applying for a PhD
The value and experience of a PhD depends almost entirely on the lab you’re part of (and the advisor you are in). A small university might have a specific lab that’s extremely well respected, while a big-name university might have programs that are only mediocre. Similarly, a PhD with one advisor might be a fantastic and rewarding time, while a different advisor might lead to a horrible, painful experience.
To find these niche labs, figure out what you’re interested in, find the conferences and journals for that interest, and start reading papers. The people whose names keep showing up are the people you want to follow up on.
Questions about a lab’s work are a great way to display your interest, but only if they are genuine. One good question is asking what projects a lab is spinning up / what research they have funding for. There are a lot of labs that might seem up your alley, but the projects they’re currently doing aren’t a good fit.
Talk to a professor’s current students. You don’t want to be stuck for years with someone who is secretly abusive.
The skills a professor wants are (1) the ability to be self motivated and do a long term project without lots of supervision, (2) curiosity, and (3) passion for the subject. I didn’t have too much research experience when I applied, but I did have a class I built myself. When applying, I talked about how the process of building my course showed that I had the three skills mentioned above.
