Masters and PhD Admissions Consulting

Finding out what really drives your research passion and interests and which school/program suits you is the critical element of Stage 1. 

Identifying your academic and personal strengths, explaining your research in the context of an MPhil/PhD application, and identifying an appropriate research topic that can be used to frame a strong and relevant application are key aspects of this stage. 

MPhil applications tend to be a bit forgiving in this aspect since neither admissions committees nor professors expect you to drive a full blown research programme at this stage although clarity remains critical. Thus, they discuss a small/potential research gap and are typically shorter than PhD applications. 

At the PhD level, however, expectations differ based on the country, school and particular research group you are applying to. 

1. USA:  American PhD programs tend to be lighter on demands of prior research experience and rigour of your research proposal, since you are expected to spend two years studying graduate level courses before delving deep into doctoral level research. 
2. UK, Europe and Australasia: Things are just the opposite. Since top schools in these geographies do not emphasise course work, they expect you to have a very strong, meticulously crafted research proposal that is up to date with the current literature and relevant to the university/professor you are applying to. 

HOW WE WILL WORK WITH YOU IN STAGE 1

Much of our work in Stage 1 will concern consultations on these aspects related to your personal academic record, interests and how they can tie up with potential schools/professors you are applying to.

This is the most crucial stage since your chances of admission depend on both your research proposal and target school. A strong proposal sent to the wrong school will be wasted effort while an average research proposal sent to the right school will get you through. 

Furthermore, one needs a good understanding of the academic culture in different universities to maximise their chances of selection, something we understand well and are willing to help you with.  

Stage 2 is centered around three things: the research proposal, the professor, and the funding bodies. The professor you choose, the quality of the proposal and your academic record can make or break your application. 

First and foremost, the task is to craft an extremely compelling research proposal that showcases and builds upon your academic record- one that the professor finds convincing and relevant and one that fits the university’s standards and expectations of the quality of research. 

Secondly, choosing your professor wisely is extremely vital. It is your professor who will ultimately convince the departmental admissions committee to take you in. It is your professor who will ask you or recommend you to relevant funding bodies to give you that much-needed scholarship. 

Thirdly, funding needs to be planned ahead and properly since they typically receive thousands of applications of which only a handful are selected. Although funding bodies assess candidates independently of departments (and even the university concerned, if the funding source is external to the university, e.g., Gates-Cambridge Scholarship, Chevening Scholarship), they require some sort of ranking or recommendation from the department concerned. 

This stage is about getting some rigorous academic work done in order to frame your research proposal, aligning your SOP narrative with your proposal, and consolidating your academic record  (grades, degrees you've done, projects/internships/conferences etc.).  

HOW WE WILL WORK WITH YOU IN STAGE 2

All this sounds overwhelming. However, with our wealth of experience across several prestigious institutions, we will help you accomplish all this comprehensively and thoroughly. 

First off, we will help you identify and go through the right direction to find literature relevant for your topic as per YOUR research interests. 

We will help your proposal address important research gaps in the field and sharpen the scope of your research project, keeping it realistic and based on achievable timelines. This is especially important since funding bodies care about realistic proposals that can achieve tangible results within a specified timeframe.

After reviewing and submitting your draft proposal for a given university, if you are applying for any other schools, we will also help you shape it for other schools over multiple meetings with our mentors. 

We love helping academics and are passionate about going the extra mile to launch the academic career of your dreams.  

Connect with us if the above rings a bell or book a first consultation with us with no charge.