Tips on Applying & Succeeding in a PhD Program in the United States
Intro
What does it take to get into a Ph.D. program in the United States. Once you are there, how do you succeed in that environment? Dr. Trishnee Bhurosy, a Behavioral Scientist, joins us today to share her academic journey which started from Mauritius, an island in East Africa, to Indiana University Bloomington, USA.
Guest Bio
Dr. Trishnee Bhurosy is a Behavioral Scientist and currently teaching at Hofstra University as an assistant professor. She earned her Ph.D. from Indiana University Bloomington, USA, and has won several awards, including the MLK Building Bridges Award.
Q: Tell us about what you did to prepare to start your Ph.D. program.
I was thinking about going somewhere much closer than the USA, such as Australia. However, the universities I was looking at were not offering full scholarships, and I could not afford to pay the rest of the tuition. Around the same time, I met someone who was living in the USA, but had come back to Mauritius for vacation. She was the one that encouraged me to pursue a Ph.D. in the United States.
So, I went to the US Embassy and made an appointment with the educational advisor and asked what I would need to do. I was told that I would need to take a GRE (8 months before sending applications) and write a personal statement and craft a resume that lined up with what US universities expected. There was nobody to guide me in these things; I had to learn how to write all that stuff by myself.
I would recommend making all that stuff personal, don’t use a copy-paste application, especially when asking for advisors to look at your application. They can tell when you have put effort into your application and when it is just generic statements. Find out who is leading the field you want to study in and write to them personally.
Q: Was it easy for your family after you were accepted in the program?
For a long time growing up, I accepted the traditional role of women in my culture. When I really started questioning what I wanted out of life, I realized that I did not want that traditional role. I wanted to expand my career and push myself farther. My parents had quite a shock when I told them. It wasn’t taboo for a woman to study abroad, but it wasn’t really pushed for either. My dad was the first to come around and was very encouraging. My family always told us that the key to success is a good education, so they were eventually onboard with my decision.
Q: What was it like being an international Ph.D. student?
It was challenging. There are only so many jobs you can get with a student visa and I could only work for so long. It was really easy to find myself sitting at home with nothing to do, and feeling really lonely. I ended up volunteering, mostly to ease the loneliness and to keep my mind busy. Money was also tight. There were times I only had $25 in my bank account. Many of my meals during this time consisted of just rice and beans.
Q: What advice do you have for those who want to get into a foreign Ph.D. program?
Start researching what your options are. Ask yourself, “Is this really what I want to do?” Make sure you are applying for the Ph.D. that you actually want to do, because there are so many different Ph.D. programs that you can get into. Be financially wise. Make sure that you have enough money to get through the program and still have enough to eat and pay for housing.
Also, email the head of the program you want to get your degree in. Send a personalized email for each one, not a generic one you can send to everyone. If they do not respond, don’t keep emailing them. Move onto the next application. It is important to have a mentor who will work with you, so make sure the program is eager to have you before you invest time and money into joining.
Closing Thoughts
When looking at a Ph.D. program in the United States, make sure it is what you want to do before investing energy into applications. Be financially wise, take care of your mental health, don’t forget your roots, and be prepared. It is possible to thrive in a Ph.D. program, as long as you prepare for it.
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