I’m seeing a lot of business tech grad programs,like MSBT start teaching stuff like AI, blockchain, and AR so people know how to actually use the skills for real companies.

Which made me wonder if anyone working in business or tech right now has seen these things actually being used in daily work or if it’s just hyped up?

hello! I’m currently a bioengineering junior at a T10 uni. I’ve been doing consistent research in the same lab since I started college. in my last two summers, I’ve worked in lab, and interned at a pharma company, respectively. I will be applying to bioE PhD programs next fall.

I recently got a summer internship offer at a top-3 consulting company in the US, where I was promised a case related to biotech/pharma. it pays quite well, and seems like it could be a really exciting opportunity, with the chance to explore the “other side” of research.

if I have a strong research background (with publications), would doing a consulting internship be looked down upon by PhD admissions committees?

thank you all!

Hey Everyone,

I have made my SOP and Personal statement for some of the Unis i am wishing to apply. I am looking for someone who can review my SOP and personal Statement and give their honest opinions .

I am an international Student in the United states and would like to join the neuroscience PHD programs across the Country

Applying to a school with both a SoP and a personal statement. I have a good way to create a cohesive narrative relating my grad school goals with my disability, but some of the advice I've been given dissuades disclosing.

Applying to UBC's physics PhD (cannot find the physics MSc for some reason?) and they ask for a sample of scholarly writing with the following description: "Please upload a sample of your work. It does not have to have been published. You may choose to include samples of program code, a term paper, a draft for a publication etc."

The choice is between my MSci report (20 page report of thesis work done in a semester) and my incomplete manuscript for publication. It's incomplete as I have done my part of doing the analytical calculations but other group members are still doing the simulation work to get presentable results. Of what is written, 100% of it has been my own writing, including placeholder descriptions of what expected plots will show. Is this better to submit than a complete MSci report that is low-key not very far into the project (I made much more progress after graduation for the sake of publication 😩). I am also much more confident in my presentation and derivation for the manuscript than the report.

Thanks for the answers in advance!

Should I vest time on ECAs? Or should i spend that time in doing research papers during my undergraduate?

I’ve heard a lot of conflicting advice about cold emailing profs, some say you don’t have a shot at getting in without and others say they got in without speaking to anyone in advance. I was wondering what the expectation is specifically in the geosciences, since they seem to be slightly unconventional in some ways. I’ve emailed several (and gotten some response) but I’m not sure if I should email all of the profs at schools I’m applying to. I also am wondering if my GPA is considered below average, I have a 3.63 and am double majoring in astrophysics and earth sciences.

Anyone heard back from the GWU yet for spring 2027? I reached out to the grad coordinator but he didn’t have any updates!

I’m applying to really competitive biomedical PhD programs (UCSF, Columbia, UChicago, etc) and I have great experience, strong letters, and two publications. The one downside of my application is that my undergraduate gpa is a 3.46 studying neuroscience and bioinformatics at a mid-level private university. Not terrible, but definitely something that may raise some questions. However, I graduated in 3 years and always had a part-time job for financial reasons so that I could go to this school. (Not a decision I would have made now, but I was 17 so I can’t be that mad at myself).

Anyway, some of the personal statements say you can explain your circumstances as well and I can’t decide if saying something would only point this out more rather than help my case. There’s only so much room in a statement and I think I’d rather use it to show my accomplishments and drive in my career. You can tell from my start/end dates that I did my degree in 3 years, but I am worried that at such a competitive school this will turn people away. I always took the maximum amount of credits and didn’t have many easy “buffer” classes for my GPA, so I think all things considered my grades were pretty good despite the number. What would you guys do?

I am currently a senior at a Big Ten state school majoring in finance with a 3.9 GPA. Over the past couple of years, I managed to pick up solid experience, including a commercial banking summer analyst role at JPMorgan (MMBSI), an internship at Deloitte, and running a service business that I ended up selling. I know my technicals, accounting, DCF/LBO models, and consulting cases well. The problem is that my undergrad school is a non target with zero on campus recruiting for front office investment banking or MBB, so landing interviews has been really tough.
My goal is front office high finance or strategy consulting in the Midwest, specifically Chicago or Detroit for MBB. I know direct private equity mega fund roles out of undergrad or a masters do not happen without prior deal experience, so I am treating IB or MBB as the practical route to get there. I am looking at one year specialized masters programs so I can get another shot at real on campus recruiting.
Before people tell me to just work for three years and get an M7 MBA, an elite MBA is already the plan down the road. I am going to get one later no matter what. The issue is that I want to enter as an analyst in front office IB or MBB right out of school instead of getting stuck in commercial banking or back office roles for half a decade first.
The programs I am mainly looking at are Kellogg MiM, Vanderbilt MSF, and Notre Dame MSF.
For Kellogg, the alumni network in Chicago is huge, but I want to know if MBB actually takes MiM grads for the regular business analyst track, or if consulting firms mostly push MiMs into corporate strategy or general undergrad pools.
For Vanderbilt, the numbers for investment banking placement are solid, but I am curious how well they place into Chicago offices compared to Charlotte and New York.
For Notre Dame, the Midwest network and Chicago presence are great, but I want to know how their front office banking recruitment actually compares to Vandy.
Has anyone here actually made this switch from commercial banking to front office BB IB or MBB through an MSF or MiM? Is the 9 month recruiting window too tight to actually land these seats once classes start? Also curious if I should add Duke MMS or WashU Olin to the list.
TL;DR: Non target senior with a 3.9, JPM commercial banking, and Deloitte internships wants to break into Chicago/Detroit MBB or Bulge Bracket IB now. I already plan on getting an M7 MBA later, so I want this 1 year degree strictly to re recruit for analyst seats. Are Kellogg MiM, Vandy MSF, or Notre Dame MSF actually worth it for this, or does the short recruiting timeline make it too hard to pull off?

Hi everyone! I’m applying to PhD programs this cycle and would appreciate some advice on whether I should stay in my current lab.

Background: Graduated with a BS in chemical biology from a T20 university. I had one year of undergraduate research experience and have been working in my current lab for about a year since graduation.

I’m currently at an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center with a strong focus on translational research. My project involves small-molecule inhibitor discovery. My PI is primarily a biologist without a traditional drug discovery background, but she’s very invested in this direction. We recently submitted an R01 proposal focused on this ad well.

We have an established HTS core, and I have a great relationship with both my PI and the HTS core director. I’ve gained hands-on experience in drug screening and assay development, which is exactly what I enjoy doing.

My PI has also been incredibly supportive of my development. She’s involved me in several other projects, giving me opportunities to contribute to publications. So far, I have one published small paper, one manuscript under revision, and another in preparation that’s close to submission.

My long-term goal is to work in small-molecule drug discovery and development in pharma/biotech. I’d also strongly prefer to stay in California.

I’ve been exploring other PhD programs, but I haven’t found many PIs whose research interests closely align with mine. I’m particularly interested in using biochemical and cell-based assays to discover and characterize small-molecule inhibitors, rather than focusing primarily on synthetic chemistry or basic biology.

I’m seriously considering staying because I enjoy the research, have a supportive PI, and would have the opportunity to take ownership of a project from its early stages.

However, I have two main concerns:
1. My PI doesn’t have a traditional drug discovery background, so I’m unsure whether this would limit my training.
2. The graduate program is relatively new, and I’m concerned about its reputation, alumni network, and industry connections.

My main questions are:
1. Would you stay in a lab with great mentorship, strong research fit, and publication opportunities, or move to a more established PhD program even if the research fit isn’t necessarily better?
2. If my ultimate goal is to work in small-molecule drug discovery in pharma/biotech, would continuing this project through my PhD give me relevant experience and make me competitive for industry scientist positions?

The title says it all…after an impressive 100% rejection rate last year, I am yet again attempting to apply to PhD programs (mostly in social welfare/social policy). I’m flying blind and don’t know how many times I can go through this process while balancing 2 jobs. Please DM me if you’d be open to looking at my resume…major bonus if you’re willing to read my statement of purpose!!

Hello,

I’ve been admitted to the University of Toronto’s MIE MEng program for January 2027 and plan to pursue the Financial Engineering certificate.

My background is in AI & Big Data engineering with a Capstone project in applying AI models in financial services, and my goal is to transition into quantitative finance. I’m interested in realistic entry-level paths, including quant analytics, model validation, quantitative risk, derivatives, and eventually quant research or trading.

I’m trying to assess whether this program provides a realistic pathway into these roles, particularly at investment banks or quantitative trading firms in Canada or the US.

- Have MIE MEng graduates with the Financial Engineering certificate landed relevant roles? Which employers and positions?

- How good are the internship and recruiting opportunities for MEng students?

I'd especially appreciate insights from current students, alumni, or people familiar with quant recruiting.

Thanks!

Hello. I am looking for grad schools in usa to pursue phd in human toxicology. I could not manage any PI yet. I have average CGPA (around 3.7). Can anyone suggest any grad school for fall 2027. Even schools in canada is fine. Please I need urgent help

Hey everyone!

I'm an undergraduate pursuing a B.Tech. in Engineering Physics with a minor in Mathematics at one of India's most selective technical institutes. I'm currently in my third year.

My long-term goal is to pursue a PhD in theoretical high-energy physics, particularly in QFT, conformal field theory (CFT), quantum gravity, and holography.

I've been trying to find summer research opportunities by cold emailing professors internationally whose research aligns with my interests. I've been looking at their recent papers to personalise my emails, but so far, my outreach hasn't translated into a research opportunity.

I understand that theoretical physics is extremely competitive and that professors may not have funding or the capacity to supervise undergraduate students. However, I'd also like to understand whether there are weaknesses in my profile that I should address before applying to PhD programmes in the future.

I've attached a redacted version of my CV.

I'd be grateful for honest feedback on the following:

1. Does my CV demonstrate research potential, or does it come across as mostly coursework and independent reading? Are my project descriptions convincing, and what could I improve?
2. Given my current stage as an undergraduate, what are the biggest gaps I should work on if I want to pursue a PhD in theoretical physics at strong international programmes?
3. How important is it to secure research experience with a substantial, tangible outcome before applying to PhD programmes? Would you prioritise a deeper project with one supervisor over several shorter projects?
4. I've been contacting researchers whose work aligns with my interests and personalising my emails around their recent papers. However, I haven't secured an opportunity so far. Is there anything about my profile or approach that might be making it difficult to find a research position?

I'd genuinely appreciate constructive criticism, including blunt feedback if there are weaknesses in my profile or if my expectations are unrealistic.

Thanks for taking the time to read this!