Planning for Getting PhD in the USA

[Stanislav]

You need good GPA and GRE score, strong statement of purpose, and recommendation letters. When I first applied, there were some flaws in my package, plus I didn't research programs well and was rejected.

I am working through this stuff right now and I have forseen this problem for myself. I don't have a problem with the statement of purpose or most of the other information, but I don't have much in the way of undergrad GPA as most of my credits are ungraded. While my graduate credits were ungraded, they do come with a 3.0 equivalency, despite acing every course, so that helps a bit. The bigger issue is that since all my recent schooling was online, I don't really have a way to gain academic letters of recommendation. Not to mention, I have decades of professional experience, but no academic research experience to list.


Out of curiosity, since you mentioned that you graduated in 2008 and are teaching now, what did you do your Ph.D. in?

Computer Science. Teaching, also Computer Science. Market is way hotter than it was in 2008 (was; no telling what damage did COVID-19 do).

As for admissions, I don't think your credentials are necessarily prohibitive - especially if you can ace the GRE. A lot of schools would jump at a guy who can code, plus native English can't hurt for TAships. There are two obstacles that could be higher for you. First, most people need to apply broadly to get into grad school (unless you get to know a professor who can invite you in his group if you clear the minimums for admission). International students like me or the TS are inherently flexible here: wherever we gain admission, it's equally far from home. I was picking between Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago and FSU in Tallahassee, FL. Second, you must be willing to live on subsistence wages for 4 to 6 years. For me, no problem; I lived through the hyperinflation of 1990ies back at home, so under-$800 a month was acceptable (actually no, because I dragged my wife with me - but we found a way); can be way harder for locals.

[SteveFoerster]

Yes, but unless you have significant savings, it means you have to live in the Reno, Nevada area on $17K per year, which would be challenging, to put it mildly.

That is what a majority of doctoral students are doing.

American doctoral students can get supplemental loans. International students like the OP cannot.

[Stanislav]

American doctoral students can get supplemental loans. International students like the OP cannot.

Well, I wouldn't know. But what I do know that in STEM at least, the majority of full-time doctoral students ARE international students like the OP. And I don't even need to equivocate about "full-time", because most R-1 departments have no concept of a "part-time student" anyway. With tiny exceptions, like when I was in my last semester, revising dissertation, and worked full time in CPT status.

[SteveFoerster]

I understand. I get it that people who are sufficiently determines share rooms in houses, eat ramen, borrow from family members, and make it work. I wasn't saying, "One cannot do it because of the finances," I was saying, "If one does this, the finances may be a challenge to overcome."

[Stanislav]

I understand. I get it that people who are sufficiently determines share rooms in houses, eat ramen, borrow from family members, and make it work. I wasn't saying, "One cannot do it because of the finances," I was saying, "If one does this, the finances may be a challenge to overcome."

True. These challenges sure look different from a low-income country.
Besides, what you are missing here is an American PhD can be one's only choice. There are only so many ways one can immigrate to the United States, for example. Also, suppose you want to be a scientist and hail from Ukraine or Indonesia. It is very possible there are about zero places in your country where that's possible. Strictly zero, if you want to make a career at it. If you're young, want to have a life in science, and do not have certain connections in shrinking domestic science world, sooner or later you move elsewhere. Sooner makes it easier, and grad school is the first stop where they pay you. I have inordinate number of acquaintances who walked this path. One guy I knew (barely) in school is Andrii Norets; he's at Brown University now and is in "Top 10 Ukrainian Economists" list. Not a single person on that list got a PhD in Ukraine. My close friend's father actually heads a big research institute in Kyiv, rather important guy. Well, his son went to grad school in Tampa anyway.
Me, I simply wanted better life and grew sick of coding (rather quickly I might add). I'm a late bloomer, actually; my sister went to US on athletic scholarship before turning 16. Our parents were relatively impoverished educators, no borrowing money from them.

[asianphd]

I understand. I get it that people who are sufficiently determines share rooms in houses, eat ramen, borrow from family members, and make it work. I wasn't saying, "One cannot do it because of the finances," I was saying, "If one does this, the finances may be a challenge to overcome."

True. These challenges sure look different from a low-income country.
Besides, what you are missing here is an American PhD can be one's only choice. There are only so many ways one can immigrate to the United States, for example. Also, suppose you want to be a scientist and hail from Ukraine or Indonesia. It is very possible there are about zero places in your country where that's possible. Strictly zero, if you want to make a career at it. If you're young, want to have a life in science, and do not have certain connections in shrinking domestic science world, sooner or later you move elsewhere. Sooner makes it easier, and grad school is the first stop where they pay you. I have inordinate number of acquaintances who walked this path. One guy I knew (barely) in school is Andrii Norets; he's at Brown University now and is in "Top 10 Ukrainian Economists" list. Not a single person on that list got a PhD in Ukraine. My close friend's father actually heads a big research institute in Kyiv, rather important guy. Well, his son went to grad school in Tampa anyway.
Me, I simply wanted better life and grew sick of coding (rather quickly I might add). I'm a late bloomer, actually; my sister went to US on athletic scholarship before turning 16. Our parents were relatively impoverished educators, no borrowing money from them.

Yes, exactly. Well said and it's true. I think you are similar to me in terms of the life goal. I wanted to have a lively research environment. That fulfillment only you can find in certain places, like the US. It doesn't mean European PhD, UK PhD is less in terms of quality. But my goal is to immigrate to the US, so the best route I can take is by studying in PhD. After covid, I will try to consult with my local US embassy. 

Actually I feel I am a little bit late. But yes, everyone's timing is different. For now I am starting to preparing it. Studying the TOEFL, GRE, etc.

[graduatesoon]

"I should really initiatively learn on my own, MOOC, reading textbook, reading a research paper, etc. I am competing with students that come from the top university, or maybe from an Ivy League. "

Currently COURSEA has many courses free with certificate during lock-down and they also have a special all you can eat for $399 for one year  so you would have one year to take all the courses you are interested in. Some specific courses are not included.

[SteveFoerster]

Yes, exactly. Well said and it's true. I think you are similar to me in terms of the life goal. I wanted to have a lively research environment. That fulfillment only you can find in certain places, like the US. It doesn't mean European PhD, UK PhD is less in terms of quality. But my goal is to immigrate to the US, so the best route I can take is by studying in PhD. After covid, I will try to consult with my local US embassy. 

Actually I feel I am a little bit late. But yes, everyone's timing is different. For now I am starting to preparing it. Studying the TOEFL, GRE, etc.

So, just so you can't say no one told you, earning a degree in the U.S. doesn't make you eligible to stay afterwards. You get a year afterwards of "optional practical training" which means you can work for that year and only that year. After that you must find an employer who will sponsor you for H-1B (which is much more difficult than most people think), marry a U.S. citizen, or leave. And even if you're lucky enough to get H-1B status, it's tied to that specific employer who will know that you are essentially an indentured servant.

Canada is friendlier and New Zealand is much friendlier to students who want to stay after. It's your call, but I would urge you not to dismiss them lightly.

[Stanislav]

So, just so you can't say no one told you, earning a degree in the U.S. doesn't make you eligible to stay afterwards. You get a year afterwards of "optional practical training" which means you can work for that year and only that year. After that you must find an employer who will sponsor you for H-1B (which is [i]much[/i] more difficult than most people think), marry a U.S. citizen, or leave. And even if you're lucky enough to get H-1B status, it's tied to that specific employer who will know that you are essentially an indentured servant.

Canada is friendlier and New Zealand is much friendlier to students who want to stay after. It's your call, but I would urge you not to dismiss them lightly.

Agree with almost everything. In fact, I had a misfortune to graduate into a slow market and impacted H1B issues face first. Caveat: even in 2008, many graduates managed to handle these issues. I would say that most international students will research these aspects and will know all this in detail (eg. how OPT will be 36 month, not 12, because STEM degrees are eligible for an extension).
Concur to bringing out Canada and NZ. I haven't lived in NZ, but yes, Canada has nicer regulations on Study Permits (big one is unrestricted work permit for spouses), and most provinces have Provincial Nominee programs making immigration easier. Obvious flip side of this that there are way fewer Canadian universities than American ones; plus US is quite frankly first choice for many. I don't know what the job market for faculty is there; one time I seriously tried I got nothing. In any case, yes, by all means Canadian programs should be considered.

[bjcheung77]

Just wondering - have you guys thought of Australian or UK programs? I've been looking mainly at Australian & UK programs and sometimes poking into European or South American and other programs locally. Would Aussie/UK programs be as good as the US? Depends, but I think so... I'm looking into programs that can be completed online.

Update edit: And if you're in Asia, there are other Asian countries with universities ranked very highly, have you guys thought of Singaporean schools, they're taught in English. There are a few that I really like as well... It's just that most PhD programs aren't fully online in these countries, most if not all of them have short residency requirements.