<p>I want to apply for a PhD in Education Policy, but I'm not published and I haven't been involved in a "research-orientated" occupation since undergrad. </p>
<p>I have wanted to pursue a PhD for a long time, but wanted some "real life" experience first.</p>
<p>I'll have been in the classroom for 4 years - 2 years as a member of Teach For America in D.C. and 2 years teaching at a public high school in Bermuda. I have experience in writing curriculum and in data-driven teaching methods. I completed a Master's in Secondary Teaching while I was teaching in D.C. My GPA's were high in both my Undergrad and Master's programs (Undergrad GPA - 3.7; Master's GPA - 3.9) I did not complete any major research projects for my Master's degree. I wrote a lot of papers, but there was no thesis requirement.</p>
<p>Am I a good candidate for application? What should I focus on? GRE scores, LORs, contact with professors at the schools I'm interested in applying to? Any recommendations for schools? </p>
<p>Any advice would be greatly appreciated!</p>
<p>I’m afraid I can’t answer your question, but I have a question or two of my own for you:
Why do you feel the need to get a PhD? What type of work do you want to do?</p>
<p>I only ask because I was considering education policy myself, but I had the feeling if I had a masters that would be sufficient…</p>
<p>I went through the same line of questioning as well when considering my options for graduate school. Objectively I’ve decided on the PhD for a couple of reasons:</p>
<p>1) As far as the admissions process goes, completing the PhD application autimatically applies you for a comprable Master’s program at the school; you usually just have to check a box so it doesn’t hurt you just to go for the PhD since you’re still going to be considered for the Master’s too
2) There is typically more research funding and financial aid available to PhD candidates
3) If you get into a PhD program and decide part of the way through that it’s not for you or that it’s going to take too much time you can almost always take your credits and be granted a Master’s anyway</p>
<p>My career goals include being a university professor and being a published researcher in the area so a PhD makes more sense for me personally as well. </p>
<p>I think it depends on the program too. Stanford, for example, takes 20-30 PhD candidates a year, whereas a place like Berkeley usually takes less than 10, so for that school I probably will just apply to their Master’s program and then I would likely apply to continue with the PhD once I’m there. </p>
<p>Any thoughts would be appreciated.</p>