It’s almost the 15th of April. It’s that time of the year again. Are you trembling every time your phone vibrates with email notifications? Did you expect that email to be that special one you had worked so hard for, but it turned out to be the one you were terrified of receiving? Have you been frustrated after PhD application rejection?
One thing is certain: rejection is painful. It should hurt because each application takes a tremendous amount of effort.
I’ve felt that way because I’ve been in a similar situation, and the truth is that many others have as well. It’s never enjoyable to be rejected by something, especially when it’s your dream PhD program. But, what can you do after PhD application rejection?
Don’t give up if you’ve applied for a PhD but haven’t been accepted. Although it can be discouraging to have an application rejected, it is not uncommon, and it typically takes a couple of attempts before someone is accepted onto a course. Here are some recommendations for what to do after your PhD application rejection.
Make sure that you are applying to the right place
One of the common reasons for PhD application rejection is that you have applied to the wrong program.
A rejected application can sometimes turn out to be a blessing in disguise. If your research interests do not align with the department’s interests to which you applied, it will be difficult for you to establish a link with the department and receive the support you require during your PhD. Some departments or institutions have broader interests than others, but the more narrowly focused a department is, the more likely it is that you will be able to study that topic there. So, make a point to go through these details thoroughly after PhD application rejection.
Take some time to think whether your proposed project was a decent fit for the position you were applying for. If not, look for departments that conduct research that is more closely related to your interests. Perhaps you might apply to a different department more suited to your project. Consider your personal profile as well: it will be easier for you to be admitted into a programme if you have a similar academic background to the other researchers working in that department.
Research experience does matter
Even if the project proposal has credibility, some applications will be rejected because the applicant fails to convince the evaluators that they are capable of doing that research work.
When you apply, you are not expected to have a thorough grasp of how to conduct a research project – after all, the PhD is designed to teach you these abilities – but you must demonstrate that you have some experience.
This is especially true if you’re switching fields when applying for a PhD. If you want to switch from History to Engineering, you’ll need to have some background in statistics, mathematics, or modelling. If you lack this experience, you might seek employment as a research assistant or research worker to help you develop your abilities and demonstrate that you are capable of doing the work you want. So, make sure that you have at least some of the expertise required. If not, try to get some of that expertise after PhD application rejection.
Get things ready to apply for the next year
While gaining additional research experience or doing new work may be beneficial, revising your application is frequently the most effective approach to increase your chances of being accepted into a PhD programme.
Also, that might be the easiest thing to do.
Make sure your research proposal is practical and reasonable throughout the average three-year (Or five-year) time frame. Especially, go through your statement of purpose and the personal statement and find out what you might have said. And most importantly, make sure there are no typos in any of your letters. Such simple mistakes can make a big difference.
In your motivation letter, don’t just tell them that you have talents; instead, demonstrate them by talking about what you’ve accomplished with them in the past. The rule, “Show, don’t tell, always works in your favour.”
You might also try to contact prospective supervisors in the department and inquire about their thoughts on your application. This is a hit-or-miss strategy because many academics are extremely busy and may not have time to assist applicants.
This is especially true in departments with a high volume of applications, so be prepared not to receive a response and don’t be demanding. You might, however, find that some supervisor is available to help you and make suggestions for improving your application. But, it might not be a good idea to try this with all the universities for many reasons. You might easily offend someone if they think you are disturbing them. So, this approach should be on the bottom of your to-do list.
It can be beneficial to speak with the administrative personnel that handle applications and the academics, as they may be able to provide you with more information.
Suppose you exchange emails with graduate secretaries of the department that you are interested in. In that case, you might find a lot of information about the department’s recruitment strategy, available positions and many more.
When I was applying for universities, reaching out to graduate secretaries was tremendously helpful and, most importantly, saved a ton of my time.
Final words
Under any circumstances, rejection is a painful experience. But you have to face it every now and then. If you are rejected from a PhD school, it does not imply you have failed unless you give up on your ambitions.
After your PhD application is rejected, there are many things you can do to get into your dream program. This blog post will help you to do that.
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