Phds: The Ugly Truth

Lizzie is not only Kate’s twin sister she is also a fourth year biochemist with a funded PhD place in London all lined up for next year. She is also a lovely person and nowhere near as stern as the following piece might imply!

The “Art” of getting a PhD place:

1)      For a guarantee of getting a fully funded PhD in an arts/artsci subject, you will need a first class in your final year of undergrad. This is not to put you off, but to warn you of the direction in which the selection process is geared.

2)      For a guarantee of getting a fully funded PhD in a science discipline, you will need a first class or 2:1. This differs from arts subjects for two reasons: firstly, there are far more of these PhDs on offer, and secondly, because undergrad grading in science is a much worse indicator of a candidate’s potential as a PhD student.

3)      If you are looking for a funded PhD place, there are two types on offer, guarantee funded and competitively funded. The latter is normally what is on offer for PhD programme schemes. These are both looking for different qualities in a candidate. As a general rule, quieter people have more chance of succeeding in guarantee funded positions, as competitive PhD programmes tend to select the bolder, more competitive candidates.

4)      In arts subjects, this differs slightly inasmuch that the candidate must develop a research proposal and “sell” it to various funding bodies, in the hope of being offered an award. Again, this situation is more likely to favour the bolder, more competitive candidates.

5)      Unlike in guaranteed funding PhD positions, competitively funded PhD programmes do not set the PhD topic. Thus, they are assessing both the candidate and the candidate’s choice in topic. Therefore, the candidate is unwittingly entering into the dog-eat-dog world of academic funding. This is a very harsh world where only the loudest spoken or most fashionable ideas survive.

6)      Generally, significant breakthroughs in academia come via the mavericks. However, PhD funding bodies are not looking for these unusual ideas when awarding money. They are most likely to sponsor funding in research areas that are fashionable or are of benefit to the general public. Like it or lump it, this is how funding is allocated at the moment. As money is tight, the government wants to increasingly know that its invested money is put to the best possible use according to governmental criteria. If you have a fantastic new idea which goes against the grain, now is probably not the best time to air it, unless you have immense academic support behind you. Keep it a well-guarded secret and wait until you have more money, confidence and publications behind you.

7)      It is useful to know that, at the postgraduate level, the playing field is level once again. This seems grossly unfair for those candidates who attended universities that are higher in the league tables, as the entrance criterion for most funded postgraduate study in arts subjects is a first class degree, irrespective of the university attended. Clearly the same course is not the same difficulty at every university, but when “equal opportunities” are now being thrust upon us at every level, this occurrence is a fact of life.

8)      Don’t give up. Life would be so easy if we were given the PhD place of our dreams on the first application. Rejection is hard to deal with, but we should get used to it now, as worse is to come. The job market is harder, as we will be dealing with a much larger, more varied pool of candidates. Nothing will ever be as easy or as morale boosting as UCAS selection, where multiple universities made offers to a single candidate and you were left feeling that you could conquer the world. The process of applying for a PhD or job is nothing like this: you will be lucky if you are made one offer at all. Therefore, to increase the probability of finding a PhD position, apply for many, many posts. It’s not going to hurt, and it will be good experience- chances are that you will improve your skills as you attend more interviews. Also, these positions are a compromise- not everyone is going to get to do their exact topic of choice. Ponder on this: would you prefer the qualification or the exact topic? You can still focus on a topic you like without going for the exact area you had dreamt about. Don’t be afraid to apply for something you wouldn’t have looked at under different circumstances- it may be a gateway for your future without you realising.

9)      Consider your career aspirations- does the topic of your prospective PhD lend itself to what you aspire to next? Or is it a dead end, which narrows the set of options rather than opening doors for you? Do you want to remain in academia, or would you prefer a more transferable set of skill and subject area?

Despite the realities of the situation, you shouldn’t feel you have to give up just because the odds aren’t the best. After all, the odds of getting a job aren’t much better so really now is the best time to follow your dreams. If you want something badly enough there’s always a way to get there even if you have to work until you can afford to fun yourself at least partially and study where you can live at home.

So think hard about what you want from life sure, but don’t be deterred just because the going will be tough!

Let us know what you’re thinking about PhDs and feel free to ask if you think we can help!

Lizzie