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Guide to the PhD

Here's how I survived my PhD and how you can survive yours.

Before starting on your journey, consider reasons to and reasons not to do a PhD.

• Why pursue a PhD? Is it for me?

Getting into a PhD

If you've decided research is for you, then here are tips for applying to PhD programs. These tips can also generalize to applications for graduate school in general.

• How PhD admissions committees assess applications
• How to write (self-)recommendation letters for PhD admissions.
• How to write your personal statement, for PhD admissions

Surviving a PhD

In your PhD, you'll have plenty of breakdowns, life crises, and self-doubt in a major life decision to pursue graduate school. Here are some general thoughts on surviving.

• What defines a "good" researcher?
• What I learned in my PhD.

Most programs for AI/ML require three papers at top conferences to graduate. More or less, this is an unwritten, unofficial convention. Here are tips specific for papers.

• Is my project paper-ready?
• How to write a paper
• How to read papers

At some point, you may be asked to mentor an undergraduate researcher — either by the mentee themselves, your adviser, or your lab. Here are tips for mentoring.

• How to mentor undergraduate researchers

After the PhD

I'll write more about post-PhD life and prospects in the future. For now, see Guide to the Job Hunt if you're interested in a non-academic route (as I was), after the PhD.

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