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Some months ago I finished my MSc. I immediately started to send several applications for Ph.D vacancies. So far I've spent a lot of time in doing this, but there is only one place that did not reject me. This place was actually the least interesting for me in terms of the job, therefore I was not keen from it at all. I believe almost no one applied for the place I was not rejected by... As for all other applications, I'm seriously thinking the problem is my final MSc mark. To tell the truth with my mark I can access to most of the Ph.D programs (it's a UK "merit"). However if I know there are almost no chances for me to do what I would like to do then I resort to something else and avoid waisting my time in writing cover letters that no one bothers.

Ben Norris
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ragnar
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  • Welcome to academia.SE. From your writing it seems like English might not be your first language. While a merit is not a great mark for an MSc degree, it likely won't get your application thrown out. Did you have someone else read your cover letter? – StrongBad Apr 29 '13 at 14:00
  • This issue has come up before and been addressed. This question http://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/324/how-do-you-get-a-bad-transcript-past-ph-d-admissions and this question http://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/7753/what-should-someone-who-has-been-rejected-from-all-phd-programs-do-to-improve-th and this one http://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/977/what-to-do-when-graduate-admissions-havent-gone-well and this one http://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/582/how-can-a-graduate-school-applicant-improve-his-application-for-next-years-seas. – Ben Norris Apr 29 '13 at 15:06
  • This question is not exactly a duplicate of those others, but your answer may already exist. I added the [tag:graduate-admissions] tag to your question. Browse through the questions with that tag. There are some good answers to similar (or broader) questions. – Ben Norris Apr 29 '13 at 15:08
  • @BenNorris I will probably post a new question based on the links you suggested. – ragnar Apr 29 '13 at 15:37
  • What's a "cover letter"? Is that another name for the "statement of purpose"? – JeffE Apr 29 '13 at 15:55
  • @JeffE Are you American? If you are then I know why you don't know what a cover letter is. In Europe a Ph.D is not something a student proposes, rather it's a project directly issued by the university. This means that the phd is just a job whose purpose is to do research on the topic required by the university. The cover letter is just the application letter, where you say "Dear Sir/Madam, I received the announcement of the vacancy X on... I would be interested in the job because...". Of course in Europe a student has fewer "freedom" than in America... – ragnar Apr 29 '13 at 15:59
  • So, yes, it is what Americans call a "statement of purpose" or "application statement". You should include this information (or at least the phrase "in Europe") in the question for the benefit of us Yankee readers. – JeffE Apr 29 '13 at 16:04
  • @JeffE in Europe a "statement of interest" is a short (1 page) phd proposal. This is why I didn't know what you meant – ragnar Apr 30 '13 at 07:26

1 Answers1

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When I look at an application there are four aspects that count:

  1. grades
  2. cover letter
  3. earlier written work (BS/MS thesis)
  4. Recommendation letters

Out of these, I focus most of my attention on the latter two: if the thesis is well-written, has received a good grade, and the letters of recommendation support the candidate in terms of ability to do research (from reading up on the field to writing everything up) and independence (how much (or little) support the candidate needed.

The cover letter would not make the application, but could break it if it is unfocussed and does not show any skills in expressing the interest in a structured way while avoiding irrelevant information. The grades would, in most cases, be the least interesting since they primarily show one's ability to read and understand, not necessarily reasoning and deduction. The exception is the grade for the thesis.

So, to answer the question, I am not sure which might be more important but anything that supports your ability to do research is of prime interest to anyone evaluating an application.

EDIT: To follow up on Gerrit's suggestion, my personal ranking list would be (in falling order):

  1. Earlier written work
  2. Recommendation letters
  3. Cover letter
  4. Grades (although the grade on the written work is included in 1)

But, all parts are useful and in the end some mix of all will be used. I would also add that 1 and 2 will "make" the application while 3 and 4 will mainly help to "break" the application.

Peter Jansson
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    The quality of the writing in the cover letter and thesis can also damage one's chances, if they are not well-written. – aeismail Apr 29 '13 at 14:03
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    Perhaps you can rank them by importance? – gerrit Apr 29 '13 at 14:05
  • @PeterJansson Thanks a lot, with your advice you just told me to give up. I think what blocks my applications are exactly the most important points, ie the grade of my MSc thesis and possibly the references. – ragnar Apr 29 '13 at 14:17
  • @PeterJannson what if I added in my CV I have started a Ph.D but I'm probably quitting it because I don't like the topic? may it be a good reference like eg a discrete MSc thesis grade? – ragnar Apr 29 '13 at 14:22
  • @ragnar I am sorry to hear that. To be persistent is, however, a very good personal trait for a researcher so your efforts should not be thrown away. I think you need to try to assess where your interests are and then also try to contact some to find out the reasons for the rejections. There are many unknownsthat once charted may provide you with a better overview of your situation. – Peter Jansson Apr 29 '13 at 14:23
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    @ragnar In response to your second comment. To start a program and then drop it might come across as not having drive or direction. What you certainly can do is to to list that you were offered the PhD position, after all, that is a merit. But you then also need to explain why you did not go for it in a way that does not seem undecisive. – Peter Jansson Apr 29 '13 at 14:28
  • @PeterJansson to tell the truth I know what my interests are and most of the times I also had my cover letters reviewed by a friend of mine who works as a senior scientist at my former university: he always said my cover letters are OK, there is not so much to discuss about. Therefore I can easily conclude I must either retake the master or resort to other possibilities. In this case however I would have no chances in my country: I'd move out to work only for something really rewarding, which is not the case... – ragnar Apr 29 '13 at 14:31
  • @PeterJansson that's exactly what I'm trying to figure out. Frankly saying, I've clearly found out a research jobs requires a great motivation, especially when you're doing it abroad or far away from the place where you've always lived. This is my situation. Maybe I would have the motivation to do the same job in my town, surely not in the place where I am now. I'm currently working as a PhD student, I can actually carry out the job my boss tells me to do, but I find no interest in the topic. What would you do if you had to mention this on the CV? – ragnar Apr 29 '13 at 14:44