How to get into a STEM Ph.D. program
First, get an undergraduate degree (B.A., B.S., etc). Major in a STEM field; it doesn’t have to be the same as what you’ll get your Ph.D. in. Or don’t! I’ve seen English majors with enough research experience get into biology Ph.D. programs at Harvard. Get the best grades you can. Do some research — the field doesn’t really matter, as long as it’s STEM and you can demonstrate skills such as time management and the scientific method. If you can, become a middle or even a first author on a published scientific paper.
Applications are due at the beginning or middle of December. Save up money beforehand — these cost around a hundred dollars per school. Round up 3 letters of recommendation as far ahead as you can. One or more should be from a research supervisor. Make sure everyone’s hype to support you. You can’t afford mediocre praise here.
If you’re an American citizen, also apply to the NSF GRFP if you think you’re strong compared to other pre-graduate-students. You only get one shot at this — it’s now, or in one of your first two years of grad school. Use it wisely.
Write a personal statement. Tell the story of your resume/CV. At each stage of your career, what did you learn, and how did that lead you to the next degree or research experience? What character traits do your extracurriculars show, and how do they make you a better scientist? Tailor one paragraph (often on the second page) to the specific program you are applying to (professors you’d like to work with and why, specific program requirements you find interesting) and keep the rest similar or the same.
Here is mine, which got me into Harvard in 2018.
Apply to the “prestigious” programs”
Ph.D. programs should not cost you any money. You’re doing essential work for the university, and you’ve already got a college education. You should be paid accordingly.
That said, apply to the best-funded programs you can. That often translates to prestige. For biology-related fields, you can’t go wrong with schools such as Harvard, MIT, Stanford, and Princeton, which have the most consistent funding and pay the closest to a real living wage. Don’t sell yourself short by not applying to these “elite” programs and end up somewhere that you need to teach every semester in order to keep your funding. That ends up not being very cash money and can lead to 8+ year Ph.D.s.
Go to your interviews
These take place from January through mid-March. Grad programs should cover your travel costs or host you on Zoom. It’ll be a 2-3 day affair, so pace yourself.
Eat well, sleep as much as you can, and stay hydrated. Dress nicely but not too formally, and make sure your clothes are comfortable. (Most universities have a casual dress code, and professors won’t generally dress up just for campus interviews. But err on the side of formal.) You should receive a list with the professors you’ll be speaking with and an agenda for the interview. Learn about them and what they do, and try to ask about facets of their research you’re genuinely curious about.
There’ll be a social event with current grad students, often at the end of interview week. Do not drink much (or at all) and stay away from substances. Do not say anything rude or mean. Do not hit on anyone or hook up with anyone. After you leave campus, programs often ask current students whether they particularly liked or disliked any candidates.
Choose a grad program
Choose the program with the best vibes and the best funding. If you are underrepresented, choose the program with at least some students and faculty that look like you, if possible, or where minoritized people say they feel supported. When you get to campus, you’ll often do rotations to figure out who you’ll want to do research with for the next 5+ years. Choose these carefully. Plug into the gossip network to avoid serial sexual predators, racists, homophobes, gunners, and general toxicity. (Yes, I’m telling you to ask for all the tea, and well-meaning students and alumni will often spill it.) Good luck! Congrats, you’re on your way to a Ph.D.!