US PhD applications: contacting professors ("taoci") & the application process

In many ways, applying for a US PhD means improving yourself on every front, and it's a big commitment. I want to walk you through three areas to prepare. If you can start preparing early, your applications will go more smoothly.

Hard score requirements

GPA

Simply put, the higher the better. Without an undergraduate GPA of 3.5+, applying straight to a PhD isn't recommended; the average admitted GPA for PhDs at top schools is basically 3.7-3.8+. If you already have a master's, your GPA needs to be high too, but your undergraduate grades still count most and your master's grades are only a partial reference; strong applicants mostly have a GPA of 3.8+. If your undergraduate school and grades are average, a master's from a top university will help your application a lot.

TOEFL

100+ is recommended, and some schools also set requirements for each section, especially speaking. As an international student, your English has to be up to standard, because funding comes as a TA (teaching assistant) or RA (research assistant) position working for a professor, and your language skills need to be good enough to communicate without barriers.

GRE/GMAT

325+ is recommended, especially in the Q section; Taiwanese students should usually be able to score 163+. For the (old) GMAT, 720+ is recommended. Also, for the writing section, since a PhD is different from other MS programs and has certain expectations for writing, reaching 4～4.5 is best.

The application process

Contacting professors (taoci): a plus for admission

US News overall and subject rankings are only a basic reference, not the deciding factor in choosing schools. A school ranked below 100 may still reject you, and a school ranked below 150 isn't necessarily a safety. Choosing the right professor is the key.

So how do you reach out to professors at so many schools?

Simply put: "do it in rounds"

1. Pick your ideal schools and rank them for the first round of outreach. Send the first email to the department chair and the department secretary. The first year of a PhD is usually set up one of two ways: you work directly with a professor, or you do rotations; with rotations, the whole Admission Committee makes the decision.

2. Do the second round based on the replies to the first. Because the number of applicants rises every year, not many professors seem keen to answer prospective students' questions right now. If the reply seems positive and they show interest, keep building the relationship: attach your résumé and Research Interest and see whether they can recommend professors who are planning to take students. This round usually isn't promising, and maybe only a handful of professors will reply. Of course, if you're strong enough, you'll still get recommendations.

3. Third round: contact professors. If the first two rounds went well, the professors you contact next are basically ones with clear plans to take students. But if the first two rounds were unclear, you still have to go through this round, and here's the key part: how do you choose professors, and how do you write the email?"Choosing professors": look closely at their research background and their current research. To contact a professor, the minimum is to thoroughly digest everything on their homepage; the normal standard is to carefully read their representative papers and confirm that what they research is also what you want to learn.

The outreach email

Start, of course, with a brief self-introduction, then talk about your view of their research and raise your own ideas and questions. Professors are generally happy to discuss with you.

Paragraph 1:

1. A brief self-introduction.

2. Show you're strong enough to qualify for a PhD, and briefly describe your research experience

Paragraph 2:

1. With a solid understanding of the professor's background, mention your interests, which is also why you chose to contact this professor;

2. Most important: what you've already done, your personal interests and your current skills match the professor

3. If you've studied the professor's background and materials in detail, you can ask questions and have an academic discussion;

4. You can also discuss current problems in this field in China and developments in the industry;

5. You can also mention what you've been working on since applying.

Interviews

After receiving your materials, the school will arrange an interview: either the professor interviews you directly, or the Admission Committee has 1～2 professors interview you, mainly to learn more about your research direction, Career Plan and spoken English.

For all of the above, I hope you get clear on the requirements before applying, know your level and which schools you can apply to, make a detailed plan and keep improving. That way you'll feel more confident when you apply.

US PhD programs generally don't require a master's degree, so capable students can also consider going straight from a bachelor's to a PhD. As long as you're strong enough, can clearly explain your future research goals and find a professor whose direction matches yours, you may be admitted. Many students pay their own way for a master's in the US because there's less funding at the master's level. The US puts more emphasis on undergraduate education, but some STEM programs let you apply directly for a PhD, and compared with a master's, it's easier to get funding at the PhD level.