This post will work more like a forum, hence if you do have any specific questions regarding GRE, TOEFL or the program/department at a particular university then feel free to post questions using the "comment" link below. The experts (or at least the experienced) may try to answer them.
Showing posts with label Q and A. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Q and A. Show all posts
FAQs
Q1. Can B.Tech students apply for PhD without even doing a M.S.?
Yes you can! 28 of us from our class are going for a PhD directly from B.Tech.(Batch 2009)
We dont need M.S degree. Only BSc ppl need MSc. We Btech graduates, can directly apply for PhD in US. So for now concentrate on US applications.
Q2. How much does it cost to do a PhD?
95% of the PhD admits come with 100% funding + a monthly stipend (a stipend of around 2000$). This means, the cost of your education is completely paid by your university, you dont have to spend a penny, besides you also get paid 2000$ a month for your personal living expenses!
To actually pay for the PhD yourself, you will have to spend around 2 crore Indian Rs ;) So there is no question of you paying from your own pocket. If you pursue a PhD, it will be with 100% scholarship.
Q3. Which countries can we apply to for PhD?
Most Anna Univ students go to the U.S. US universities are the best for us students. Most
Q4. How does one apply to the
No!
For US application:
1) you have an online application. For that online application these are required:
a) your CGPA
b) general GRE score (Math and Verbal) (refer to the last post in GRE section in this blog)
c) Subject GRE - top colleges ask for subject GRE (go to ETS website, and look for Subject GRE/ A-GRE syllabus for us. We have to write biochem, cell b, molb etc)
d) you need 3 recommendation letters (hence your project play an imp role here. If u have done a project outside in a good institute, you can get recommendation letter from ur guide, an recos from scientists in big research institutes like NCBS, ICGEB, CDFD, CCMB, TRC, etc etc - beeest is NCBS, else other research insti is also really good.)
e) Statement of Purpose (u dont have to worry abt that till next year)
f) Research experience - this has the hiiiiiighest weightage in
So u basically get all this together, put all details in an online form, submit the online form, and send all the extra stuff that requires to be posted, by post.
Q5. How important is your CGPA/GRE for US admissions?
Well, this is a factor, though not the most important factor. Your CGPA and your GRE scores will act more or less like a cut off. Like, some colleges will take in students only with 3.5+ (In U.S. all CGPAs are on a total of 4. so 3.5/4.0 Directly convert your CGPA to a scale of 4 and see how much you get.). Some universities will look for minimum 3.0+, others 3.2+ and so on. Same with your GRE score. You are in the safe zone for almost all univs if you have a GRE score of 1300+ ( A 1400 would be ideal! 1500 is a lovely score!) So CGPA and GRE function like a cut-off. Once you get through the first round of filtered applicants, thats where the real competition begins, here its your projects/research experience which is going to make a difference. So your research experience is by far, the most important factor. (But that doesnt mean you get a 1200 GRE score and a CGPA of 7/10.00, you wont even be considered for admission in top schools!)
Q6. Timeline- When do I write GRE? When should I start applying? etc..
1. General GRE preparations - Get your barrons by 2nd year summer vacations and if you want to start earlier, go read the last post in the GRE section of this blog on how to study for GRE.
2. Taking GRE - You can take GRE anywhere from the end of 5th sem to start of 7th sem (Latest by July end).
3. Subject GRE preparation (optional) - The earlier the better, because these are all bio related subjects that u have to study. Be thorough with your Biochem, Cell Bio, Mol B, Genetic Engg and Immunology coursework. Start serious targeted preparation for Subject GRE from 6th sem vacations.
4. Subject GRE (optional) - Subject GRE is held on November 7th every year, so if u wish to take it to get into top schools, you ll be taking it in Novemeber in your 7th semester.
5. Actual application for colleges - The deadlines for PhD admissions in US colleges, begin from Novemeber 2nd week on. So by then everything else needs to be ready. If you are going to send in your subject gre score, u can send it even after u send the application.
Q7. Do I take the subject GRE?
This completely depends on the kind of person you are. I will guarantee that you will have your hands full with other application work (like GRE, project work mainly and then recos, SOPs and so on) from your 3rd year onwards. You should also remember that you need to maintain a good academic record, because that also matters for a PhD admit. Subject GRE is not tough for sure, but the preparation is voluminous, a lot of organised hardwork needs to go into it.
But if you decide to take it, work very hard and score 90+, u have increased your chances of a PhD admit by 50%!
I personally didnt think I could handle subject GRE preparation when I already had so much to do while applying, but if u can put in organized effort, then u shuld go ahead. You have to make this decision in 3rd year itself, that is your 5th sem itself. Because if you decide to take Subject GRE up, you need to finish your General GRE in 5th sem/early 6th sem itself, so that you can concentrate on subject GRE.
Q8. I am going to 5th sem now. What do I need to do for a good PhD admit at the end of B.Tech?
If u want a good PhD admit in the
1) Now, start GRE prep like what I had mentioned in the blog. Click on GRE on this blog, and read the last post on how to prepare for GRE.
2) Study haaaaaard for next 2 sems! Try getting 9 point something! (this is the last year where
3) And start looking for a good project for the next summer, that project matters the MOST! :) Its okay if u did only trainings till now. Apply for a fellowship next year.
Q9. I am going to 3rd sem now. What do I need to do for a good PhD admit at the end of B.Tech?
If u want a good PhD admit in the
1) Study haaaaaard for next 2 sems! Try getting 9 point something! (this is the last year where
2) And start looking for a good project for the summer. Its okay even if its a simple project, you need something to introduce you to research in a lab. Trying doing it in an insitute outside college, if doing it in college, do it in Taramani. If you dont get anything at aaalll, laaast option is, do a very very good training somewhere. DONT sit simply during the vacations.
3) Then go read up about GRE prep in the blog. Click on GRE on this blog.
Q10. Summer project or training? Do mini-projects help? I didnt exactly do a project but i did get trained in techniques like DNA Isolation, Flow Cytometry, analysis using HPLC and GC/MS to mention a few. Do they count or would u say it was just a waste of my time?
U arent expected to just do laboratory work, u are expected to do a project.. What you have done till now is okay, but a project is anyday more valuable than training. Okay, now training is only about learning techniques. Projects are about using those, to attain an objective. So this means, a project is not just techniques! But it is reading a lot of papers, coming up with hypothesis, designing expts to test hypotheses, carrying out experiments to test those hypothesis, brainstorming, troubleshooting and finally the interpretation of results. So, the techniques are just 1/10th of a project. Trainings aren't useless, they are surely better than nothing at all, but they are surely not as good as projects.
The same goes for mini-projects, they aren't as valuable as a project, but they do contribute to strengthening your resume for a PhD application.
Q11. What are the summer project fellowships available for undergrad students?
a) IAS (
b) JNCASR (
c) TIFR (Tata
d) IIT fellowships
e) German DAAD summer fellowship - get in touch with Sumanprava Current 4th year, Batch 2010) as to how she did it.
f) Japanese fellowship - get in touch with
g) Wisconsin Madison fellowship (Univ of Wisconsin Madison, USA) - Mathangi and Shanmugapriya got thru. Ask them how they got thru. this is the BEST u can dream of. U almost have a straight ticket to PhD with this ;)
Q12.
(IAS fellowship applications open from October on, so be alert and apply.)
- From the shortlist u have, go to the prof’s webpage (if he has one), else google to see what kind of papers he has. From this u ll have an exact idea of what the prof is working on, if the work interests u, shortlist him again. Hence here u have another shortlist.
- Now, u need to write a proposal based on the work the prof is doing, hence choose profs who work on similar lines.
For eg:- I shortlisted allll immuno profs, then read on the work and figured that there were some 4 working on malaria. Hence I wrote a proposal on malarial vaccines.
How do u write a proposal?
- Get research papers pertaining to the problem (preferably review papers coz they give u the best idea), read and understand the problem and everything about it.*
- Give
- Put together
* That is very very important, READ a lot of papers on the subject, only then will u get ideas, ideas don’t appear out of nowhere!
Things that will get u thru:-
- DON’T worry if u think
Q13a. What if I dont get through to any fellowship for a summer project?
1) Apply for fellowships. (thats the first option, but if you have not gotten through read on..)
2) Email profs in different institutes:- MSSRF, Madras Univ, IISc, NCBS, and any place you can think of!
3) Walk in! Simply walk in to an institute and approach a prof.
Q13b. How do you approach professors for projects?
You HAVE TO sound SMAAAARt, even if you arent a genius, sound like one ;) How do you sound like a genius? Read up the profs work in advance, email the prof sounding like you are absoooolutely intersted in their work. Read their work, get doubts, mail them with your doubts (That kind of shows that you have not only read their work but have also really pondered over it). When you go to meet them, talk to them about their work.
In the start most profs will say NO-
Dont let go of them! Tell them you are very intersted in their work. Go meet them again. Dont immediately start off asking them if u can do project. First talk about their work, ask doubts, sound smart. And in the end ask them if you can work under them. Then if they say no again, tell them "Okay sir/ma'am, can I atleast look around your lab? Just to know more about the work you are doing" (This is how I got into my present final sem project ;) My prof was so impressed dat I wanted to just look arnd his lab even after he said no to me that he gave me a project ;) )
So the first step is to email them. One email wont do. Email persistently. And please make
Q14. How do I select universities to apply to for a PhD in the
Refer article on University selection, in the university selection section of this blog!
- First, do
- Next, make sure u apply to NUS (National University of Singapore).
- Third, apply for M.S. Try
- Do well in
- Go check out Subject gre syllabus online in the ETS website, if u think u can handle it, write it. If u get 90%+, u have compensated for
*But this wuld be a tough option if u don’t have the money to pay for urself.. But if u do, then apply for MS!
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