only the TOEFL is accepted to provide proof of proficiency in English.

How do I request a TOEFL exemption or waiver?

For all questions related to TOEFL exemptions or waivers please refer to the website of  Stanford’s Office of Graduate Admissions . Please note that the central office makes all final decisions regarding TOEFL waivers; the Department of Psychology is not involved in the approval of TOEFL waivers.

How do I check the status of my TOEFL scores?

Log in to your application account. It may take up to two weeks after submitting your application or sending the scores (whichever occurs later) for your official scores to show as received. Processing may be delayed or halted if the name or birthdate on the score report does not exactly match the information on your application.

Why does my TOEFL status show as “Not Applicable” even though I submitted a TOEFL score?

This may be because you listed English as your first language in the application. Please note that “first language” refers to your native language.

Is there a department code for ETS to use in order to send in my scores?

No, there are no individual department code. Use the Stanford University score recipient code  4704  to send your TOEFL scores.

Statements of Purpose

How long should my statement of purpose be.

We strongly recommend that your statement of purpose be around two pages in length.

What should I include in my statement of purpose?

Please consult the Stanford Graduate Admissions  FAQ page  for more information on the Statement of Purpose.

Letters of Recommendation

When are the letters of recommendation due.

The letters of recommendation have the same deadline as the rest of the application. This year, the deadline is  November 30, 2023.

How many recommendations do I need, and who should I ask to be my recommenders?

Applicants need three recommendations from faculty or others qualified to evaluate your potential for graduate study. At least one evaluation and letter should be from a faculty member at the last school you attended as a full-time student (unless you have been out of school for more than five years). Substitutions for faculty recommendations may include work associates or others who can comment on your academic potential for graduate work.

My recommender will not be able to submit his/her letter by the application deadline. Will my application still be considered?

Letters of recommendation must be submitted by the application deadline. As such, we strongly encourage you to contact your recommenders directly to remind them of our deadline. If your recommender misses the deadline, please contact  psych-admissions [at] stanford.edu (psych-admissions[at]stanford[dot]edu) . Depending on the circumstances, Department staff may collect the letter via email and forward it to the faculty to add to your file. That said, the program expects applicants to do everything possible to ensure that letters are submitted on time via the secure online system.

Can my recommenders submit their letters via email, fax, or postal service?

No. Recommenders must submit their letters via Stanford’s online recommender system.

My recommenders are having technical difficulties with the online letters of recommendation process. Who should they contact?

Should any of your recommenders experience technical difficulties with the online letters of recommendation process, please refer them to our application database provider's letters of recommendation help page or have them submit a Help Request Form directly to our application database provider.

Additional Materials and Updates

I realized i made a mistake on my application and/or uploaded the wrong version of my documents. what do i do.

Depending on the timing and the nature of the error, our staff may be able to correct your application. Please send an email to  psych-admissions [at] stanford.edu (psych-admissions[at]stanford[dot]edu) . Include your full name, a complete description of the error, and attach the correct version of the file (if applicable). The Department reserves the right to decline to update your application after the deadline has passed. Requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

If you need to change your recommenders, please use the Activity Status Page. Note: The order of recommenders cannot be changed.

May I submit a resume/CV, list of publications, etc. as part of my application?

Applicants are permitted to upload one additional document to the online application, under the “Document Uploads” section.

Is there an interview process? 

Yes, our faculty interview prospective students before making final admission decisions. 

When are the interviews?

The interviews for the current admissions cycle are likely to be in February 2021. We anticipate that all interviews will take place virtually.

When can I expect to find out the decision on my application?

The Department of Psychology aims to issue all offers of admission to PhD degree applicants by the end of March.

I applied in a prior cycle and was not admitted. Can I apply again?

Applicants who applied in prior cycles and were previously not admitted are welcome to reapply if they can demonstrate significant progress made since they last applied. We encourage you to use your Statement of Purpose to explain this progress.

All documents must be resubmitted with a new application. We do not keep records from past applications.

I still have questions!

If you have questions that are not answered on this page or the Stanford Graduate Admissions  FAQ page , please email  psych-admissions [at] stanford.edu (psych-admissions[at]stanford[dot]edu) . If your questions are already covered on this page, your email may not receive a response.

Note that our Department staff are experts on the logistics and administration of the application, but do not answer questions related to research topics or faculty fit. Per Department policy, Department staff will not offer any evaluative feedback on application materials or applicants' academic background. Unfortunately, due to the extremely high volume of inquiries, we cannot provide individual status updates for applicants at any point in the process.

Which program are you applying to?

Accepted Admissions Blog

Everything you need to know to get Accepted

July 3, 2019

Fully-Funded PhD Program at Harvard University: How I Got In

Harvard is one of those places that people often talk about with admiration but rarely as an aspiration. “Could I ever get into Harvard?” is usually a question asked with a great deal of doubt and trepidation. However, thousands have graduated from Harvard over its lengthy and illustrious history, and those people are real people. They simply had two traits that made them eligible candidates, and the rest was up to chance! Those traits were: (a) an impressive portfolio (including high grades and varied and committed experiences, including leadership roles , etc.) and (b) confidence that they could indeed be accepted. This latter element is perhaps the defining feature of students accepted to Harvard—the belief that they could ever get in!

Harvard (or other Ivy schools) aren’t for everyone all the time

Let’s be clear: we are not all, always, ready to go to Harvard, just because we believe in ourselves. I applied to Harvard in high school and was rejected—and the truth is, though I was a committed and intellectually curious student, and though I feel I would have thrived at Harvard, I know I didn’t have the portfolio they needed. My grades were good, but not stellar ; my extracurriculars and summer experiences existed, but were not extensive or impressive; and, my confidence led me to seek very little advice or writing consulting for my personal statement , so that I did not submit my best possible work.

Thinking you can’t get in at one point in your life might be true, but it does not mean you are not “Harvard/Ivy League material” ever . After completing college at a marvelous liberal arts university (an experience I would choose again any day!), I knew my portfolio had changed. I had very good grades and had fostered deep and lasting connections with professors; I had been a research assistant, a student newspaper writer and editor, and a writing tutor; I had learned a tremendous amount and felt confident that I could submit a writing sample I was proud of.

This time, in addition to the necessary confidence and portfolio, I sought a writing tutor to help make sure my statement of purpose could be the best one possible, and off my application went! Lo and behold, I got into my dream school for an MA: the University of Chicago, or the “Harvard of the Midwest.” Not only that, but I unexpectedly was awarded a fully-funded fellowship , including full tuition coverage AND a stipend! You never know what can happen!

The importance of strong essays

During the last year of my MA, I again felt ready to submit applications to competitive schools; I’d kept up my grades and activities, I’d worked hard on a polished writing sample, and I made sure to consult with others about the quality of my statement of purpose; my years as a college writing tutor had taught me that we all need editors, from the least to most experienced writers. All of that, plus a big dose of luck, won me a place in a fully-funded PhD program at Harvard, where I am currently working on my dissertation (when I’m not advising Accepted’s clients ). So remember: confidence, a great portfolio, and assistance with one’s writing—these are the three things in your power; the rest is up to the big H!

I want to add one last thought: When applying to MA and PhD programs (as opposed to undergraduate programs), there is an additional key to a positive portfolio: demonstrating interest in the work of particular scholars with whom you’d like to work. This means two things:

• Tailoring your statement of purpose to each school and its specific faculty members,
• Reaching out directly to these scholars in order to express interest in their work. Ask to schedule a phone call and/or an in-person meeting. There’s no better way to make yourself stand out than to make yourself known in person.

Remember: if you don’t do this, you are an anonymous paper application swimming in a sea of similarly anonymous applications. If you were on the admissions end, wouldn’t you feel much better accepting a student you’ve had extensive contact with, have possibly even met, who made a good impression?

Your Ivy League checklist for admissions success

So, to sum up, here is your checklist for preparing to apply to Ivy League school PhD programs, including Harvard:

• Honestly assess your own transcript: Are you seeing that the vast majority of your grades are A and A-? Is your GPA at the end of college a 3.7 or above? If you’ve answered YES to both of these questions, you might be a good candidate.
• Consider your overall profile: What does it look like? (I’ll address how one constructs a great CV in another post.) Have you been involved in a sustained way (i.e., for a year or more) in multiple activities? Have you assumed leadership roles in some of these? Have you demonstrated commitments to these pursuits? If so, you might be a good candidate!
• Think long and hard about your recommenders : Have you built sustained relationships with your previous teachers/professors? If you apply for a graduate degree, make sure your recommenders are known figures in your field, who know you well and can write from personal experience teaching or supervising you. Their credibility will build confidence in your application.
• Have confidence! If you don’t believe you can get accepted, you very well might not. Confidence (to be clear, I do not mean arrogance!) shines through a good application.

I’ll write more in an upcoming blogpost about how specifically to approach potential advisors and other faculty members during the admissions process. But for now, good luck!

Are you aiming for acceptance at a top MA or PhD program? Explore our Graduate School Admissions Consulting & Editing Services and work one-on-one with an expert advisor who will help you GET ACCEPTED.

With 30 years of career/admissions experience at four universities, including Cornell’s Johnson Graduate School of Business and College of Engineering,  Dr. Karin Ash  has met with thousands of recruiters seeking to hire the best students from leading schools. She has served as a member of the admissions committee, ensuring that the applicants who ultimately enroll are a good fit for the program and prime candidates for employers. Karin has been a Consultant with Accepted for 8 years and has facilitated students’ entry into top engineering, data science, MBA, and other STEM graduate MEng, MS, and PhD programs. Her clients have been accepted into MIT, the University of Chicago, Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, UPenn, and USC.  Want Karin to help you get Accepted?  Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources:

• Get Your Game On: Prepping For Your Grad School ApplicationGet Your Game On: Prepping for Your Grad School Application , a free guide
• How to Write Your Master’s in Engineering Statement of Purpose
• How This Student Got Accepted to MIT’s Engineering Program and Landed a Job at Apple , podcast Episode 460

• 5 Fatal Flaws to Avoid in Your Graduate School Statement of Purpose , a free guide • Plotting Your Way to a PhD , a blog series • The Personal Statement That Got Me a Large Scholarship to Cambridge

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7 Tips for Applying to a Psychology PhD Program

The unwritten rules that i wish i knew.

Posted January 7, 2015

I just sifted through this year's batch of graduate student applications to the clinical psychology PhD program at George Mason University . Here are the emotions that I experienced:

Awe - reminded that if I was applying to graduate school with my 1998 packet, I would never get in. There are some psychology obsessed youngbloods out there.

Elevation - ignore the pessimism in the news, a vast number of hungry characters are coming through the pipelines to improve society. They are already making inroads and want a PhD to give them extra leverage.

Anxiety - the pressure to get near perfect grades, near perfect standardized test scores, and intensive research and clinical experience is palpable. I often wonder how many of these characters pause to enjoy their once-in-a-lifetime college years. I remember reading The Fountainhead on a bench in the middle of campus at 2am on a random Tuesday while the Ithaca snow rained down in slow-motion. Sitting across the quad from me was a muscular guy reading The Celestine Prophecy. The two of us talked about books, women, society's expectations, and the hero's journey for hours. This is the kind of intimacy that creates life long bonds, raising the bar for how strangers should communicate. Then there was the time [insert dangerous, naked, and/or drunken story #4-103]. I never thought about graduate school while attending Cornell University. I lived day-to-day, semester by semester. Not today's graduate school applicants....

Dismay - as someone who takes mentoring seriously, I am disappointed to read poorly constructed applications. Everybody should have a high quality mentor who points out problems before that submission button is pressed.

Inspired - I wish somebody offered me inside information on what professors really care about when they read an application. Because I have a natural distaste for authority, I feel compelled to provide this information to every student aspiring to be a psychologist.

With these emotions in tow, here are my seven concrete suggestions for those masochistic enough to apply to a PhD program in clinical psychology (this will also be relevant for other graduate programs that emphasize science). A strong clinical psychology program will reject more than 90% of applicants. The odds are against you. This post has been designed to improve your odds.

whatever manner works best for you.

Wisdom #1. You will not get an interview without direct research experience. This was not the case 10 years ago. We know that undergraduate courses are required and many universities allow you to retake courses until you get the desired grade. For this reason, grades matter little (get over a 3.2 GPA and I am ready to treat you no differently than someone with a 4.0). Now an honor thesis is optional. Completing one shows dedication, discipline, and devotion to science. Gaining research experience in a professor's laboratory is behavioral evidence that you know about sweat equity and the delay of gratification. My advice is that it is better to aim for an A- in your courses if it means that you can dedicate more time to assist in research with a scientist and eventually conduct studies under their guidance. Nothing in the classroom approximates the skills, knowledge, and psychological strengths that you develop with hands-on research. Nothing.

Corollary - Don't waste your time accruing a wide breadth of experiences unless you are doing it as an end it itself. I don't care if you are vice-president of Psi Chi, a volunteer fire fighter for 6 hours per year, and created the first cultural neuroscience book club at your local library. I am more impressed with hardcore dedication and deep penetration in one activity (where somebody can speak to your invaluable contributions) than a lengthy curriculum vitae (CV). In a similar vein, I don't care if you obtained authorship on multiple journal articles. To me, this says that you work with generous people. One first author poster presentation where you did the bulk of the writing, analyzing, and conceptualizing is all I need. Aim for quality and depth.

Wisdom #2 . It does not matter where you go to college. Ignore guidance counselors and well-meaning parents that argue for the edge afforded by those with an Ivy League education (and those schools that make the capricious top 25 in the latest US News and World Report rankings). I only care about what you did and whether you can hit the ground running in my research laboratory. This year alone, I sifted through applications from Armstrong Atlantic State University, Samford University, Wofford College, and Help University. I never heard of any of them. What I care about is that you can write, possess superior critical thinking skills, and know the agony and ecstasy of following through from a fetal research idea to the initial analytical tests to the interpretation of these results and finally, the dissemination of this work to the world. Don't spend extra money for badges and stars. Spend your time in a research laboratory to understand psychological science.

Wisdom #3 . If you suck at taking standardized tests, take them as many times as you can. This shows me that you are determined. This shows me you care about verbal, quantitative, and analytical intelligence and you are pissed off that the GRE fails to capture yours ( which is often the case ). Take it once, fail, quit and what I infer is that you are unequipped to handle setbacks. The life of a psychological scientist is littered with setbacks and failures. I want somebody who can be counted on when the stakes are high and the probability of success is unknown. Show me you are that person. Don't tell me, show me.

Wisdom #4 . Be interesting. When you sound like a walking, talking scientific article, you are uninteresting. Be a human first. The best way to be interesting is to live an interesting life. Exotic people. Exotic places. Cultural Immersion. A willingness to be vulnerable. Strange experiences. Anxiety provoking experiences. To be psychologically minded and ask great questions, you must truly live. I remember an applicant several years back who at the end of her CV listed the 18 countries she visited. That one bit of information gave the extra edge that landed her an interview. After all, that much travel should give you an interesting lens to view the complexity of human behavior.

Wisdom #5 . You don't need three amazing letters of recommendation, you need one. You must cultivate a relationship with one person who understands what you have done in psychology and more importantly, what you strive to become. Find a great mentor and work hard at forming a strong relationship. Show them what you can do. Ask for experiences and tasks that are beyond your skill level and then deliver - over and over again. You want one person to be able to say that you are one of the top 3 people they have ever mentored in an important skill set - writing ability, critical thinking, work ethic, creativity , teamwork , etc. Show somebody what you are capable of doing and make sure that it is visible to them. When I talk to my colleagues at conferences, I ask them about students who might be applying to work with me. Conversations with trusted colleagues are persuasive. I want you to know that these conversations happen. So be a good colleague. Be trustworthy. Be autonomous. Ask questions when you don't know something. Seize opportunities. Ask for opportunities. Repair relationships when needed. Be the type of person that somebody can speak highly of at all times. You never know when these backchannel conversations are going to happen.

Wisdom #6 . Showcase your uniqueness. Avoid clichés of how psychology is your life's passion (you are just getting started and don't know yet). If this is true, tell a story (show me, don't tell me). When asked what separates you from applicants with perfect GRE scores, a 4.0 GPA, and two years of research experience, do not state that you work harder (72 applicants will make the same claim). Do not mention that the origin of your interest in psychology was the psychological problems of relatives or the social difficulties faced during teenage years (we all need to be loved just like everybody else does so move on). You possess a configuration of strengths and weaknesses that inform a life history and perspective unlike any other human being. Learn how to tell a compelling, emotionally engaging story about how this informs your potential. I am more interested in your potential than your past. Do not be afraid of marketing yourself. Sell me on your potential.

Wisdom #7 . Do not lie. Almost every applicant says they want to be a scientist because they think this is what PhD programs want to hear. Pretend that you are uninterested in clinical practice and you will despise graduate school with me. Lying about your interests will hurt your experience in graduate school and the mentor that selected you from an impressive pool of applicants. Be honest and find the best mentor match. You only get trained once. Make it count. Show integrity. The field of psychology is small and relationships matter.

The goal of the admissions process is to find the best people for the exact mentors available at a specific program. The hope is that the relationships that develop will last far beyond the five years of graduate school. How you get trained and by who matters. I hope the information in this blog post will help your journey. Keep me posted on your accomplishments.

Dr. Todd B. Kashdan is a public speaker, psychologist, and professor of psychology and senior scientist at the Center for the Advancement of Well-Being at George Mason University. His new book, The upside of your dark side: Why being your whole self - not just your “good” self - drives success and fulfillment is available from Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Booksamillion , Powell's or Indie Bound . If you're interested in speaking engagements or workshops, go to: toddkashdan.com

Todd B. Kashdan, Ph.D. , is a professor of psychology at George Mason University and the author of The Art of Insubordination: How to Dissent and Defy Effectively .

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• Considering Clinical Psychology

What Does It Take to Get Into Graduate School in Clinical Psychology?

Admission to PhD programs in clinical psychology is very competitive. Ratios of 300 applicants to 8 positions are common (though perhaps 10-15 people would have to be accepted to fill the 8 slots; some who are accepted decide to go elsewhere, or enter a different kind of graduate or professional program ). Different programs emphasize different characteristics, but it is safe to say that in all programs GREs and GPAs are examined closely. Graduate students in Northwestern's program have averaged over 1400 on the GRE (Verbal plus Quantitative), with an average GPA of over 3.5. (GPAs for the last two years of undergraduate schooling are most important, so students with uneven early records have a good chance if they've improved.) There are respectable programs whose students score lower on these measures, but students who have lower than 1200 on the GRE or a GPA of less than 3.3 can expect to find it difficult to get into a top graduate program in clinical psychology without other special qualifications.

Regarding less standardized criteria, most graduate programs in clinical psychology will prefer that you have taken a course in psychopathology, e.g., our Psych 303. Introduction to Clinical Psychology (Psych 306) can also be useful, in part as a way to learn more about the field and your options within it. Most graduate schools also expect students to have obtained some research experience. The primary concern is that students should have conducted some psychological research in order to know whether they find it interesting. From an admissions perspective, it is less important that you have had clinical research experience than it is that you have had meaningful research experiences (e.g., not just entering data). It is also important that you be able to solicit a letter of recommendation from at least one research supervisor. This means that it is important to get involved in research before you do your applications. If you plan to apply to graduate programs during fall of your senior year, then you should begin your research involvement as a junior, or even earlier.

Northwestern’s psychology department offers many  research opportunities  for undergraduate students. Each quarter, many of our students do  research for course credit  through 399-Independent Study or the two-quarter sequence 397-Advanced Supervised Research. You can learn more about 399 and 397, including their requirements and the differences between them, by reading our webpage on research for course credit. This page also includes tips on choosing a professor with whom to do research. Other students obtain paid positions in the department, typically through the federal  work-study program . You should make sure that your research experience provides you with an in-depth look at the nature of psychological research and at the theories and past research relevant for the questions under investigation. Entering data, scheduling research participants, and so on are integral parts of the research process, but it is important to do much more than that.

Some psychology students hope to do research that is outside the specific projects for which their faculty supervisors have funding. In addition, students who want to do research on campus during the summer may need to earn money for living expenses. Northwestern University, Weinberg College, and the psychology department all have funds available on a competitive basis to support student research. Guidelines for applying for the psychology department’s Benton J. Underwood Summer Fellowship are always included in the winter edition of our undergraduate newsletter,  Swift Thinking . See the Weinberg College webpage on  funds for undergraduate research  and the university page on  Research Opportunities for Undergraduates  for additional funding options.

Many graduate schools give a great deal of consideration to the likely match between potential students' interests and faculty interests. Students can convey their interests through the personal statements they include in their applications and in direct contact with relevant professors. If you have strong interests in a professor's research, this will make you a much more desirable applicant to that person. But you must be able to convey that your interests are serious, for example, by discussing a specific study. Faculty will not be impressed if it appears that you merely scanned the departmental brochure searching for topics that sound interesting.

Students may also want to consider trying some hands-on counseling-type work. Many agencies accept and train volunteers. For example, volunteering at a teen drop-in center or a hospital, working as a camp counselor for special needs children, and answering phones for a helpline can all be relevant experiences. If your goal is to work with some specific population – troubled teens, the elderly, autistic children – then you should try to gain some firsthand experience with this population. In part, this may serve as a valuable credential when you apply for graduate training. Perhaps more importantly, it will let you know if working with this population is as rewarding for you as you expect it to be. Two student groups –  Northwestern Community Development Corps (NCDC)  and  OASIS  – are good sources of information about volunteer opportunities in Evanston and surrounding communities

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By submitting my email address. i certify that i am 13 years of age or older, agree to recieve marketing email messages from the princeton review, and agree to terms of use., tips for applying to md-phd programs.

If you can’t imagine a medical career without helping patients and participating in research, you’ve probably considered the MD-PhD track. Learn all about applying to MD-PhD programs and get our expert tips for strengthening your application.

Is an MD-PhD Program right for you?

The MD-PhD is a dual doctorate degree program for students who are interested in careers as “physician-scientists." By graduation, you’ll have fulfilled requirements for both the MD and PhD degrees. The MD-PhD takes about 8 years to complete during which you receive medical training AND become an expert in a specific research field. The program also requires dissertation research in your field of graduate study, which can range from biomedical laboratory disciplines like biochemistry or genetics to fields like economics, sociology, or anthropology . After graduation, MD-PhD students usually work as researchers or as faculty members at medical schools and universities.

Learn more about MD combined degree programs .

What are Medical Scientist Training Programs?

Medical Scientist Training Programs (MSTP) are MD-PhD programs that are funded by the National Institute of Health. Students who are admitted to these highly-competitive programs receive full tuition coverage, living expenses, and a stipend. There are currently 45  NIH-funded MSTP programs .

Are all MD-PhD programs free?

Over 60 medical and osteopathic medical schools  maintain their own MD-PhD or DO-PhD programs that are not funded by the NIH. Depending on the school, these programs offer full or partial financial support for their students.

Applying to MD-PhD Programs

Nearly all MD-PhD programs use the same application process as MD admissions—via the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) application . One key difference? MD-PhD applicants submit two additional essays: the MD-PhD Essay and the Significant Research Experience Essay:

• The MD-PhD Essay asks you to explain your reasons for pursuing the combined degree program.
• The  Significant Research Experience Essay asks you to describe your key research experiences, including your research supervisor's name and affiliation, the duration of the experience, the nature of the problem studied, and your contributions to the project.

Read More: Guide to Your Med School Applications

Do you need to take the GRE Test to apply for the Md-Phd Program?

Programs have different policies, so some schools may require both the MCAT and the GRE for combined degree applicants. For example, an MD-Phd in Anthropology at one school may require the GRE, while the MD-PhD in Immunology may not. Check with your prospective med schools to make sure you’re covered.

Timeline for MD-PhD Admissions

The MD-PHD application timeline is virtually the same as for MD admissions. (Remember you are using the same application service!) Here are the important dates for MD-PHD admissions:

• Early May: AMCAS opens and begins accepting transcripts
• Early June:  AMCAS begins accepting application submissions
• October–March: MD-PhD applicant interviews
• December–March: Admissions decisions sent to applicants
• March–April: Md-PhD applicants make their final decisions
• June–August: MD-PHD programs begin!

Tips for Boosting Your Md-Phd Application

Competition for MD-PhD applicants is fierce. After all, you have to convince medical schools to invest significant time and financial resources in you. Of the total 1,936 MD-PhD applicants in 2016–17, only 649 matriculated in a U.S. med school. Here’s what you can do to strengthen your overall application.

1. You need strong MCAT scores and a high GPA

If your grades and scores aren’t where they need to be, address it before you apply!  Check out these admissions stats for MD-PhD matriculants to U.S. medical schools from 2016-2017:

SOURCE:  Association of American Medical Colleges

Make a smart MCAT prep plan and retake the exam if necessary. Consider completing additional grad school work to raise your GPA and take advantage of our online tutors for pre-med requirements!

2. You need sustained research background + a clear picture of your future in research

3. you need the right recommenders.

Most letters of recommendation should come for your research mentors, professors who run the labs you work in, and the postdoctoral fellows you work with. Make sure your recommenders know that you are applying to MD-PhD programs as this will affect the letters they write.

Want to get an edge over the crowd?

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PhD is the highest degree available from an institution of higher learning. Finding out which doctoral program fits your needs and goals is crucial, whether you wish to pursue academic and research endeavors full-time or become eligible for top leadership roles in your industry. 

Read on if you’re not familiar with the specifics of a PhD degree. You will discover the definition of a doctorate, how long is a PhD program , the specializations it encompasses, and the advantages of seeking one in this post. So, let’s get going.

How Long Is a PhD Program: Duration

Mostly, people ask how long a PhD take before they enroll in any PhD program. The doctoral degree (PhD) can last up to seven years. However, it usually lasts five to seven. The goal of a PhD is to produce original, freshly brewed research. 

However, it can occasionally become laborious and take longer than anticipated to finish. They concentrate on extending the limits of the field’s understanding through several research and case studies that cause delays. 

Top PhD Specializations 

You can classify the various types of doctorate degrees based on specialization. So, here are some of the top PhD specializations to choose from:

PhD Commerce

A Ph.D. in commerce is a doctorate program that takes at least two years to complete. Many universities say a thesis or research paper must be completed within five years after the application date. Some universities offer part-time PhD programs in commerce. 

PhD Humanities

Analyzing human cognition and culture critically is the focus of a doctorate in humanities. The course explores how philosophy, music, art, and the arts impact our daily lives. The growth of ideas and concepts, the operation of a society, behavioral patterns and the difficulties encountered, human interactions and relationships, etc., would all be thoroughly taught to the students. 

PhD Science

Students with an MSc or MTech background can pursue a 3- to 5-year doctorate/doctoral degree in science called PhD Science. Candidates must do research in any of the science disciplines, including biology, chemistry, physics, and so on. 

PhD Engineering and Technology

Research-based instruction is frequently the focus of an engineering or technology PhD. It might entail the advancement of degree programs or the creation of new technologies. A program tailored to the individual student’s interests, such as mastering a highly specialized technology or engineering field, may also be included. 

PhD after MBA

A business management education at the doctorate level is called a PhD in Business Management. With online doctor in business administration programs , like the ones from UpGrads, you learn to handle the different operations of a corporation, including organizing, planning, monitoring, managing, and leading. The PhD program in business management lasts for three years. 

Advantages of Having a Doctoral Degree

Now that you know how long is a PhD program and the types of PhD specializations, let’s explore some of its advantages:

Career Advancement

Opportunities for career progression are one advantage of obtaining a PhD. For example, after receiving your PhD, you might get promoted or decide to change careers. This could help you reach your professional objectives and improve your level of job happiness.

Boosts Earning Potential

Getting a degree could help you make more money. This may occur due to your increased knowledge and abilities to support an organization’s growth or enhance its operations.

Increases Recognition & Networking

The status and distinction that come with earning a PhD are further advantages. You can get requests to offer your knowledge at conferences or events in your industry. Getting a PhD can also help you build a stronger professional network by putting you in contact with leading authorities in your field and improving your standing in the business.

If you decide to pursue one, you’ll probably be shocked at the variety of PhD programs available. Furthermore, although several programs within a given area may share the same general academic requirements and study topics, there are also less obvious distinctions.

When you’re prepared to pursue a PhD, after giving your interests and professional objectives considerable thought, be sure to look into a wide range of options offered by several colleges — to the extent your circumstances allow.

1. Can I finish my PhD in India in two years?

In India, earning a PhD can take three to seven years to complete. A PhD must be completed within three years of being admitted through PhD Entrance Exams.

2. What variety of PhD programs are there?

The academic degree (PhD) and the applied degree (doctoral), as we have already discussed, are the two categories of doctoral degrees. Here’s a general guideline to follow: Pursue your doctorate.

3. Is finding employment following a PhD easy?

Finding a job opportunity with a PhD is easier than it is without one because many organizations want candidates with this degree.

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Why is it so hard to send humans back to the moon?

The Apollo program put humans on the moon in 1969. So why haven't we sent any more since?

Between 1969 and 1972, the Apollo missions sent a total of a dozen astronauts to the surface of the moon — and that was before the explosion of modern technology. So why does it seem like our current efforts, as embodied by NASA's Artemis program , are so slow, halting and complex? 

There isn't one easy answer, but it comes down to money, politics and priorities.

Let's start with the money. Yes, the Apollo missions were enormously successful — and enormously expensive. At its peak, NASA was consuming around 5% of the entire federal budget, and more than half of that was devoted to the Apollo program . Accounting for inflation, the entire Apollo program would cost over $260 billion in today's dollars. If you include project Gemini and the robotic lunar program, which were necessary precursors to Apollo, that figure reaches over $280 billion.

Related: Astronauts won't walk on the moon until 2026 after NASA delays next 2 Artemis missions

In comparison, today NASA commands less than half a percent of the total federal budget, with a much broader range of priorities and directives. Over the past decade, NASA has spent roughly $90 billion on the Artemis program. Naturally, with less money going to a new moon landing, we're likely to make slower progress, even with advancements in technology.

Closely tied to the financial realities are the political realities. In the 1960s, America was in the midst of the space race , a competition with the Soviet Union to achieve as many firsts in space, especially landing humans on the moon. The public was on board and energized by this idea, as were lawmakers who directed NASA's expansive budget. 

That kind of spending, however, was deeply unsustainable. As soon as America "won," the public quickly lost interest and NASA funding tumbled. There simply isn't the political or public will to spend that amount of money for a second shot at the moon.

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This combination of lower political will and fewer financial resources forced NASA to make some critical decisions in the late 1990s and early 2000s — decisions that still affect Artemis today. 

Namely, as the space shuttle program was winding down, NASA administrators didn't know what to do with the industrial capabilities and partnerships that led to the shuttle. They decided to keep that infrastructure in place by reusing many shuttle parts, especially the engines , and folding them into the Artemis design.

On the other hand, one could argue that it was the right call to keep that infrastructure in place and aerospace engineers employed, because it was exactly that technical base that we needed to launch the recent renaissance in private spaceflight companies — but that's a separate discussion.

Lastly, the modern Artemis concept has a much different set of priorities than the Apollo missions did. For example, our risk tolerance is much, much lower than it was in the 1960s. The Apollo missions were outright dangerous, with a significant chance of failure. Indeed, several missions did encounter disasters: the Apollo 1 fire that killed three astronauts, an engine shutdown during Apollo 6, and the near-fatal design flaw that nearly led to the deaths of the Apollo 13 astronauts. NASA, lawmakers and the public are not willing to take on that level of risk again, especially after the Challenger and Columbia disasters .

— Return to the moon: The race we have to win (again)

— Return to flight: NASA's Artemis 1 mission to launch using space shuttle-used parts

— NASA beefing up SLS moon rocket for its Artemis program

The Apollo missions expended enormous sums of money to send astronauts to the lunar surface for a few dozen hours. They went, collected some samples, set up some simple experiments, and left. 

The Artemis missions are designed around a completely different set of goals. For one, the astronauts will spend up to a week on the lunar surface, which requires more food, water, fuel and scientific instruments. Second, while the Apollo missions treated science as an afterthought — the main goal was to beat the Soviets — scientific investigation will take center stage in the Artemis program, meaning it entails a longer, more complex mission design.

Lastly, the intent of the Artemis program isn't just to return humans to the moon; it's to begin building the infrastructure to maintain a permanent human presence there . Everything from orbiting refueling depots to site selection for future colonies falls under the umbrella of the Artemis project. It is a much more involved program because it provides the framework for achieving dreams for generations to come.

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: [email protected].

Paul M. Sutter is an astrophysicist at SUNY Stony Brook and the Flatiron Institute in New York City. Paul received his PhD in Physics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2011, and spent three years at the Paris Institute of Astrophysics, followed by a research fellowship in Trieste, Italy, His research focuses on many diverse topics, from the emptiest regions of the universe to the earliest moments of the Big Bang to the hunt for the first stars. As an "Agent to the Stars," Paul has passionately engaged the public in science outreach for several years. He is the host of the popular "Ask a Spaceman!" podcast, author of "Your Place in the Universe" and "How to Die in Space" and he frequently appears on TV — including on The Weather Channel, for which he serves as Official Space Specialist.

China's experimental moon satellites beam back lunar imagery (video, photo)

Are we prepared for Chinese preeminence on the moon and Mars? (op-ed)

Mirrors in space could boost solar power production on Earth. Here's how.

• orsobubu I always have big doubts when I read these statistics regarding the costs compared in different eras; john williams, for example, calculates that today inflation in america, using the same mathematical method (which has nothing to do with the obviously different basket of goods) used until 1980, is quadruple the official one, and that over the course of the years, at least since 2000, has been on average about 8 points higher than that declared. Reply
• Redderek I've heard that the technology of the SaturnV was destroyed once the Apollo program was closed. This was to keep the Soviets from obtaining any knowledge for their own gain. Thus, we essentially destroyed the technology to go back. Reply
• billslugg All Apollo learnings are, and always have been, public. Subscribe to NASA Technical Briefs for all the details. Reply

Admin said: The Apollo program put humans on the moon in 1969. So why haven't we sent any more since? Why is it so hard to send humans back to the moon? : Read more

• billslugg There is no reason to send humans to the Moon. There is nothing to do there that bots can't handle. The only reason we did it in 1969 was to prove to the world we were better than the Soviets. That need has passed. We don't care about China's Moon aspirations. Have at it, we will have fun watching. Best of luck to you. Reply

billslugg said: There is no reason to send humans to the Moon. There is nothing to do there that bots can't handle. The only reason we did it in 1969 was to prove to the world we were better than the Soviets. That need has passed. We don't care about China's Moon aspirations. Have at it, we will have fun watching. Best of luck to you.

• motie The propulsion challenge is stupendous. See the link below. I am not convinced that this is ever going to happen. https://www.americaspace.com/2024/04/20/starship-faces-performance-shortfall-for-lunar-missions/ Reply

Unclear Engineer said: Bill, astronauts managed soft landings on the Moon 6 times out of 6 tries. Bots are less than 50% if I remember the numbers correctly. As for "needs", that depends on your perspectives about learning new things. If we don't need to learn new things, we could just stop exploring. But, if we do want to learn new things, humans are much better at recognizing them than any robots we can build today. Using bots is like looking at something through a knothole that is in a fixed position - hard to really understand the big picture.

• Unclear Engineer My reading of the news about the robotic missions to both the Moon and Mars is that they have very limited capabilities, compared to humans. Sure, that will improve. But, it really has a long way to go. We don't even have reliable self driving cars, and that is in an extremely well know environment. We will eventually see how Musk makes out with the Moon missions. NASA was already supposed to be there, now, but could not get the funding - so they just kept slipping the schedule. Musk is just going as fast as the FAA will allow, but he doesn't really have to make a particular schedule for his own programs. If NASA wants somebody to blame for schedule slips, they will probably use SpaceX as the scapegoat, but it is really Congress that has slowed the pace of SLS. NASA should have been designing the lander as soon as they started designing the launch vehicle, since the payloads govern the launch requirements. Reply
• Unclear Engineer AI can become really good at performing really well defined tasks, if it is programmed well enough. But, it has been a total bust at performing critical thinking . Reply
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Ways to get a BSN degree 

By Michael Feder

This article has been vetted by University of Phoenix's editorial advisory committee.  Read more about our editorial process.

Reviewed by Raelene Brooks , Dean, College of Nursing

In this article

• How to get your Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree
• BSN admissions requirements
• BSN coursework
• Skills you’ll learn in a BSN degree program
• Earning a BSN at University of Phoenix

Registered nurses (RNs) are a vital part of the healthcare system and can pursue numerous specializations. (The field has Many types of nurses , including charge nurses and travel nurses, for example.) From patient advocacy to hands-on treatment, they provide essential care in hospitals, clinics, outpatient surgery centers, public healthcare settings and more.

To become an RN, you can take a variety of paths. You can complete a diploma nursing program or earn an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) and then obtain licensure. You can continue your education and pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), to enhance your career and explore new opportunities.

Ready for the challenge? Maybe it’s time to pursue an RN to BSN degree

Ultimately, the difference between an RN and a BSN is that RN describes a professional role that requires a license, whereas a BSN is a nursing degree program that allows RNs to grow their skill set, such as in leadership, and potentially adopt new roles within the nursing field.

If you’re an RN who wants to take the next step in your career, an online nursing degree can help prepare you for your nursing journey. Let’s explore how to earn a BSN, including why competency-based RN-BSN programs can streamline the process for working RNs who hold an active license.

How to get your BSN degree 

Despite the ways online coursework can make earning a degree more feasible for working adults, completing your BSN takes time and dedication. University of Phoenix is committed to removing as many barriers to education as possible by offering online programs and flexible scheduling, but it’s still essential to research all pathways before deciding which makes the most sense for your situation.

RNs who hold a bachelor’s degree in a field other than nursing and who want to enhance their careers can consider an option outside of the BSN. Nurse bridge programs , like the one offered by University of Phoenix, provide licensed nurses with an avenue for additional education and career enhancement through a Master of Science in Nursing.

An MSN program at UOPX is a post-licensure nursing program designed for nurses with current RN licensure who desire to obtain a Master of Science in Nursing with a specialization, such as Administration, Education, Informatics, Family Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric Mental Health.

How to go from RN to BSN 

Nurses who have graduated with a nursing diploma or an ADN and who have obtained their RN licensure, can earn their BSN through the University of Phoenix’s traditional RN to BSN program track.

For nurses who have at least one year of full-time, post-high school, clinical RN work experience and who thrive in self-governed educational settings, University of Phoenix offers an RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Competency-Based) program track.

Competency-based (CB) programs are structured differently from traditional degree programs. At UOPX, for example, students in non-CB programs usually take one class at a time. But the University’s CB programs allow taking four classes at a time.

More importantly, students in CB programs work with faculty advisors to focus their education on learning skills and knowledge they don’t already have. By scheduling regular competency assessments according to their needs and in conjunction with faculty advisors, students can spend more time learning what they don’t know and less time proving what they do know.

Students can complete the competency-based BSN program in as little as 12 months. 

How to go from an ADN to a BSN 

Nurses who hold an ADN and who have completed their RN program and NCLEX licensure, can also earn their BSN through University of Phoenix’s RN to BSN program . You will only need experience if you are looking to take the competency-based RN to BSN program .

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Understanding competency-based (CB) education

Bsn admissions requirements .

University of Phoenix’s BSN programs require candidates to hold an active, unencumbered RN license in each jurisdiction in which they have licensure.* As mentioned, applicants for the CB track must have at least one year of nursing work experience.

*Other admissions requirements include proof of U.S. citizenship or permanent residency. There’s no SAT/ACT or essay requirement, and UOPX can usually request your transcripts at no additional cost. The University accepts eligible credits from more than 5,000 accredited institutions.

Expected BSN coursework 

UOPX’s BSN program aligns with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Essentials to deliver the necessary curriculum and expected competencies. In addition to general education coursework to help develop your knowledge of health, wellness and nutrition, you’ll complete coursework that focuses on:

• Public health fundamentals
• Healthcare policy and financial management
• Professional nursing leadership perspectives
• Ethical and legal considerations
• Research outcomes management

The degree program includes 11 core nursing courses and 47 general education credits. Students must also complete 90 direct care clinical hours. While you can take all of the instructional courses online, the clinical hours must occur in person in a community setting.

Hard and soft skills you’ll develop when earning a BSN 

The hard and soft skills you’ll learn when earning a BSN go beyond the basic skills needed for nursing , like how to administer medication and insert an IV. You’ll learn how to practice evidence-based care that reflects your knowledge of health and wellness. You’ll demonstrate professional standards of ethics and legal conduct within the healthcare industry, and you’ll learn how to better communicate within the health setting, whether that’s with patients or peers.

Skills you’ll acquire during the program include the following:

• Communication
• Critical thinking and holistic nursing
• Compassion in population health
• Professionalism
• Coordination of safe care
• Information management and communication
• Quality improvement and case management

Many of these skills can even translate to additional alternative careers to nursing , further setting you up for career success.

Potential careers after earning a BSN 

Earning your BSN can prepare you for additional career opportunities for RNs. Given that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects faster than average job growth for registered nurses between 2022 and 2032, ensuring you have the right credentials could help prepare you for your career journey. Depending upon your role and experience, nursing salaries across the country can vary.

The BSN from University of Phoenix prepares for the following roles:

• Charge nurse: Charge nurses are RNs who oversee administrative duties and coordinate between hospital leaders and general nursing staff. Their role often involves patient care as well. Many charge nurses provide crucial guidance to nurses and coordinate schedules among their teams.
• Public health nurse: Public health nurses promote and protect population health with knowledge gained from nursing, social and public health sciences. Rather than treat acute health problems, a public health nurse’s primary responsibility is to prevent disease and disability among the people in their community. Public health nurses can work in research facilities, outpatient clinics, community health clinics and other institutions. The BLS doesn’t differentiate between PHNs and other types of RNs; earning potential for this role falls in line with other RN roles.
• Director of nursing: Directors of nursing incorporate years of experience to handle the duties of overseeing an entire department’s nursing operation. In many cases, they implement policies, set budgets, manage staff and help triangulate information between administration and nurses. The BLS includes nursing directors as medical and health services managers, which can lead to increased earnings; in May 2023, salaries for this role landed between $86,080 and $157,640 .

Salary ranges are not specific to students or graduates of University of Phoenix. Actual outcomes vary based on multiple factors, including prior work experience, geographic location and other factors specific to the individual. University of Phoenix does not guarantee employment, salary level or career advancement. BLS data is geographically based. Information for a specific state/city can be researched on the BLS website.

Earning a BSN at UOPX 

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs available at University of Phoenix are excellent ways for RNs to learn relevant skills that can enhance their careers.

RNs can choose from the following bachelor’s degree programs:

• Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing : Dive into relevant topics like nursing roles and practice, research outcomes, and health information technology during this traditional, online 120-credit program.
• RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing– Competency-Based: Earn your BSN in as little as a year by leveraging your work experience, skills and self-discipline in this self-paced program.

No matter where your RN career takes you, a BSN from University of Phoenix can help you gain valuable skills that may help you achieve your future goals. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A graduate of Johns Hopkins University and its Writing Seminars program and winner of the Stephen A. Dixon Literary Prize, Michael Feder brings an eye for detail and a passion for research to every article he writes. His academic and professional background includes experience in marketing, content development, script writing and SEO. Today, he works as a multimedia specialist at University of Phoenix where he covers a variety of topics ranging from healthcare to IT.

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• MyU : For Students, Faculty, and Staff

Hannah Kenagy and Melissa Ramirez join Department of Chemistry

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (04/22/2024) – The Department of Chemistry will welcome Dr. Hannah Kenagy and Dr. Melissa Ramirez to the faculty in January 2025. Both chemists will enter the department as Assistant Professors. 

Hannah S. Kenagy will join the department in January 2025 after completion of her postdoctoral training at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where she currently works as an NSF AGS Postdoctoral Fellow with Prof. Jesse Kroll and Prof. Colette Heald. Prior to her current position at MIT, Kenagy completed her PhD at the University of California Berkeley in 2021 with Ronald Cohen and her BS in Chemistry and the University of Chicago in 2016. 

At the University of Minnesota, the Kenagy research group will focus on atmospheric chemistry. Kenagy’s research explores how emissions into the atmosphere get physically and chemically transformed into gases and particles with impacts on air quality and climate. “We will use an integrated toolset for thinking about these questions, including lab experiments, field observations, and multi-scale modeling,” Kenagy says. “In particular, we’ll focus on questions regarding how atmospheric chemistry and composition are changing as we reduce our reliance on fossil fuel combustion and as temperatures continue to rise with climate change. Integrating measurements and models together will enable us to push forward our understanding of this changing chemistry.”

Kenagy is passionate about integrating environmental chemistry learning opportunities in her classrooms to make real-world connections for students. “Because so much of my research is relevant to air quality and climate – things that impact people’s daily lives, often inequitably – outreach is a really key component of my group’s work,” Kenagy says. She also engages in ongoing efforts to make science more accessible, and to ensure all students have the resources they need to thrive and develop a sense of belonging in science.

The UMN Department of Chemistry’s strong focus on environmental chemistry and the opportunities to engage in interdisciplinary research make the move to Minnesota particularly exciting for Kenagy. “I’m looking forward to joining a university with atmospheric scientists in a variety of departments across both the Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses. I also plan to make some measurements of urban chemistry across the Twin Cities, a unique environment that is impacted by agricultural and biogenic emissions in addition to more typical urban emissions. This mix of emissions makes the Twin Cities an interesting place to study the air!”

When she’s not busy in the office and lab, Kenagy loves being outside, hiking and swimming. She also loves music – she plays piano and sings – and cooking.  You can read more about Kenagy here.

Melissa Ramirez will also make her move to Minnesota in January of 2025. Currently, Ramirez is an NIH K99/R00 MOSAIC Scholar, NSF MPS-Ascend Fellow, and Caltech Presidential Postdoctoral Scholar in the laboratory of Prof. Brian Stoltz at the California Institute of Technology, where her research focuses on enantioselective quaternary center formation using experiments and computations. Before her postdoctoral position, Ramirez completed her PhD in Organic Chemistry at the University of California, Los Angeles with Prof. Ken Houk and Prof. Neil Garg in 2021 and her BA in Chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania in 2016. 

The Ramirez laboratory at UMN will develop experimental and computational approaches to address challenges associated with efficiency in the synthesis of pharmaceutically relevant small molecules. “The mission of my research program will be to establish synthetic methods in the areas of main group catalysis, asymmetric organocatalysis, and transition metal photochemistry with the aid of computations,” Ramirez writes. “Students trained in my lab will develop strong skills in synthetic and computational organic chemistry with a focus on reaction development. This synergistic skillset in synthesis and computations will also give rise to a range of opportunities for collaboration with the broader scientific community.” Ramirez aims to bridge synthesis and catalysis research with computational chemistry at UMN.

Ramirez says an important goal for her as a professor will be to challenge students, support them, and make them feel connected to the classroom regardless of their background. “Throughout my academic career, some of the most effective teachers I have had are those who believed in my potential even when I experienced self-doubt or failure,” Ramirez says. She is also looking forward to collaborating with the Chemistry Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee to explore ways to better connect students with resources to help remove barriers to their science education and career. “I am excited to help recruit a diverse student body by helping organize the  CheMNext session and by continuing my close relationship with organizations such as the Alliance for Diversity in Science and Engineering and Científico Latino, which I have served on the organizational board for during my postdoc,” Ramirez says.

When she’s not on campus, Ramirez enjoys staying active. She’s an avid runner, loves Peloton, and likes taking high-intensity interval training (HIIT) classes.  You can learn more about Ramirez here.

The hiring of Kenagy and Ramirez follows the recent announcement of Dr. Jan-Niklas Boyn and Dr. Kade Head-Marsden joining the faculty in Fall 2024 . These four incoming Gophers will bring the Department of Chemistry total of new faculty hires to nine over the past three years. We are excited for these outstanding chemists to join our community, and be part of the ongoing growth of the College of Science and Engineering on the UMN-TC campus.

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