How to Decide Where To Apply/Attend for Your PhD​

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Beginning the grad school application process can be daunting at first- there are so many schools out there... how do you choose where to apply? Hopefully this guide can help. Below we've included several factors to take into account when you are deciding where to apply for a PhD program (these can also be used when you're trying to decide where to accept an offer). The weight that you put on each of these factors is personal, so we have not put this list in any particular order. 

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Research

A love of research is the key factor that motivates most PhD students to pursue higher education. Wherever you apply to school, you should make sure there is representation from the research subfield(s) you are interested in. Some schools have departments with a broad focus on several research topics while other departments specialize in one or two topics. Think a bit about which focus might work best for you. But don't worry, you don't need to be 100% set on what you'd like to do for your thesis when you apply. 

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Advisors

Some would argue that a great research advisor is more important than an ideal research topic. Make sure you only apply to institutions where you have at least 3 options for advisors. You might find that the advisor you intended to work with is not taking students on or that your advising/learning styles don't mesh well. It's vital to have options. If you're looking to get answers to these questions before applying, you can try to reach out to grad students that currently work with each advisor. Often times grad students will be happy to talk with you and be candid about their experiences. You can find out which grad students work with an advisor by checking department websites. 

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Location

Most PhD students in the US take 5-7 years to complete their degree. This is a big chunk of your life, so you want to make sure you're located somewhere you will be happy. To decide if a location may be right for you, you can ask yourself questions like... Will I be close to family/friends? Will I have access to an airport or public transportation system? Will I need a car/bike to get around? Are there recreational activities nearby? What kind of weather do I like? Do I want to be in a new country? Will I have access to healthcare needs? What is the sociopolitical climate nearby? What is the cost of living? 

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Employee Benefits 

Everyone starts grad school at a different period in their life. Some people have worked for a company with benefits before and others have not. It is important to be well-versed on benefit options and understand how those options might impact you personally. A good place to start is by looking over graduate student salaries compared to the cost of living in the area given your family status. Some schools offer guaranteed financial support for a set amount of years, so be sure to understand how this compares to your expected degree timeline. You should also look into health insurance options (including dental and eye care), and see how those might work with your medical history. Some schools have graduate student worker unions that help to advocate for benefits and workers rights. If this is something that is important to you, you should consider applying to schools where graduate students are unionized.  ​

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Collaboration

Some grad programs have collaborations with other universities, institutes, telescopes, or experiments. Often times these collaborations can be avenues for making lasting connections or allow you to gain access to tools that can be helpful to your research.

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Facilities 

Similarly to the point above, some grad programs have access to labs, telescopes, etc. on site. These types of facilities can enhance (or enable) your research experience and often times open up opportunities for community engagement. 

 

Outreach 

Several grad programs and universities have opportunities to share science with the public. This may include telescope observing nights, physics demonstration shows, science round table events, tutoring initiatives, or opportunities to judge local science fairs. If you're interested in broader impacts, the availability (or lack) of opportunities like this can help you decide where you want to go to grad school. 

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Teaching

Teaching is a huge part of the grad school experience for many, and also a way to get paid as a grad student. Some schools have separate application components if you are interested in teaching, so keep an eye out for this on your grad school applications. Often times, grad students are Teaching Assistants for introductory physics classes. Depending on the university, these classes can be small or several hundred people. While grad students don't always have a lot of control over which class(es) they teach, this is something that may be important to you. 

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Social Climate

Different programs will have different social climates. It's helpful to think about whether you work best in a collaborative or competitive environment. Often times you can get a sense of this by talking to current grad students (whose contact information you can typically find on the department's website). 

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Diversity

Many departments and institutions have initiatives to support underrepresented minorities and students from diverse backgrounds. Some examples are department specific programs like RU MiPA; branches of SACNAS; LGBTQA+ organizations; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committees; offices of disability services; and religious or cultural organizations. For many, programs like these foster a broader sense of community, safety, and belonging. Even if you are not an underrepresented minority, going to a university with a diverse student body may be meaningful to you. 

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Courses

Depending on what country you study in, coursework may be a part of your PhD. In the US, many students spend the first 1-3 years completing courses. However, some programs have heavier course loads than others. This is something to consider, especially if you have a masters degree already. (Although some programs will allow you to "place out" of certain classes.) Additionally, you should look into the course requirements to make sure they fit your areas of interest. Some programs are more general physics heavy, while others have sub-field focuses. In a PhD, the cost of classes is usually covered in the US, while it is often not covered if you are a masters student. ​

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Competitiveness

While institutional prestige is treated differently for undergrad applications and grad applications, it still exists. In other words, some schools/programs are harder to get into than others. Before you apply to grad school, talk with your advisor about the competitiveness of different schools' admissions processes and apply to schools that have a wide range of competitiveness. If you are looking to go to school for astrophysics, physics programs that have astro tracks and joint physics+astronomy programs are generally a bit less competitive than pure astrophysics programs. This is something to keep in mind, but do not apply to programs where you would not be happy with the course requirements.  ​

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Qualification/Candidacy Exams

Some universities require students to go through a period of examination during their second and/or third year of the PhD. This exam can look very different from institution to institution. Some programs require a written exam, while others require and oral exam, and some a combination of both. This may be something to consider when applying to grad school.