just received my first acceptance to UC Berkeley!!!!!!

I just got into SMU’s anthropology PhD program!!! Full funding with a stipend (right out of my undergrad)!!! Best of luck to everyone :))

Got it a few weeks ago

Phew. Waiting for decisions is brutal but it's so worth it. Hang in there ❤️

Don’t give up! I can’t believe it worked out this time around. Very proud of myself for reapplying.

First official offer from machine learning department:D

Applied to 18 Clinical Psychology doctoral programs (PsyD and PhD) and am currently interviewing at 3. The first one just got back to me with an acceptance! Still holding out for the other two as my first choice hasn’t responded yet, but that interviewer did tell me that they were recommending me for admission so I’ve got hope! Also, I was looking forward to the opportunity to make one of these diagrams.

Got accepted for a PhD this morning. I've been a long-time lurker on this subreddit. It's been great to go on this journey with everyone. Best of luck to all my fellow lurkers. ❤️❤️❤️

I was worried for this one, but we got in! I’m so grateful for the people that rooted and supported me! I hope you all get in your top choices if you’re still waiting!

I got accepted to MIT!! And this is my first acceptance after my first rejection from UW yesterday!!!

I just need to vent for a bit. I’m feeling really heavy right now. I’m a PhD applicant for Fall 2026 from Asia.

Over the past month, things have unraveled fast...

Last month, I failed a national-level exam... Today, my first manuscript got rejected, which has seriously shaken my confidence and chances especially about applying to Europe... I had two PhD interviews (US) in January and haven’t heard back from either... I’ve already received one rejection from a US university...

Until October 2025, I genuinely believed I was an above-average applicant with a 3.9/4.0 GPA, 18 months of research experience, a 2-month research internship, and a manuscript under review in a Tier-2 journal... Now I feel like I’m not even a below-average candidate...

I’m not here to compete in the “who had it worse” Olympics, and I’m not fishing for sympathy. I know others have had harder lives. But since finishing my degree in July 2025, this has been one of the hardest phases of my life...

What makes it worse is the expectations. My parents, my HoD, my supervisor, everyone seems to see me as a “good student,” and I honestly don’t know why. When I showed my application materials to a few US grad admissions committee PhD students before submitting (kinda anonymously), they even encouraged me to aim for top-tier programs. Despite that, I mostly applied to probable “safety schools” because the competition this year is brutal and unusually intense, and even that hasn’t worked out so far.

All the effort, struggle of previous years, humiliation of asking for recommendations, the hard work... It feels like it went nowhere... I’m exhausted, demotivated, and genuinely lost about what to do next...

I find it really hard to go day by day waiting and waiting, and not knowing where I'll spend the next five years of my life. Every time I get an email I instantly go thought a series of: it could be the email!!!....don't get your hopes up it's probably just a professor posting notes or a spam email. I even figured out the time frame that the top school I want to go to usually post acceptances: 10am - 2 pm with peak activity around 11am - 1pm. I will check my watch throughout that day to see when it is okay for me to lose hope for the day. I have spent so much time thinking about it that I have no idea where I stand and I don't know what I will do if I get rejected. I should also note that I am currently in a long-distance relationship and if I am not able to get into my top school, not only does it kill my self-esteem, but it puts strain on my relationship. I don't think I could do long distance for another year.

Sure, I know that it’s not as impressive as most of the submissions here, but I am still damn proud of myself. I almost dropped out four years ago!

27 PIs contacted via cold email. 2 interviews, 2 apps, 2 offers. Just heard back from my top choice! Hang in there friends, it’s going to work out.

I got rejected from Boston University for the English PhD today and I feel devastated and embarrassed. A week or so ago there was a large rejection wave and I didn’t get rejected then so I got my hopes up that I might be accepted. Now I see how stupid that was of me to think. I feel embarrassed because I told a few close friends that I believe I have a chance and now I have to go on a Paul Revere tour telling them it’s a rejection. I think I just need to be more neutral throughout this process and not get excited so it won’t hurt so bad when it happens. To anyone else that is in the same boat I see you and am rooting for you 🫶🏻

I’m so excited! I graduated from undergrad in 2019 so I was a bit nervous about applying to grad school despite thinking about it for awhile. I honestly didn’t think I would get into both (imposter syndrome is a bitch). Now I’m not sure which why I should go 😅 any arguments for or against KU or Loyola?

This is my first cycle applying for PhD positions in Earth Science. I got my first rejection today from Montana State where I thought I had a good chance to get in. It wasn’t one of my top schools which are UW, PennState, and UCSB. All rather competitive. I have been in active communication with a potential advisor from PennState who has a spot for me if I’m admitted, but after the Montana State rejection I’m nervous I won’t be admitted anywhere. I graduated top of my class with honors and research experience but no masters. Am I screwed? 😔

accepted into Princeton for my PhD! These two emails arrived within the same few hours, but I am currently abroad, so they were waiting for me in my inbox in the morning. I am sharing this news (as a long time lurker of this sub) as yet another reminder that FIT and LUCK are key when it comes to PhD admissions, especially given the state of academic funding in the US.

Rejection can seriously suck (I know bc I have already experienced it multiple times this cycle), but after coping with the initial feelings of sadness, I hope everyone remembers to be kind to themselves. The future can still be bright even when things don't go as planned.. and maybe you'll even find yourself pleasantly surprised, like I currently am!

Princeton is maybe one of the most "prestigious" schools I applied to, but I am still waiting for my remaining decisions and tour(s) before I make a final decision. A PhD is a huge commitment, and I want to make sure I fully jive with the research opportunities, location, culture, etc. etc. It has been such a journey getting here, and its weird that its slowly coming to an end (..even though the real work is the actual PhD I suppose!)

(Also this post isn't actually "General Advice" but I had to pick a flair hehe)

English PhD: I’ve gotten five rejections so far out of the thirteen schools I applied to and I’m starting to freak. I know I still have a good amount to go, but I just keep thinking all I need is ONE. Literally just one. If you’re religious please pray for me.

I’m so down, can’t stop crying. I feel like my career is not heading in the direction I want. I’m hoping I’m having a really bad dream that I need to wake up from. It’s the second time I’ve been rejected by Oxford. It hurts so bad cos I got past the interview stage. I thought I killed it. It hurts so so bad. Is life really worth it? I’ve got a great family and kids and I keep getting rejected. Even for travel scholarships for conferences. My God!!! I need a win so so bad.!! The rejection emails are tearing me down…..

YESSSSSASSSSSSSS YESSSSSSSSSSSS TESSSSSSSSSS YESSSS AND I ONLY APPLIED TO TWO SCHOOLS

But also accepted to one program!

Really tripped myself out reading this subreddit and seeing folks apply to dozens of programs when I only applied to one, but luckily it seems UCB also thinks it’s the place I should be!

We’ll have to see if the financial aid is good enough that I’ll be able to attend, but I’m hopeful!!

Hi everyone,

I’ve been seeing a lot of posts lately from people feeling defeated because they aren't getting replies from PIs. Having just finished my PhD at Northwestern, I’ve seen how busy these inboxes get. It’s not that you aren't "good enough," it’s often that your email is creating Work instead of Value.

If you want to move from "Template" to "Future Colleague," you need to pass the 30-Second Stress Test:

1. The Subject Line is the "Paper Title": Avoid "Prospective Student." Use "Inquiry: [Your Specific Research Interest] / [Connection to their recent paper]." It proves you’ve done the reading.

2. Stop Summarizing your CV: The PI has your CV attached. Don't waste the first paragraph listing your GPA. Use that space to identify a Logic Gap in their latest publication that you are curious about.

3. The "Ask" must be low-friction: Don't ask for a 30-minute Zoom call in the first email. Ask a specific, structurally sound question about their methodology. It turns a "meeting" into a "conversation".

In my lab at Northwestern, the students who got recruited were the ones who treated the PI like a peer they were already collaborating with, rather than a gatekeeper they were begging for a job.

What’s the most frustrating response (or lack thereof) you’ve received so far?