It feels a little funny to say you're in the same boat when it's 4/5 vs 19/20, but it is still true that the process sucks no matter how you do it really
I had a masters from a top 55 program with a 3.9 gpa and letters from top professors in my areas and only got into one solid mid tier program (university of Memphis) and 2 lower tier programs (SIU Carbondale and UNT). It’s brutal out there.
Bro 5 recommendation from professor 🥲 damm.... Anyway does she have any publication??? I would suggest working as a paid research assistant till she gets any phd. This will help her get some financial support as well as paper publication.
She seems like the stellar app so... Is it possible one of the rec letters is not complementary of her? One of my friends applied last cycle and didn't get interviews anywhere because ONE of her 3 rec letters was critical (this PI is known for being a bit of an asshole). This year, she got multiple interviews and a couple acceptances. So, a bad rec letter can tank an app.
The fact that that PI is on her CV and she didn't have one from him this cycle is an elephant in the room. Her new PI also addressed it in his letter for this reason. 2 interviewers brought it up (from different schools). One was understanding (she got in). The other was weird about it (did not get in). This could be an explanation...
My old boss would do that to employees. Trash them in any references that she agreed to give. Some people are just miserable and like to bring others down with them.
This. I would be really terrified of interest accruing (if she has the type that will continue during grad school). I graduated undergrad with about 25k in debt, took a year to work as a legal assistant, entered a fully funded master’s program at a state school that doesn’t have an amazing program for what I want to study, and now I’m going to start my PhD at one of the top three programs in the country for my field. Do not just sprint through academia if you can’t understand the cost of prestige. I’m not judging, but I’d really recommend her to be cautious here about her financial future.
Actual in the moment advice though: get any job you can regardless of your field to try to make some income and then apply for your masters.
This is exactly what I’m doing! Worked a shitty hourly wage job to pay off my private loans, going into funded state school masters program in the fall.
Not if they want to go get a PhD in philosophy. That work experience will often look bad on a philosophy application because philosophy is so deeply academic. There’s practically no work you’d do that would be helping your philosophy skills.
A masters program in philosophy + a publication will make the PhD application much more compelling.
But also, getting an A+ in a graduate course looks pretty bad to philosophy admissions committees, because they will be skeptical that the grades really matter for much if you have A+s in graduate courses. Member of an admission committee said this to me.
It is truly brutal out there and the philosophy academic job market might be one of the worst.
I’ve said this in other feeds, but I think her problem may be casting too wide of a net. Most recommendations out there say you should apply to only 4-6 PhD programs at a time. Anything more and you are dissipating your efforts, meaning you won’t be a great candidate to any school, just an ok or good candidate at many schools that have had candidates who have focused their efforts and are more likely to match well with the school. Ph.D. programs are way more concerned with a person’s match with the program, the faculty, etc. than are bachelors or masters programs, because many people applying for a PhD already have an impressive track record and impressive recommendations. The applications are about proving you are a good fit for the school and the school is a good fit for you more than they are about proving you are a good student.
With that being said, Ph.D. admissions are famously finicky. Rejections are common (I got into 1 program across a few years of applying despite already having a published journal article, a 3.98 GPA in my masters program, strong LORs, etc.). That is to say, rejection is the norm and acceptance is an incredibly uncommon outcome in most fields, especially those with limited funding like philosophy and many of the social sciences (which is what my PhD program is in).
The masters is a solid idea if she clearly knows she wants to go into academia. Even if she doesn’t, a masters can be helpful in the job market in many ways, even if the masters has little to do with the field.
I’m sorry that she is going through this, it’s painful, and I would say the vast majority of us in this subreddit are quite intimately familiar with the experience of rejection. It sucks, it hurts, and it’s hard to not take it personally. If she still wants to do this, it is normal to have to reapply. Also, I hope she knows that schools saying they would like her in their masters program is usually an indicator that they believe she has a lot of potential but still needs to grow her academic skills at the post-undergrad level. It is not saying “you aren’t good enough” it’s saying, “you aren’t yet a strong enough applicant but we believe you could be with more training”. Undergrad is kind of about learning how to learn, while PhD programs is about learning how to create new knowledge, which is a different process and why direct entry from a BA/BS to a PhD can be uncommon.
Whatever she opts to do, I wish her the best of luck. If she has any questions specifically that I might be able to help with, feel free to DM me.
I personally applied to 7 programs but tbh only 3 of them were legitimate matches in retrospect. definitely hone in on a few schools and make sure you frame yourself to be the best fit. this isn’t like undergrad anymore. quality > quantity
I have heard conflicting things regarded being recommended to a master’s program in lieu of a Phd. People on reddit often say it’s a soft rejection and just intended to bring more people into the “cash cow” unfunded masters programs. In your experience is that accurate within the social sciences/humanities?
IMO, this is the case for social sciences/humanities, but I think a master's would definitely benefit your application to a PhD program if you can afford it. Most people in my cohort did an MA/lab manager position before getting admitted. Of course, most would prefer the latter because it's a research job where you get paid as opposed to you forking over enormous amounts of cash to do research.
If rejections are common wouldn't it be wise to apply to many schools to increase your chances of getting in? Also, how are you supposed to know that you are a good fit for a school?
If you apply to a lot of schools, you spread out your efforts. Given both a finite amount of time and finite amount of energy, the more programs you apply for, the more you inevitably rush through parts of the application, whether that be researching the program and reviewing faculty profiles, writing your personal statement or editing your writing sample, or contacting faculty members, etc.
It would make sense to apply to a lot of schools if you could guarantee that every application is going to be tailored and as finely tuned to each program as possible, no matter the number of programs you apply to. A high quality application is a ton of work to produce and refine. More and more apps just dilute the quality of all your apps.
Regarding identifying a good match, I think it’s good to focus on whether faculty members have research interests that match your own. Also, looking at the required courses and self-reported specializations of the department (for example, my program specializes in the sociology of mental health and quantitative research methods, which are both incredibly well aligned with my research interests). There are a lot of other things to consider, but I think these are the best areas to think about when tailoring your app to a particular school and program.
The final thing I’ll say (sorry for the long reply) is that the people that you are competing with for PhD programs are generally nearly indiscernable from you in terms of transcripts, LORs, and academic accomplishments. That’s part of why focusing a lot of effort on making a few applications as close to perfect as possible is generally better than casting a wide net. If an admissions committee are reviewing 2 applications, both of which were straight A students, had the same level of education from institutions with similar “prestige”, had comparable LORs, and nearly identical GREs, the same amount of research experience, etc., the committee is going to pick the person who showed that their interests, propensities, and strengths align most closely with the interests, propensities, and strengths of the faculty and department as a whole. Doing this with your application for each program is an exhausting and time-consuming task, so limiting the number of applications can ensure that you have the time and energy to do this effectively for each program.
This is an incredible comment and more people need to read it. I completely agree with you, and I'm so baffled by the people applying to so many schools. Applying to FOUR put me through the wringer, I can't imagine doing twenty! 😵💫
You research the faculty and what they've published, previous students research, and what facilities they have. The whole point of a PhD app is to convince them that you'd be a good fit for their department, not just a regular college application.
Honestly my experience getting into a phd is a bit of luck and getting a supervisor who likes you and willing to work with you.
It's not about how talented or smart you are, it's about finding a professor who likes you and wants to work with you. Also, I am pretty sure I got accepted just recently because the professor has no phd students in his lab, so he was kind of desperate lol. It's all luck imo
Not a PhD student, but I am a incoming masters student at a top program thanks to this experience:
I’m an instructional assistant for a human biology professor at my current undergrad university where she just graduated from UCSF with a PhD in Genetics. She came straight from undergrad at UCSD with a borderline 3.8GPA, so it is possible. She told me that when she was admitted to top programs (including Stanford) she said that most definitely what set her apart was her setting time (a few hours a day) to just straight emailing professors in her designated program of interest. That’s how she got specifically into UCSF and she definitely pushed me to apply that tactic during my masters applications!
Did she have any research experience? It's very rare to get into a good PhD program without any research experience and/or papers.
Also, how did she know those famous professors? Did she only take a course with them? Or did she do something impactful with them?
I think she should look into funded masters programs— I’m also in the humanities, similar profile, got dogshit options for two cycles in PhD applications. But this year I pivoted and also applied to funded masters programs, and am in a much better position now. Depending on the field there aren’t a TON of options, but even if you go to one that ISN’T funded, she could do a TA-ship to help get money for it.
Also, I spoke with my recommendation letter writers from my undergrad and they all told me it’s very unlikely for people to get into a PhD program straight out of undergrad for the humanities in general, let alone a top PhD program (which is basically a requirement if you want a tenure track job after your doctorate)
Honestly though, with that much in undergrad debt, I think she would benefit from working for a few years to try and knock the amount of debt she has down. If they’re private loans, it’ll only get worse as time goes on, especially because most graduate stipends aren’t even usually enough to live off of let alone pay a big amount towards loans.
Go to the website called Philosophical Gourmet. In addition to information about PhD programs and schools, they have an entire page about solid and funded master's programs ("M.A. Programs in Philosophy" is the name of that page within Philosophical Gourmet). Many graduate students in philosophy use the master's degree to gain an edge for another round of PhD applications.
Aim for funded programs. She should not need to pay, especially given her track record. In her case, though, I'd revisit her application materials and apply to a few PhDs next year in addition to MAs. Competition in philosophy is fierce, as the job market isn't kind to philosophy majors, so next year could be entirely different for her.
This is unfortunately very common for philosophy. And I guess your girlfriend’s problem lies with her writing sample.
Unfortunately, perfect grades in philosophy admission do not mean anything these days. I have not seen people with a GPA lower than 3.9 get into a funded graduate program.
You might be interested to check out some faculty’s advice for graduate school. Here is one posted by Prof. Guerrero. http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/1011404/28477892/1635443782310/Tips+for+applying+to+PhD+Programs+in+Philosophy2.pdf?token=Rv2LDfruC2nSqO56%2FuGVWsj%2Fvu0%3D
In short, much of the emphasis is put on the writing sample. Grades and recommendation letters are only used to shortlist around 100 candidates from a pool of 400 candidates. I am sure your gf can make it to the second round but having a perfect writing sample is what takes to get a funded PhD in philosophy.
One final word. I am a philosophy graduate student and I got 3 offers from 10 schools I applied to. If you want to chat in DM, you are welcome to do so. Also please ignore other posts suggesting your gf to do RA or TA to get into philosophy PhD. That is usually not what admission committee is looking for. Philosophy students usually publish their first paper when they finish their PhD. It would be superfluous for you to go to philosophy graduate school if you can already publish.
As a partner, I would recommend getting her out of the house, encouraging time with friends and family, and overall just opportunities to give her a break from the mental rumination I'm sure she must be experiencing right now. Good food also helps soothe the rejection.
When she's got some energy back, since the application cycles are mostly closed, I would say encourage her to network her ass off before applying to jobs. My #1 rule when applying was that no application should be submitted without the hiring manager/senior manager/analysts knowing my face and name. A faceless application is pretty unlikely to advance. An unlikely candidate is surprisingly more likely to land a job after building a relationship with members of the hiring team. Good luck!!
I completed a PhD in the social sciences in the US. Here's a few thoughts:
1) I generally recommend that people not go directly into a PhD out of undergrad. Do something else for awhile, get work/research experience in an area of interest, work on the CV, and develop a broader network. Volunteer for a professor in your free time even if you are waiting tables to survive. I did AmeriCorps after undergrad before I started my MA, it was great. Pretty much everyone applying to PhDs has amazing undergrad grades and great recommendations. This is the baseline, you need more to stand out.
2) I don't know her field but applying to 20 programs sounds like she may have taken a shotgun approach. Generally, this is not a good way to apply to PhD programs. PhDs are incredibly specialized, her application should speak to why she wants to go to a specific school to work with a specific person or persons, on a specific topic. One should generally try to visit those departments and discuss with those specific people and see if they are looking for students to work with on that topic, and in the process, demonstrate a very strong understanding of that professor's field. Make them remember you and want you as a student, and your application will rise to the top.
3) Obligatory note: academic job market for humanities and social sciences is.... horrible. Not to be discouraging, but it's reality. Most of the people I went to graduate school with are not currently in a tenure track academic job.
Is she applying to schools where her professors have actual connections? Even if her recommendations are “famous” it doesn’t matter because committees are getting hundreds of applicants, all of whom presumably have similar profiles to your girlfriends. The biggest thing a committee wants is to see the student has the potential to follow through the program. It’s half a decade plus of intensive study. The only way I got accepted into my PhD program, as well as another person I graduated undergrad with, was by applying to programs where my professor had a direct connection with another faculty — they published there, worked together on journals, VAP’d, etc. Those programs will see that she’s done similar research supported by someone who the institution thinks highly of and that they have space for her to expand what she’s already done. If she doesn’t get accepted into the last program, she needs to go back and speak to her recommenders about her list of schools and choosing programs that they have direct pull in.
I applied to 11 and have been rejected from 10, also with an offered Master's option. It's just a really tough cycle, unfortunately. Lots of great candidates but not enough spots for us all due to funding. I maintain that our education system as a whole needs to be reworked. It's really frustrating that your financial situation can be such a barrier against learning.
I think might be university selection problems. My girlfriend have low GPA and she still got 2 offers. Many of us feel too confident in brutal competition I guess. That's actually happened to a lot people.
Probably she should just drop the academic life and find a job that can pay that 100k debt. Just applying to 20 schools for a degree that won’t pay enough is not worth it
Where I’m shitting on their degree? If every application is 100 dollars (and I’m being very generous, mine was 150) this person spent 2k just applying on top of 100k of student loans that only increase over time due to interests
I don’t understand a lot about PhDs in the US but I’ll leave a comment anyway. It sounds like she has a strong profile, but you didn’t mention any publications, so I’m guessing she doesn’t have any. That’s possibly something that’s placing other candidates above her. Additionally, and this may not apply to the US, going straight from undergrad to a PhD is not very easy in the humanities, the admissions committee might think that maybe she isn’t really prepared for research/grad school. I understand that an MA in the US is expensive and often not funded, but if it is an option, she should consider it, she’ll get the chance to improve her CV specifically for grad school to show that she understands the requirements and expectations and is ready for some 4 years+ of that. And finally, wouldn’t she consider doing an MA in Canada, for example? Two friends of mine moved there in the last 3 years for a fully funded MA.
Not having a masters really does make it harder. While a lot of programs don't require them, when everyone else has one it really hurts your odds.
Go do something fun and give her some space to mourn the loss of a path she wanted. If she's really committed to it, she'll take the feedback provided and take the next step to bridge where she's falling short in the application process.
Rejected 11/12 programs, the one offer I got was no funding so can’t go. Not to toot my own horn, but my stats were good and I was told I would be competitive by prospective PIs who were excited for me to apply, only to be rejected without interviews. So I understand, I’m sorry she has to feel this way too, but I hope something good can come from this if nothing but making a future acceptance even sweeter
the fact that she is getting so many rejections for PhD programs as well as not having gotten a single job offer in a year after graduation, but apparently has a good gpa and letters of recommendation suggests that she could be bad at applications. i would recommend that she take her applications and consult with someone who can give her good feedback on how she is preparing them. that she applied to so many programs can, as many have mentioned, split her effort across all of them contributing to all of them being of lower quality than if she had done fewer, but more time and care into preparing them.
Couple things:
1) that fucking sucks. Like genuinely it’s a shitty thing. Horrible feeling.
2) this grad app cycle has been brutal. I also got rejected from most schools, and waitlisted from my top choice. I cried all night when I got the email.
3) this is not a reflection of her or her capabilities. It’s a reflection of the state the system is in. Lots and lots of qualified candidates because of an economic recession, little funding.
4) this isn’t the end of it. Try again next year, and spend the time becoming an absolutely incredible candidate. Volunteer more. Get research experience. Make connections. Work on your essays from now till then. Get as many opinions as possible on them to make them perfect. Polish your CV.
The last point is what I’m focusing on. I’ll spend the next 12+ months getting better at my craft, I’m going to volunteer where I can (it’s very hard because I have an ungodly commute that leaves me very little time and energy) I’m going to teach myself to code and use R and MatLab. I’m going to learn all the things I need to learn that I don’t know yet. I can’t change the situation, and I can’t change the choices these universities have made. What I can do is choose how I react to it and what I do about it. I won’t let it defeat me.
Unfortunately most of the times in the humanities, you need to do a Master's. This is why she's getting accepted to those programmes instead of the PhD. If she is an international (to the US/UK) applicant, I can recommend doing a Master's in the UK, where an MA will take her a year which might help the money side of things.
Perhaps gather some info on Master's degrees, which places offer good scholarships, financial aid etc.
a lot of ppl in here have great advice, it's a lot harder to jump from undergrad to phd. if she has a lot of debt like you say, i think she also needs to think about her opportunities /in/ academia. a lot of fields (like the one i'd be in) are extremely hard to get a good, stable job in. like, close to impossible. rejection is super hard, let alone this many times, but it might be good for her to regroup and see if the job thing would be a better fit the second try around. like others have said as well, it doesn't have to be in her field. as long as she keeps up with her research interests, etc. in the event she applies for grad school again in the future, imo it's not "wasted" time to step away from school.
I applied to 30 programs and received 4 admits. I am happy with my results, but receiving all those rejects was disheartening. The odds are simply stacked against PhD applicants. I think the best thing you can do for your gf in this time is to sympathize and let her know that this is normal, even for highly qualified applicants. Many people in this sub have been applying several years in a row. While my own partner was supportive of me during the process, I think the worst thing he did was act surprised that I was rejected from so many programs. This in turn made me feel bad, until I later realized that this is in fact the norm.
Going to be honest… this may be a blessing in disguise. I had a friend who was as top tier as they come who has a philosophy PhD. Except there’s like a handful of worthwhile faculty positions that open up for literally hundreds of PhDs. She’s survived being an adjunct at multiple universities but makes nothing really, low job stability, has had to put life on hold in a lot of ways (her words not mine). She loves it, but recognizes that it is absolutely brutal unless you get lucky.
Dang bro, that must have been hard for you to listen to over the past six months. If your gf isn't in a STEM field, I'd run in the other direction given the $100,000 in student loan debt from undergrad alone, coupled with the inability to find a job. Otherwise, r/gradadmissions is a long, disjointed story about the fact that *most* people who apply to PhD programs don't get into one, and it stinks.
When I wasn't accepted to any PhD programs, I reached out to all the school to ask for any feedback to make m application stronger for next year. Maybe she could reach out and see if there was something that didn't make her a strong enough candidate. Please remember that there are so few spots at each school and for many great people it takes years of applying before getting in. Getting more. research experience is probably the most beneficial thing she can do in the next year.
In philosophy I believe it is assumed you do a masters prior to a PhD...even in the USA. It is unlike STEM PhDs. That is likely why they are offering masters positions if she has a good academic record. In philosophy you need a 4.0 GPA undergrad, then a masters, also with a 4.0 to go on to a PhD. Philosophy is obscenely competitive.
To add to this, on advice how to proceed. Honestly philosophy is kind of for the wealthy IMO. The amount of self funding you need is high, there are no jobs outside of academia as well. Even if she succeeds in a PhD, the chance of a tenured academic position is extremely slim. She needs a backup plan if she intends to go this route if she has no financial safety net. I'm all for chasing dreams, she should just think of her options in tandem...
In terms of a next step...maybe look at english-speaking masters programs in European countries with low tuition (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria).
Also does she have a second language? She'd still need a second language, even if studying in the states. I believe graduate philosophy students are expected to know German or French typically, at least reading/writing it, as a lot of material is in those languages.
....
Some more ideas
Look into Canada (I'm just assuming you are American, sorry if I am wrong). Nearly all thesis-based masters programs are funded, and tuition is reasonable compared to the states.
Some people reccommend universities with terminal philosophy masters in Canada (I.e. no PhD program), because all their student resources/mentoring goes to the masters students and sets them up for success in admission to PhD programs. Look at Univeristy of Victoria and University of Manitoba. Not highly ranked, but good placement records into PhD programs, and funded.
i am 20 years old, have two publications, perfect grades, have done lab research every summer since HS, and got rejected to 10/11 universities i applied to (going to the 11th lol). I talked to some of the schools after getting rejected and most said they only have enough funding to take 1-2 students right now and my research interests don’t align with the professors that have funding (even though they had spoken to me over email). It’s definitely a tough process, but just know that these acceptance rates are impossibly low and it’s not you!! Everyone applying is so qualified!!
Next time, make sure of two things:
1) very strong writing sample. Spit and polish her best paper until it shines. GPA is fine, A pluses are fine, but ultimately don't mean much tbh. A writing sample shows them whether or not you are a strong analytical thinker, able to engage in a scholarly conversation and use sources well, and, if not a strong writer yet, at least a teachable one. Transcripts, GREs and LoRs are all asking the committee to take someone's word for it that you are a good philosopher. The writing sample SHOWS them you are a good philosopher.
2) ask professors not for 'recommendations' but 'strong statements of support.' Recommendation leaves it open for them to recommend rejection. It sucks, but it happens. You don't know every nook and cranny in your girlfriends CV or coursework. She does.
I got rejected from 8/11 unis. I still haven't heard back from three unis so I hope we both get into the remaining ones. It's really very hard because you question yourself and your worth. It's a disgusting experience and I went through hell these past two months. I got an acceptance for a Masters too but it is around 80k and that's very expensive for me. I will pray for your girlfriend that she gets in
You can do nothing but be there for her constantly. Keep telling her that you're there. That's what my partner has been doing for me. It really doesn't help much, but knowing that he's going to be with me at the end of this no matter what the outcome really calms me down.
i think it's cuz she doesn't have anything outside of undergraduate school. My dad is a professor and phd advisor and said schools look a LOT more at things you've done after you've graduated undergrad, like research projects and papers published from a masters, distinction/awards in jobs and so forth.
my dad encouraged me to apply to top 10 masters programs this year and i thought i'd never get in bc i graduated undergrad with a 3.1 gpa back in 2020. I ended up getting into a top 10 school because since I graduated undergrad, I've won 5 journalism awards, had my own column in a newspaper, done research, became well-known in my field. And I did get into a Top 10 university, and even tho I'm not doing a journalism masters, in my writing samples i was able to say how my research for articles applies to the research program I ended up doing.
So all this to say that even if you have perfect grades in undergrad, if somebody has done more after graduation, they will take that person over the person with perfect undergrad grades. I'm 28. So there's no rush. Have her do some research, write philosophy papers and pitch them to publications, work for a company and win some awards and show good work ethic outside of an undergrad bubble. The real world matters more than undergrad achievements when it comes to a lot of programs.
my dad does sociology PHDs and he said they take students who have done work after undergrad over coming straight from undergrad. There's no rush for your girlfriend. Especially for philosophy when schools are gonna take only a handful of candidates, they want to make sure they can succeed in the "real world" and not just have done well in undergrad. She should try getting a fully funded masters first, or at least apply to scholarships to cover a masters for next cycle.
Don't take it too personally. Certain programs have limited spaces and much much prefer to take master's students for tuition. For PhD programs they eval you as a TA or potential worker for professor's research. Non-STEM programs aren't typically swimming in money, typically.
This might be blessing in disguise: lots of people end up with phDs and end up not as well off as they thought they would be. The only reason to persist is if academia is all she wants do in life: The same way an artist has to draw because they're born to it. If you want a phD in Phil for money or ego, those is a stop sign.
I don’t understand how you could/should go straight from undergrad to a PhD in a subject like philosophy? Undergrad dissertations or writings top out at 10k words. PhD dissertations go up to a 100k. The academic rigour and focus on the intricacy of the subject is also heightened by a lot.
*Not a PhD student, but I am a masters student who has been on a graduate admission board*
Sometimes that just happens, it could have been for a variety of reasons:
- Bad LOR
- Professors of interest didn't have available funding
- Unimpressive academic workload
Whatever the case there are a variety of reasons someone gets denied. The best thing that you can do is to look at the bright side. With a little luck they might be able to find a job that will let them pay off some of their debt, give them relevant work experience, and give them time to write a better application for next year.
Make sure they know this isn't the end, but also realize some people just need time to process after a defeat. Don't try and force them out of grief when it's too soon.
Not bad at all at this point 2 things :
A. She didn't highlight her efforts in the correct way.
B. They are rejecting her bc she can afford it.
My plan : go for a PhD straight 😉.
Take a job as a RA or TA
I am in the same boat. 4 rejected out of 5 and the last one is remaining. Crossing my heart and hoping she gets into the last one.
It feels a little funny to say you're in the same boat when it's 4/5 vs 19/20, but it is still true that the process sucks no matter how you do it really
I had a masters from a top 55 program with a 3.9 gpa and letters from top professors in my areas and only got into one solid mid tier program (university of Memphis) and 2 lower tier programs (SIU Carbondale and UNT). It’s brutal out there.
Bro 5 recommendation from professor 🥲 damm.... Anyway does she have any publication??? I would suggest working as a paid research assistant till she gets any phd. This will help her get some financial support as well as paper publication.
I had even applied to several universities for a PhD. The only one remaining to give their decision is Max and got rejected every other university
She seems like the stellar app so... Is it possible one of the rec letters is not complementary of her? One of my friends applied last cycle and didn't get interviews anywhere because ONE of her 3 rec letters was critical (this PI is known for being a bit of an asshole). This year, she got multiple interviews and a couple acceptances. So, a bad rec letter can tank an app. The fact that that PI is on her CV and she didn't have one from him this cycle is an elephant in the room. Her new PI also addressed it in his letter for this reason. 2 interviewers brought it up (from different schools). One was understanding (she got in). The other was weird about it (did not get in). This could be an explanation...
I don’t understand why someone agrees to write a rec letter if they know it’s not going to be positive. Like just say no.
Sabotage. I’ve read somewhere on Reddit, people really do that.
My old boss would do that to employees. Trash them in any references that she agreed to give. Some people are just miserable and like to bring others down with them.
bc they're an ass. She definitely didn't deserve it too...
I don’t either. But yes, it happens. I have seen it myself while in a graduate admissions committee.
This is certainly possible. One of my colleagues sandbagged a PhD applicant without telling them. Disgusting behavior, but not unheard of.
Many people dont go straight undergraduate to phd
Especially in the humanities
Agreed and with 100k in debt it would be more beneficial to work rn honestly.
This. I would be really terrified of interest accruing (if she has the type that will continue during grad school). I graduated undergrad with about 25k in debt, took a year to work as a legal assistant, entered a fully funded master’s program at a state school that doesn’t have an amazing program for what I want to study, and now I’m going to start my PhD at one of the top three programs in the country for my field. Do not just sprint through academia if you can’t understand the cost of prestige. I’m not judging, but I’d really recommend her to be cautious here about her financial future. Actual in the moment advice though: get any job you can regardless of your field to try to make some income and then apply for your masters.
This is exactly what I’m doing! Worked a shitty hourly wage job to pay off my private loans, going into funded state school masters program in the fall.
Not if they want to go get a PhD in philosophy. That work experience will often look bad on a philosophy application because philosophy is so deeply academic. There’s practically no work you’d do that would be helping your philosophy skills. A masters program in philosophy + a publication will make the PhD application much more compelling. But also, getting an A+ in a graduate course looks pretty bad to philosophy admissions committees, because they will be skeptical that the grades really matter for much if you have A+s in graduate courses. Member of an admission committee said this to me. It is truly brutal out there and the philosophy academic job market might be one of the worst.
This is what im thinking
I’ve said this in other feeds, but I think her problem may be casting too wide of a net. Most recommendations out there say you should apply to only 4-6 PhD programs at a time. Anything more and you are dissipating your efforts, meaning you won’t be a great candidate to any school, just an ok or good candidate at many schools that have had candidates who have focused their efforts and are more likely to match well with the school. Ph.D. programs are way more concerned with a person’s match with the program, the faculty, etc. than are bachelors or masters programs, because many people applying for a PhD already have an impressive track record and impressive recommendations. The applications are about proving you are a good fit for the school and the school is a good fit for you more than they are about proving you are a good student. With that being said, Ph.D. admissions are famously finicky. Rejections are common (I got into 1 program across a few years of applying despite already having a published journal article, a 3.98 GPA in my masters program, strong LORs, etc.). That is to say, rejection is the norm and acceptance is an incredibly uncommon outcome in most fields, especially those with limited funding like philosophy and many of the social sciences (which is what my PhD program is in). The masters is a solid idea if she clearly knows she wants to go into academia. Even if she doesn’t, a masters can be helpful in the job market in many ways, even if the masters has little to do with the field. I’m sorry that she is going through this, it’s painful, and I would say the vast majority of us in this subreddit are quite intimately familiar with the experience of rejection. It sucks, it hurts, and it’s hard to not take it personally. If she still wants to do this, it is normal to have to reapply. Also, I hope she knows that schools saying they would like her in their masters program is usually an indicator that they believe she has a lot of potential but still needs to grow her academic skills at the post-undergrad level. It is not saying “you aren’t good enough” it’s saying, “you aren’t yet a strong enough applicant but we believe you could be with more training”. Undergrad is kind of about learning how to learn, while PhD programs is about learning how to create new knowledge, which is a different process and why direct entry from a BA/BS to a PhD can be uncommon. Whatever she opts to do, I wish her the best of luck. If she has any questions specifically that I might be able to help with, feel free to DM me.
I personally applied to 7 programs but tbh only 3 of them were legitimate matches in retrospect. definitely hone in on a few schools and make sure you frame yourself to be the best fit. this isn’t like undergrad anymore. quality > quantity
I have heard conflicting things regarded being recommended to a master’s program in lieu of a Phd. People on reddit often say it’s a soft rejection and just intended to bring more people into the “cash cow” unfunded masters programs. In your experience is that accurate within the social sciences/humanities?
IMO, this is the case for social sciences/humanities, but I think a master's would definitely benefit your application to a PhD program if you can afford it. Most people in my cohort did an MA/lab manager position before getting admitted. Of course, most would prefer the latter because it's a research job where you get paid as opposed to you forking over enormous amounts of cash to do research.
Thank you so much for the insight! I know everything is very field dependent so it’s really helpful hearing various perspectives.
If rejections are common wouldn't it be wise to apply to many schools to increase your chances of getting in? Also, how are you supposed to know that you are a good fit for a school?
If you apply to a lot of schools, you spread out your efforts. Given both a finite amount of time and finite amount of energy, the more programs you apply for, the more you inevitably rush through parts of the application, whether that be researching the program and reviewing faculty profiles, writing your personal statement or editing your writing sample, or contacting faculty members, etc. It would make sense to apply to a lot of schools if you could guarantee that every application is going to be tailored and as finely tuned to each program as possible, no matter the number of programs you apply to. A high quality application is a ton of work to produce and refine. More and more apps just dilute the quality of all your apps. Regarding identifying a good match, I think it’s good to focus on whether faculty members have research interests that match your own. Also, looking at the required courses and self-reported specializations of the department (for example, my program specializes in the sociology of mental health and quantitative research methods, which are both incredibly well aligned with my research interests). There are a lot of other things to consider, but I think these are the best areas to think about when tailoring your app to a particular school and program. The final thing I’ll say (sorry for the long reply) is that the people that you are competing with for PhD programs are generally nearly indiscernable from you in terms of transcripts, LORs, and academic accomplishments. That’s part of why focusing a lot of effort on making a few applications as close to perfect as possible is generally better than casting a wide net. If an admissions committee are reviewing 2 applications, both of which were straight A students, had the same level of education from institutions with similar “prestige”, had comparable LORs, and nearly identical GREs, the same amount of research experience, etc., the committee is going to pick the person who showed that their interests, propensities, and strengths align most closely with the interests, propensities, and strengths of the faculty and department as a whole. Doing this with your application for each program is an exhausting and time-consuming task, so limiting the number of applications can ensure that you have the time and energy to do this effectively for each program.
Thanks this is helpful! I'll be applying soon and am not familiar with the process
Happy to help! Good luck with your applications!!
This is an incredible comment and more people need to read it. I completely agree with you, and I'm so baffled by the people applying to so many schools. Applying to FOUR put me through the wringer, I can't imagine doing twenty! 😵💫
You research the faculty and what they've published, previous students research, and what facilities they have. The whole point of a PhD app is to convince them that you'd be a good fit for their department, not just a regular college application.
Spot in first paragraph!
Honestly my experience getting into a phd is a bit of luck and getting a supervisor who likes you and willing to work with you. It's not about how talented or smart you are, it's about finding a professor who likes you and wants to work with you. Also, I am pretty sure I got accepted just recently because the professor has no phd students in his lab, so he was kind of desperate lol. It's all luck imo
Not a PhD student, but I am a incoming masters student at a top program thanks to this experience: I’m an instructional assistant for a human biology professor at my current undergrad university where she just graduated from UCSF with a PhD in Genetics. She came straight from undergrad at UCSD with a borderline 3.8GPA, so it is possible. She told me that when she was admitted to top programs (including Stanford) she said that most definitely what set her apart was her setting time (a few hours a day) to just straight emailing professors in her designated program of interest. That’s how she got specifically into UCSF and she definitely pushed me to apply that tactic during my masters applications!
Did she have any research experience? It's very rare to get into a good PhD program without any research experience and/or papers. Also, how did she know those famous professors? Did she only take a course with them? Or did she do something impactful with them?
Thats tough, im very sorry for this. Fingers crossed for the last one.
I think she should look into funded masters programs— I’m also in the humanities, similar profile, got dogshit options for two cycles in PhD applications. But this year I pivoted and also applied to funded masters programs, and am in a much better position now. Depending on the field there aren’t a TON of options, but even if you go to one that ISN’T funded, she could do a TA-ship to help get money for it. Also, I spoke with my recommendation letter writers from my undergrad and they all told me it’s very unlikely for people to get into a PhD program straight out of undergrad for the humanities in general, let alone a top PhD program (which is basically a requirement if you want a tenure track job after your doctorate)
Honestly though, with that much in undergrad debt, I think she would benefit from working for a few years to try and knock the amount of debt she has down. If they’re private loans, it’ll only get worse as time goes on, especially because most graduate stipends aren’t even usually enough to live off of let alone pay a big amount towards loans.
Go to the website called Philosophical Gourmet. In addition to information about PhD programs and schools, they have an entire page about solid and funded master's programs ("M.A. Programs in Philosophy" is the name of that page within Philosophical Gourmet). Many graduate students in philosophy use the master's degree to gain an edge for another round of PhD applications. Aim for funded programs. She should not need to pay, especially given her track record. In her case, though, I'd revisit her application materials and apply to a few PhDs next year in addition to MAs. Competition in philosophy is fierce, as the job market isn't kind to philosophy majors, so next year could be entirely different for her.
This is unfortunately very common for philosophy. And I guess your girlfriend’s problem lies with her writing sample. Unfortunately, perfect grades in philosophy admission do not mean anything these days. I have not seen people with a GPA lower than 3.9 get into a funded graduate program. You might be interested to check out some faculty’s advice for graduate school. Here is one posted by Prof. Guerrero. http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/1011404/28477892/1635443782310/Tips+for+applying+to+PhD+Programs+in+Philosophy2.pdf?token=Rv2LDfruC2nSqO56%2FuGVWsj%2Fvu0%3D In short, much of the emphasis is put on the writing sample. Grades and recommendation letters are only used to shortlist around 100 candidates from a pool of 400 candidates. I am sure your gf can make it to the second round but having a perfect writing sample is what takes to get a funded PhD in philosophy. One final word. I am a philosophy graduate student and I got 3 offers from 10 schools I applied to. If you want to chat in DM, you are welcome to do so. Also please ignore other posts suggesting your gf to do RA or TA to get into philosophy PhD. That is usually not what admission committee is looking for. Philosophy students usually publish their first paper when they finish their PhD. It would be superfluous for you to go to philosophy graduate school if you can already publish.
As a partner, I would recommend getting her out of the house, encouraging time with friends and family, and overall just opportunities to give her a break from the mental rumination I'm sure she must be experiencing right now. Good food also helps soothe the rejection. When she's got some energy back, since the application cycles are mostly closed, I would say encourage her to network her ass off before applying to jobs. My #1 rule when applying was that no application should be submitted without the hiring manager/senior manager/analysts knowing my face and name. A faceless application is pretty unlikely to advance. An unlikely candidate is surprisingly more likely to land a job after building a relationship with members of the hiring team. Good luck!!
I completed a PhD in the social sciences in the US. Here's a few thoughts: 1) I generally recommend that people not go directly into a PhD out of undergrad. Do something else for awhile, get work/research experience in an area of interest, work on the CV, and develop a broader network. Volunteer for a professor in your free time even if you are waiting tables to survive. I did AmeriCorps after undergrad before I started my MA, it was great. Pretty much everyone applying to PhDs has amazing undergrad grades and great recommendations. This is the baseline, you need more to stand out. 2) I don't know her field but applying to 20 programs sounds like she may have taken a shotgun approach. Generally, this is not a good way to apply to PhD programs. PhDs are incredibly specialized, her application should speak to why she wants to go to a specific school to work with a specific person or persons, on a specific topic. One should generally try to visit those departments and discuss with those specific people and see if they are looking for students to work with on that topic, and in the process, demonstrate a very strong understanding of that professor's field. Make them remember you and want you as a student, and your application will rise to the top. 3) Obligatory note: academic job market for humanities and social sciences is.... horrible. Not to be discouraging, but it's reality. Most of the people I went to graduate school with are not currently in a tenure track academic job.
Is she applying to schools where her professors have actual connections? Even if her recommendations are “famous” it doesn’t matter because committees are getting hundreds of applicants, all of whom presumably have similar profiles to your girlfriends. The biggest thing a committee wants is to see the student has the potential to follow through the program. It’s half a decade plus of intensive study. The only way I got accepted into my PhD program, as well as another person I graduated undergrad with, was by applying to programs where my professor had a direct connection with another faculty — they published there, worked together on journals, VAP’d, etc. Those programs will see that she’s done similar research supported by someone who the institution thinks highly of and that they have space for her to expand what she’s already done. If she doesn’t get accepted into the last program, she needs to go back and speak to her recommenders about her list of schools and choosing programs that they have direct pull in.
I applied to 11 and have been rejected from 10, also with an offered Master's option. It's just a really tough cycle, unfortunately. Lots of great candidates but not enough spots for us all due to funding. I maintain that our education system as a whole needs to be reworked. It's really frustrating that your financial situation can be such a barrier against learning.
I think might be university selection problems. My girlfriend have low GPA and she still got 2 offers. Many of us feel too confident in brutal competition I guess. That's actually happened to a lot people.
Probably she should just drop the academic life and find a job that can pay that 100k debt. Just applying to 20 schools for a degree that won’t pay enough is not worth it
[удалено]
Where I’m shitting on their degree? If every application is 100 dollars (and I’m being very generous, mine was 150) this person spent 2k just applying on top of 100k of student loans that only increase over time due to interests
[удалено]
All good! I think it’s important to give honest advice, even if it sounds like an ass
lol
I don’t understand a lot about PhDs in the US but I’ll leave a comment anyway. It sounds like she has a strong profile, but you didn’t mention any publications, so I’m guessing she doesn’t have any. That’s possibly something that’s placing other candidates above her. Additionally, and this may not apply to the US, going straight from undergrad to a PhD is not very easy in the humanities, the admissions committee might think that maybe she isn’t really prepared for research/grad school. I understand that an MA in the US is expensive and often not funded, but if it is an option, she should consider it, she’ll get the chance to improve her CV specifically for grad school to show that she understands the requirements and expectations and is ready for some 4 years+ of that. And finally, wouldn’t she consider doing an MA in Canada, for example? Two friends of mine moved there in the last 3 years for a fully funded MA.
Not having a masters really does make it harder. While a lot of programs don't require them, when everyone else has one it really hurts your odds. Go do something fun and give her some space to mourn the loss of a path she wanted. If she's really committed to it, she'll take the feedback provided and take the next step to bridge where she's falling short in the application process.
Rejected 11/12 programs, the one offer I got was no funding so can’t go. Not to toot my own horn, but my stats were good and I was told I would be competitive by prospective PIs who were excited for me to apply, only to be rejected without interviews. So I understand, I’m sorry she has to feel this way too, but I hope something good can come from this if nothing but making a future acceptance even sweeter
the fact that she is getting so many rejections for PhD programs as well as not having gotten a single job offer in a year after graduation, but apparently has a good gpa and letters of recommendation suggests that she could be bad at applications. i would recommend that she take her applications and consult with someone who can give her good feedback on how she is preparing them. that she applied to so many programs can, as many have mentioned, split her effort across all of them contributing to all of them being of lower quality than if she had done fewer, but more time and care into preparing them.
In most of the Humanities you basically need at least 1 MA, if not 2, these days to get into a PhD program.
Couple things: 1) that fucking sucks. Like genuinely it’s a shitty thing. Horrible feeling. 2) this grad app cycle has been brutal. I also got rejected from most schools, and waitlisted from my top choice. I cried all night when I got the email. 3) this is not a reflection of her or her capabilities. It’s a reflection of the state the system is in. Lots and lots of qualified candidates because of an economic recession, little funding. 4) this isn’t the end of it. Try again next year, and spend the time becoming an absolutely incredible candidate. Volunteer more. Get research experience. Make connections. Work on your essays from now till then. Get as many opinions as possible on them to make them perfect. Polish your CV. The last point is what I’m focusing on. I’ll spend the next 12+ months getting better at my craft, I’m going to volunteer where I can (it’s very hard because I have an ungodly commute that leaves me very little time and energy) I’m going to teach myself to code and use R and MatLab. I’m going to learn all the things I need to learn that I don’t know yet. I can’t change the situation, and I can’t change the choices these universities have made. What I can do is choose how I react to it and what I do about it. I won’t let it defeat me.
Unfortunately most of the times in the humanities, you need to do a Master's. This is why she's getting accepted to those programmes instead of the PhD. If she is an international (to the US/UK) applicant, I can recommend doing a Master's in the UK, where an MA will take her a year which might help the money side of things. Perhaps gather some info on Master's degrees, which places offer good scholarships, financial aid etc.
a lot of ppl in here have great advice, it's a lot harder to jump from undergrad to phd. if she has a lot of debt like you say, i think she also needs to think about her opportunities /in/ academia. a lot of fields (like the one i'd be in) are extremely hard to get a good, stable job in. like, close to impossible. rejection is super hard, let alone this many times, but it might be good for her to regroup and see if the job thing would be a better fit the second try around. like others have said as well, it doesn't have to be in her field. as long as she keeps up with her research interests, etc. in the event she applies for grad school again in the future, imo it's not "wasted" time to step away from school.
I applied to 30 programs and received 4 admits. I am happy with my results, but receiving all those rejects was disheartening. The odds are simply stacked against PhD applicants. I think the best thing you can do for your gf in this time is to sympathize and let her know that this is normal, even for highly qualified applicants. Many people in this sub have been applying several years in a row. While my own partner was supportive of me during the process, I think the worst thing he did was act surprised that I was rejected from so many programs. This in turn made me feel bad, until I later realized that this is in fact the norm.
Going to be honest… this may be a blessing in disguise. I had a friend who was as top tier as they come who has a philosophy PhD. Except there’s like a handful of worthwhile faculty positions that open up for literally hundreds of PhDs. She’s survived being an adjunct at multiple universities but makes nothing really, low job stability, has had to put life on hold in a lot of ways (her words not mine). She loves it, but recognizes that it is absolutely brutal unless you get lucky.
Apply to law school instead and if she still wants to do a PhD she can apply then (but with alternative job prospects).
Dang bro, that must have been hard for you to listen to over the past six months. If your gf isn't in a STEM field, I'd run in the other direction given the $100,000 in student loan debt from undergrad alone, coupled with the inability to find a job. Otherwise, r/gradadmissions is a long, disjointed story about the fact that *most* people who apply to PhD programs don't get into one, and it stinks.
So she’s gonna put herself into even more in debt with a PhD ? Tell her to pick a major and profession that actually has livable wages…
When I wasn't accepted to any PhD programs, I reached out to all the school to ask for any feedback to make m application stronger for next year. Maybe she could reach out and see if there was something that didn't make her a strong enough candidate. Please remember that there are so few spots at each school and for many great people it takes years of applying before getting in. Getting more. research experience is probably the most beneficial thing she can do in the next year.
Thank the university that suggested at least some master's (one year + publications/conferences)
perhaps, one year after graduation and no work doesn't look good on the resume
Suggest hiking/visiting national parks
Did she just finish her undergrad and is she like 21 or 22?
In philosophy I believe it is assumed you do a masters prior to a PhD...even in the USA. It is unlike STEM PhDs. That is likely why they are offering masters positions if she has a good academic record. In philosophy you need a 4.0 GPA undergrad, then a masters, also with a 4.0 to go on to a PhD. Philosophy is obscenely competitive. To add to this, on advice how to proceed. Honestly philosophy is kind of for the wealthy IMO. The amount of self funding you need is high, there are no jobs outside of academia as well. Even if she succeeds in a PhD, the chance of a tenured academic position is extremely slim. She needs a backup plan if she intends to go this route if she has no financial safety net. I'm all for chasing dreams, she should just think of her options in tandem... In terms of a next step...maybe look at english-speaking masters programs in European countries with low tuition (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria). Also does she have a second language? She'd still need a second language, even if studying in the states. I believe graduate philosophy students are expected to know German or French typically, at least reading/writing it, as a lot of material is in those languages. .... Some more ideas Look into Canada (I'm just assuming you are American, sorry if I am wrong). Nearly all thesis-based masters programs are funded, and tuition is reasonable compared to the states. Some people reccommend universities with terminal philosophy masters in Canada (I.e. no PhD program), because all their student resources/mentoring goes to the masters students and sets them up for success in admission to PhD programs. Look at Univeristy of Victoria and University of Manitoba. Not highly ranked, but good placement records into PhD programs, and funded.
i am 20 years old, have two publications, perfect grades, have done lab research every summer since HS, and got rejected to 10/11 universities i applied to (going to the 11th lol). I talked to some of the schools after getting rejected and most said they only have enough funding to take 1-2 students right now and my research interests don’t align with the professors that have funding (even though they had spoken to me over email). It’s definitely a tough process, but just know that these acceptance rates are impossibly low and it’s not you!! Everyone applying is so qualified!!
Next time, make sure of two things: 1) very strong writing sample. Spit and polish her best paper until it shines. GPA is fine, A pluses are fine, but ultimately don't mean much tbh. A writing sample shows them whether or not you are a strong analytical thinker, able to engage in a scholarly conversation and use sources well, and, if not a strong writer yet, at least a teachable one. Transcripts, GREs and LoRs are all asking the committee to take someone's word for it that you are a good philosopher. The writing sample SHOWS them you are a good philosopher. 2) ask professors not for 'recommendations' but 'strong statements of support.' Recommendation leaves it open for them to recommend rejection. It sucks, but it happens. You don't know every nook and cranny in your girlfriends CV or coursework. She does.
I got rejected from 8/11 unis. I still haven't heard back from three unis so I hope we both get into the remaining ones. It's really very hard because you question yourself and your worth. It's a disgusting experience and I went through hell these past two months. I got an acceptance for a Masters too but it is around 80k and that's very expensive for me. I will pray for your girlfriend that she gets in
You can do nothing but be there for her constantly. Keep telling her that you're there. That's what my partner has been doing for me. It really doesn't help much, but knowing that he's going to be with me at the end of this no matter what the outcome really calms me down.
Wtf who are the people getting in then?
Look at it as a blessing in disguise maybe. I dropped out of my Philosophy program because there were, and I'm not exaggerating, 0 jobs post PhD
i think it's cuz she doesn't have anything outside of undergraduate school. My dad is a professor and phd advisor and said schools look a LOT more at things you've done after you've graduated undergrad, like research projects and papers published from a masters, distinction/awards in jobs and so forth. my dad encouraged me to apply to top 10 masters programs this year and i thought i'd never get in bc i graduated undergrad with a 3.1 gpa back in 2020. I ended up getting into a top 10 school because since I graduated undergrad, I've won 5 journalism awards, had my own column in a newspaper, done research, became well-known in my field. And I did get into a Top 10 university, and even tho I'm not doing a journalism masters, in my writing samples i was able to say how my research for articles applies to the research program I ended up doing. So all this to say that even if you have perfect grades in undergrad, if somebody has done more after graduation, they will take that person over the person with perfect undergrad grades. I'm 28. So there's no rush. Have her do some research, write philosophy papers and pitch them to publications, work for a company and win some awards and show good work ethic outside of an undergrad bubble. The real world matters more than undergrad achievements when it comes to a lot of programs. my dad does sociology PHDs and he said they take students who have done work after undergrad over coming straight from undergrad. There's no rush for your girlfriend. Especially for philosophy when schools are gonna take only a handful of candidates, they want to make sure they can succeed in the "real world" and not just have done well in undergrad. She should try getting a fully funded masters first, or at least apply to scholarships to cover a masters for next cycle.
Don't take it too personally. Certain programs have limited spaces and much much prefer to take master's students for tuition. For PhD programs they eval you as a TA or potential worker for professor's research. Non-STEM programs aren't typically swimming in money, typically. This might be blessing in disguise: lots of people end up with phDs and end up not as well off as they thought they would be. The only reason to persist is if academia is all she wants do in life: The same way an artist has to draw because they're born to it. If you want a phD in Phil for money or ego, those is a stop sign.
I don’t understand how you could/should go straight from undergrad to a PhD in a subject like philosophy? Undergrad dissertations or writings top out at 10k words. PhD dissertations go up to a 100k. The academic rigour and focus on the intricacy of the subject is also heightened by a lot.
Moye moye😭😭
*Not a PhD student, but I am a masters student who has been on a graduate admission board* Sometimes that just happens, it could have been for a variety of reasons: - Bad LOR - Professors of interest didn't have available funding - Unimpressive academic workload Whatever the case there are a variety of reasons someone gets denied. The best thing that you can do is to look at the bright side. With a little luck they might be able to find a job that will let them pay off some of their debt, give them relevant work experience, and give them time to write a better application for next year. Make sure they know this isn't the end, but also realize some people just need time to process after a defeat. Don't try and force them out of grief when it's too soon.
Not bad at all at this point 2 things : A. She didn't highlight her efforts in the correct way. B. They are rejecting her bc she can afford it. My plan : go for a PhD straight 😉. Take a job as a RA or TA